This is the first physiology post we’ve had so please hang on for some scientific language.  We’ll do our best to translate while still indulging our pent- up inner nerd.  We will start with the structure of muscle tissue and how it works.  Some of you are saying to yourself “hang on dude, I SLEPT through health class.  This is boring.”  WRONG!  That deadlift you just did, yup it was muscle tissue that produced the force to lift it.  That Kale salad you’re munching on?  Yeah, muscles did the chopping and they are doing the chewing too.  No muscle, no movement.  That’s why muscles are cool and why they are worth understanding.

Before going into how muscles create force we have to describe their structure.  Muscles are like onions… they have layers…

A brief overview from smallest to largest:

1. Filaments. Individual strands of protein. These are the basic building blocks.
2. Myofibrils. Think of this as the smallest unit that can do anything.  It is made up of bunch of filaments overlapping each other.  Each segment of overlapping filaments is like a car of a train, and the myofibril is the train as a whole.
3. Fibers. Hundreds to thousands of these myofibrils are bundled together inside each individual muscle fiber.  A muscle fiber is the same thing as a muscle cell.
4. Motor unit. Lots of fibers are grouped together and all connected to the same nerve.  They are essentially all wired to the same “on/off” switch.  All the fibers in a motor unit fire together, though not all motor units in a muscle necessarily fire all at the same time
5. Muscle. We made it! Something recognizable!  A muscle is a bundle of bundles of muscle fibers.  There are a lot of muscle fibers in a muscle.
6. Muscle groups. As we know from our experience using our bodies to do work, muscles don’t work in isolation. Muscles function together in groups, with multiple muscles working together to accomplish movement. Some of our favorite muscles are really groups of muscles.  For example the quadriceps are not one muscle but four (Quad; it’s a give- away.  That’s about the extent of the Latin we know.)
7. Kevin Bacon. Just kidding, we need at least 3 more steps to get to KB.
8. Muscular system. Every muscle in your body.

Ok, enough technical stuff, lets talk about how these pieces come together to produce movement.  Introducing… the Sliding Filament Theory!  Lets go back to the smallest of our structures, the filaments.  There are actually two main kinds of filaments.  One is thin, and is covered in attachment sites.  The second is thick and is made up of a crap ton of hook shaped proteins that like to attach to the first type of filament.  When your muscle is relaxed they overlap only a little.  When it is stimulated to contract the heads of the thick filament bend, acting like a ratchet pulling the thin filaments closer together.  This effectively shortens the length of each individual segment of the myofibril by a few nano-meters.  Remember though, that there are thousands of these small segments in a long sequence on each myofibril.  Each muscle fiber is a bundle of thousands of myofibrils.  There hundreds to thousands of muscle fibers in every muscle.  The cumulative effect of billions of these tiny hooks latching onto tiny filaments is a shortening of the length of a muscle; in other words, a muscle contraction.

So that’s the story on muscles.  Muscles perform all the awesome things we do with our bodies.  From the smallest building block to the whole body in motion every piece is perfectly designed to do its job: move.  There is a lot of technical terminology in this post, but no, there won’t be a quiz.  This information is there for those of you who are curious about how your body does the incredible things we ask it to.  Knowing only makes what we are able to do that much cooler.

2. Show up on time – Actually show up early and leave late. Foam roll, stretch and get rid of all that junk in your lower back and shoulders. Showing up late will only cheat you out of a sufficient warm-up. Without a good warm-up, your chance of injury increases exponentially. If you show up early you have two options, cheer on the class that is finishing or start warming up.

3. Don’t whine – It’s okay to cry, just make sure that we can’t see or hear you and remember to clean up your tears when you’re done. Maybe the song that comes on isn’t your favorite, in the immortal words of Josh Everett “If you need music to motivate you, go find something else to do”. Be careful of asking me to change the song, I might just put on Miley Cyrus’ Party in the USAon repeat. I’m your coach, not Mix Master Mike. You have a task to accomplish, so do it. Yes I know that every workout is hard and I know that you hate running and I know that the bar hurts your delicate hands, but there comes a time when we have to nut up or shut up…or both. CrossFit is constantly varied, so the odds are that you will see some workouts you hate. That’s why it’s CrossFit and not alltheshityoulikeFit. When you come to CrossFit, be ready to work. Come prepared to face all those pains and things you hate head on. Accept the suck.

