However, as I’m on restricted duties due to the ‘hammer n tack’, I scrolled down the list of benchmark WODs to attempt on a Sunday arvo and there it was – Lynne: max reps body weight bench press into max reps chin ups, 5 rounds.

My numbers were average (the bench anyway), no question. Had I come across this video below, perhaps I’d have been inspired. All hail James Anderson of the All American Gym…

2 Dumbells, 10 Minutes and a Creative Mind.

The ocean unleashed it’s fury on Teahupoo, Tahiti last week during the ASP Billabong Pro. The event was postponed when 30 foot waves battered the region. It didn’t stop the world’s best big wave surfers from stepping up to the plate for their adrenaline fix.

I’ve just committed to 5 mins per day, per leg of the “couch stretch”. I’m going to do it every day for one week to test the result…

The aim of this stretch for me, among other things, is to lengthen my hip flexors and psoas. These muscles attach to the bottom of the spine and when tight can cause some nasty lower back pain. After all the treatments and needles, could this be the simple solution to my problems???

I am one day down and I have to be honest, my back feels noticeably better.

Time to stop being lazy and just get it done!

Perhaps I am behind the 8 ball, but it was only recently that I was introduced to the word fascia. Apparently it’s something I should have known about a long time ago, mainly because our bodies are riddled with it.

Fascia is the connective tissue that slides under, over and around every organ, ligament and muscle in our bodies. In order for the body to function smoothly the fascia must be lubricated, allowing it to slide smoothly against our tissues. If it begins to stick (technical term) in one area of the body, because it’s joined throughout problems can occur in other places.

If you are still wondering what on earth I am talking about, the next time you rip into a whole chicken look for the thin sheath that kinda looks like latex, that’s fascia. It’s strong stuff!

An effective way of unsticking fascia is to grab a foam roller and roll out all over your body. A roller can be used on the quads, hamstrings, calves, back and lats. It helps to separate the fascia from the muscles.

I recently watched a video on the Crossfit Games site where Matt Chan was using something that resembled a rolling pin to un-stick his fascia during the Games. So there, all the cool kids are doin it…

Another great tool is “the ball”. That could be a remedial spikey ball for beginners, a tennis ball for intermediate, or a hockey ball for the tough guys. It’s particularly effective for the glutes and hips. Try tensing as hard as you can on top of the ball, take a deep breath and breath out, relaxing as best you can onto the ball. Keep rolling around on it to find the sticky bits (don’t worry, you know when you hit them).

My final words of wisdom, as explained by my physio recently, DRINK WATER! Once you have drunk enough, DRINK SOME MORE. 70% – 80% of our bodies is made up of H2o. Water is to the body is what oil is to an engine. Around 2.4 liters is the minimum for an average adult per day. If you exercise, think 3 liters!!!

What is Facsia? Explained on you tube…

Without going into too much detail, the first jab was ok, not too painful (local anesthetic helped). The second one had me leaping off the table! I had two nurses telling me to relax and breath. I’m thinking “I’m not in f*cking labour. This is much worse!” (sorry ladies)

The long of the short is I was lying on that table today because I didn’t listen to my body. That’s about to change…

Rest…In the mind of a Crossfitter it’s our worst enemy. If we are standing still we are wasting valuable time, time that could be spent perfecting our weaknesses – hand stand push ups, kipping chins, weightlifting movements, pistols…

As hard as this is to read (try writing it), if we do not take the appropriate time to rest our weary muscles, we are fools!

It’s been scientifically proven that planned rest time built in to an elite training program will improve optimal performance and over training will do the opposite.

Most athletes know that getting enough rest after exercise is essential to high-level performance, but many still over train and feel guilty when they take a day off.

For me personally, resting is the hardest thing of all. I feel like I am cheating. If I know there are others training in the gym whilst I’m not it makes me feel weak, like they are gaining an edge.

Whether we like it or not rest days are critical to sports performance for a variety of reasons. Some are physiological and some are psychological. Rest is physically necessary so that the muscles can repair, rebuild and strengthen.

Building recovery time into any training program is important because this is the time that the body adapts to the stress of exercise. Recovery also allows the body to replenish energy stores and repair damaged tissues. Exercise or any other physical work causes changes in the body such as muscle tissue breakdown and the depletion of energy stores (muscle glycogen) as well as fluid loss.

Recovery time allows these stores to be replenished and allows tissue repair to occur.

I must admit, resting completely can sometimes make me feel worse. I often wonder if it’s because my body has become so used to physical activity, even though it’s crying out for break, total rest makes it seize up. The solution – Active recovery…

The theory behind active recovery is that by carrying out sub maximal activity on rest days, blood is pumped around the body and into our muscles at a fasting rate than its normal flow. I must admit that I have not researched this any further, however, I always find that doing something is better than nothing.

Of particular interest to many of you may be two websites popular within the Crossfit community –

Mobility WOD – Those that drink the Crossfit Kool-Aid will be aware of Kelly Starrett (K-Star). Each day Kelly posts a short video exercise designed to perform body maintenance. He argues, quite rightly too, that performing these exercises is just as important as any high intensity metcon.

Gymnastics WOD – Another popular site. Run by Carl Paoli, it provides less intense WODs than the mainsite designed improve structural body position which is imperative in the world of gymnastics.

Since the Crossfit Regionals in May I have been struck down with a pretty crazy back issue. It’s been coming on for sometime but like many other Crossfitters out there I somehow convinced myself that I was a pussy if I didn’t train through.

I am now at a point where I cannot touch my knees in the morning. You should see me try and put a sock on.

My point was not to have a cry about it, but for the next week I will be posting everyday, small pieces of information about what we should be doing to recovery and why.

But I am not writing the first blog, Blaire Morrison has done it for me. This blog talks about ice and vitamin D. Here it is.

Stay tuned…