ISSU

E19

. AUGUST

2006

A look at male hormonereplacement therapy

BOY PROBLEMS

WOMEN WITHREAL WEIGHTS

An interview with weightliftersAimee Anaya & Sage Burgener

INTERMITTENT FASTINGCONTRAINDICATIONS

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FEATURES[3] INTERMITTENT FASTING CONTRAINDICA-TIONS When and with whom intermittent fasting is not an appropriate protocol

[5] BOY PROBLEMS A look at male hormone replacement therapy

[8] WOMEN WITH REAL WEIGHTS An interview with weightlifters Sage Burgener and Aimee Anaya

[13] NEVER GYMLESS & INFINITE INTENSITY A review of Ross Enamait’s books

REGULARS[15] COOKING WITH SCOTTYScotty Hagnas of CrossFit Portland dispenses some culinary genius

[17] RECIPES FOR HEALTH & PERFORMANCENew ways to feed yourself for optimum health and athletic performance

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INTERMITTENT FASTINGCONTRAINDICATIONS

Robb Wolf

We have received much positive feedback regarding in-termittent fasting over the past few months. People have taken the basic premise of a high quality paleo/Zone diet and either compressed their feeding schedule or, in a few cases, adopted an alternate day fast with good success. What type of success? People have reported fat loss, muscle gain, improvements on CrossFit diagnostic WODs and increases in 1 rep max strength efforts. Keep in mind that the people reporting these results are not new trainees but rather athletes at or near the top of their game. That’s all pretty nifty, but no matter how good something is there is usually a population that is ill-suit-ed for a given protocol. Could that be the case with in-termittent fasting? Well, I think there are a few situations that certainly warrant some caution when implementing IF.

Clinically Obese

Ironically the population that might benefit the most from IF is a group that really needs to be cautious with imple-mentation. Overweight individuals are by definition in-sulin resistant. This peridiabetic condition lends itself to severe blood sugar crashes when feedings are not con-sistent. Thus these individuals must eat every 2-3 hours or face severe mood swings, lethargy and for some the difficult to remedy condition of DEATH. Why? Severe insulin resistance can prevent the facilitated diffusion of ketones through membranes such as the blood-brain bar-

rier. This can lead to the condition ketoacidosis, which is often characterized by both high blood glucose and high blood ketone concentrations. This can lead to a low blood pH… and that can be very bad. What to do? Rees-tablish euglycemia by implementing a paleo/Zone or cy-clic low carb diet. As insulin sensitivity is reestablished brief fasts should be both safe and therapeutic. Keep in mind that insulin resistance has two major contributors. The first is chronically high insulin levels which tend to down regulate the number of insulin receptors. The second factor involves damage to the insulin receptors themselves via non-enzyme mediated glycation due to chronically high blood glucose levels. Individuals with hyperinsulinism not only have fewer insulin receptors but the few they have are in effect broken. That consid-ered, a therapeutic fast could be one of the most effective means of re-establishing insulin sensitivity; however, if the pathology is of sufficient magnitude, ketoacidosis and The Big Nap could occur.

Clinically Busy

With regards to life extension and disease amelioration, caloric restriction and intermittent fasting appear to work via mechanisms in which acute stressors increase the expression of heat shock protein genes (HSPs) and modulate immune function favorably. Sounds good so far, but the key term in the previous sentence is “Acute Stressors”. What happens when an otherwise favorable

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stressor becomes chronic and overwhelms our adaptive ability? The short answer is “Bad Things”. Let’s look at IF like it’s a drug. Drugs have physiologic effects, char-acteristic dose/response curves and therapeutic ranges. Dose response curves represent what level of physiologic response can be expected for a given dose. For example, how much pain relief one garners from a given dose of as-pirin. The therapeutic range is the approximate amount of drug that may be administered and, in general, deliver a beneficial effect. Below the range one experiences little or no effect, and above the range we have too much col-lateral damage—also called Side Effects. In ideal situa-tions a drug provides benefit at fairly low doses and neg-ative side effects are not experienced until much higher doses. The reality is that most drugs have a fairly narrow window and interestingly things like age, sleep, gen-eral health and stress can greatly affect this therapeutic window. As with drugs, so too with intermittent fasting. Some can go a long way. If you are really sick you may need a lot more (remember last month when Dr Seyfried talked about ketogenic diets, fasting and cancer? One might elect to take a much larger IF dose if one is deal-ing with cancer than if one is simply looking to improve performance). If you are chronically besieged by other stressors, ANY dose of drug (or IF) may be too much. How are you to know? We should have an expectation

of intermittent fasting improving body composition and performance. These are immediate, measurable effects. Assuming one starts IF and things go favorably initially but then say one gains a layer of fat about the midsec-tion, sleep is disturbed or performance slumps it may be prudent to alter your dose in some way. That may mean a smaller dose (12 hour fasts instead of 18), fewer doses (every 3 days instead of every 2) or maybe you need the anti-stress effects of a very consistent Zone diet. If your life is VERY complicated and stressful it may be too much to add any type of IF to the mix. Always keep in mind that a surefire way to ruin your health and ath-leticism is to not eat sufficiently during an intermittent fasting protocol. Don’t do it. You won’t like it.

Medicated

In addition to the situations I described above remember that Dr. Seyfried mentioned extended fasts can alter liver metabolism and thus alter clearance rates of drugs. If you are heavily medicated (I wish I were right now), seek medical advice before jumping into this.

