Archive of the category: News

NO GUT HEALTH, NO GLORY

8 Feb

Today is the benchmark test. Previous scores are here.

Submit new scores here.

Did you know there are many advanced medical tests that can give a very accurate picture of your present health?

The information from these tests can also be used to prevent many chronic diseases from happening in the first place. The bad news is that your doctor isn’t likely to ever order these tests for you, and may even be unaware of their existence.

One such test is a Gastro-Intestinal Panel and is utilized in an emerging field of medicine called Functional Medicine. More on this test later…

Certain MDs, naturopaths, and other health practitioners use functional medical tests to determine why you may be sick in the first place, then prescribe various things (only rarely drugs) that address the root cause.

This is unlike conventional Western medicine, which primarily looks to see if you’re already sick, and then gives you drugs to artificially manipulate the problem. Your symptoms may get better, but the cause of your sickness won’t have been addressed at all. As a result, your health may continue to decline, perhaps even faster now because of your additional need to detoxify the drugs.

Most chronic diseases are really just different manifestations of an underlying system-wide dysfunction. Disease will manifest differently in different people based on both individual circumstances and genetic differences. For example, a magnesium deficiency may show up as high blood pressure in one person, diabetes/obesity in another, and cancer from estrogen dominance (secondary to the magnesium deficiency) in a third.

When one system of the body isn’t functioning well, other systems won’t be working ideally either. This is because all of the body’s systems work in concert, and what one is doing affects all of the others. Unfortunately, it can be very difficult to determine the root causes when the operation of the body is so complex.

The good news is there is that there are tests available that can look into many different areas to determine if there are deficiencies, excesses, or other trouble going on. You can then make steps to correct it long before it manifests as a disease.

One such test is a Gastro-Intestinal Panel. They are a detailed look at your digestion and as digestion is foundational to your health and immunity, there is a lot that can be learned here.

An intestinal permeability test checks to see if your gut lining is allowing things through that shouldn’t get in, or if things that should be absorbed aren’t getting through. The ratios and types of gut bacteria, both good and bad, can also be checked. You’ll learn if you have any parasites, yeast, or fungus present. The test will even see if you are deficient in various digestive enzymes.

If you know the terrain of your GI tract, you can then take steps to repair it. An imbalance in gut bacteria or a leaky gut can lead to deficiencies, inability to lose or gain weight, and a host of autoimmune conditions.

Members, check your inbox for the rest of the article, which details a host of vital additional tests!

21 DAYS TO THE CROSSFIT GAMES OPEN: HERE IS YOUR HOMEWORK

6 Feb

I’m straight up copying this from Rainier CrossFit – they said it perfectly.

Many of you signed a commitment letter of intent to compete in 2011. Now its time to do it!

1. Get your credit card, you’ll need $20.
2. Go here: http://games.crossfit.com/
3. Click top, right hand corner. It’s red. It says “Sign in”
4. Create your account. You can make up your stats (except your bithday). Have fun with it.
5. Pay the people.
6. Select CrossFit Portland as your affiliate
7. JOIN OUR AFFILIATE TEAM FOR THE CROSSFIT OPENS!

In 21 days, the first step to the CrossFit Games Championship begins. It’s the way the top people qualify for Regionals and then the Games.

It’s also a chance for **everyone else** to compete in a world-wide, 5 week long, CrossFit competition. If last year was any indication, everyone who has the basic CrossFit skillset can play. It’s not just for firebreathing twenty-somethings.

You’ll be doing these WOD’s each week anyway, you may as well sign up and see where you rank in the gym, the region, and the world.

If you have no intentions of competing, just see this one more time and reconsider.

Benchmark Retest, Wednesday and Saturday

5 Weeks ago, we did the “Cerebus” benchmark test. Here are the previous logged results.

We retest this week, Wednesday and Saturday. With a twist…

You will be judged on WOD #1. Your fellow members will practice judging your reps and you will get practice accepting their decisions :)

During the Games Open, all Games workouts at the gym will need to be judged. We will have everyone practice beforehand.

Video for movement standards will be released tomorrow, Tuesday, on the blog.

FUNCTIONAL MEDICINE

30 Jan

We will be closed this Saturday and Sunday for our first annual coaches retreat.

Did you know there are many advanced medical tests that can give a very accurate picture of your present health status? Also, the information from these tests can be used to prevent many chronic diseases from ever happening in the first place?