4. Give it all – More than strength, speed, flexibility or endurance, effort is what matters most. It doesn’t matter if you’re Joe Thruster with a sub 3 minute Fran, if you half-ass a workout, you’re not reaching your full potential. Grandma doing jumping pull-ups and thrusters with a PVC kicked your ass because she gave everything she had just short of a stroke. Times and weights matter, but they fail in comparison to effort. Keep pushing yourself to your most extreme limits. It doesn’t matter if you have a 500 lbs or 50 lbs deadlift as long as you put forth the effort and don’t sandbag. (edit: don’t get this confused with cycling your intensity on your workouts.)

5. Listen to your coach – CrossFit coaches here to help you get more fit and accomplish your goals. When they say things like “you’re lifting with your back, use more hips” don’t act surprised when your lower back is sore. When they tell you that the foam roll and lacrosse ball works, they aren’t just being sadistic. We tell you to rest because you need rest, just as we tell you to get in the gym more because you need to be in the gym more. If you want to get better at something, you have to practice it. Plain and simple. Yes there are some of you who are naturally good at some things, but why not get better? Why not be the best? Our goal is for you to accomplish your goals.

6. Fail sometimes – The unique thing about CrossFit is that the only way to achieve excellence is through failure. The strength portion of our workouts are designed to where you may fail at a set. If you don’t fail you aren’t trying hard enough (see #4). CrossFit is an environment where no one will laugh at you or put a permanent letter in your file for dumping an overhead squat. Don’t be afraid to fail, there’s always next time. Pushing yourself to fail is more of a mental thing than it is a physical thing. We have conditioned ourselves to think that failing is bad and therefore don’t push ourselves in fear of failure. Take that fear away and see what you can accomplish.

7. Eat good food – The short answer is eat Paleo (more to come on Paleo in later Nu Era postings). If you don’t want to eat Paleo, just eat meat, some fruit, vegetables, little startch, no sugar, no grains no dairy. If you’re low on energy, then you’re not eating enough. I remember a lot of people starting off on Paleo complain of low energy then proceed to tell me that they didn’t eat anything all day because they didn’t know what to eat. Is it that hard to eat meat and vegetables these days?

8. Count it – Tracking your workouts matters. That’s why there are logbooks and online tracking. When you don’t count the reps on your workout, you lose valuable information that will keep you accountable for your progress. Make sure to record as much information as you can. Write down what you ate for the day. Everyone has those days where they ate like crap and had a crappy workout. Those are the hardest days to write down, but those will provide you with the best motivation to get better.

9. Be nice – CrossFitters are notorious for making fun of people who go to globo gyms. People achieve their personal fitness goals in their own ways. Some may like the pace of a spin or pilates class and some may like the intensity of CrossFit. Try  to kindly introduce them to CrossFit, you’ll get a better reaction and won’t come off like a jerk.

10. Get involved – CrossFit is more than just an hour of working out. We are a family and you can get as involved as you like. Just like anything else, you get out what you put in. Many CrossFit gyms hold monthly social events and do quarterly charitable events. Other events like team competitions and CrossFit affiliate team competitions will compete regularly. There are many opportunities for you to get involved!

Fat and happiness

Fat, aside from tasting delicious, results in satiety signals in brain that make us feel satisfied, full, and happy. Sugar does the opposite; after it’s quickly metabolized — removed from your blood stream and stored as body fat (if not used in exercise immediately) — strong hunger sensations ensue. Fat on the other hand leaves you satisfied and causes no insulin/blood sugar spike/crash.

