KALE SALAD

 

MMMMM…This salad is my FAVE!!! and I usually hate salads.  It’s got a nice bitter/sweet flavor that is just right.

Here’s How:

Ingredients –

1 bunch of Kale

1/4c Lemon Juice

1/4c Olive Oil

1/4c Nuts (crushed almonds or pecans work great)

1/4c chopped dates (or craisans work too)

Pinch of Salt and Pepper

1 TBS Honey (use less if this is too sweet!)

1/4c Pecorino Cheese finely grated.

Process:

Cut or peel the leaves off of the main center stem of each leaf.  Combine Lemon Juice and Olive Oil very well with a whisk.  Mix it in over the Kale and massage the sauce into the leaves.  Let sit for 5 min.  Toast nuts on the stove in a pan while Kale sits. (don’t let nuts turn black or they are burned! – I learned this one the hard way…overcooked my nuts!!!).  Allow nuts to cool.  Add craisans, nuts, salt, and pepper to the Kale.  Mix well.  Then drizzle honey over the whole thin; sprinkle cheese on top,  Mix and Serve!!!

 

 

 

BAD NEWS – LOW BACK INJURY

Terrible News:

I had to drop out of the Sprint Triathlon I was planning to race in tomorrow.  I got a slight low back strain this last Wednesday and it’s definitely putting me out of commission for the Tri.

How did it happen???

I think it was a combination of things.  I have been taking it easy on weightlifting fort the last four months and I’ve been getting a lot of body work done (massage, pt, chiro, etc.) and doing a lot of body loosening via yoga etc.  Because of that, I think things were generally looser than usual – including my back.  That is a good thing, but ultimately led to a slight injury this time.

Then, over the past month I’ve started hitting some light squats and deadlifts to get back to lifting.  This was fine and felt good.  Then, this last week I went a little too much on my exercises and I think it led to the injury.  Last Saturday I did a CrossFit Beach WOD that involved kettlebell swings – ie hard on the low back.  Monday I did my first long bike ride – 8 miles – hard on the low back.  Tuesday I paddled for 1.5 hrs – again hard on the low back.  Then Wednesday I decided to do some light front squats.  I warmed up REAL good then hit a set of 5 at 95lb, rest…a set of 5 at 135, rest…. then a set of 5 at 155, rest… then a set of 5 at 185, rest.  All of this felt good, but DAMN IT…I decided to do another set at 185.  On my 5th rep at 185, as I was coming out of the hole, I felt a little twinge in my low back.  I didn’t feel anything shift, but it definitely was sore.

I tried jogging after that for a bout a mile and it felt ok, but I could tell it was going to be hurting.  It was SORE that night and the next day.

I iced it real good on THursday and started taking NSAIDs.  My PT, Ginger, at Action PT, put me on E-Stem and Ice which helped.  Friday I saw Ginger again for PT and a she thinks it’s not a spinal shift or a disc thing, but just a strain.  She massaged and mobilized and ultrasounded it and then put me on E Stem again and ice.

I went to the Chiro that day to (Kaipo’s Chiro) and he adjusted me.  Same diagnosis…he thinks it’s just a strain as well.  So I am praying that is all it is.  I hit the Jacuzzi today and been icing it.  Just gotta stay on the rehab.

Stay tuned.

LAST FRIDAY’S CROSSFIT WOD

Last Thursday we flew to Oahu for the long weekend.  We ate a bunch of good (but oh so bad for you) food on Thursday night with our cousins and then we hit the sack.  Next morning, 5AM, we were up and ready for to make it to CrossFit Kuleana for that day’s CrossFit WOD!  If you know me, then you know that me going to a 6AM WOD is almost unheard of!  But I did it!  And it was totally worth it.

The Gym, first of all, was awesome.  it was half indoor, half outdoor in an old time, used to be a car workshop, type of place.

Kuleana Gym

We met up with my friend Matt who works out there and he took us in and introduced us to the owner, Marcus, and the rest of the crew there.  Let me tell you about Marcus!  First of all, he’s super cool…but what blew me away was how he was in such a good mood at 6AM!!! He was like the most uppity and happy dude I ever met before sunup!  haha.  Beyond that, Matt was super knowledgeable and an excellent teacher.  You could tell he was all about technique and doing things right above all else.

As far as the WOD, here it is:

Warmup:

400m jog

20 pushups

20 squats

20 grasshoppers

Mobility:

partner rollout the legs with a 45lb bar (OUCH!!!)

Technique:

practice some type of gymnastic-pulling movement (ie muscleups, chinnups, etc) and then hit a set of 3 sets of max effort

Met Con:

3 rounds of

800m Sprint

2-4 min rest

 

For my technique stuff I practiced strict CTB pullups, then hit 3 sets of 5 for my max effort reps.  On the met con my times were 3:45, 3:42, and 3:49 with 4 min rest in between each.

Funny Story: the Met Con was written on the web and on the board as a “Surprise” WOD.  I was stressing it was going to be FRAN or something…stressing because I haven’t done CF for like 4 months so I didn’t want to die doing something like FRAN.  So, as we’re doing the technique work, Marcus comes up to me and Matt and says in an apologetic whisper, “guys, the WOD is 3 x 800m sprints…sorry guys…if you don’t want to do it you can feel free to do a different WOD on your own.”  Matt was like, “yep, i’m doing something else.”  I on the other hand was STOKED!!! The 800m’s is perfect for my triathlon training!  So I was stoked and smiled the whole way through.

