No drinking...I know boring right?

In today's society drinking is considered socially acceptable and the majority of people i would say indulge now and then.  But how is it i got to a point (and i know many others in the same boat) that I am having to embark on a "no drinking for a month" rule in order to chill out a bit and think about the health benefits not drinking has on my body?   

I am far beyond being able to use the excuse that i have no heating in my house, therefore a trip to the pub to warm up and get my beer blanket on before coming home is acceptable.  Maybe it is the change in personal circumstances and being back in 'single town' that drinking becomes more prevalent?  Or does weather truly play a part in our drinking habits?  There is supposed to be evidence to suggest that this is so, but is it true here in Perth...I mean really, it doesn't even get that cold?!?  What about sporting clubs? I have recently started playing rugby where drinking is a big part of the culture...or is just coincidental that it just so happens to run during the winter season?  Or, have I always drunk this much but can't remember? That's even worse!

Having grown up in a binge drinking culture, meaning I do not drink every day but when i do i tend to overdo it in one hit, i love the social scene and good times that often come with drinking.  So, in order to help me think about the benefits of not drinking as opposed to what i think i will miss out on, i did some research into how alcohol does in fact effect the body: 

• Hangovers (nausea, headaches, stomach irritation)
• Exacerbated sleep problems like disrupted sleep and irregular sleep patterns, therefore resulting in fatigue
• Shakiness
• Embarrassment
• Vomiting
• Memory loss (those infamous black spots)
• Injury (by putting yourself in risky situations)
• Alcohol poisoning
• Physical and psychological dependence on alcohol (no one wants an addiction)
• Damage to the brain and liver
• Risk of cancer to the mouth, throat or oesophagus
• Increased risk of neurological disorders, heart problems, sexual problems (especially male impotency)
• Risk of emotional and mental health problems developing (like depression and anxiety)
• Problems at work or in relationships
• Weight gain (people tend to eat whilst they drink and usually eat bad foods.  Also because alcohol is considered a toxin your body works to rid your body of the alcohol first prior to breaking down the food).  The food we eat when we drink is what puts fat on, not necessarily the alcohol.
• And the list goes on!

As if the above isn't enough to rid my body of alcohol for a month I know i'm going to have to go through the mental anguish of wanting and all of a sudden needing to have a few glasses of wine during the week when normally i wouldn't think about opening a bottle.  Why is it that when you say you can't have it, that you want it more than ever?!  It does sound so very lame but I am going to force myself to go out and socialise, rather than be a recluse at home every weekend because i'm not drinking. Am i more boring without alcohol or is that just in my own head? Going out and actually socialising without drinking....can i actually have fun? Will people annoy me because i'm not as drunk as them ....therefore my tolerance is a lot lower?  Will people invade my personal space and yell within half an inch of me?  Sure they will!!....but I guess i'm just going to have to deal with that.

I am however looking forward to waking up on a Saturday/Sunday morning and not feeling like death or that i had been gnawing on a dirty sock all night.   I look forward to feeling full of energy, actually remembering the night before with no "black spots" and allowing my liver to start repairing and functioning properly.

So, i'm going to explore the emotions and feelings over the next month and report back on how my sobriety is making me feel both physically and mentally. I know that by not drinking i am rearranging all my actions, attitudes, ideas, relaxation time, how i consider myself to have fun, how i relate to people and how i spend my evenings....it is certainly going to be a test.

For those of you that don't drink, i envy you.....you must have read this and just thought how pathetic i am...to have to announce to everyone that i'm not drinking in order to achieve it.  Well...you are right....sad but true. 

Bottoms up ;)

Angst before competition....how do you cope?

With the Primal Throwdown Crossfit Competition in WA fast approaching this weekend...http://www.theprimalthrowdown.com/  it has got me thinking.   How do we all deal with the anxiety, excitement and fear of competition? 

Do you lose sleep over the up and coming event? Do you talk non stop about the event to your poor colleagues or partner who have to sit and listen to you talk incessantly about something they couldn't give two left testicles about?  Do you research every possible athlete and convince yourself you are doing the right thing?  Do you find it difficult to eat properly?  Do you tweet, re-tweet, post on facebook and reply to posts, read blogs, books, documentaries?  Do you walk around in a daze dreaming about standing on the top of  the podium or panic because you think you will come last in every event? Take a second or two to think about the sort of person you are....

