Here it is folks… The long awaited video of our BJJ Champs in training and at the 2007 Pan-American Competition.

Click Image to Watch Video

The training methods at the Ice Chamber change depending on the sport/job and the needs of the athlete/operator. When it comes to the sport of Brazilian Jiu-Jitsu, we focus on grabbing and exploding. The exercises featured in this video are very sport specific; lots of death grips and hip extensions under heavy loads. Pay special attention to the movements we utilize in training and their actual application in competition. Enjoy!

For the fish:

1 5 lbs. sturgeon, cut into four pieces
1 heaping tablespoon red miso
1 heaping tablespoon honey
3 tablespoons soy sauce
2 tablespoons rice vinegar
1 tablespoon vegetable oil
2 tsp minced fresh ginger
1 tsp. minced garlic

1 cup water
30 daikon radish sprouts (optional)

For the salsa:

1 pineapple, diced.
1 tablespoon ginger, minced
1 tablespoon lime juice
2 tablespoons chopped red onion
1 jalapeno, minced with seeds removed.
1 teaspoon salt
1 teaspoon pepper

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1. Clean and dry the sturgeon filet.
2. Combine the miso, honey, soy sauce, vinegar, vegetable oil, giner, and garlic in a non reactive bowl and place the sturgeon face down in the marinade. Cover bowl with plastic and marinate for 1 hour or more. Meanwhile, make the salsa.
3. Combine all ingredients listed for the salsa and toss together. Set aside.
4. Heat a skillet until hot. Remove the sturgeon from the marinade and place in skillet, add the marinade to skillet, then the water, and sinner on high heat, about 10 minutes (if you have opted to cook the sturgeon whole, add 4 additional minutes). When the sturgeon is cooked, remove the fish to a platter and allow liquid in pad to cook down to glaze.
5. Pour glaze on top of fish and garnish with salsa and daikon radish sprouts. Serve with sautéed vegetables.

Enjoy this healthy meal folks. No burpies required for this one!

-Dish It Out Tsan!

Here’s what Shari had to say after Thursday’s tire drag races:

Why the heck am I always so sore?

One need only get close to a cluster of IC members talking before class starts and you will invariably hear someone groan, “I am so sore from yesterday’s workout.” And everyone in the circle will nod solemnly and knowingly.

When you’re a newbie, Steve and Maya warn you to get some icepacks because you’re going to be sore. So you expect this soreness, called Delayed Onset Muscle Soreness (or DOMS) that is the result of microscopic tearing of muscle fibers during unusual exertion. It’s all part of the normal adaptation process that ultimately leads to greater strength and stamina as your muscles recover and build. But even the most seasoned IC members still get sore. Why does it seem that your muscles will never adapt to the exercises and cease getting sore?

The amount of soreness you feel is directly linked to how much tearing your muscles undergo. The tearing depends on how hard and how long you exercise and what type of exercise you do. Activities that require eccentric contractions generally cause the most soreness. Anytime you lower a weight (including your body), you are performing an eccentric contraction. Are you beginning to get the picture? Almost everything you do at the IC requires eccentric movement.

But there’s another important piece of this puzzle and it’s the reason why someone who has been training regularly at the IC for awhile can still feel like it’s their first week. DOMS diminishes when your muscles adapt to the eccentric motion. In other words, after a million squats, your muscles are built up and therefore don’t tear as much. All of the sudden, your muscles are a bit, well, cocky. They can handle another gazillion squats. They laugh in the face of a gazillion squats, in fact. But at the IC, we mix it up every day. The exercises are different, and the frequency and load varies from circuit to circuit. So, your muscles never get a chance to get smug.

How about you? When was the last time an exercise at the IC sucker-punched your overconfident muscles?

Mixed Berries with Port
serves 6

This recipe is a perfect summer dessert, served alone, or with a
cheese course. Although I have a penchant for soft cheese, this
recipe screams for something aged and hard. Stephanie can hook you
up over at the Cheese Board, if you’re inclined.