Keep the questions and comments coming!

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By Michael Rutherford

Before I launch into this discussion, I want to make a couple of points. I do not condone nor condemn the use of hormone replacement therapy. I am motivated to submit this article to the readers of the Performance Menu based upon some recent interactions I have had with a couple of my clients.

As their trainer, coach, mentor and friend, I encouraged them both to look deeper into the causation. One gentleman is in his late 40s, the other in his early 50s (Client X). Both guys are in what has been called the grey zone. It’s in the grey zone that men slow or stop production of testosterone. The medical term for this condition is known as hypogonadal. The conditions and symptoms surrounding it have been labeled Andropause or androgen deficiency of the aging men (ADAM). I instructed both of these guys to return to their physicians for additional blood work. I also instructed them to seek additional information from what a hormone blood panel might reveal.

My instinct proved to be correct. Both guys were sub clinical on the testosterone levels. Their Free Testosterone readings were well below the reference range. Both men have since started hormone replacement therapy (HRT) and both are feeling and performing much better.

In 1998, a progressive practitioner, Dr. Eugene Shippen, published a book entitled THE TESTOSTERONE SYNDROME. In his practice Shippen was able to demonstrate that Testosterone was more than simply a sex hormone. The changes seen in aging, such as the loss of lean body mass, the decline in energy, strength, and stamina, unexplained depression, and decrease in sexual sensation and performance, are all directly related to testosterone deficiency. Degenerative diseases such as heart disease, stroke, diabetes, arthritis, osteoporosis, and hypertension are all directly or indirectly linked to testosterone decline. Secondly, testosterone also functions as a pro-hormone. Local tissue conversion to estrogens,

dihydrotestosterone (DHT), or other active metabolites plays an important part in cellular physiology.

Shippen was able to demonstrate in his practice that if he could add back or replace testosterone to appropriate levels that his patient’s health improved from both a subjective and objective standpoint.

I was able to sit down with one of my clients to discuss his experiences. Client X wishes to remain anonymous for this writing. I was also able to secure a visit with a progressive physician in town. Dr. Z does not advertise as an anti-aging physician but has an estimated 25% of his male patients on a HRT regime.

WHAT SYMPTOMS DO YOU LOOK FOR IN A MALE WHO MIGHT BE LOW ON TESTOSTERONE?

Dr. Z: Here are some of the classic symptoms:

· Erectile dysfunction · Decreased libido · Mood disturbances, including depression, irritability

and feeling tired · Loss of muscle size and strength · Osteoporosis · Increased body fat · Difficulty with concentration and memory loss· Sleep difficulties

Most of the males I work with are highly successful. They have built or been leaders of companies. They are bulletproof and can tough their way through almost anything. It’s a compromise to admit that they might be breaking down. We will not know for sure until we get them into the lab.

Client X: For me it was really a mood disturbance. I had

BOYPROBLEMSMale Hormone Replacement Therapy

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no drive or motivation. My business was healthy but I was on auto pilot. I thought I was depressed and my initial visit to the doctor left me with a prescription for anti-depressants. Thank God I never filled it. I started to look for more answers.

I was also very sore when I exercised. I had been active my whole life. It just didn’t make sense that I had all this muscle soreness from exercising.

It wasn’t that my sex life was completely shutdown, but I did not have the same drive.

Within four weeks or four treatments I could feel a difference. It was not subjective or placebo.

DR. Z, WHAT LAB TESTS DO YOU ORDER TO DETERMINE AN OVERALL HORMONE PROFILE?

The only way to clinically demonstrate a deficiency is via the label. I now instruct all my male clients interested in learning more to select for the following lab tests. Most practices have no idea how to deal with these types of tests. Our practice looks at these things so frequently that we are prepared to deal with them.

Basic· Red cell/white cell· Fasting blood sugars & Insulin· Kidney, liver· Lipids· PSA CV Panel· Homocysteine· Lipoprotein (a)· Fibrinogen· C-reactive protein (high sensitivity) Hormone Panel· Estradiol· Prolactin· FSH· LH· Cortisol· IGF-1· Thyroid· Testosterone (total and free)· DHT· DHEAS

It’s critical that the doctor involved have a reading on hormones beyond measuring testosterone levels. Simply introducing testosterone without regard for blood lipids or prostate specific antigens is roulette. You must have all this information.

Client X: My former physician would not entertain the

idea of testing my hormones. He was more interested is debating my cholesterol levels. I found an independent label to test my blood. I believe it’s critical to be proactive with this situation.

HOW BAD WAS YOUR TESTOSTERONE? Client X: If my memory serves me right, my free testosterone I believe was around 225 ng/dl. The bottom range is 300 and the top of the range is 1200. So you can see that I had a problem.

Dr. Z: We are more interested in the free than with the total. This gives us a better idea of your functional status. For someone his age I would try and push him back towards 700 ng/dl. Of course, we would do this gradually and monitor other variables.

DOCTOR, WHAT IS YOUR FIRST STEP ONCE YOU FIND ONE OF YOUR PATIENTS IN THIS QUANDRY?

Dr.Z: We don’t immediately send them to a pharmacy for creams or injections. Our approach is very comprehensive.

