The Smolov Jr. Pogram

The Program

The squat is probably the most discussed in crossfit, since it forms the base of so many exercises, like thrusters, wall balls & (squat) cleans.

Proper form is key, but linear with that, comes strength. Not saying that Fran is easy, but it's definitely easier to do if your 3RM front squat is 200kg (440 lbs) instead of 100 kg.

After cranking up my 1RM squat already a few notches, I wanted to try a different program this time and the Smolov program caught my attention. This is a heavy duty weightlifting program developed by Sergey Smolov, and is mostly used for back squat & bench press. It can be used for other lifts as well.

There are 2 versions of the program, Smolov & Smolov Jr. 

The full Smolov cycle is 13 weeks (training 3-4 days a week), the Smolov Jr. will be 3 weeks (training 4 days a week) Like said before, this program is not easy (to say the least) and if you have little experience in weightlifting, this program is not for you (yet)

There are quite a few resources online about the program, but I used Smolov JR. This website provides all the information you need, including a handy online calculator to calculate the numbers you need to lift during the program. After signing up for their newsletter, I received an e-mail also offering help with any questions about the program. My questions:

Do you needed a minimum required squat to start the program? 
Their reply that a minimum squat was not required, however, experience in squatting was. It's easy to assume though, that the more experienced you are, the higher your lift numbers are.

Can I alter the sequence of the work-outs?
The Smolov Jr. runs for 3 weeks, 4 days a week. Since for me personally it was harder to program 4 days, Smolov Jr. advised me to program 4 weeks, 3 days week. This should maintain the structure of the program.

I also train at a crossfit box, would you advise against participating in regular training?
It's ok to participate in regular crossfit training while doing Smolov, but you need to be intelligent about it. Smolov should be the priority. So if in your CF program heavy squats come up, you should probably skip them. You also don't want to do some gnarly wod that will crush you. With that said, as long as your smart about it, you can definitely CF and Smolov at the same time.

My training plan

I actually decided to follow Smolov for 2 lifts:

• back squat
• bench press

The training days are:

• Tuesday
• Thursday
• Friday

On all days I will do some accessory work, my full training program can be found here.
On Mondays & Wednesdays, I will follow the WOD scheduling of my crossfit box, unless they program a strength WOD which includes heavy deadlifts & squats, or a WOD that might be too taxing.

Nutrition

I felt a training program review wouldn't be complete without a nutrition plan. Since this program can be quite hard on the body, both nutrition and recovery should be optimal.
My nutrition routine is quite fine-tuned already and based mostly on the paleo diet, with some personal elements added. The template for my food intake will look mostly like this:

Breakfast: eggs, bacon & spinach
Lunch: type of protein (meat, fish) veggies
Pre-WO: coconut chips, boiled egg
Post-WO: whey protein
Dinner: type of protein, veggies & source of carbs

On top of that, I will take my usual supplements plus a few I´m currently experimenting with. See schedule under tab `supplementation`.

My stats

This obviously is important to know! Personally, I don't pay much attention to my body-weight, since that tends to go up and down a few pounds, but to be complete:

Height: 178 cm (5'11")
Weight: 62 kg (136 lbs)
Age: 36
Gender: Female

Back Squat: 60 kg (132 lbs)
Bench Press: 45 kg (100 lbs)

Ok, let's get started!

Glutathione, a closer look

Glutathione - What is it?

One of the perhaps lesser known supplements, is glutathione. Glu-what? Not to confuse with glutamine, glutathione is a tripeptide, which is produced in the liver. It's a non essential nutrient, meaning that the body can make it on it's own, by synthesizing L-cysteine, L-glutamic acid & glycine (all amino acids)
It plays a key role in metabolism, immune response and is a high potent antioxidant. If you would have to pick an antioxidant superhero, glutathione would come to your rescue.

How to take it

Like said before, our body is able to make it by itself, and there are some studies that indicate that taking it orally is not recommended, since it's broken down in the stomach before it's put to use.

However, there are also ways to assist your body in making it, by eating foods that are high in selenium, such as Brazil nuts & organ meats. Selenium functions as a regulatory agent for glutathione.
Foods that are high in sulfur are very helpful as well, such as broccoli, cabbage & kale.

Supplementation

There are supplements available, and you could possibly try taking it, but most likely you will not notice an immediate change.
Research has not gone as far yet to know whether it makes a big difference, but below are some examples of supplementation:

Upgraded Self  - $59
NOW Foods - $15.59
Jarrow Formulas - $48.97

Another resource to read more about Glutathione: http://examine.com/supplements/Glutathione

Top 10 gifts for a Crossfitter - 2013 Season

The holiday season is upon us and this means for most of us a lot of shopping, menu planning, scheduling and more holiday stress. Wouldn't it be easy if you could simply use a gift list that's guaranteed to be a success?
Well, look no further, because here it is.

Below, you'll find 10 ultimate crossfit gift ideas that can't go wrong!

1) Adidas Powerlift 2.0 - $90
These shoes are perfect for wearing during a WOD, or simply for doing Olympic Lifts. Even though the sole is flexible, it still provides the needed stability for solid lifts.