I myself am the sort of person who gets excited about competition.   The fear of the unknown WODs (workout of the day) gets my buzz on.  I go by the thought process of...I will give it my best shot and if I can't complete the workout for whatever reason, then who cares. At least i was in the competition and gave it a shot.  I love the unknown of new workouts, it fuels the fire in my competitive belly.  Just trying to figure out whether i have what it takes to do reasonably well in a workout i have never attempted before is all par for the course.  Is it justifiable to fear the unknown?  Some say of course it is, others think not, but I guess ultimately it is finding a way to channel that fear and anxiety into energy for your workouts.  I know that if a heavy snatch or overhead squat comes my way i am in strife..but...at least i can attempt it and have a laugh at how appalling my squats are and take it back to the gym with me to work on for next year. 

Throughout Crossfit boxes across WA there are over 300 competitors who have entered into the Primal Throwdown as either a beginner, intermediate or advanced athlete.  All of which have no doubt been discussing with fellow athletes what they think the wods will be.  Questions like...do you think there will be swimming, skipping, heavy snatches, overhead squats, backwards running again?  Heck, maybe we will all have to jump on a tricycle and do a 400m lap on a kid's bike!  My point is, try not to stress about something you have no control over.  Once the workouts get released (if they do prior to the event), then do your up most on the day to compete well.  Take time out to enjoy the day and relish in the moment.  Look at competition the way i look at golf....if you are having a bad day and can't hit a ball to save yourself, then at least you can still enjoy the walk!  Hopefully if you need to, you can say, i messed up that WOD but i gave it everything in every other WOD.

Try and ensure your lead up to the event is sound by sleeping well, eating right, hydrating properly and not over training. Everything else will fall into place on the day.  Support all fellow athletes and adopt the crossfit way by attempting everything.  After all....who knows what will be thrown our way?!?!?

Good luck and see you at Curtin Uni on Saturday!

E3 Sports Drink - Is this for you?

Am i right in assuming that most of you have all tried a number of different sports drinks, protein shakes, endura, powders (and not the white kind you make lines with using your credit card on the coffee table...naughty naughty) to determine what works well for your performance, energy levels and recovery?   Well i certainly have!! 

With all the different weekend and week long sporting tournaments i have competed in, long rides, runs, football/soccer/rugby games, triathlons, swims, etc... i have tried almost every possible sports drink sure to make me 'feel great' and 'perform at my best'.  That however, i'm not so sure of.  I find that most of these sport drinks in fact upset my stomach and leave me bloated with stomach cramps.  More often than not i find myself looking desperately on the horizon for a public toilet (too much detail?).  They quite often have an effect like you have just bitten into a lemon, or they leave a nasty after taste, or they have an uncanny ability of letting you taste them twice during a workout....something which i'm sure most of us have experienced.

That however changed when i met a man named Selwyn Jellie.  He is a quiet man and a very well accomplished distance swimmer who has the horrendous discomfort of becoming seasick every time he goes swimming.  Now...i must mention that his swims aren't just small feats...they are such swims as:
- 3 attempts at the English Channel Double Crossing (64kms)
- Manhattan Island Marathon Swim (28.5 miles)
- English Channel Solo Crossing (32kms)
- English Channel Relay Crossing (32kms)
- 7 x Rottnest Channel Swim (19.2kms)

So, understandably, getting sick during these events would take a lot out of you (literally).  He would vomit and vomit and vomit his way through the swims losing copious amounts of fluid and well needed energy.  Thus through the help of a food technologist and many years of research and testing, they developed the E3 Sports Drink!  THANK YOU!!!

This sports drink is not just another run of the mill sports drink that you can get off the supermarket shelf.  It was and is designed and tested with athletes in the USA and is spreading like hot cakes around Australia in the triathlon/ironman/crossfit and sporting community generally!  It tastes amazing and is easy on the stomach!!  It can be easily digested before, during and after an event.  It is not full of sugar so you get that sickly feeling before or after you exercise either!  It uses whey protein, carbohydrates and electrolytes to escalate performance, sustain energy, optimize hydration and boost recovery! Plus it is great for hangovers...bonus!  I use it during and after crossfit and rugby and rave about it...hence wanting to share it with you all.
Check out the website below or email Selwyn at info@e3champion.com.au for more info!

http://www.e3champion.com.au/

Happy drinking!!!

Well it certainly has been a long time since I have hit the blogging scene and now i'm back with vengeance!

Let's talk about sleep or lack thereof in my case.  I have trouble getting to sleep, then I wake up at least 4 or 5 times a night and find my best sleep is probably between the hours of 3 and 6am (if I get to sleep in that long!).  My issue is switching the 'ol brain off at night.  I'm not really a person who outwardly stresses, so therefore I tend to take my stresses, check lists etc to bed with me (rather than someone else if you know what i'm saying eh eh) and haven't yet figured out how to switch off in order to get some quality sleep.  Do you feel like you have that same problem?  Do you feel like you are not getting enough sleep and it is effecting your sporting performance, work performance, general happiness, health etc? 