1 small basket of strawberries
1/2 cup blueberries
1 cup black raspberries
2/3 cup good quality port
1 tsp balsamic vinegar (optional)
1 tsp fresh grated lemon peel
1/2 tsp nutmeg
1 tsp vanilla
mint leaves (garnish)

Hull and cut strawberries in half. Add all berries to non-reactive
bowl. Add port, and allow berries to macerate for 3 hours,
periodically tossing gently. Before serving, add the remaining
ingredients, toss gently, and spoon into bowls. May also be used as
a fruit topping on shortcake (use jus to saturate cakes).

-Dish it Out Tsan!

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Note: Eating shortcake would require you to run 5 miles, jump rope for 30 minutes, and do 200 sit-ups during your next training session.

An IC original developed for our BJJ / MMA dudes and dudettes.

Imagine Alan’s grip on a human being instead of dumbbells. He is simulating a modified hip throw; taking his opponent off balance and tossing him to his other side for the take down. This is a complex full body movement that requires fine motor recruitment skills and is very sport specific. In other words, don’t try this at home kids.

Sara Bear-Bear Nelson has been in the news a lot lately because she keeps surprising us with new athletic feats.  This time, it’s all about those summer abs she’s been hiding (after losing 30lbs.). Congratulations Sara, you’re now in the club!

Now, is there anyone else out there hiding out?

Doesn’t this look fun?

There are as many ways to make poke in Hawaii as there are styles of chicken soup in New York. This recipe serves a small hors d’oeuvres for 2, or an appetizer for 2. Served with rice or steamed vegetables, it can even serve as a light meal. Don’t be afraid to make this recipe, even if you’re not a sushi chef.

Always select sashimi-grade fish at a reputable market, such as Tokyo Fish Market on San Pablo. If you are new to cutting the meat away from the skin, most Japanese markets sell “block” fish, ready for making into sushi. Make sure to have a sharp knife to slice the fish. If your cutting skills are sub-par, place the fish in the freezer for 20 minutes before cutting. It will firm up the meat and make the chopping easier.

1/2 pound maguro or yellowtail (sushi-grade)
1/3 Japanese cucumber (or English)
2 shiso leaves (in a pinch, use fresh mint)
1 teaspoon sesame oil
1 teaspoon soy sauce
1/2 teaspoon sea salt
1 teaspoon toasted white sesame seeds
pinch cayenne
1 tsp. pepper

Carefully dice the tuna (against the grain) and place fish into a small, non-reactive bowl. Peel the cucumber and quarter it lengthwise. Using a paring knife, remove seeds and discard, then dice cucumbers and add to tuna. Finely chop the shiso leaf and add it and remaining ingredients to the bowl. Gently toss all the ingredients together and correct seasoning. Serve mounded in small bowl, or mounded on a plate. Recipes may be easily doubled.

-Dish It Out Tsan!

Since we are on the topic of pull-ups, Jill Sprague (don’t forget, a mother of two!) just did 26 in a row this morning during the 7 a.m. class with no warm-up. This is not even her best record by the way.

This picture shows the speed that is required for the successful transition between the kip and the pull. Here is Steve’s comment from yesterday’s post noting the significance of the transition:

“… when transitioning from the kip to the pull, you have to commit. In other words, your body (especially your lats) needs to tense up immediately after the last swing in order to drive your elbows down toward your ribs. At this point, the angle of elbow flexion must be less than 90 degrees. A lot of people stay loose too long, therefore losing the momentum of the kip and are not able to capture the elbow flexion needed to finish the pull-up. If this happens, the kip becomes a moot point.”

Check out Sharon’s pull-up! This woman is on a mission to improve her fitness level and overall health. She even convinced her teenage niece, Nina, to move in with her for two months of her summer vacation in order to attend IC classes. How is that for family love?

By the way, who else out there wants to improve their pull-up numbers? Let us know so we can help!