2) Rehband Knee Sleeves - $36.95
From crossfit competitors to strongmen; these sleeves have proven themselves as being the essential accessory for every serious lifter.







3) Zombie Bell - from $42.95
Ok, you have to admit that these are pretty awesome. Starting at 0.5 pood, all the way up to 2 pood, these zombie kettle bells are quite the eye-catcher.

4) WOD Talk Magazine - $35
A bi-monthly magazine just about crossfit? Hell yeah! Every issue is loaded with interviews, training tips, nutrition and more! A must-read for every crossfit addict.

5) Hylete Performance Gear - 
from $30
From shorts to tank tops, Hylete carries all the essentials a crossfitter needs. If you can't choose, they also offer giftcards. Use code BC25 for 25% off at checkout!






6) Reebok Nano's
Basically this is the shoe that combines 2 world in one: a stable midsole for heavy lifting, but also flexible enough to run in. The all-round shoe for an all-round athlete.

7) SR1 Rogue bearing Speed Rope - $21.95
In our opinion, the best speed rope, hands down. Of course, everybody
has their personal favorite, but after many experiments with many different ropes, this is still our favorite.




8) Rogue Beater bar - $165
Perfect to start with when you are building your own home-box. This is a favorite among Rogue customers, mainly for the excellent price/quality comparison.

9) Becoming a Supple Leopard - $37.50
If you don't own a copy of this book yet, it's about time you finally do! All you need to know about mobility,
toque, rotation and all the other mobility code words will now finally unveil themselves in this book by Kelly Starrett.

10) One Man One Barbell program - from $39
To start 2014 with killer strength, you'll need a solid strength training program to get you there. Jerred Moon developed this program with years of experience under his belt. In cycles of 3 weeks you can add some serious pounds to your existing numbers and who doesn't want that? For a review on the program, go here. If you don't want to take our word for it, at least take Mike Bledsoe's.

Protein Pucks

It may not seem much, but these small discs are perfect to satisfy a sweet tooth, without all the added crap. You just need 4 ingredients and you're good to go.

1 banana (ripe)
3 eggs
2 scoops of Upgraded Whey (about 60 grams)
you can use any whey of course
vanilla powder

Mix everything in a bowl, using an electric hand blender works best. Make sure there are no lumps.
Now in this case, you fill silicone muffin liners with some of the mix and then microwave it on high, until it solidifies. But you can also use a small bowl, mug, etc. The portions will then be bigger. In this case, it was meant to make a small snack, to have in between meals for example. If you use the muffin liners, only fill them half-way.

Beta-Alanine

If you've purchased a pre-workout before, you might have noticed it on the ingredient list: Beta-Alanine. It is used a lot in these products, but is also available in pure powder form.

Let's have a look at what it is, what it does
and what causes the side-effect ;-)

What it is
In short, beta-alanine is a non-essential amino acid, meaning that your body can make it by itself. When you ingest beta-alanine, it enters the skeletal muscle cells via the bloodstream where it binds with the essential amino acid called L-Histide. Together, they form carnosine. And that is what you want to happen.

Carnosine is mostly found in the muscle and brain tissue. It mainly works as a very potent antioxidant, protecting muscle cells against the buildup of hydrogen ions. The higher the levels of hydrogen ions, the lower the Ph levels in your muscles, the faster you fatigue.
So in short: beta-alanine supplementation --> carnosine --> higher Ph levels --> less tired.

What it does
It has already been explained in the previous paragraph, but basically supplementing with beta-alanine will increase the muscle-performance up to medium duration (over 60 sec.)
Various studies have shown an increase in muscle power over a period of multiple weeks. In sports such as crossfit for example, where intense activities are between 1-5 minutes with less than 2 minutes of rest in between, athletes will generally benefit from beta-alanine supplementation.

Side-effect
The most known side-effect of taking beta-alanine, is that after about 10 minutes of ingesting, you will experience a tingly feeling, which usually is in the face, ears or other body-parts. Some describe it even as itchy, but this differs per person. The effect can last up to an hour, depending on the dosage.
New users will probably experience a stronger effect, this can gradually lessen after longer time of use.
The "itch" is caused by the beta-alanine binding itself to the nerve receptors in your skin, causing them to fire off more rapidly. More on that topic can be found here. Don't worry, it is harmless.

Dosage
The recommended dosage is between 2-3 grams daily, taken about 30-40 minutes before the work-out. If the itchy feeling is too distracting, you can divide it up into smaller dosages throughout the day.

How to take it
There are various way to take beta-alanine, like mentioned before, it is in a lot of pre-workout products, however it is more difficult to determine the right dosage this way.
Most pre-workouts contain beta-alanine. Another option is to take it in powdered form, and add it to your PWO drink. Or, for even easier dosage, take it in tablets.

To conclude, beta-alanine is a very helpful supplement for athletes looking to increase their muscle power, muscle mass and increase muscle endurance.
Especially women, vegetarians and people that have trouble gaining muscle, will benefit from taking beta-alanine.