Saturday, January 21, 2012

My First Kettlebell Sport Competition


What a great day! I competed in Kettlebell Sport for the first time. Although I've trained with kettlebells, and used the movements and exercises for years, today was my first time competing.




Jason Dolby, Galya Denzel, & Me
I'm pretty happy with my results, which was 76 reps of the Long Cycle with two 16kg kettlebells.

Wednesday, January 18, 2012

Chicken tortilla soup

Years ago, I learned to make matzo ball soup from a little book of easy soups. It was very easy, and I've since taken that simple recipe and converted it to chicken vegetable soup, chicken noodle soup, chicken pozole, and chicken tortilla soup.

Once you figure how to make this soup, just swap out the vegetables, spices, and extras to make the soup you want. Easy.

I don't eat many tortillas, so sometimes this is tortilla soup without tortillas. My kids like the tortillas, so I either fry up some strips or use some leftover tortilla chips. Tortilla soup was originally a "leftover" soup, so even chips that are a little stale are perfect for soaking in this soup.


chicken tortilla soup

Chicken tortilla soup

Serves 4 to 6

Ingredients

4-5 pound chicken
16 cups water
6 bay leaves
1 medium brown or white onion, peeled and quartered into wedges
2 stalks celery, cut into bite size pieces
4 carrots, cut into bite size pieces
10 allspice berries, cracked
1 tsp salt
1 tbsp cumin, ground
1 tbsp coriander, ground
4 yellow summer squash, cut into bite size pieces
1 tbsp paprika or mild, powdered chili
1 tbsp Mexican oregano


chicken & veggies
herbs & spices

Extras

tortilla chips
fried tortilla strips
red or green salsa
lime wedges
sliced avocado
sour cream
cubed cream cheese
shredded cheese
hot sauce

Directions

Rinse the chicken and place in a large pot. Cover with the water and bring it to a boil. Reduce to a simmer and skim off any foam that collects on the surface.

Return to a slow boil and add the bay leaves through the coriander. Simmer for about 45 minutes, until the chicken is falling from the bone.

Remove the chicken from the broth and allow it to cool enough to handle. Remove the skin and bones, saving them for bone broth, if you like.

Tear or cut the chicken into bite size pieces and return to the broth. Add in the yellow summer squash and simmer for another 15-20 minutes, until the squash is just tender. Remove from heat, remove the bay leaves, and stir in the oregano and paprika.

Serve with a variety of condiments at the table.

If using chips or fried tortillas, let them soak in the soup for a few minutes before eating. Top with cheese or some avocado cubes, and maybe stir in some salsa.

Enjoy!

Monday, January 16, 2012

Curried cauliflower soup

My friend Ashley came up with the original version of this awesome soup, then Galya and I tweaked it based on not reading the recipe fully before shopping what we had in the house.



Curried cauliflower soup

This soup is even better the next day, so feel free to make it yesterday, so you can eat it today.

4 servings


Ingredients

1 large head cauliflower
1 large tart apple (like a Granny Smith)
1 clove garlic (optional, but highly recommended)
1 tbsp garam masala (aka curry powder)
1 tsp turmeric (optional, but makes for a nice color)
1 tsp apple cider vinegar
1 tbsp ghee or unsalted butter
salt to taste

Directions

Discard the greens and leaves of the cauliflower. Roughly chop the entire cauliflower, including the core. Peel, core, and chop the apple. Peel the clove of garlic, if using.

Place the apple, garlic, and cauliflower in a soup pot, with enough water to cover. Bring to a simmer and cook for about twenty minutes, until the cauliflower is tender. Blend with an immersion blender. Alternately, you can use a regular blender, just make sure to allow it to cool for a few minutes first, then blend it in batches.

Bring the soup to a slow simmer, and stir in the garam masala, turmeric, vinegar, salt, and ghee. Allow the soup to simmer for a few minutes. If necessary, add enough water to bring the pot to eight cups of soup.

Makes four, 2 cup servings, assuming you added enough water.


Nutrition

Per 2 cup serving – 120 calories, 3.5g fat, 21g carbohydrate, 7g fiber, 5g protein

Saturday, January 14, 2012

One week away from my first competition

Next Saturday, I'll be competing in an IKFF Kettlebell Sport Competition in Santa Monica. It will be my first competition to even see, much less in which I participate.

Coach Jason Dolby giving me some pointers
I'm excited! I will be competing in the Long Cycle event, with two 16kg kettlebells.

For those of you who aren't kettlebell nerds, the Long Cycle event is when you do repeated kettlebell clean and jerks for ten minutes. You cannot set down the kettlebells, and the only rest is holding them overhead or "in the rack," which is the position pictured above.

If you are in the Los Angeles area next Saturday (January 21, 2012), feel free to come by and watch us all compete.

