Quick water snippet...how much do you need?!

How much water do you need?
Every day you lose water through sweating - noticeable and unnoticeable - exhaling, urinating and bowel movements. For your body to function properly, you need to replace this water by consuming beverages and foods that contain water. So how much water, or more precisely fluid, do you need?

This isn't an easy question to answer. A healthy adult's daily fluid intake can vary widely. Most people drink fluid to quench thirst, to supply perceived water needs and "out of habit." At least three approaches estimate total fluid (water) needs for healthy, sedentary adults living in a temperate climate.

• Replacement approach. The average urine output for adults is 1.5 liters a day. You lose close to an additional liter of water a day through breathing, sweating and bowel movements. Food usually accounts for 20 percent of your fluid intake, so you if you consume 2 liters of water or other beverages a day (a little more than 8 cups), along with your normal diet, you can replace the lost fluids.
  
  
• Eight 8-ounce glasses of water a day. Another approach to water intake is the "8 x 8 rule" - drink eight 8-ounce glasses of water a day (about 1.9 liters). The rule could also be stated, "drink eight 8-ounce glasses of fluid a day," as all fluids count toward the daily total. Though this approach isn't supported by scientific evidence, many people use this basic rule as a guideline for how much water and other fluids to drink.
  
  
• Dietary recommendations. The Institute of Medicine recommends that men consume 3 liters (about 13 cups) of total beverages a day and women consume 2.2 liters (about 9 cups) of total beverages a day. These guidelines are based on national food surveys that assessed people's average fluid intakes.
  

Intensity...bring it!

Intensity!

If you haven’t heard it a thousand times already then let me say it once more; Crossfit is a Strength and Conditioning program based off combining constantly Varied Functional movements operated at a High Intensity.

Those three elements; Functional, Variety, and Intensity are really the back bone to Crossfit. What separates us from “them” is the intensity itself during the actual workouts.

It is something we as trainers must ease every new person into, regardless of their athletic background. As the form of the movements operated becomes “beautiful” or “pretty” or “perfect” the intensity must be increased so that the form starts to fall apart. This in turn allows the individual operating to increase their Power, work capacities and thresholds. A common thing we hear in the garage is, “well I want to get the form down before I really go hard.” Even though this makes sense, it is not applicable for what we do. Coach Glassman (founder of Crossfit) has always had a simple answer for this concern/statement; “that’s like asking your boss, do you want me to be in the right place or on time?” which Glassman continues “damn it, I want both! I want the form at least 90-100% perfect and the intensity really high. This program, in certain contexts is really simple, what you put into it, is what you get out of it.

So the question becomes; how much intensity should we be operating at?

Well, we have a mascot, Pukie, who is a vomiting clown. We have countless videos of people crying, throwing up, passing out, begging, pleading, praying, zoning-out, etc. I personally use to explain to people that in Crossfit we aim to either throw up or pass out. I added, once starting with the Rios team, that I will settle for crying and collapsing. Those of you that have been doing this for months now know what I am talking about; that final rep countdown until all you can do is hit the mat, close your eyes, and thank whatever you believe in that it’s over. Andy, Cathy, or I had nothing to do with that, it was all your output.

Recently over the past month or two I have seen several people “hold back” in the gym, even those who are getting the best time. Most of us usually started doing Crossfit just hoping to get through the workout, and then moved on to getting a good time, and finally moved on the getting the best time. But it shouldn’t stop there. Most metabolic conditioning workouts should be approached with the intention of going all out, leaving nothing in the tank. Truly the last thing anyone should be asking for is a “cool-down” but instead an oxygen tank, or my favorite “the bucket.” Team Rios and I can only go so far as to encourage, yell, or even persuade others to “pick up the bar,” “sprint,” keeping moving,” etc, its up to the actual athlete to push even farther. As Gerard Butler, the actor who played King Leonidas in the movie 300 once said in an interview that his idea of a workout was to “go until you are actually in fear of your life and then go further. Then, you do more.”

This should be the idea in everyone’s head the moment they pull up to the garage; “I am going to go until I can’t anymore.” If you show up and say “I’m not feeling too good,” “I was up late,” “I’m sore,” we are only going to tell you “3-2-1-go.” The intensity concerning this program is one of the most crucial elements. Don’t aim for a good tabata score, aim for failure. Don’t tell us about the healthy (or unhealthy for some of you) breakfast you had this morning, show us. If you pass out, we will catch you.

Listen to Coach Glassman explain the importance of intensity and why it is so important: Coach Glassman on Intensity

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=svSoicWZkuY

If you don’t know what you should look like after a work out check out this video that inspired me by Gym Jones (warning graphic language in video). http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=kUaNHvJm_60&feature=related

Other videos that are must watches for inspiration of increasing intensity are:

Nasty Girls: (watch the last girl, Nicole, cry)

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=iavq_y20thc

Tabata Squats

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=eDh1Cspl0jI&feature=related

Tosh Does Grace (watch his rest time)

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=-g6u9xOlHYs

Thanks Steph!