Reflections on My CrossFit Boot Camp Experience

A few weeks ago, I posted that I had signed up for a one month boot camp at CrossFit Local.  With one more day to go I wanted to offer a few thoughts about the experience and my exercise plans for the coming few months.

• Boot camp was incredibly challenging in spite of my belief that I had built an OK base of conditioning doing Mark Sisson’s Primal Blueprint for Fitness (PBF).  That isn’t a negative against PBF, but rather on me for doing it incorrectly (taking rests between each movement).
• 6:15am is too early for me to exercise.  Even though I was getting up only 45 minutes earlier than normal, my body wasn’t quite primed to work that hard.
• After the first few sessions, I was INCREDIBLY sore.  That subsided but I was still tired on the day immediately following the workout.
• Without a doubt, my fitness level improved during the month, and I learned to pace myself better.  The proper pacing (in my opinion) is at about the effort level you would use to run 2 miles, not a 400 meter sprint.
• I found muscles (i.e. soreness) in my upper back that I never knew existed (from using kettlebells).
• Most of the boot camp exercises were based on bodyweight movements; however “real” CrossFit incorporates much more of a strength training component using free weights.

The verdict:  I have signed up for the next step which is a Foundations class.  Over the course of a few weeks, I will be introduced to the remainder of the CrossFit experience in preparation for  the normal Workout of the Day (WOD).   Probably the biggest reason for me to take this next step is for accountability.  Yes, I could do much of this at home (for free), but would I push myself as hard?

More luck will be needed!

photo credit:  Biggunben

Experiments with Blood Glucose Control – Part Two

Details of Modifications

In my previous post, Experiments with Blood Glucose Control – Part One, I provided an overview of my plans to modify my diet and add some strength training.  Here are the specifics of those changes and the resulting improvements I noticed during the months of November and December 2010.

Dietary Changes

Recall from these previous posts, My So Called Healthy Diet – Part One, Part Two, and Part Three, I do not eat a lot of processed or fast foods; however, I was eating pasta regularly, bread frequently, and adding a “heaping tablespoon” of honey every morning to my oatmeal.

I have continued to eat oatmeal, but completely eliminated the honey.  And instead of eating oatmeal every morning, I am now eating it only 2 or 3 times per week.  On other days, I eat several scrambled eggs and about 6 pieces of bacon (or a few pieces of sausage).  I also initially eliminated coffee as it can raise blood glucose (but it tended to not have much impact on me).