Well, after having met Ian Dunican at a Crossfit Endurance seminar, who happens to be very well studied in the art of 'sleeping and how it effects your performance', I thought I would pass on the information about his seminar that I will be attending which is coming up on Wednesday 20th June 2012 at "The Cell" in WA .  

Check out the details below and happy sleeping for those of you that are out like a light when the head hits the pillow...and for those of you like me...see you at the seminar! ha

http://www.thecellfitness.com.au/scheduleandservices/sleep4performance-seminar/

SLEEP4PERFORMANCE SEMINAR

The Sleep4Performance Seminar is designed for CrossFitters, endurance athletes, martial artists or anyone looking to improve their performance at work, study or life.

Find out how to manage your sleep to maximise human performance. In this 3-hour seminar you will learn:

• Sleep science and how your body is programmed

• Managing work and exercise

• Sleep disorders and their effect on your performance

• Optimal times to train based on your goals

• Event preparation and travel (jet lag)

And much much more ……………

6pm to 9pm
Wednesday 20 June 2012 @ The Cell
$75

This seminar will be led by Ian Dunican who has over 15 years experience in the military, mining and ultra-runing. Ian holds a number of advisory positions including the Monash University – School of Medicine, Nursing & Health Science and Harvard Medical School, USA and is also the Chair of special interest group with the Australian Sleep Association.

Whip it good

Doesn’t everyone just love the age old debate, which skipping rope is best to skip with?  Well, I’m not here to tell you definitively which rope is best for you, but I can give you an insight into what i like and what i don’t so much. 

So, let’s start with....the rope itself.  Many a folk will argue that buying a certain rope is the key to being able to skip easily.  I agree to a degree, however not everyone wants to spend loads of money on a rope, nor do they want to be able to jump rope like a pro-boxer.  Basically anything that will enable you to do a complete revolution whilst jumping over it will benefit you.  You can always make it more challenging by attempting double unders (two revolutions in one jump), single leg skipping, backwards, crossovers...and the list goes on really.  I’m sure if you checked out http://www.skippingaustralia.org.au/ you will be filled with wonderful skipping ideas and exposed to some serious skipping athletes!

So, let’s look at a few different ropes i have been exposed to in my time...starting with the one I currently use and love...this rope also happened to be used by the “Fittest Man on the Planet” – Rich Froning Jr at the 2011 Crossfit Games.

RX Jump Ropes

This rope reatils for about $35US, so it is not cheap.  However, if you are into your skipping an dlove doing double unders...get around it!  I used to find it was my forearms and/or shoulders that fatigued well before my lungs gave way, but not with this baby.  Be mindful of the size before you order though as they are not adjustable.  Check out..http://store.rxjumpropes.com/brands/Rx-Jump-Ropes.html if you want to buy one and review the sizing lesson on Youtube to get it right.  http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=d4d6ZrPLqAo&feature=player_embedded  Once you have bought one, you can always order different size cables at a much more reasonable rate.

The rope i used to use before the RX jump rope was  a

Cable Speed Rope from Fitness Town in Canada

I was and still am a big fan of this rope.  It retails for about $20CAD and is adjustable.  This rope is probably a good transition rope for someone wanting to learn double unders, but allows you to still feel the weight of the rope as you bounce effortlessly between each jump.  Be careful though as the cable can leave severe whip marks ...see below..  There are also variations of this rope which have a plastic covering on them rather than the exposed cable.  Fitness Town also sell ropes equivalent to the RX jump rope, unfortunately though i haven’t tried one so can’t provide my input.

Damage from a Speed Rope...

Of course there are much cheaper options too if you don’t want to spend $20 odd dollars on a rope.  Rebel Sport, Kmart and even the supermarket and local milkbar sell skipping ropes.  There is also the option of finding some old rope in the garage and jumping over that too. 

So, if you want an inexpensive, simple exercise that can be performed in a park, home , sidewalk or even indoors then skipping is worth your time.  You can skip without having to seek out a coach.  It develops and enhances coordination and rhythm between hands and feet movements.  It strengthens your bones and increases your stamina, endurance, reflexes, balance and posture.  It can make you more vigilant and alert and can be practiced by all age groups and genders.

It also allows you to increase your heart rate without having to run and doesn’t require a lot of space.  In order to avoid boredom, frustration and fatigue, aim to alternate from single skips, to double unders, one leg, high knee, side skipping and the list goes on!  Just a warning, skipping can be hard work on your achilles and calves and of course some joints, so be sure to warm up and stretch after jumping rope and ease into it if you are a beginner.

Enjoy and happy skipping!!