I just wanted to let folks know about Roy’s newest DVD covering the requirements for purple belt. There are a number of DVD’s which tackle this topic but few address not only the technique side of belt advancement but also skills specific to YOUR game. Roy has a pretty unique perspective in that he has a black belt not only in BJJ (under Roy Harris), but also black belts in Judo and Aikido.
Roy is a dear friend and just an outstanding instructor. If you are into BJJ or grappling in general I highly recommend this DVD and Roy’s other projects. If you get to Bend Oregon stop in and train with Roy. Also keep an eye open for his seminars.
Robb,
I’m 25 years old. What’s odd is that I can regulate my diet and exercise to the point that my A1C is consistent with a non-diabetic. One of my more recent A1C was 5.0 (102)! My doctor then said,”we got it all wrong, you are not type 1, you’re a Type 2.” But my insulin production (C-Peptide) is more consistent of a Type 1 which is the reason I was originally started out on Insulin Pens…
When I’m hyperglycemic post workout is that counter productive to fitness/weight loss? I’m trying to still get under 200#. When I was initially diagnosed, I weighed 189# then I ballooned up to 254# from all of the insulin. I’m down to 220# at 18% body fat. Again, Thanks for all the help, Robb.
Chris-
I suspect you have a mixed bag here. Interestingly/frustratingly you will tend towards insulin resistance with poorly managed insulin dosing. This can be from a variety of factors but in general, the more tightly regulated your insulin, the better things will be, particularly body fat. That hyperglycemic state is spooky to me. I need to do some reading and see what that is in normal folks to get a sense of the significance here. If you want to help out look for some research on blood sugar response to exercise. It needs to both intense and non-intense exercise to get a sense of this.
Good stuff Robb! Thanks for the post. I checked out Roy Dean’s site and love it! He must be a very technical and detailed bjj instructor. I’ll ask Cassio if he’s ever heard of him.
Training at Cassio’s has been great! My game is coming along well. I’m also following Catalyst Athletic’s strength and bulgarian cycle program on days i’m not training bjj. It’s been awesome and I can feel a big difference in strength and being explosive on the ground. Feels like I have an edge on some guys here. I’m adapting to Greg Everett’s programming and I like it a lot. I think its better than just doing CF all the time because I totally feel burnt out on metcon wods.
Anyways, I always follow your site and keep up to date on it. Way to stick to your guns with all the drama thats been going on in the pass month. Stay strong bruddah, keep doing what your doing.Aloha!!!
Chad
P.S Are you still waiting for a black belt to teach bjj at your place? 😀
Chad-
Absolutely looking for a black belt, hurry up brother! Check this out: Glen Cordoza has “just” been doing Olifting and gymnastics, no real met-cons. He has been hitting fight training hard (which obviously is met-con). he just turned a 437 fight gone bad, and has a 275 clean and jerk and a 225 snatch. His crossfit efforts get better the less he does…
Dear Robb,
First, I would like to congratulate you on a wonderful and informational website that is at the forefront of the battle against mainstream American nutrition. I am a CrossFit Level 1 trainer for Westlake CrossFit in Austin, Texas and I have been CrossFitting and following a paleo/unmeasured zone diet for over a year. Subscribing to what you advocate in terms of nutrition not only makes me feel 10 times better and has helped me blast my way through performance plateaus, but also I believe it has been a contributing factor to my wellness and disease retardation.
For as long as I can remember, I have had “claw toes” but have nevertheless managed to remain very active. I played competitive tennis and lacrosse throughout high school and I have been active ever since. From water sports to recreational sports to just hiking or going for a run, I just enjoy being outdoors and in motion. I am now an avid CrossFit enthusiast and trainer, and I surprised my friends and family when I ran the 2009 Austin Marathon with my claw feet, having prepared by only doing CrossFit WODs. A month ago I elected to have my feet operated on to straighten my toes; and to make a long story short, I have a disease called Charcot-Marie-Tooth Disease. It is a neuromuscular disease that affects my peripheral nerves, primarily in my feet. I have slowed motor function below the knee and muscle atrophy around the shin, ankle and foot. Over the course of my active life, I have developed ways to compensate for these weaknesses. CMT is an incurable genetic disease but my neurologist is a proponent of using diet, micro-nutrient therapy and physical therapy as treatment in lieu of modern Western medicine and techniques.
Although I am 23 now and the next decade will be a telling period for me, I feel that because of my high activity level and healthy eating habits, I have warded off the worst of the symptoms of a typically degenerative disease. Others affected with CMT ultimately may not be able to drive and many generally wind up wearing leg or ankle braces. As the disease progresses, a number of those afflicted with CMT experience atrophy in the hands, and lose fine motor coordination.
I plan to continue educating myself regarding fitness, health and nutrition, as well as dedicating myself to CrossFitting and maintaining my current diet, as keys to my overall long-term health and warding off CMT.
I understand that you are very busy but I would like to give you my thanks for the engaging material that you provide for free. I would greatly appreciate any advice you might have for those of us with neuropathies, specifically, suggestions about what we should be doing or avoiding.