LATER THAT DAY:

FYI – so later that day we went to the beach and I had my googles so I did roughly a 600m swim in about 21 min.  It felt good.

TRIATHLON TRAINING WEEK OF APRIL 14, 2014

MONDAY

10 x wall squats

10 x split jumps

10 x mountain climbers

10 x burpees

WEIGHTS

Squat

Light Squat

3 x 5 at 50% max

Deadlift

Light Deadlift

1 x 5 at 40%

1 x 5 at 50%

1 x 5 at 50%

Pistols

20 total – alternating legs, with assistance

ENDURANCE

Beach Run – Wet Sand

3 x 800 m

2 min rest

*70-80% pace

 

TUESDAY

Run/Bike/Swim/Paddle

60-90min

 

WEDNESDAY

10 pushups

10 burpees

10 pullups

WEIGHTS

5 Rounds Not For Time:

ME x CTB pullups strict

ME x dips strict

ME x pushups

ENDURANCE

3 Rounds For Time:

400m swim

1 min rest

400m sprint – dry sand

3 min rest

Extra:

+3 min Overhead Hold

 

THURSDAY

Rest or Run/Bike/Swim/Paddle

60-90 min

 

FRIDAY

ATTEND CF GYM – DO THE WOD (keep it under 10 min though)

 

SATURDAY

Run/Bike/Swim/Paddle

60-90 min

KAUAI TRIATHLON TRAINING

I’ve decided to do the Triathlon coming up here in Kauai in May.  I don’t know too many details about it other than that it is on May 4th, Lisa Ladesma and the Kauai Diva’s put it together, and the race I want to do is the Sprint.  So that means I’ve got to start training for a 750m Swim, 20k Bike, and 5k run.

I want to post my workouts and progress here and see how it goes for my first Sprint-Tri.

Here are my before pics:

 

THURSDAY WOD – HOME WOD

STRENGTH AND STRENGTH ENDURANCE DAY

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Five Rounds Not For Time:

20 perfect pushups

15 sec perfect handstand hold against a wall\

120 sec squat hold against the wall (back flat against wall, feet in front of you, legs parallel to ground)

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-then-

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Plank Hold

180 sec total

Overhead Hold

120 sec total (20# to 30# total)

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-then-

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Strength Endurance Met Con

4 x 30/30 Split Jumps (alternating legs) (total score for me was 96 reps total)

1 min rest

4 x 30/30 Burpees (total score for me was 41 reps total)

MONDAY 2014.4.7 HOME WOD AND GYM WOD

BODYWEIGHT/HOME WOD:

Strength Endurance

800m jog

10 pushups

10 sec handstand hold

10 air squats + pause at the bottom

-then-

5 rounds of:

5 wall squats

10 one leg squats (5 ea leg alternating)

15 perfect pushups

20 situps – feet anchored

1 min rest

*move through this efficiently but working on form more than speed

**use assistance on one leg squats if needed

-then-

800m jog

1/2hr yoga or stretch

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GLOBO-GYM/CROSSFI-GYM WOD:

Strength Day

Bench Press – Close Grip

2 sets of 3 at light weight

2 sets of 2 at medium weight

2 sets of 1 at heavy weight (go for PR)

*rest 3+ min between sets

-then-

Strict Pull Ups

5 sets to failure

-then-

Strict Dips

5 sets to failure

-then-

1 mile slow jog/walk

FOODIE: Chocolate Lara Bar – Homemade!!!

HOMEMADE CHOCO LARA BARS

MMMM…..If you’ve never tried an actual Lara Bar then you are missing out!  They are my go-to energy/snack bar.  They are a great minimally processed, non-gmo, natural alternative to everything else that is out there.  Keep in mind they definitely have a high sugar content, but definitely a better choice then most everything else out there!

When my Lara Bar stock is running low, I MAKE MY OWN!!! Here’s How:

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HERE’S WHAT YOU’LL NEED:

INGREDIENTS

1 cup Dates

1 cup Nuts (Almonds/Pecans/Walnuts/Etc.)

3 tbsp. Unsweetened Cocoa Powder

1 tsp Vanilla

1/4 tsp Rock Salt

1 tsp Coconut Oil

Also – you’ll need some kind of food processor (I use a magic bullet) and something to shape the ingredients into bar shapes

(Prep Time: 30 minutes – Cook Time: 00 Minutes)

*NOE: this recipe only makes like 5 bars.  Double it if you want more!!!

CUT THE DATES

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 THE PROCESS:

1. Cut the Dates into small pieces

2. Grind up the nuts

3. Mix the ingredients into a bowl and mix together

4. Add the mix slowly to the food processor and blend together

*usually the mix doesn’t blend super good, but that is ok…it will still work

5. Press the mix together and form them into bar shapes

*I use a Musubi maker to press them all but if you don’t have a Musubi maker you can put them into zip lock bags and form them into bar shapes

6. Place in fridge for an hour and allow to harden

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PRESS THE DATES INTO BAR SHAPES (I use a musubi maker)

THE FINISHED PRODUCT:

These little babies are delicious.  I hope you like them. Post to comments if you have questions.  Let me know what works and what doesn’t!!!

ENJOY!!!

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THE FINISHED PRODUCT