Workout of the Day:
Take 12-15 minutes to find your new 1-RM Jerk;
and then,
Seven rounds for time of:
3 Push Jerks (155/105 lbs.)
6 Pull-Ups
9 Box Jumps
Super Shakes
Written by George Economou
The subject of today’s blog post requires a little back story. I am on a mission…to get big. Not like Tom Hanks in his 1988 feature Big, but more like Coach Calvin Sun big. After watching Cal put up a 275lb Clean and Jerk during the Invictus Athlete Challenge, I had an epiphany: “I am not strong enough.” Staying with my welterweight 147, I could probably make some pretty decent strength gains, but what will I be able to do at 170? It’s with this thought process that I’ve embarked on my journey to bigness.
One of the tools in my new BIG toolbox is the Super Shake. A quick internet search will pull up several million links, but my inspiration came from the guys at Precision Nutrition, a very savvy bunch of Canadians with a phenomenal site full of great information. As a disclaimer, if you are looking to lose weight, I do not recommend liquefying your food, at least not regularly. However, if you are looking for a way to get in some extra calories, grab the (occasional) meal on the run, need to get in some more veggies, or get as big as “The Sun,” the Super Shake can be a good option.
Here’s how it works:
1. Pick a liquid – water, green tea, unsweetened hemp/almond/coconut milk, etc. My preference is water, and I caution against getting a non-dairy alternative that’s full of preservatives and artificial sweeteners.
2. Scoop in protein – whey, casein, egg, rice, hemp, etc. If you don’t tolerate dairy products, I would avoid dairy based proteins. And if you plan on making the Super Shake a regular habit (2+ a day), you may want to think of rotating your protein choices on a daily basis.
3. Throw in a fruit – berries, apple, banana, raisins, dates, mango, pineapple, grapes, etc. Sky is the limit here. If you’re going for more of a smoothie like consistency, I would freeze them first. Costco sells a large bag of frozen organic blackberries that works really well.
4. Load up on veggies – spinach, chard, kale, carrots, celery, beets, spinach, bok choy, arrugala, greens, broccoli, did I mention spinach? You’re probably thinking ewww, really George? And yes, really. If you’re afraid of the taste, definitely start off with spinach…you can’t even tell it’s there (except for the color of your shake).
5. Throw in some nuts – almonds, walnuts, pecans, macadamias, nut butters.
6. Ice – more for a thicker shake.
7. Topper – dark chocolate, vanilla extract, cinnamon, coffee beans. This is totally optional, but it can be VERY tasty.
8. Blend – throw it all in a blender and hit the “high” setting, and voila!
One of my favorites:
¼ cup of water
1 ½ scoops of whey protein, chocolate
1 banana
1 cup frozen spinach
1/3 cup walnuts
5 ice cubes
1/3 tsp espresso grind