Many paleo treats (paleo muffins, paleo pancakes paleo ice cream, paleo cookies) grace the blog comments and many a Facebook wall that, albeit technically paleo, entirely miss the point of eating in an evolutionary, paleo way, especially if eaten regularly. These treats tend to be quite high in sugar. What is ‘the point’? Among the big ones: to restore insulin sensitivity and a health-promoting ratio of omega-3 to omega-6 fatty acids in your diet (and eventually your body).

What’s wrong with many of these treats on a regular basis? Your body’s systems see little difference between Chips Ahoy and Paleo Treats or your latest agave/molasses/raw honey/date/banana-based paleo muffin. Insulin sensitivity being the key to fixing all kinds of health issues and promoting longevity, a paleo source of concentrated sugar (while slightly more nutrient dense than a refined carbohydrate equivalent) is metabolically just as bad.

Add to this that most of these paleo treat recipes call for copious amounts of nut butter high in omega-6 fats. Most nuts are very high in omega-6 – an essential fatty acid that should be at about a 1:1 or better ratio favoring omega-3 fatty acids (EPA and DHA – abundant in cold water fish, grass-fed meats). While some nuts may have omega-3 in them, compared to omega-6, it’s nearly negligible. Now, mash them up in a concentrated format that’s easy to eat and tastes like heaven, and you have something potentially dangerous. Also, many may make the mistake of using abysmally low-quality oils in the recipe (canola, vegetable oil which often contain already oxidized fats, and even trans fats despite labeling) or an otherwise good oil at high temperature causing it to oxidize (olive oil for example).

Why does this belong in the fat discussion? Because if you want to get on the bus headed for optimal performance, fat loss, longevity, any of that, I can confidently summarize that you ought to learn to quell your sugar tantrums (and subsequent insulin spike and blood sugar crashes), sweet tooth and dessert habits with high-quality fat. Sugary paleo goodies, dried fruit, or even some fresh fruits (the extremely high-GL, sugary tropical ones, enormous apples, oranges, etc.) should be for rare treats.

Take Homes:

• Limit paleo treats high in sugar and omega-6-dense fats (nut/butters) to once in a while
• Limit your intake of nut butters and nuts as a small fraction of your total fat intake
• Use high quality oils in your treats (and in cooking in general) – tropical oils, animal fats
• Don’t limit your fat intake from whole animal/plant sources; eat these to satiety and then, if you still want something sweet, choose wisely

Are you training to slim down? Training to bulk up? Training for a competition? Training to boost your overall health? Training because you’re addicted to training?!…We all train for different reasons. And because our bodies are different, we expect different results.

This post isn’t meant to take up your time reading a 3000 word article on the psychological characteristics of fitness enthusiasts (try Google, I’m sure there’s plenty of literature out in cyberspace). No, the point of this post is simple: Whatever your reason for training…hold on to it, squeeze it, sleep with it, dream about it, and then train harder.

Nobody is saying you have to be a professional athlete. Not all of us will be. But it doesn’t mean we can’t take our training seriously. I personally believe in the fully functional CrossFit training style, and I’ve witnessed people of all types and backgrounds accomplish their goals through CrossFit. So while I endorse CrossFit, more importantly, I endorse physical fitness and encourage everyone to commit themselves to physical training.

Find your reason for training…then go TRAIN!

Nu Era Fitness has a full range of medicine balls, from 10lbs up to 50lbs! We encourage ALL athletes to ensure their gym is outfitted with high quality, durable medicine balls that can take a beating. What are you waiting for?!

Product Features: 20lb, Black, Heavy Duty Leather, Internal Stitching, 14″ Diameter.

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If you haven’t looked at yourself in the mirror yet, stop whatever you are doing and do it! Just kidding, but hopefully you have a good idea of how your shoulders/arms look in a static and moving position. This post on shoulder analysis will look at how to achieve and maintain good shoulder position. Look at which category you fall under (it may be many of them) and take a look at the suggestions on how to achieve that good shoulder position (because now you want that good position at all times right?!)

* With all of the following recommendations, make sure you first pull your shoulder back into a good position first before stretching/mobilizing. It’s easy to compensate while stretching too and that just defeats the purpose.

