Adventure Racing Training Course Info
March 11, 2010 by Mark
Filed under Latest News, News & Events
FULL DAY TRAINING – A must do course!
“It’s crazy – we are not a fast team – but after taking the training course we would go by teams that should have been way ahead of us – we learned how to work as a team and use the tips we learned in the course – it was awesome!” (Full training course attendee)
Want to learn how to use your map and compass? Tired of getting lost? Want to do better as a team on race day? Well then maybe it’s time to take some adventure racing training. Trainers Mark and Heather are experienced adventure racers and have raced in short and long races around the world with top finishes. Learn the tips and tricks that will help you get the results that you desire! Come take the 4 hour navigation course, or the full day crash course that will get you through your first adventure race.
If you have 5 or more people that would like a course, you can select your own date and time and we will do our best to accommodate you. Call Mark or Heather @ 289.891.9357
Sunday March 21st, 2010 – Navigation 101 START: 12:30 pm- Sunday April 18th, 2010 - Navigation 101 START: 12:30 pm
- Sunday May 2nd 2010 – Crash Course! -Navigation 101 / Paddling 101 / Mountain Biking for AR 101
START of NAV section: 8am START of Paddling/mtn biking 1pm
- Sunday May 30th, 2010 – Crash Course! - Navigation 101 / Paddling 101 / Mountain Biking for AR 101
START of NAV section: 8am START of Paddling/mtn biking 1pm
Where: The starting point for the courses will be Firepower Training in Milton
Click here for a map. 509 Main Street East, Milton Ontario. Check out more at Firepower Training / CrossFit
When:
Navigation 101 Classes start at 12:30 a.m. and go until 4:30 p.m.
The full day crash courses starts at 8 a.m. until 5 p.m. This session is a full day crash course in adventure racing that is meant to teach you how to finish your first adventure race. Save time, money and effort by doing this course!
Cost: $60 for each session per person. If you would like to do the full day crash course then the cost is $110. If you have already taken the Navigation 101 class this year, then the cost of joining in for the mountain biking and paddling is an extra $50.
How do I sign up? See below for online registration of each course. Call us and book your time as spots are limited. We try to keep the instructor to racer ratio small so that you gain the maximum benefit of the course and time. Or you can click on the add to cart button and we will contact you after you have registered.
289.891.9357 Heather or Mark or via email Contact us
Navigation 101: “Map, compass Navigation skills – get me where I need to go..FAST!” Includes: maps, park entry fee, instructional booklet, 4 hours of training.
***************************************************************************************************************************************************************************************
Crash Course “I am new to racing OR I have been racing for awhile but out team is not getting any better!”. Includes: two park entry fees, canoe, life jacket and paddle rental, maps, instructional booklet, and 8 hours of training.
Course Descriptions:
Navigation 101
Reading a 1:50 000 topographical map
Using an orienteering map
Using your compass
Taking a bearing
Teamwork on your feet
Eating and Drinking on the go!
Trekking transition areas
Team Goals
Towlines, weight sharing
Getting to the finish line!
Paddling 101:
Even if you have done adventure races before this is a must take course! This will be part of the full day crash course.
Three people in a canoe
Middle seat designs
Using your compass and map on the water
Paddling transitions
Portaging and water reentry
Eating while paddling
Hydration on the water
Paddle strokes
Team communication
Canoe paddles versus kayak paddles
Some much needed paddling practice!
AR / Mountain biking 101
This will be offered as part of the full day crash course
Reading your map while biking
Actually using your odometer!
Drafting
Technical riding
Eating and drinking on your bike
Towlines
Biking transitions
Bike shoes vs cages vs flat pedals
Bike safety
Time in the saddle!
If you have 5 or more people that would like a course you can select your own date and we will do our best to accommodate you. Please let us know if you are interested in a certain date and we will send out the info to see if it works with others’ schedules.
Ten rounds of 15 x Deadlift and Push-ups
- Ten rounds for time of:
135 pound Deadlift, 15 reps
15 push-ups
Read below re. Vitamin D and muscle mass…
http://www.paleobrands.com/2010/03/09/vit-d-and-muscle-mass/
A great video for swimming training and how CrossFit has improved their program. This one is for Sharon and Liz whose kids are with the Milton Marlins swim team.