I have two related stories. One involved a patient who tested very low. We were able to dig deeper into his lifestyle practice and discovered that he was a borderline alcoholic. His consumption had gotten out of control after the passing of a parent. We got his alcohol consumption reduced and his numbers improved so much that we did not need to begin treatment. The second involved a wealthy couple. They showed up in my office demanding hormones. They didn’t want the testing just the testosterone. I discovered that they were using recreational drugs quite heavily. Needless to say I sent them home.

I guess in summary, I would tell you that we don’t take lifestyle practice lightly. We see this as a critical part of our treatment.

Client X: Coach you know my story. I’m a model citizen. I go to bed early and only drink socially. I workout hard. I’m just suffering sub-optimal output and it made me feel horrible.

WHAT LIFESTYLE PRACTICES MAY CONTRIBUTE TO POOR TESTOSTERONE PRODUCTION?

Dr.Z: We look at lots of elements but we do believe that these are a definite:

· Chronic sleep deprivation.· Excess body fat.· Low caloric intake and low fat intake· Alcohol and cannabis consumption

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· Using Statins · Overtraining and chronic stress.

The good report is that testosterone can be optimized by reversing the above practices. It doesn’t take a rocket scientist or a doctor to tell you that going to bed earlier, limiting your alcohol, maintaining optimal body fat levels and intelligent exercise will improve your health. Better hormones equal better health.

We are slightly interested in looking at environmental estrogens. We are seeing younger males with lower levels of testosterone and higher estrogen levels. They are consuming these somehow from the environment.

WHAT ARE THE TREATMENT OPTIONS?

Dr. Z: Should you want or need to replace your testosterone to normal here are some things to consider.

First, this is what is known as a scheduled medicine. Once you start this practice you are pretty much locked into it for the rest of your life. You will apply or inject testosterone on a scheduled interval. It’s not like taking an ADVIL for the times when inflammation is at its peak. Your natural production will go from medium low to essentially nothing. Your body will become reliant on this weekly treatment.

You will have options. The most popular forms of treatment are creams and gels. These will generally be applied weekly in 5-10% concentrations. These are commonly known as TESTIM and ANDROGEL.

The other option is injections. These are done from weekly to biweekly. These are typically oil based and can be painful. Years ago I knew an old man who was part of a clinical trial at the KU Medical Center. He didn’t know what they were injecting him with but he knew three things. He was getting $50.00 per week to show up for the injections, they hurt for days after the fact and he was experiencing erections like he was 20 again. He discovered after the fact that he was part of a testosterone study.

We prefer injections. These are working better in our practice but they can be intimidating. They stay in the system longer (peaking 3-8 days later) than creams or gels. The potential for aromatization is minimized since

you miss the skin and subcutaneous fat. Creams and gels must pass through these layers to be absorbed.

IS THERE ANYTHING ELSE THAT WILL NATURALLY ELEVATE TESTOSTERONE?

Dr. Z: We do not see anything that is effective. I’ve worked with some professional athletes. They are taking all kinds of natural boosters. We know that Dehydroepiandrosterone (DHEA) is banned by the USOC and the NFL. DHEA is a pre-hormone. It’s necessary to make other hormones. Most of these natural herbs and minerals are not cost effective.

Client X: I have never used them but I’m hearing good things about supplementing Zinc and going to sleep with 3-6 grams of the amino acid Arginine.

Dr. Z: I know that Zinc deficiency especially in heavy drinkers can lower testosterone.

FINALLY, ON A 10 POINT SCALE, HOW WOULD YOU RATE THE RISKS OF HRT?

Dr. Z: I hate to assign a number but it would be below three in a healthy male. All treatment certainly has risk. We work hard to screen out the individuals who are higher risk. It would be akin to you looking at smoking, high blood pressure or family history before you let them start exercising with you. We don’t want the guy with elevated PSA, cholesterol, or sleep apnea to start using hormones.

With that being said, they offer a lot for the healthy male who is clinically low on the stuff. We are giving life back to these guys.

We are not jacking them up to super human levels. We are not building freaks. We are adding back some stuff that nature has reduced prematurely. To all our critics I say, Show me the bodies.

Client X: Based on my twelve week experience I can not see the downside. I don’t have a crystal ball but I certainly find this better than where some of my peers are heading. My blood lipids were actually better in my recent lab result. None of my friends can say that.

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WomenWithRealWeights

An Interview with Sage Burgener & Aimee AnayaGreg Everett

This month we talk to a pair of weightlifters—one returning with newfound passion to the sport after a five-year retirement, the other on her first rise through the ranks. Aimee Anaya is a former national silver medalist and 2008 Olympic hopeful who after only a short time back has surpassed her former records. Sage Bur-gener is a sixteen year-old with amazingly precise technique and remarkable potential as both an athlete and coach.

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Sage BurgenerWhen did you begin weightlifting? What was your moti-vation for making it your sport of choice?

I began weightlifting at age four! Of course it was noth-ing serious (we’re talking broom sticks, people), but be-ing around all the hotshot weightlifters got me motivat-ed. To this day, I’ll never forget my brothers teaching me how to snatch. Falling in love with the sport, I started competing at age six and will hopefully compete for the rest of my life.

Weightlifting is definitely not your average girl sport. The determination, the drive, the intensity, and the mentality of it lured me in. Weightlifting requires an athlete who is not afraid of pain and soreness. Weightlifting requires an athlete who is willing to accept plateaus and hard times, but not failure. Most of all weightlifting requires an athlete with heart. That is why I chose this amazing sport to lead my life.