Forward, Rounded Shoulders (or just one)

• Pecs are probably tight so stretch them out in a doorway. You can also lay on the foam roller vertically and make snow angels with your arms (palms up), only going up as high as you can with your arms relaxed on the ground (see image below).
•  
• Lacrosse ball works nice on the pecs too, up against a pole so you can really pin and move your arms in different directions
• Keep reminding yourself about good posture, sitting up tall and keeping your shoulder blades in your back pocket. You can also do shoulder blade squeezes throughout the day to help activate and strengthen those good posture muscles, but make sure the movement is coming from your shoulder blades and not your arms.
• If your shoulders are rounded, I bet your lats are tight too. Grab onto a low pull-up bar at the gym, palms up, and lean back into a stretch for your lats.

• I bet his left lat is super tight (palm facing back = internally rotated shoulder)

When I look at myself in the mirror, my palms (or just one) are facing back instead of facing my side.

• Tight lats and internal rotators of the shoulder. Usually ties along with a rounded shoulder and can be fixed just like the suggestions above.

When I stand with my back against the wall (midline stabile) and raise my arms overhead………well I just can’t do it without arching my back

• If you can’t do this, how do you expect to do anything overhead without arching your back? Shoulder flexion is what you need to work on, while keeping your midline stabile.Probably the best way to gain shoulder flexion is to KEEP YOUR SHOULDERS BACK WHILE YOU ARE STRETCHING.
• Your thoracic spine may also be tight, so rolling on the foam roller can help with this too
• Fix that anterior deltoid because it’s probably tight from that forward shoulder

When I stand with my arms 90 degrees out to my side and internally rotate both of them, my range is terrible or my shoulders roll forward to achieve the range.

• Your external rotators are probably tight, so get into the back of your shoulder right above your arm pit with the lacrosse ball. Once you find a tight spot, move your shoulder back and forth from internal rotation to external rotation.
• The front of your shoulder is probably tight and pulling you forward, so follow the above suggestions for forward shoulder
• The pitcher’s stretch helps to stretch out the shoulder capsule and gain internal rotation (image below)
• 

I can pull my shoulders back, but they don’t stay that way throughout the WOD

• Usually due to weak external rotators of the shoulder
• Sometimes this is just from laziness during a WOD, which we are all guilty of. It’s important to constantly remind yourself to pull them back and keep your shoulders active for good form, just like any other exercise. Otherwise you are just strengthening in a poor position and feeding into the vicious injury/decreased efficiency cycle. Exercising with bad form just feeds into bad positions

I LIVE to bench press…..it is my life

• Knock it off. This just feeds into the forward, rounded shoulders with abducted scapulae.
• Say hello to your back muscles and balance yourself out (pull-ups, ring rows, etc.).
• This guy also loves to workout his upper traps, which everyone knows is overrated because it usually creates dysfunction of the shoulder. There are no arrows pointing to his rotator cuff, which makes me think he ignore his little muscles.

Exercise modifications while you are working on achieving good shoulder position

• Anything overhead will probably put your shoulder at risk for injury and compensations, so try to avoid them while working on your good shoulder position. I know this is a bold statement, but if you love your shoulders you will thank me later. Replace with push-ups or ring rows. Maybe pull-ups if your shoulder range overhead is not a problem.
• Modified kettle bell swings to shoulder height….anything above shoulder height puts A LOT of stress on already stressed shoulders.
• If your shoulders keep falling forward during a ring dip, STOP and get a stronger band to support your body weight so you can practice good form.
• If your elbows swing out during push-ups you are moving into internal rotation = more stress on the shoulder. Think active, external rotation even during your push-ups. If you can’t do that, drop to your knees until you can maintain good form.