“Yards: Swimming with Champions” with Brian Nabeta, a CrossFit Journalpreview video [wmv] [mov]
WOD March 7
Dan R. {Roge} in NFLD
Over head squat
3-3-3-3-3
Complete as many rounds as possible in 5 mins of :
5 thrusters 95/65
5 pull ups
Bootcamp at FirePower!
March 3, 2010 by Mark
Filed under Team FirePower Events
Do you want to lose weight, get stronger and healthier? Who doesn’t! What if you could take the next 30 days and focus on you? What if you had access to some of the best trainers and instructors and the support of a group of like-minded individuals? Would you be able to achieve your goal? We like to think so. In fact we like to say that you will leave KYA training, leaner, healthier, stronger and wiser. Maybe you want to try CrossFit but you just aren’t there and want to lose some weight and get stronger before you jump in with both feet!
4 weeks of training offers the following types of results:
- Up to 10 pounds of weight loss
- Lost inches
- Increased core strength
- Increased energy
- Lowered blood pressure
- Increased nutritional knowledge
- Grocery shopping knowledge – what to buy and what to eat.
- Empowered mind
- Whole health energy!
If you could commit to 30 days of giving it your best, honest effort we can help you get to the end of the month and reach your health goals. We will test you at the beginning, work on your weakness and propel your strengths. We will help you feel empowered to take charge of your health.
This bootcamp is being kicked off by FirePower husband and wife team Heather and Mark Arnold from Hark Events Inc.
If you are interested you can call us at 289.891.9357
Click here for more on the Bootcamp
Trail Run today
We are blessed to have some amazing trail running so close to FirePower in Milton and the escarpment is incredibly beautiful. So the level 1 cert for CrossFit trainers is coming to FirePower training again this weekend, and the gym will be tied up with lots of people coming from all over the place. So as an alternative workout of the day we will be hosting a trail run at the agreement forest North of Hilton Falls in Milton.
Start Time: We will meet Saturday February 27th at 9 a.m. and again at 10 a.m.
The run will be hosted by : Mark and possibly Heather if we can get babysitting.
start/finish location: Corner of 10th SideRoad and 4th Line near Milton, Ontario (no facilities).
Exit Hwy 401 at Guelph Line. Go North on Guelph Line for approx. 2km to 10th SideRoad. Turn Right/East on 10th SideRoad and travel approx. 2km to Start Location. Click here for a link to google maps
How it will work:
The run will start from the corner “parking lot” area of the agreement forest. We will leave no one behind. If we get ahead the lead runners will either do a short loop or complete functional fitness exercises, squats, burpees, push ups until the back of the pack catches up. Trail running is very different from running on pavement and due to Mark’s love of adventure racing and off road running their may be some scrambling over the rocks and through the woods as well with a little follow the leader.
This will not be a hammerfest designed to demoralize and turn you off of ever running in the woods again.
The run will finish up back at the parking lot and you will love being outside. This will happen rain, snow, hurricane, or sun.
Things to bring:
- running shoes
- clothing, loose and in layers.
- hat
- gloves
- sunglasses or clear glasses for sticks (you have been warned)
- snacks as we will stop every 20 minutes or so for a little bite.
- hydration either camelback or a with water
- small backpack, fanny pack (this isn’t a fashion show, i’m more concerned about function)
- pants not shorts
hope to see you there, call me if you have any questions 416.970.3727 or email me @ mark @ firepowertraining.com
Are you lifting enough weight?
February 26, 2010 by Brian
Filed under Tips & Hints
After a diccussion last night with Tammy about max weight lifting and potential, I found this gem…
Are You Lifting Enough Weight?
If you lift weights, have you ever wondered whether you’re doing it right? Specifically, are you lifting enough weight? According to a study done by the University of Michigan, many of us aren’t. Researchers took beginners (both men and women) through a series of moves, allowing them to choose their own weight. After assessing their 1 rep max (the general standard for choosing weight), they determined that most chose a weight well below what was needed to stimulate muscle growth.
Are you guilty of going too light? If so, you may not be seeing the results you’d like. Learn more about why lifting heavier weights could change your entire body.
Why Lifting Heavy is the Key to Weight Loss
You know that losing fat involves increasing your metabolism. What you may not know is that muscle plays a huge role in raising metabolism. A pound of muscle burns about 10-20 calories a day while a pound of fat burns 5 calories. That means any growth in your muscle tissue is going to help you burn more calories all day long. In fact, strength training has all kinds of great effects on your body like:
- Increasing resting metabolic rate so you burn more calories, even while at rest.
