Here’s what’s going on this week at the gym!
Week of November 6th – 12th, 2022
Birthdays
None this week!
Announcements
This Friday is the 3rd annual Gobbler WODdler! Pre-registration is still open and will stay open until Thursday, November 10th. Check out the flyer at the end of this email.
If you or someone you know would like to donate prizes, raffle items, or sponsor the event with cash or a check, please let me know! All help is greatly appreciated!
Our “No Holiday Weight Gain” nutrition challenge starts on November 14th. This challenge is perfect for you if you are wanting to get back on track with some healthy habits OR if this is new to you and you would like an awesome kickstart to cleaning up your nutrition habits to help boost your weight loss or muscle gain! This challenge will help you make it through the holidays without gaining the typical 5-10 lbs. If you are interested, click here!
InBody Scans
All Vernal Fitness members are eligible for a complimentary InBody scan each month. Aside from tracking our performance in Wodify, body composition scans are the best way to track progress and measure results.
PROGRAMMING OVERVIEW
November 7 – 13
There is a lot of lifting on the agenda for this week as we continue to work through our snatch cycle, clean complex cycle, and strict press cycle. All of these numbers should be heavier than those used last week.
We will also be wrapping up our step-up cycle by working through one set of ten, one set of eight, and one set of six. Aim to be at or above the heaviest loads you’ve used in the previous weeks.
Stand-out workouts this week will be “Alice” (part of our Wonder Woman Series) and “Rousey Girl 2.0,” a long, higher skill gymnastic-based workout.
Monday
Spending sustained time above 80% max heart rate can help us to boost max VO2. This is a measure of the amount of oxygen your body can utilize during exercise (or the size of your engine).
These workouts are ones where we want you pushing the upper limits of your fitness.
Setting a quick, repeatable pace on the Box Jumps will help you move through this part without having to break reps up into smaller chunks or to take larger rest breaks.
Tuesday
Longer sustained efforts at 65-75% of max HR can help to build a strong aerobic engine for longer workouts and sport demands. Occasional rest periods are ok but they should be very brief. The goal is to keep the aerobic stimulus for as much of the workout as possible.
Tackle the run at a pace that you can replicate throughout the WOD. Starting slow and increasing pace as the workout progresses can help to manage effort.
Ensure good core bracing and controlled descents on the Wall Walks.
This should be a great session for developing core and cardiovascular stamina.
Wednesday
This shoulder burner will get spicy in a hurry!
Set a pace that has you breathing heavily but still able to speak through most of the time cap! This should result in a HR that falls within 80-90%+ of max HR.
Thursday
Choose a challenging weight that allows you to cycle through at least 8-10 reps when fresh.
Short breaks to re-grip are ok but this should be completed at a moderate intensity to preserve the stimulus – moving weight consistently to develop higher end aerobic capacity and lactate threshold (70-80% of max HR)
Friday
Longer WODs like this are a great opportunity to spend some time developing our aerobic capacity (60-70% of max HR). This is great for athletes of all fitness levels but especially important for anyone looking to increase their health span (quality of life as we age) by helping our bodies become more sensitive to insulin, which defeats Type II diabetes and various diseases of cognitive decline.
Adjust complexity of movement, speed, or weight to allow as perfect as possible in Rx-ing the stimulus on this one! It may take some practice but the benefits are worth it!
Saturday
Fun with a friend AND improved efficiency at buffering lactate and using carbohydrates?
What more could you ask for?
Training in moderate to high intensities (70-80% of max heart rate) can make the body more efficient at using the energy it has available and increase our high end aerobic endurance!
Full workout descriptions and notes are available to all members of Vernal Fitness & Nutrition. For more info, email us here.
NUTRITION TIMING
Do you know how to time your nutrition to meet your goals?
Timing meals properly is essential to not only
improving performance and physique, but also to ensure you have the best experience possible during a workout.
Before you workout, ask yourself what the last thing was that you ate and how long ago you ate it. If you’re wanting some help here, share this with your coach and let us help you make some minor adjustments so that you feel fueled and energized for your workout.
PRE-WORKOUT
Are you feeling sluggish during workouts?
Chances are you aren’t fueling yourself properly before you come to the gym. Some of the benefits of consuming high quality carbohydrates to maximize your workouts are:
- Boost your performance by maximizing your body’s ability to use glycogen to fuel short- and high-intensity exercises
- Fuel the brain and muscles because carbs are the main source of energy for our brains and are the fastest way for our bodies to produce energy
- By eating enough carbohydrates throughout the day, protein is free to do its main job: repair and rebuild muscle tissue which helps prevent muscle breakdown
- Accelerate recovery – Muscles need protein and carbohydrates to properly recover and become stronger
The amount of carbohydrates that should be consumed prior to exercising can vary widely from person to person, but generally, it’s recommended
that carbs be consumed 1-3 hours prior to your workout.
INTRA-WORKOUT
Often we think about nutrient timing as pre/post workout, but what about intra- workout nutrition?
For clients looking to build muscle, consuming a small amount of carbohydrates in a protein shake during your workout may help to increase your recovery and
lead to greater results.
This strategy can be especially helpful for athletes with longer training sessions (90- 120 minutes) because they will be supplying their bodies with valuable resources they will be able to burn as fuel.
POST-WORKOUT
Post workout nutrition is what most people think of when we talk about nutrition timing.
At a minimum, YOU should focus on rehydrating and possibly supplementing with electrolytes immediately after a training session.
Using a protein supplement may also help you see an increase in recovery before your next workout.
While using a supplement is the easiest way to provide the body with protein post- workout, we want to make sure that you are consuming a real meal within three hours of your workout.
Recipe
Coconut Macaroons
With Thanksgiving right around the corner, its always a good idea to have a healthier option for desserts. This Coconut Macaroon recipe from dowshiftology.com is quick, easy, and paleo!
Prep Time: 15 Minutes
Cook Time: 10 Minutes
Servings: 8 Macaroons
Ingredients
- 2 large egg whites
- 1/4 cup honey
- 1 teaspoon vanilla extract
- 1/4 teaspoon salt
- 2 cups unsweetened coconut flakes
CHOCOLATE DIP
- 4 ounces chocolate (optional)
Instructions
- Preheat your oven to 325F/165C. Add the egg whites, honey, vanilla extract, and salt to a mixing bowl. Place the mixing bowl on top of a saucepan with 1-2 inches of simmering water (creating a double boiler). Stir the mixture for 5 minutes, until frothy and very warm to the touch.
- Add the coconut and stir it into the mixture until it’s well combined and no liquid remains.
- Using a medium cookie scoop (1 1/2 tablespoons) place mounds of the batter onto a parchment lined baking tray. Bake the coconut macaroons for 25 minutes, checking on them towards the end to make sure they’re not browning too quickly. Let cool completely on the baking tray before removing.
- If dipping the coconut macaroons in chocolate, melt the chocolate in 20-second increments in the microwave, until smooth. Dip the bottoms of the macaroons in the chocolate and wipe any excess off on the side of the bowl. Return them to the parchment paper lined baking tray and chill in the fridge for 5 minutes, or until the chocolate is firm.
To store: Homemade coconut macaroons can last up to one week in the fridge if kept in an airtight container.
To freeze: If you’d like to enjoy these past one week, you can freeze them for up to 3 months. Just make sure to layer parchment paper in between so they don’t stick. To defrost, let it sit out at room temperature to soften before serving.