• Turkish get-up is great for shoulder stability overhead

My experience…

When I first started CF I had some pretty bad left shoulder pain. I had a classmate look at it and noticed that my range was REALLY limited, but I didn’t see it because I could get to the range I needed with all kinds of compensations. I was guilty of the upper trap syndrome where my left upper trap kicked in and was over working with every exercise I did overhead. So I decided to stop all overhead movements and work on my mobility, as well as work on the strength of the little muscles in my shoulder. Unfortunately, life/school took over and I was not great at practicing what I preach. However, because I love my shoulder and want it to be working for a long long time, I continued to avoid overhead movements. I may have been a little over protective, but I’ve seen too many messed up shoulders and don’t really want to experience that.

Phat.

Fat is the bomb in my book. While this Fat post is long, it’s important, so hopefully it doesn’t bomb. I chose to get down to brass tacks rather than get into the science of dietary or body fat in this post.

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Even more than carbohydrate, fat is perhaps the touchiest nutrition topic out there. Bundle that up with people’s perceptions of body fat and self-worth, that’s some sensitive sh*t.  Fat has some of the biggest misinformation bombs out there. Why the contention? Well, from a consumer perspective the majority of messaging we receive tells us: 1) Fat should be minimized overall especially if you want to be skinny (who cares about fit?), 2) certain types of fats (the ones I’m about to tell you are health/performance/longevity-promoting) are deadly, and 3) suggestively, since the other kinds of fats (the ones I’m about to tell you are deadly) are everywhere then they must be healthy.

People get all hot and fussy when you mess with their carbs. They get even fussier when you tell them to not only throw their Quaker Oats, peanut butter, and whole grain pasta in the garbage because they’re mostly empty calories, nearly void of absorbable micronutrients and full of ‘poisons’ (lectins, anti-nutrients), but also to start cooking with (grass-fed) beef tallow, ghee and coconut oil, to keep the yolks, eat whole avocados, and keep the nuts/nut butters to a minimum.

The fats available to us in normal grocery stores and in almost all restaurants are of abysmal quality (various vegetable/bean oils, grain/corn-fed animal fat). If it’s literally everywhere, could it be that bad? (The answer is yes – it’s everywhere because it’s subsidized and dirt cheap). Let’s say after you understood why or just that these fats are abysmal you chose to stop cooking/buying them for your home. You’d get rid of the canola oil, the vegetable shortening, anything containing those (most bottled/canned condiments, pretty much anything with shelf life and other products). Then you’d need to replace them with high quality fats. Unfortunately, you can’t find grass-fed butter, tallow, ghee, or coconut oil in Vons, Albertsons or Ralph’s, only at Whole Foods, Sprouts, cheaply in bulk online, or by making it yourself (tallow, ghee).

The saturated fat, let alone general fat myths about health run so rampant and unchecked in popular media and in medical practice that even if high quality fats were more available, most consumers (judging from their popularity) would opt for ridiculous ‘heart-healthy’ fat-free products. I can’t tell you how many conversations I’ve had or that I have witnessed via my ADA-approved (USDA/food industry-backed) training in my RD program with people who say their doctors/RD told them to eat less meat, more grains, and less fat (i.e. to follow the USDA Food Pyramid) in order to reduce their cholesterol/body fat/blood pressure/arterial plaques/triglycerides… believe me when I say it’s depressing.

What is hopeful is those who, usually via their own research, via CrossFit, or via researchers or research groups, find the evolutionary way of eating (paleo) and figure out for themselves that the opposite works much better (eating high-quality meat, vegetables, fruits and fats in a ratio that occur in nature and seasonally). Countless examples abound on CrossFit websites of individuals doing a paleo challenge or Whole 30 and turning around each of those biomarkers (not to mention performance markers) and sustaining them.

I’m going to summarize my recommendations for you. As always these recommendations come from part first-hand research, part second-hand research from researchers, research institutions, performance nutrition experts such as Robb Wolf, Dr. Eades, MDA, etc.

Fat and happiness

Fat, aside from tasting delicious, results in satiety signals in brain that make us feel satisfied, full, and happy. Sugar does the opposite; after it’s quickly metabolized — removed from your blood stream and stored as body fat (if not used in exercise immediately) — strong hunger sensations ensue. Fat on the other hand leaves you satisfied and causes no insulin/blood sugar spike/crash.