Good luck with the book,
Jesse
Jesse-
I am working on a post dealing with Huntington’s disease and a potential mechanism related to…..gluten. Huntington’s, like your condition may not be a genetic disease per-se (like Downs syndrome or PKU) but rather an environmental insult (gluten) resulting in pathology. Here are a few interesting links:
http://www.pubmedcentral.nih.gov/articlerender.fcgi?artid=1569884
http://www.hnf-cure.org/node/3586
http://www.renegadeneurologist.com/new-study-links-gluten-sensitivity-to-brain-failure/
Have you been 100% grain and dairy free for any period of time?
Robb,
Would it be safe to say that in a normal well-functioning non-diabetic body the liver will shut off, so to speak, from dumping glucose in the blood when adrenaline increases? More or less, can the liver can regulate its glucose output on a need-to-need basis? I had a friend who is a nurse say that hypoglycemic episodes are a precursor to Type 2 Diabetes. Which would make sense- there is not only a breakdown in the insulin sensitivity/function in the pancreas but also a lack normal function in the liver?
Chris-
No, i think liver (hepatic) glucose release is actually normal, it;s just accompanied by an insulin release in normal folks, lacking in the type 1. It’s this lag time that seems to be the problem.
Hey Robb… off topic of the purple belt completely, but wondering over the years if you have ran into this amazing specimen of a savior. The title combined with the first picture pretty much says it all.
http://www.thelibertypapers.org/2009/09/13/norman-borlaug-the-man-who-saved-a-billion-people/
Oh yea! I’ve meant to post on that. He really averted the “malthusian population bomb”. I’ll do that today if I can get to it.
Robb out of curiousity, (why) did you stop with your BJJ training?
Greg-
Just been too damn busy. Oddly enough however I have an appointment for this monday morning to get going again. Keep me accountable dude! I love jits and need to make it a priority…there is always more work to be done and I just need to let go sometimes.
Robb, this is off topic but, I am a 27 y/o woman 5’4 159 who eats clean paleo (about 10 blocks a day), crossfits 5-6 days a week and adds in various activities such as swimming and walking. My problem is that my body comp does not change. My legs and arms are lean but my middle is not. I’m at my wit’s end here and don’t know what to do, any suggestions?
Brooke-
The usual suspects: too many carbs (look at the 42 ways to skin the Zone article), inadequate protein (either in total or too much dairy), inadequate sleep, too much training. If it’s only midsection I’m thinking cortisol whiehc is too much training, too little sleep.
Hey Robb,
All your info has been great and since the Nutrition cert, I have seen a HUGE difference across the board. I have a question about a client who is having an allergic reaction to fish oil. She stopped but I am looking for a good substitute. Any suggestions?
Thanks again!
Mary-
There are some ultra purified forms which are typically along the lines of Nordic Naturals or a similar Dr. line. it will say “safe for fish allergy”. Otherwise, grassfed meat, omega eggs, nuts like macadamias and walnuts.
A picture like that and the blokes from BEND, Oregon..surely there a quip in there somewhere ?!?!
Any of yee out there in ROBBLand know owt about this.
See where the Japanese eat the most seemingly with all manner of boons thus associated.
Senor Wolf you know owt please ?
Blessings from the Quim,
Senor Rev. Justin De Quim.
thanks! I will give it a try.
I am impressed by Glenn’s lifting. Doesnt he weigh like 160? Nice work.
anton-
Glen walks around about 173. He has gotten “much” bigger and stronger in the past 3 years, but still fighting at the 155. he turns some damn good numbers for sure.
Robb,
I have been about 90% gluten and dairy free for 6 months now. My one vice is drinking beer one-two times a week.
Jesse-
Switch to tequila!
Coach Wolf!
I hope the Paleo cert went well. I was super upset I missed it while suffering from the armadillo flu, or panda cough or whatever is popular these days. But I had a really off the subject question:
I stopped by a long time ago and we discussed your warm up protocols and they are banging! I was wondering what your warm up was going to be for FGB. I know everyone’s got different flavors for this stuff, just trying to see what yours is. No one has warmed me up like you (does that sound wrong??) so I figured Id ask.
Hope everything’s good. Take care
Chris-
We usually do a little mono-structural stuff (run, row, jump rope) then D-rom, then work on the movements we will see that day, first in the strength circuit, then for the WOD. Our Director of Training, Natalie, has a ton of other game-based warm-ups she uses but the vast majority of classes warm up in the above manner. This is classic russian methodology, general warm-up moving to more specific warm-up. It’s almost like that stuff, along with simple periodization, works!
Hello Jesse, i am sorry that i am not good in englisch (i am from belgium). I was hopeless looking for links between CMT and nutrition, therapy’s for cmt on the internet . i am diagnosed with cmt and i have all the symptoms. My son is 7 years old and is also diagnosed with cmt. He is also having the main symptoms and i CAN’T accept that. I will do everything to help my son and so stop or slow the retardation. Please tell me what do you mean by a paleo/unmeasered zone diet. what do you mean by micro-nutrient therapy?
Anita
Hey Robb,
I’m a crossfitter (Crossfit Vancouver) and martial arts coach at UBC. Love the podcasts. Really getting me going on paleo…Just wondering what your take is on the Gracie diet. Basically a food combination strategic diet based around enzymes. http://balancing-meals.suite101.com/article.cfm/the_gracie_diet
Cheers
Mike
Mike-
pull out the grains and it;s pretty solid!