Your father, Mike Burgener, is one of the best weight-lifting coaches in the world. How does that affect your training? Do you think he treats you differently than his other athletes? Is it beneficial for you as an athlete?

I am so proud to say that Mike Burgener is my dad. He has been my coach for about nine out of the ten years of my lifting career. Trust me when I tell you that having your dad as a coach can be very difficult. It doesn’t really affect my training so much anymore. My dad and I have learned to cope with each other and we have come to an understanding as to what needs to be done. A year ago my dad decided that having a female coach would really benefit me as a female lifter. Having Kartsi Lundahl as my new coach was the most amazing experience. Getting different standpoints and coaching methods built me into the lifter that I am today. Unfortunately, Kartsi lives in Texas and was able to visit only a couple times a year. I felt that I needed more hands on coaching, so I switched back to having my father as my coach.

My dad is not one to treat people differently. Although he doesn’t push me any more or any less than his other athletes, I think he naturally expects a little more out of his own children. I think that it has been beneficial for me as an athlete because I have one of the best coaches ever as my dad! Growing up with him and learning his ways has not only made me a better athlete, but also a better coach. My dad has the ability to make his lifters

motivated and determined. My dad’s coaching has made me want to be the best that I can be.

What do you see as being your strengths and weakness-es and how does your training reflect that?

Well, let’s just say that I have years and years of improve-ment ahead of me. My biggest weakness is definitely my leg strength. Of course I got my mom’s long, skinny legs—definitely not ideal for a weightlifter. Getting my leg strength up has been my main focus for all my years of lifting and I’m sure it will continue to be. Having weak legs can really affect every lift. Strong legs are nec-essary for standing up with cleans. As a result of weak legs, I count on catching the bounce out of the bottom in the clean, and if I fail to do that, there is no way I can stand up with a PR clean attempt. Another weakness is self-confidence. Being a confident lifter can get you so much further than if you have a negative mind like me. Through years of experience, I have learned that if I be-lieve I can make a lift, I will make it. As for my strengths, I have inherited the Burgener jerk. Because of my dad, I have never missed a jerk (knock on wood).

Would you describe your training regimen?

My dad writes all my programs and likes to base them off of my weaknesses. Whatever I seem to be having trouble with that week is what we work on. A lot of legwork and back work is included in my workout. One of my dad’s favorite squat workouts is 10 sets of 3. The weight varies

from 70%-85% of my best clean. For me, I tend to do the 10 x 3 with the heaviest weight I can handle for that day. A pow-erlifter by the name of Bull Ternus came and stayed with us for a week, and for me that was a miracle. He helped me out with my squatting a lot too. Bands and chains were included in my squat workouts af-ter he came. The bands are a great way to strengthen the “sticking point”, which means you’ll be able to get out of the clean a whole lot more explosively. Dumbbell

and kettlebell exercises are typical things we include in my workout. An example of a kettlebell workout would be 1 clean, 1 front squat + Sotts press, stand up with weight overhead, right leg lunge, left leg lunge. That is one rep and you typically do 5 reps each arm. 5 sets of that and you are in severe oxygen debt! Workouts like that are physical, yes, but they are also extremely men-tal. Telling your body and mind to just keep going and to not quit while doing those workouts separates the cham-pions from the average athletes. If I feel like I need to include some more work on my lower back, I do reverse back extensions with the resistance of a band.

Sage Burgener

Age 16Height 5’ 5”Weight 63 kgSnatch 63 kgClean & Jerk 75 kg

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I know you’re dealing currently with a wrist injury. What caused that and how has your training been ad-justed because of it? Yes, the wrist injury. Unfortunately, I don’t know the cause. One day I developed a pain in my wrist and it has been hurting ever since. This injury has dramatically af-fected my lifting. Unable to be snatching and clean and jerking is what hurts me the most. It’s hard for a lifter to be in a gym watching those who are pain-free doing the lifts. Because of the injury, I now realize how patience can be an important factor in recovery. As for now, squat-ting is my best friend.

Your oldest brother Casey is currently the number one ranked male weightlifter in the US and recently won the gold medal at the Pan Am Games. How does that affect you as an athlete? Do you feel greater pressure to succeed because of your brother’s achievements?

Casey Burgener is my inspiration and drive. Of course he already knows this because I tell him every time we talk. Seeing my brother push through the good times and the bad make me realize where hard work can get you. My brother has earned every medal he has received and every lift he has succeeded in. He has taught me that if you put your heart and soul into it, you can accom-plish anything. He has also taught me that you can have the best coach, the best equipment, and the best support available to you, but only you can get yourself where you want to go.

Of course I feel pressure to meet the standards my broth-er has created. Whenever one hears about a relative of an Olympian or an amazing athlete, he or she expects to see the same results out of that relative. My dad is so proud of my older brother and all he has accomplished. I hope to someday receive that honor for my weightlifting.

What so far do you view as your biggest accomplish-ment in the sport?

So far, my biggest accomplishment has been qualifying for the school-age camp held in Colorado Springs, Colo-rado. The top ten female school-age lifters got to attend the camp and I’m proud to say that I was one of them. It was the experience of a lifetime. Being with the coaches that coach Olympians only makes you want to someday become their lifter.