These tests can also determine the root causes behind many nagging conditions such as chronic fatigue or inability to loose or gain weight.

The bad news is that your doctor isn’t likely to ever order these tests for you, and may even be unaware of their existence.

An emerging field of medicine is called Functional Medicine and the practitioners may be MDs, chiropractors, or naturopaths. They will use these tests to see why you may be sick in the first place, then prescribe various things (only rarely drugs) that address the root cause.

However, this is unlike conventional Western medicine that primarily looks to see if you are already sick, and then if you are, gives you drugs to artificially manipulate whatever the problem was.

The drugs will improve your symptoms, but the reason why you are sick has not been addressed! As a result, the health status of the body continues to decline, perhaps even faster now because of the additional need to detoxify the drugs.

In my next member article, I’ll detail some functional medical tests and how they can be used, plus give you resources to find practitioners. I’ll also describe how and why this is important for high level athletic performance.

TACTICAL FITNESS PREP COURSE

26 Jan

Is your fitness level holding you back from a career in the military or in law enforcement?

Are you currently applying for entry-level police jobs, or considering joining the military, and want an extra edge with your fitness?

Or are you simply curious about what fitness tests the military and law enforcement imposes on their members?

If so, you should check out CrossFit Portland’s new Tactical Fitness coached by Brad Robertson!

CrossFit Portland Coach Brad Robertson is a decorated local law enforcement officer and Army Veteran. He is an instructor for the Oregon Physical Abilities Test (ORPAT), required for State of Oregon entry-level law enforcement officers.

As a former SWAT operator, he’s also familiar with the level of fitness necessary to excel in a tactical setting.

In CrossFit Portland Tactical Fitness, Coach Brad combines his CrossFit Level One coaching skills, his knowledge of military and law enforcement fitness testing, and real-world experience to better prepare athletes for a variety of fitness tests.

Athletes will learn critical exercises and methods to maximize their performance, especially on the ORPAT, but also on fitness tests given by the DEA, ATF, FBI, the US Marshals, and all branches of the military.

Additionally, the course will integrate basic self-defense tactics, team-building exercises, and long-term health education tips.

This course is open to everyone. All levels of fitness are welcome, though spots are limited to no more than 10 athletes. Enroll today!

This course will run for four weeks and is comprised of 12 one-hour classes. Class times will be 7:30pm Tuesdays and Thursdays and 8am Saturdays. The first class starts Tuesday, March 6 at 7:30pm.

CFPDX members receive a significant discount to enroll. Just use the coupon code “YellowBaja” and click here to enroll now!

A free orientation and meet-and-greet with Coach Brad will be held at the gym at 11am on Saturday, February 25. Come as you are or in athletic clothing to get a taste of the class! Reserve your spot for the orientation.

Be on the lookout for more updates on this new course to be offered at CrossFit Portland. Feel free to contact Coach Brad with questions.

Lynnwood Competition Results

24 Jan

Congratulations to Erin Taylor and Adam Neiffer – first place in the mixed pairs division at the Cretus Ex Duellum contest this last weekend in Lynnwood, WA! Crossfit Fort Vancouver actually swept the 1-2-3 podium spots in the mixed pairs.

The two day event featured many interesting challenges such as pair rowing (where the rowers were connected together) and the classic game of “Hooverball”, along with more standard Crossfit movements.

There are plenty of photos from the event on Cheryl Boatman’s facebook page.

She also got a great video of Erin and Adam playing a point of Hoover Ball. Click on the picture below to take you to the video on facebook.

Erin and Adam

I’M TALKING TO THE GIRL ON THE RIGHT

23 Jan

Yesterday, a lady called to find out more about CrossFit and her goals were to be strong and toned. She was afraid lifting heavy weights will make her muscles big and less feminine.

By now, I know exactly how to explain the wonderful feminine changes CrossFit will produce.

Ladies, you have an exaggerated fear of your own muscles!!

Check out this girl’s CrossFit transformation. She added 9 lbs from weighing only 126. Heavier and WAY HOTTER!

What did we learn from this picture about CrossFit’s transformative power?

Will your butt get bigger? Yup
Will your arms get bigger? Yup
Will your shoulders get bigger? Yup
Will your waist and hips get smaller ? Yes!

Who do you really want to be?

The Smaller, Lighter less muscled and skinny fat you on the left or the 9 lbs Heavier, Bigger, more muscled and able to carry a man out of a fire on the right?

I’m talking to the girl on the right.