IKFF Competition
LEAF Performance Center @ Robot BJJ
2028 Stoner Ave.
Los Angeles, CA 90025

I'm not sure of the competition schedule yet, but I believe they will be checking weight at 9am.

Speaking of weight, I need to be careful for the next week. I'm on the bubble of two weight classes and if I don't keep my appetite under control, I'll be competing against guys who are up to 20lbs heavier and potentially much stronger... The days of free eating are over. Until next Saturday.


Monday, January 9, 2012

Bodyweight Training – I don't think it means what you think it means


"You keep using that word. I don't think it means what you think it means." – Inigo Montoya, The Princess Bride

Last week, I posted about Clean Eating and it's antithesis; those who wish that "everything in moderation" is a valid argument. This week, let's look at a phrase that also sounds great, but actually means little: bodyweight training.

Bodyweight Training

The phrase "bodyweight training" brings to mind visions of body awareness, mastery of one's one physique, and some sort of fitness purity. While there is a certain awesomeness about using purely one's own weight and the Earth's gravity, there's nothing ignoble about using a dumbbell in addition to one's weight and the Earth's gravity.

If taken literally, subscribing to a "bodyweight training" plan is unnecessarily limiting. What if you can't do a pullup? What if you can't do an inverted row? You might add a resistance band, which is usually cool with the bodyweigh crowd, for some reason.

But wait, you don't even need a band, you can use a friendly helper to give you a little assistance, or just step up with a stool. Is it still "bodyweight" if you have a helper? A stool? A band?

Why are pushup handles, Swiss balls, weighted vests, and resistance bands cool for a bodyweight training plan, but you draw the line at a kettlebell or a dumbbell? Are these just technicalities or are they a slippery slope? What about a TRX or a Jungle Gym?

All good tools, but bodyweight equipment?
What about a sandbag? For that matter, a bodyweight purist should find that shoes are a fundamental problem that not even Vibram Fivefingers can solve.

If you're really strong, it can be challenging to find ways to make the exercise hard enough to do much more good. After you can do 50 pushups, is it really better to shoot for 75? What's the benefit? Sure, you can make them harder, and I like that, but if you really want to be stronger, there's not shame in using an external load, too.

If you're really weak or really overweight, it can be hard to do a pushup, but a dumbbell bench press can still be doable. Sure, there are pushups from the knees or at an incline, but while that's a fine exercise, it's hardly motivating to think you might be just doing those for the next six months vs getting stronger in the bench press. There's room for both...

Bodyweight training, like kettlebell training or crossfit, can become something of a religion. Don't let it be that for you. Choose the right training methods and tools for the job. Mix and match. Do build or use a program that mixes bodyweight exercises and calisthenics, but also adds an external load or resistance when necessary.

People who can do amazing things with the body are impressive. Balance, strength, and flexibility are cool, but sometimes people try really hard to do a bodyweight program, and leave the benefits of the other available tools behind.

Mastering your body means mastering the world around you, even if that includes an object. After all the world is full of them.

We are often told not complain about a problem unless you have a solution, so to that end, here's a "bodyweight training" workout program that use "stuff" that's not part of your body. In this case, it's a simple adjustable dumbbell set. This is a good home workout program for beginners, who rarely have access to a pullup bar OR a way to do an inverted row. Of course, you could always just buy a pullup bar, but are you already strong enough to do 10 pullups? Better buy a band, too. ;)



This adjustable dumbbell is good because it is under $40, it can be used as two light dumbbells or one heavier one, for very little extra money, you can add extra weight from local stores like Walmart. This solves the common problem of buying a pair of dumbbells that are too light and not wanting to spend the money on another pair of them (that will also soon be too light).




Minimal Equipment Workout


Warm-up (before each workout)
Joint rotations x10
Push ups plus x10
Glute bridges x10
Split stance rotation x10 times with each leg.
Wall Slides, 10
Jumping Jacks for 1 minute


Workout A

Warmup (above)

Training Circuit A

  1. Pushups, AMRAP *
  2. Reverse Lunges, 10 per leg
  3. Dumbbell Two Point Row, 10 per arm
  4. Chair Squats, 10
  5. Standing Ys, 10
  6. Side Planks, ALAP ** 
  7. One Leg Glute Bridges, 10 per side
  8. Bird Dogs. 10 per side

Week 1 – Do training circuit once and you’re done.
Week 2 and 3 – Rest one minute, then repeat the circuit one more time
Week 4 – Rest one minute, then repeat the circuit two more times, taking a minute in between circuits

*AMRAP – As many as possible
**ALAP – As long as possible

Remember, you need to alternate between A and B on seperate days, so skip at least a day, then move on to Workout B, below.