What are your career goals?

Of course you all know what I am going to say for this one because who doesn’t want to go to the Olympics? I am striving to make it to the 2012 Games. Most of all, I am just striving to be the best lifter I can be. I want to die knowing that I put my heart and soul into becoming better.

What advice do you have for young athletes interested in becoming weightlifters?

I encourage all young athletes to take up some form of Olympic style weightlifting. Even if you’re just looking into doing it as a side sport, it is still extremely bene-ficial for all sporting events. Weightlifting is a unique sport that requires motivation, determination and heart. If you’re looking into becoming a weightlifter, you have to keep those things in mind. A weightlifter has to be patient with injuries and plateauing; and a weightlifter must always be prepared to put everything they have into this sport. When starting lifting, you must have the mindset of a champion. Weightlifting is an addiction. Prepare to be in love.

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Aimee AnayaWhen did you begin weightlifting? How did you hook up with Coach Burgener? What was your motivation for making it your sport of choice?

I started weightlifting in 1997, in August, I believe, right before school was going to start. I met Coach Burgener through a fella named Mike Abruso. I was playing vol-leyball for him, for fun, and he apparently saw beyond this little skinny girl (seriously, I weighed about 110 lbs), and thought I could jump, knew I had played sports for-ever, or maybe he just wanted to get rid of me and get me off the volleyball team. So one day, he told me he wanted me to meet this weightlifting coach named Mike Burgener. Really, I never understood why he sent me up there, but thankfully he saw something in me that I didn’t know was there. So I remember the day I walked up the hill to meet Coach B. I had never even heard of a snatch or a clean & jerk before. Never had I done a squat or a pull or a press. I was in sports (track, basketball, and volleyball) through high school, but we didn’t have a strength coach. We never went to the gym. So I was totally clueless. I had absolutely no idea how to lift weights. Anyway, sorry I’m getting sidetracked.

I started going up everyday. The gym be-came my life, Casey and the other athletes became my best friends, and it was a life-style. Three months after training I went to the American Open, and I think I did 60 and 75, or something like that. That total was enough to make the Jr. Squad camp, and it continued from there. I wasn’t focused or consis-tent for the first year or two I was lifting, because I didn’t know how to be. I started getting focused in 1999, and that is when my numbers started to increase, my tech-nique began to be consistent, and I was able to compete at the top of my weight class. That is when I started med-aling at the National level.

My motivation for making weightlifting my sport of choice was and is my Coach. He taught me how to be an athlete, and how to fall in love with a sport. I love the feeling of competing. I am extremely aggressive, and I strive for a challenge. I crave the act of doing endless reps, training every day, the success of a lift, sweating, crying, screaming, laughing—all for those few moments to stand on a platform. I am thankful for the family that I have obtained through my sport. I wish I could find Mike Abruso and thank him for providing me with an opportunity to become an incredible athlete, and to find the most amazing Coach I have ever met, who is a father to me. I truly love, respect, and admire him. I would be lost without him. Totally incomplete as an athlete and as

me. Seriously. Is that too mushy?

What so far as been your biggest accomplishment in the sport?

Five years ago I would have told you that my biggest ac-complishment was snatching 80 & clean & jerking 100, winning the silver medal at Nationals, and going to live at the Olympic Training Center. However, I know now that that is merely a minor event in my overall lifting career that is about to surface. I can honestly say that my biggest accomplishment in the sport is asking Casey if I could come to the gym on Saturday, November 28th, 2005 and tying up my shoes that my feet had longingly missed, walking onto the platform, smelling the gym, rubbing the chalk on my hands, and doing the first snatch I had done in five years.

What inspired you to return to weightlifting after your five-year retirement? What are some of the most difficult parts of returning to the sport after such a long hiatus?

I missed it. I missed the feeling of a successful lift. I missed the smell of the gym. I missed the chalk on my hands. I missed being an ath-lete. I missed being good. I missed wanting to get better. I missed my Coach and his family. When I went back to the gym on that Saturday, I was only anticipating do-ing it for fun, just that day. After the work-out, I decided to lift a couple days a week. I remember telling Coach B that I would commit to three days a week, but that was it. Well after the first week, I couldn’t stay away. I started training five days a week,

full force. I decided to leave the foo-foo shit at the door and train for real.

The most difficult part of coming back is getting my body back into shape. After five years off, I lost flexibility, I lost all of my strength and muscle, and I lost my tech-nique. I was weak and out of shape, and couldn’t find any consistency. I had lost my jerk, couldn’t get out of a clean, and my snatches were just wildly out of control. I think had I tried to stay in some kind of shape during those five years, I would not have had as much difficulty. Amazingly enough, my muscle memory has saved me. It is approaching my sixth month training mark and I have superseded all my prior records in all lifts: squats, pulls, presses, snatch balances, etc. I snatched 80 & clean & jerked 100 after four months of training. So basically, it took me four months to achieve the lifts that I achieved in four years before. I am much stronger now, mentally and physically, compared to then. Something that I had to really work to overcome in my training was the con-stant visual of what I had been doing before. It is not an issue now, but the first couple months of training I

Aimee Anaya

Age 29Height 5’ 6”Weight 63 kgSnatch 83 kgClean & Jerk 102 kg

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would get so frustrated. I would try and snatch 60, and miss it, and would just freak out, because all I could see in my head was me snatching 80 before I retired. My coach had to constantly remind me to put the past away. But maybe that frustration gave me the drive I needed to surpass those lifts.