- Making you lean and slim–muscle takes up less space than fat so, the more you have, the slimmer you are
- Strengthening bones and connective tissue, which can protect your body from injuries in daily life
- Enhancing balance and stability
- Building confidence and self-esteem
However…this only works if you’re using enough weight to stimulate that muscle growth. In other words, if you can lift the weights you’ve chosen (for most exercises) more than 16-20 times, you might not see the kind of fat loss you would if you increased your weight.
So, why don’t we lift more weight? For some, lifting weights is scary, especially if you’ve never done it before. The machines…the dumbbells…the people who seem to know what they’re doing…it’s enough to make anyone skip weights altogether. Aside from that, there are other fears that invade our minds, such as:
- It feels weird. The goal of weight training, if you didn’t know, is to lift as much weight as you possibly can (with good form!) for the number of reps you’ve chosen. In daily life, we typically don’t push ourselves to fatigue in anything we do, so this idea may not only feel foreign, it may feel downright miserable. That’s one reason it’s best for beginners to gradually work towards that.
- Fear of injury. Because our muscles burn when we challenge them with resistance, people often feel they’re injuring themselves when they lift. And injury can be a real fear for beginners since injury can occur if you max out before your body is ready for it. Taking it slow while still challenging your body will help protect you from injury.
- Confusion. When you haven’t lifted weights before, you may not know what’s too heavy and what’s too light. It may take some time to get a feel for your body and what it can handle.
- Fear of getting bulky. There’s still a tired old myth running around that men should lift heavy and women should lift light to avoid getting big and bulky. Women hear this: Lifting heavy weights will NOT make you huge–you simply don’t have the testosterone levels to build big muscles. Lifting heavy weights WILL help you lose fat.
- Fear of pain. The other thing about lifting weights is the psychological factor. The discomfort level associated with training to fatigue is pretty high…if you haven’t lifted weights before, you may not be able to overcome that discomfort enough to lift as heavy as you’re capable of. Again, this is one reason it’s best to err on the side of caution (if you need to), while always working towards more challenge and more weight.
These fears often keep people lifting the same amount of weight for weeks, months or even years. Most of these fears are unfounded, if you take time to ease into a weight training program and work (slowly) towards the muscle fatigue that will make your muscles grow.
To chalk or not to chalk
February 16, 2010 by Brian
Filed under Tips & Hints
Recently some people have been suffering from blisters. They are are painful, especially when they tear. Here is some advice from Freddy C. of Crossfit One World:
“1) Cut the chalk! All that chalk is not helping your pull-ups and is not going to make your grip stronger. Chalk serves a purpose, to dry the hands so you can get better grip. I occasionally put a little chalk on my hands, then I make sure to rub my hands together until I no longer see any chalk. My hands are then dry, and I can grip the bar. When you heavily chalk your hands, your hands stick to the bar. You start kipping and all that violent movement transfers to your hands. If your hands don’t slide a little you tear. People with a very pronounced kip tear even more when they use excessive amounts of chalk. I often hear people say that they have to chalk heavily because they sweat profusely through their hands. Try drying them with a towel and then lightly chalking them as I described.
Read Thoroughly
2) Take care of your callouses! If you are building up huge callouses on your hands, at some point they are going to tear. Knock those callouses down! You can use a nail file, cuticle cutters, or my favorite: a Dremel tool with a grinding stone on it. Jolie turned me on to this good advice: buy a good pumice stone and use it on your callouses in the shower when your callouses are warm and soft. And don’t forget- your significant other will appreciate the fact that your hands do not feel like a cheese grater when you give him/her a massage!
3) Practice pull-ups with no kip! Dead hang pull-ups are an excellent way to build the strength to do pull-ups without a violent kip and make your kipping pull-up more proficient. ”
Freddy C. CrossfitOneWorld
Post your thoughts or suggestions to comments.
WOD Febuary 16
We start off “Trainer’s Week with SHAWN CLOSE or what he likes to call:
” Shawn’s Painstorm ”
- Run 400m
- 50 Wallballs
- Run 800m
- 50 Pullups
- Run Mile
- 50 Burpees
- Run 800m
- 25 Thrusters 95/65
- Run 400
- 25 Pushups
Shawn is currently in Vancouver for the Olympics. Send him a special thank you for this long distance Pain through the comments section. Can’t wait to have you back Shawn!!