Workout B

Warmup (above)

Training Circuit B

  1. Pushups (with hands elevated), AMRAP *
  2. Split Squats, 15 per leg
  3. Wall Slides, 15
  4. Dumbbell Goblet Squats, 15
  5. Front Planks, ALAP **
  6. Two Legged Glute Bridges, 15
  7. Standing Ys, 15
  8. Reaching Lunges, 15 per side

Week 1 – Do training circuit once and you’re done.
Week 2 and 3 – Rest one minute, then repeat the circuit one more time
Week 4 – Rest one minute, then repeat the circuit two more times taking a minute in between circuits

*AMRAP – As many as possible
**ALAP – As long as possible

Remember, you need to alternate between A and B on seperate days, so skip at least a day, then move back to Workout A, above.

For more info on diet and some exercise descriptions, take look at the Beginners Kickstart over at JPFitness.com.

Do this program for a few weeks, adding weight to things like two legged glute bridges, chair squats, split squats, and lunges, if necessary.

Enjoy your bodyweight training!

Roland






Thursday, January 5, 2012

Steel Cage Death Match – Taco vs Burrito


When I went on a diet, one of the first things I did was switch from the burrito to the taco. Here's why.

The Taco


Tacos al pastor

  • corn tortillas are relatively small (and you can get the smaller, traditional, street taco sizes at Mexican markets)
  • corn tortillas have relatively low calories compared to flour tortillas
  • nixtamalized corn is a healthier grain choice than wheat
  • self limiting corn tortilla strength means self limited filling
  • easy to make at home
  • the worst taco, fillings aside= fried/hard shell taco, which still can't compare to a flour tortilla



The Burrito

1650 calories? No more food for you! One day!

  • flour tortillas are relatively large (even the taco sized ones)
  • flour tortillas for commercial burritos are immense. A 12" store tortilla has over 350 calories, and they do not approach the size of a restaurant tortilla. I estimate them to be at least 400-450 calories.
  • flour tortillas have relatively high calories compared to corn tortillas
  • beans = farts
  • rice = more empty calories
  • Mexican rice and beans are often fried, and they use "healthy" oils and proclaim "no saturated fat," which likely means canola at best, SOYBEAN OIL at worst. Seed, bean, and grain oils are dramatically unhealthy.
  • gluten in wheat makes for a less healthy grain than nixtamalized corn
  • super strong wheat flour tortilla strength means it can hold a lot of filling
  • it's hard to roll a good burrito at home
  • the worst burrito, fillings aside = chimichanga, which is a deep fried burrito, often covered with extra cheese and sauce




My real life experience?

One typical burrito, without guacamole, at Baja Fresh. ~920 calories. It's about 110 more if you ask for guacamole, which I usually did. You can add 630 calories if you ask for it Enchilado style, which is pictured above.

Three tacos, with guacamole at Baja Fresh. ~620 calories (I ask for for just one tortilla per taco, since BF makes their soft tacos with two each).

Savings: at least 300-400 calories, plus burritos come with chips, while three tacos, a la carte, do not.

Eating three tacos, even with one tortilla each, is pretty satisfying. It looks like plenty on the plate, and takes time to eat. In the end, you're full, but saved hundreds of calories and ate healthier ingredients.

With the chips, calories saved are almost infinite. Who can even count that high?



The alternative traditional taco experience

There are many delicious and unusual options for the taco. In Mexico, the taco comes in more than the pollo, steak, carnitas, and ground beef that you see in Americanized restaurants. If you have the chance, venture to a taco place where you can get the tacos that Mexicans eat. These are the good ones. They are typically smaller, so you can either watch your intake, or just have more of them.

They come in many flavors, including the "normal" ones, but also in exotics like tongue, head, brain, and even very specific parts of the head. I skip these, with the rare exception of lengua. The always have the normal variety of meats, but with spices and marinades you've probably never had before. If you're squeamish, go for things that have "asada," "carne," "pollo," or "carnitas" in the name. Although delicious and of interesting textures, you might pass on the lengue, cabeza, and buche, for instance... When in doubt, ask, but ask what it is.

My favorites:

Taco al pastor – marinated pork, roasted on a spit like a gyro, then carved onto your tortilla.

Taco en pibil – fruit and chili (pibil) marinated pork. Some sort of secret sauce and marinade from the Yucatan area of Mexico.

Taco de adobada – again with the marinated pork! This is almost a grilled version of the "al pastor."

Taco de lengua – a tongue taco. I like to keep one in the mix, but just one. The rest are going to be more normal tacos.

Note that a lot of these little places don't even have burritos, which are pretty much an American invention, anyway. They probably laugh at you when you order one, too.


And the winner is...  the taco!

In the ongoing battle for good health and smaller waistlines, the taco clearly wins!

I think this is a chihuahua



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