What are your career goals?

If only I hadn’t left the sport, where would I be today? That is what makes me focus now. It gives me an undeni-able drive. I have a lot to achieve in a very short time. I have five years of training to make up for. Today, my goal is to go to Nationals in August and medal. I need to get ranked in the top ten overall—that is my immediate goal. Secondly, I want to make the world team the next two years, up my ranking, and go to Olympic trials as one of the top ranked so that I can assure a spot on the 2008 Olympic team. I will be there.

Describe your experience training at the OTC.

When I went to the training center, it was a few months before Olympic trials in 2000. So obviously the inten-sity at the OTC as a whole was remarkable. All of the athletes were preparing for the Olympics, and it was the first year women weightlifters were going to the Olym-pics, so there was an added excitement in the gym. The girls were all so nice to me, and completely welcoming as athletes and friends. I shared a platform with Tara Nott, which was an unexplainable experience. She was an unbelievable athlete, and she was going to be compet-ing in the Olympics. So to do sets daily with her was completely inspiring and motivating.

The training center is very routine. You wake up, eat breakfast as a team, train, nap, eat lunch, train, hang out, sleep, go to sports med, train, and do it all again the next day. You have the best medical attention, food whenever you want it, and great coaches. You have ev-ery opportunity to recover, you train twice a day, you are surrounded by some of the best lifters in the country, and it rocks. However, I truly missed my coach. I think I am a better weightlifter when I am with him. He pushes me, and I train better when he is there. He is an unbeliev-able coach and his knowledge and love for the sport is irreplaceable. I wish I had the maturity then that I have now. I see some of the girls who were there with me and who are still lifting now, and it makes me realize where I would be now had I not left the sport. But the only thing I can do is train hard, stay focused, and be thankful that I have another opportunity to be great.

Unlike many of the athletes of your caliber, such as those living at the OTC, you’re a mother, work full time and are a graduate student in addition to training. What keeps you motivated day to day?

Although I have an extremely supportive boss, daughter, family and coach, I am at an extreme disadvantage to those lifters who don’t have the added responsibilities that I do. My motivation comes from my knowing I am at a disadvantage. I have to work extra hard to compensate, and I need to do so recovered, rested, and injury free. You just make it work. I wake up each morning, and I just do it. One step at a time, I get through the day, and I make it work. I have to. I don’t cry about it. I just do the best I can with what I have, and pray that I will be suc-cessful. And I will.

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Do you ever see a training book, DVD or just an athlete at work and get an INSTANT gut level sense that this is good stuff?

That this person knows what he/she is doing? I had that sensation the first time I saw one of Ross Enamait’s video clips. I think the first material I saw of Ross’s was a clip called “Low-Tech High-Effect”. THAT is good stuff. After watching that video two things came to mind. One: Ross is damn fit. Two: I do not want to be hit by this guy.

Intrigued, I dug a little deeper, and it turned out Ross is not “just” a top tier athlete. He is also a phenomenal strength and conditioning coach who has a firm grasp of both the theory and implementation of effective pro-gramming. Below are reviews for two of Ross’s books. I’d like to make the point that what impresses me the most about his work is his combination of pragmatism and economics. Pragmatism in that there is only one cri-terion for Ross’s material: it must work. As you will see below, Ross knows his exercise phys and theory but his deciding factor of whether or not to include material in his work is efficacy. Now what do I mean by econom-ics? Ross understands the tradeoffs inherent in effective training and cleanly articulates these tradeoffs through-out his work. Enough hype! Lets look at the books!

Review by Robb WolfNEVER GYMLESS & INFINITE INTENSITYRoss Enamait’s

Never Gymless Do you own a bodyweight only training book? Does it focus on a few low power moves and for programming simply tells you to “do more”. I had that book once. The used bookstore did not want it and it seemed really bad to throw a book away so it now shores up a low spot in the floor in the CrossFit NorCal gym for our glute-ham bench. The fate of that book will not be the fate of Never Gymless. Never Gymless (NG) is 233 pages of quality instruction and information. If you are tough and dedi-cated it will only take you several YEARS to master the strength and power moves found in NG. Here is a look at a few of the chapters:

Training Principles

In this chapter Ross lays out the basics of training theo-ry including the SAID principle, elements of variety in training, long term development via physiological adap-tations, periodization and the elements of strength such

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as Absolute, Maximal, Explosive, Speed and Strength Endurance. Ross talks about all of these elements, how to develop them and how much of each you need to be effective as a combat athlete. Ross makes the point that there is an inherent tradeoff when developing these characteristics and that YOU need to prioritize these ele-ments to suit your goals.

Conditioning Is King

Ever gassed during an athletic event? Not much fun, is it? If you follow Ross’s conditioning advice any loss you suffer will NOT be from a lack of wind. This may sound a bold statement but keep in mind that Ross has arrived at his conditioning recommendations via this route: he was and is a competitive athlete, has trained numerous athletes successfully and has pulled from exercise sci-ence to solidify his programming. That can be read as Experience (Empiricism in the words of Coach Glass-man) first and foremost with theory playing a support role in refining overall programming. Ross offers a huge list of exercises ranging from classic conditioning moves such as running and jump rope to a huge list of calis-thenics. Ross also places the preponderance of his con-ditioning squarely in the lactate pathway. Ross’s training can help you to meet both Pukie and The White Buffalo in the Sky!

