Intense interval training has been shown to raise your base metabolic rate for up to 38 hours after a workout. This phenomenon is known as EPOC or excess post-exercise oxygen consumption. This means that the fat burning continues long after the actual training session is finished. To this end you should seriously think about doing a hard work-out a few hours before your Thanksgiving feast. The same goes for Christmas day and New Year's Day (or Eve).

 Even if it is a 20 min body-weight circuit or swings, snatches and deadlifts. Do something to get your body moving before you eat and it will help minimize the damage you are doing to your fat loss goals.

CrossFit Level 1 Day 1 - Pittsbugh, Pa

I got up about 7am, showered and went to the hotels’ breakfast bar which was loaded with nothing but crap: bagels, donuts, English muffins, cereal. They did have hard boiled eggs so I grabbed 3 and a cup of nasty coffee and went back to the room. I ate and left for the venue.

Google maps on my Blackberry showed the location was only about 10 minutes away and a fairly easy drive. As I was looking for it I found a little espresso bar so I stopped and got a double shot. J. Now we’re moving!

Went further down and reached the area known as Verona. The street signs are hard to find. They are mounted on wooden posts written vertically and in need of painting. I found the first turnoff but missed the second and wound up doubling back. Going down an alley I saw a big Hummer with the Pittsburgh CrossFit logo on it and saw a bunch of people in green CrossFit Ts who turned out to be the trainers.

Here’s a pic of part of the facility, this is about ½ of it. The have ropes and netting hanging from the ceiling and a climbing wall. It’s a really nice facility.

CrossFit Level 1 – Day 2

I slept soundly despite the fact that my hotel room was right across from the hotel’s bar/restaurant. I could feel the bass line.

There is something off in my right knee, it feels a little swollen inside. I must have tweaked it doing those thrusters. I was wearing shoes and I’m not used to lifting in them. I remember my weight shifting forwards towards the end of the workout. (It’s still off Tuesday)

It was cold and rainy this morning and I was dreading having to be out in that crap doing burpees or something worse.

When I got to the gym Buddy Lee (www.buddyleejumpropes.com ), the jump rope legend, was finishing his two hour workshop on, what else, jumping rope. It was free to any of use who wanted to attend. I’d rather sleep.

Happy Thanksgiving everyone. Try not to overindulge this weekend. I was reading on another blog yesterday that people gain about 10lbs during the holiday season!!! It is crucial at this time of year to stick close to your diet and make sure you get at least 3 good workouts in every week.

It's easy to blow off a training session with excuses of family being in town or parties to attend, shopping to do, etc... Make time for your training sessions!!!

There were 3 dedicated souls that came to my Turkey day session and they worked hard but we also had a blast.

swings 2 mins total : 30secs 2 hands, 30 sec L, 30secs R, 30 secs alternating

rest

Bottom to Bottom Tabata squats. 20secs squat, 10 sec of rest at the BOTTOM position. but not rock bottom. keep the tension on the legs. 4 minutes all together.

rest

AOS Test: TGU up, then 30 secs each staying with one arm the until the figure 8s.

high pull/snatch combo

press

front squat

cleans

swings

figure 8 with hold

at the end of the figure 8 with hold switch to the other and reverse the order (swings, cleans, front squat, press, high pull/snatch, then get back down)

rest

ab wheel rollouts

rest

pullups

ball slams

Some light stretching and done for the day