On another note, check out today’s CrossFit Main Site, Affiliate Blog…Looking Good Heather!
Baseline x 3
KYA bootcamp supplemental workout
Warm up
8 turf track laps
20 jumping jacks
10 sit ups
20 tire slams
10 wall balls
Workout
3 Rounds of :
-
Row 500 meters
40 air squats to medicine ball
30 sit ups
20 push ups
10 pull ups (anyway you can, jumping if necessary)
post total time to comments
6 Things You Didn’t Know About Belly Fat
February 11, 2010 by Andrea
Filed under Better Health, Health Tips & Hints
– And How to Make it Scram
Politicians, gossip columnists, doctors, your best friend — they’re all talking about the same thing: fat. Especially belly fat. The great thing about belly fat is that the better you get to know it, the easier it is to make it vanish (if only spam e-mail worked the same way!). Digest these stomach-flattening facts.
1. All fat is not alike. Eat more calories than you burn and the extras get packed away in one of two places — long-term storage depots beneath the skin (subcutaneous fat) or short-term bins deep in the abdomen (visceral fat). Visceral fat is what we call omental fat — that is, fat in your omentum, a piece of webbing that hangs off your stomach just beneath your ab muscles, sort of like a mesh apron.
2. The fat you don’t see is the most dangerous. The soft, superficial stuff that ripples your thighs and tummy may be a bikini spoiler, but if you can pinch it, it probably won’t kill you. However, if you have a solid “beer belly” . . . well, you’re likely headed for more trouble than a politician hooked up to a polygraph. That’s because too much deep fat churns out supersize amounts of hormones and proteins, which can lead to big hazards. Among them: lousy LDL cholesterol and triglyceride levels; high blood sugar and blood pressure; insulin resistance; and widespread inflammation. All are instigators of many diseases — including dementia, cancer, heart disease, and diabetes. But often you can get a “do over” and it doesn’t take that long and isn’t that hard, if you know what you’re doing. So don’t stop reading!
First, don’t rely on your scale. As you start to reduce risky belly fat, your weight may temporarily go up. So ditch the scale in favor of the tape measure. If you’re a woman, your waist should be 32.5 inches; if you’re a man, 35 inches. Creep past 37 inches for women or 40 for men, and the health dangers increase.
3. Stress makes you fat. Not only does stress lead you to eat Haagen-Dazs straight from the carton, but it also triggers the release of cortisol, a stress hormone. When stress becomes unrelenting, the omentum attempts to control cortisol flow by sucking it out of the bloodstream. Nice try, but cortisol fights back once it’s in the omentum and turbocharges fat there. That sets off other chemical reactions that leave you feeling hungry . . . and looking for the Haagen-Dazs again. Fortunately, any kind of stress reduction, especially exercise, will help short-circuit this stress/fat cycle. Feeling tense right now? Go for a walk the minute you finish this column.
4. The fat you eat affects the fat you get. When monkeys munched on trans-fat laced diets for 6 years, they developed more deep-belly fat than those who went trans-fat-free, even though both ate the same number of calories. Physiologically, we’re close enough to monkeys to extrapolate that trans fat doesn’t do anything good for your waist or your arteries.
5. Blasting belly fat isn’t hard. If you’re not overweight but still have an oversized waist, the fastest way to shrink your omentum is by walking. Taking a brisk 30-minute walk each day will keep those fat cells from expanding. Pick up the pace some, walk a little longer, and you can give your omentum a makeover, turning a flabby apron of omental fat into sheer mesh again. After 30 days of walking, start doing resistance exercises as well to add muscle and lose inches — otherwise you’ll hit a plateau. No dumbbells? No gym? No problem. You can get an excellent workout in 20 minutes by using your own body as a weight to stretch and strengthen all of your major muscle groups.
6. Whole grains scare away belly fat. If you and a friend go on a diet but you eat whole grains (meaning brown rice, steel-cut oats, and whole-wheat pasta, not whole-grain Pop Tarts) and your friend eats processed grains (anything made with white/enriched grains and flours, cupcakes to noodles), you both might lose the same amount of weight, but you’ll shed more belly fat and lower your levels of C-reactive protein, a marker of damaging inflammation. And your food will taste better, and you’ll feel full longer. AND you’ll have a flat stomach!
Source: Realage.com