I have seen many treats (paleo muffins, paleo pancakes paleo ice cream, paleo cookies) grace the blog comments and many a Facebook wall that, albeit technically paleo, entirely miss the point of eating in an evolutionary, paleo way, especially if eaten regularly. These treats tend to be quite high in sugar. What is ‘the point’? Among the big ones: to restore insulin sensitivity and a health-promoting ratio of omega-3 to omega-6 fatty acids in your diet (and eventually your body).

What’s wrong with many of these treats on a regular basis? Your body’s systems see little difference between Chips Ahoy and Paleo Treats or your latest agave/molasses/raw honey/date/banana-based paleo muffin. Insulin sensitivity being the key to fixing all kinds of health issues and promoting longevity, a paleo source of concentrated sugar (while slightly more nutrient dense than a refined carbohydrate equivalent) is metabolically just as bad.

Add to this that most of these paleo treat recipes call for copious amounts of nut butter high in omega-6 fats. Most nuts are very high in omega-6 – an essential fatty acid that should be at about a 1:1 or better ratio favoring omega-3 fatty acids (EPA and DHA – abundant in cold water fish, grass-fed meats). While some nuts may have omega-3 in them, compared to omega-6, it’s nearly negligible. Now, mash them up in a concentrated format that’s easy to eat and tastes like heaven, and you have something potentially dangerous. Also, many may make the mistake of using abysmally low-quality oils in the recipe (canola, vegetable oil which often contain already oxidized fats, and even trans fats despite labeling) or an otherwise good oil at high temperature causing it to oxidize (olive oil for example).

Why does this belong in the fat discussion? Because if you want to get on the bus headed for optimal performance, fat loss, longevity, any of that, I can confidently summarize that you ought to learn to quell your sugar tantrums (and subsequent insulin spike and blood sugar crashes), sweet tooth and dessert habits with high-quality fat. Sugary paleo goodies, dried fruit, or even some fresh fruits (the extremely high-GL, sugary tropical ones, enormous apples, oranges, etc.) should be for rare treats.

Take Homes:

Limit paleo treats high in sugar and omega-6-dense fats (nut/butters) to once in a while

Limit your intake of nut butters and nuts as a small fraction of your total fat intake

Use high quality oils in your treats (and in cooking in general) – tropical oils, animal fats

Don’t limit your fat intake from whole animal/plant sources; eat these to satiety and then, if you still want something sweet, choose wisely

Check out the suggestions for fatty sweet-tooth-managing

Dietary fat and body fat

Why and where you store it and how to get rid of excess body fat (and why you ought to) is not uncomplicated but it’s certainly not as simple as ‘calories in, calories out’ or dietary percentages of fat. Probably around 80 or so percent of whether/how your body stories too much fat, especially in the mid-section is due to insulin mis/management: too much refined or high glycemic-load (GL) carbohydrate intake. The other 20% or so is due to other related lifestyle factors like sleep, stress, cortisol, lack of nutrient-dense foods (meats, vegetables).

When you’re eating low levels of CHO (50-150g/day based on activity levels) from nutrient dense (mostly vegetable) sources and your fat intake is from high-quality (low omega-6) sources (mostly high-quality animal products and suitable cooking/non-cooking oils), how much fat you eat as it relates to body fat will become a non-issue (more than likely you’ll struggle to get enough of these types to fuel your activities) and your focus will shift to tinkering with your post-workout carbohydrate/protein to help you recover better.

Protein sources of fat

All animal products will contain fat, but any animal’s fat (even lean meats have some and it adds up over time) will reflect the foods the animal was fed or grazed on. If we were to analyze the nutritional facts of the average American’s meat (human meat), it would be pretty toxic – high in omega-6’s, probably plenty of heavy metals and dioxins – reflecting the food they ate (low quality oils, animals fed high-omega-6 diets, and fish and produce tainted with all kinds of metals, toxins and pesticides). The same goes for the animals you eat. 100% grass-fed animals produce both meat and dairy products with low levels of omega-6 and high levels of omega-3 and many other types of fatty acids that are extremely beneficial to health, muscle growth, metabolism, and more.