Other chapter topics include: Pulling Strength and Pow-er, Pushing Strength and Power, Lower Body, Nutrition (an excellent resource. Ross is savvy to food quality and articulates this concept well in this chapter), Program Design, Frequently Asked Questions, Core Condition-ing and more. This is an impressive and very thorough book.

Price: $24.95Order Here

Infinite IntensityThis is a one-stop shop for your strength and condition-ing needs. In this book Ross shows you how to use basic no frills weight implements such as dumbbells, sand-bags, ropes, rings and of course bodyweight exercises to develop every athletic quality. Here are highlights from a few chapters.

No Dummies Here

Have you ever seen some of the squabbling pissing matches that arise when people debate whether a giv-en move came from Brazilian jiu-jitsu or western sub-mission wrestling? These things get ugly and usually

amount to nothing more than name-calling. During these debates an occasional voice of reason emerges and makes a comment along the line of, “People have two arms, two legs and what works in one locale will work in another. People, regardless of location, discover and use what works…” Usually this wisdom is lost on the peri-pubescent internet combatants, but its true and we see this phenomena occur across many realms, includ-ing strength and conditioning. In the case of S & C this common thread is the dumbbell. Coaches who earn their living based on the results of their clients use this piece of equipment in favor of virtually all others. Why? They are inexpensive, safe, fun to work with and they pro-duce the desired results. This is why Ross recommends dumbbells so highly. Ross understands that the Olympic lifts and their derivatives are your best route to maxi-mum power development for sport. He also understands that dumbbells are your best route to the Olympic lifts. Ross covers a variety of moves and explains how to use dumbbells to enhance any athletic characteristic.

Program Creation

Ross draws on the totality of sports science in his pro-gram design for the warrior athlete and he does a good job of it. He looks at periodization and exposes many of the weaknesses inherent in classical periodization. He draws from the Conjugate Method and strikes a remark-able balance in developing a well-rounded combat ath-lete. If you have followed the CrossFit WOD but would like a structured, planned progression, Infinite Intensity offers months of programming and perhaps more impor-tantly it provides you the tools to tailor your efforts to meet your needs.

Other chapters include: body weight training, core train-ing, and finishers including neck and grip (No Bosu’s or Swiss balls!).

Price: $29.95Order Here

I have no reservations recommending Ross’s products. They are top quality and easily worth double their price. Perhaps this is silly on my part, but much of why I like Ross’s work is that he DOES his own training and de-spite the demands of work, coaching and fatherhood, he maintains a level of conditioning that is remarkable for anyone. I respect that a lot. It may be that his demanding schedule has shaped his programming and philosophy to value high return effective activities. Whatever the case, do yourself a favor and check out Ross’s website and books.

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Grilled Flank Steak with Pineapple Salsa

Grilled Flank Steakwith Pineapple SalsaAah, summertime. Time to fire up the grill! Here is a quick and easy dinner.

Time: 20 minutes

• 1 lb flank steak, preferably grassfed• 2 tsp olive oil• 1 tsp chipotle powder• 4 slices of pineapple or pineapple rings• 1 1/4 C chopped red bell peppers• 1/2 C chopped red onion• 1/4 C chopped cilantro• 2 Tbsp lime juice

Get the grill ready! Meanwhile, mix oil and chipotle powder in a dish. Apply to both sides of the steak, then grill for around 5 minutes on one side. Flip and con-tinue to grill for around 3 minutes more. (remember that grassfed beef will cook faster than conventional beef. If you use conventional beef, you may need to grill it for a few minutes longer) Remove to a plate and cover for 10 minutes. The steak will continue to cook.

Meanwhile, grill the pineapple rings for 2-3 minutes per side. Dice the pineapple, place in a bowl. Add the re-maining ingredients.

Slice the steak thinly, serve with the salsa.

Zone info: 4 servings at 4 protein, 1.5 carb, 9 fat

MachacaMachaca is a way of preparing slow cooked shredded beef. It is popular in Mexican and Tex-Mex foods. It was originally a way to prepare beef for preservation and travel, similar to jerky. Today, there are many ways to prepare Machaca. Here is the way that I make it - simple and it turns out good! Use the Machaca for breakfast in the following recipe, or with tacos, on a salad - get cre-ative.

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15 minutes prep time2 1/2 hours cooking time

• Leftover beef, 1 to 2 lbs• 1 Tbsp olive oil• 2/3 C chopped yellow onion• 2/3 C chopped green bell pepper• 1 chopped jalapeno pepper• 2 chopped cloves garlic• 1/2 C chopped tomato• 1/2 C beef broth or water• 1 Tbsp oregano• 1 Tbsp cumin• 1/4 tsp chili powder• Hot sauce of your choice

Using a large pot, saute the onion, peppers, and garlic in the olive oil. Add the remaining ingredients, bring to a boil. Turn the heat down, cover the pot, and simmer for around two hours.

Allow the meat to cool, then remove the meat and shred. It should be soft and pull apart easily at this point. Re-turn the meat to the pot, then continue to simmer, un-covered. Let the mixture get thick, even almost dry.Use the Machaca in a dish of your choice, or store in the refrigerator for later use.