Take Homes:

Don’t skimp on cheap meat; buy 100% grass-fed

If you can’t get 100% grass-fed, go for lean cuts (usually cheaper) and use high-quality cooking oils and supplement with omega-3 EPA+DHA fish oil (which you should be doing anyway)

Vary the sources of protein you eat: eat fatty meats, eat lean meats, eat organ meats, eat it all, especially if it’s from a 100% grass-fed animal. Variety ensures you get a variety of micronutrients and fatty acids.

How-to

Meats & Eggs

A variety of meats should be on your plate each week, preferably grass-fed (see above). Eggs are amazing, easy, healthy (please eat the yolks! Take home on saturated fat as part of a paleo diet = very good; as part of a diet high in refined carbs and crappy oils = bad).

Produce

Coconut and avocados should be staples of your fatty cache. Coconut milk (full fat) should be a staple of your cooking, and a fresh batch of avocados should be always cycling through your paper bag on the counter ripening. Coconut milk chilled with some cinnamon is a great sweet-tooth-killer. Coconut milk in the ice cube trays: blending possibilities endless.

Oils

For cooking: animal fats (grass-fed ghee, tallow), coconut, palm oil, grapeseed oil

Not for cooking, but healthy: olive oil, walnut oil

Look for expeller-pressed — a mechanical rather than heat process used in processing

Nuts

Lowest omega-6 content by far are macadamia nuts; eat nuts in moderation

Cheap and convenient ideas

$1.80 Unsweetened coconut shreds from Sprouts: 19g fat, 7g CHO in a 1/4c

$2.49 Trader Joe’s sardines packed in olive oil are amazing (don’t turn your nose up till you’ve tried them); pour over a spinach salad with a splash of balsamic and some fresh herbs. 26g protein, 17g fat in a tin

$1.49 Trader Joe’s tuna packed in olive oil – 26g protein, 17g fat in a can

$9/lb Raw mac nuts from Sprouts (10% off if bought in bulk – roast them yourself and freeze)

Whole free-range chicken/chicken parts /other meat + 1-2 cans coconut milk (curry powder optional) in the slow cooker… heaven.

DIY Condiments

Condiments are hard to find that are free of low-quality oils, corn syrup, other added sugars, gluten, and other crap.

Everyone knows the importance of functional movements to fitness.  When it comes to outfitting your “BOX” or Garage Gym with fitness equipment, that same functional principle holds true. By integrating many of your equipment needs into one system, you will save valuable floor space and, oh yeah, a lot of money. This line of modular fitness racks are built tough by Crossfitters, for Crossfitters.  We know what you need because we need the same thing.  The modular design allows you to start small and easily add sections as your Box grows.  With a rock solid base of operation for your workouts, you create a centralized gym core that not only consolidates space but also increases efficiency, effectiveness, and unit cohesion. Modular units are the perfect solution whether you are working in a small garage or want to maximize the open back wall of a warehouse gym. We have many add-ons like dip bars and muscle-up stations.  And with endless ways to modify the basics, these racks are likely to become Grandmas’ favorite as well as the Hulks’!

Nu Era Fitness also features FitQuest’s line of benches, squat racks, squat stands, sleds, and an evolutionary “plyo box” that will change the form, fit, and function of today’s industry standard.  It is fully adjustable, sturdy, compact, and an incredible addition to any home gym or mobile unit!  Save space and money by checking out this piece of equipment! It’s a Nu Era of Fitness…so grab the equipment you need and start training today!

Stay connected with our News Feed and Facebook Page as we will begin posting WODs, product deals, and other pertinent info on Crossfit events and happenings.  Our customers have kindly asked us to “beef up” NU ERA FITNESS and provide more information on the products, workouts, and opportunities Crossfit has to offer, so that’s exactly what we’re going to do!

If you’re not training…you’re wrong! So start training today!