Zone info for total recipe: 2 blocks carb, 16-32 blocks protein (depend-ing on quantity of beef used)

1 oz. beef - 1 protein block, 2/3 cup onion - 1 carb block, 2/3 cup peppers - 1/2 carb block, 1/2 cup tomato - 1/2 carb block.

Machaca ScrambleNow that you’ve got some Machaca, what to do with it? Here is a quick and easy breakfast idea. Don’t want to take the time to prepare Machaca? Any leftover meat will work well!

I first got this idea at the recent CrossFit Training Semi-nar in San Diego. A few of us went to lunch at a Mexi-can restaurant that was a several blocks from CrossFit San Diego. The food was excellent, and they had a great Machaca scramble. It was so good that I got a second plate to go, which I downed in the airport a bit later.

This recipe is versatile, use ingredients that you have on hand.

Time: 5 to 8 minutes

• 1 Tbsp olive oil• 1/3 C chopped white onion• 1/2 jalapeno or serano pepper, chopped• 1/2 C chopped tomato• 2 oz Machaca or leftover meat

• Cumin powder, to taste• 3 eggs

Saute the onion and peppers for a few minutes in the oil. Add the tomatoes, cook until they soften and begin to loose their water. Add the Machaca and cumin.

Break the eggs into a bowl, whisk, then add to the scram-ble. Enjoy! I like to serve this with either guacamole or salsa.

Zone info: 1 serving at 5 protein, 1 carb, 18 fat

Mexican ColeslawTime: 4 minutes

• 2 1/4 C shredded green cabbage• 1-2 Tbsp minced anaheim peppers• Pinch of salt, optional• 1 Tbsp lime juice

Combine cabbage, pepper, and salt in a bowl. Drizzle with lime juice.

Zone info: 2 servings at 1/2 block carbohydrate each

Chocolate Nut Butter Ice CreamRobb gave us Paleo Ice cream in the June ‘05 Performance Menu. Here, I tweaked the recipe to create a favorite fla-vor. Experiment and come up with your favorite flavor.

Time: 5 minutes

• 1/2 C coconut milk• 1 tsp either cocoa or carob powder (unsweetened)• 1 Tbsp cashew butter• 1 Tbsp crushed walnuts• Few drops of pure vanilla extract (optional)

Prepare the ice cream about an hour before you want to eat it. Pour the coconut milk into a coffee cup or small dish. Add the other ingredients, mix well. Place into the freezer for one hour. I find that to get a good, ice cream-like consistency, the mixture needs to be stirred periodi-cally to break up the portions that will get frozen hard. Enjoy!

Zone info: 1 serving at 11.5 blocks fat (16 grams)

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EHerb and GarlicBrussel SproutsNikki Young

· 12 brussel sprouts· 1 small onion, finely sliced· 1 clove garlic, minced· 1½ Tbsp olive oil · ¼ tsp thyme· ¼ tsp oregano· Salt and pepper

Boil brussel sprouts and onion in water for around 15-20min, or until tender. Heat oil in a saucepan, add garlic and sauté until browned. Add oregano, salt and pepper before adding the brussel sprouts and onion. Cook for 3-4min stirring occasionally.

Zone info: 2 servings at 2 carb, 7 fat

Pumpkin and SweetPotato SoupNikki Young

· 1 large onion, diced· 1 tsp olive oil· Dash of; ground cumin, ground ginger, ground

nutmeg, ground cloves and chilli powder· 6 C pumpkin, diced· 4 C sweet potato, diced· 400 ml light coconut milk· 1 C water In a large pan, fry onion in olive oil until cooked and slightly browned, add spices and heat through quickly before adding pumpkin and sweet potato. Add the coconut milk and water and leave to cook for 30-40min or until pumpkin and sweet potato has cooked through. Using a hand blender or food processor, blend up soup to form a thick and creamy texture.

Zone info: 5 servings at 4.5 carb, 5.5 fat

Cauliflower SoupNikki Young

· 4 Tbsp oil· 4 Tbsp arrow root· 10 C vegetable stock· 1 whole white cabbage· Handful parsley, freshly chopped

In a large pan, make a roué by firstly heating the oil, continue by adding the arrow root mixed with a bit of water, stirring vigorously to prevent lumps while continuing to add all the vegetable stock. Place cabbage florets and stalk into the pan and leave to cook for 20-30min or until cooked. Mash the cauliflower up into smaller pieces and add parsley, cook for a further 5 min then serve.

Z o n e i n f o : 5 s e r v i n g s a t 2 . 5 c a r b , 7 f a t

Stir-Fried Chili Beefwith CashewsNikki Young

· 1lb lean beef, sliced thinly· ½ Tbsp oil· 2 tsp red curry paste· 2 tsp fish sauce· 2 Tbsp lime juice· 1 tsp honey· ½ C water· 1 C green capsicum, diced· 1 tsp arrow root· 24 cashews

Heat oil in a pan and fry beef until it changes color. Add the red curry paste and fry for a few minutes longer. Add the fish sauce, lime juice, honey, water and capsicum and simmer for 10min. Thicken the sauce with arrowroot mixed with a little bit of cold water and turn off the heat before adding in the cashews.

Zone info: 4 serv ings a t 4 carb, 4 pro te in , 9 fa t

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