06/07/19

Welcome to the world Charlee Anne Blyskal. Born June 5th, 2019. 5lbs 7oz, 18 1/4″, Baby and mom are doing great. 

Congratulations Blyskal family!! Health & Happiness!

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How Sleep Improves Lean Muscle Mass.

Thinking of missing out on some Z’s to do an early morning gym session this week? This article might make you consider hitting the snooze button instead.  Many people believe that the main components of lean muscle growth are diet and exercise, but there is a third component that could make or break your gains at the gym this summer. The real way to improved athletic performance and muscle mass is sleep. Sleep is your secret weapon when it comes to performing high intensity workouts and weight training because rest is the key to recovery. Throughout this article we will explore why sleep has such an impact on your fitness goals.

Lack of Sleep

Let’s start with the science behind what happens to your body when we skip out on the recommended seven to nine hours a night of sleep. There have been countless studies done on how sleep positively affects men and women’s strength and endurance levels. One of the main reasons sleep affects athletic performance is due to hormone regulation. When you do not get enough sleep, your body reduces the amount of testosterone and human growth hormone that is absorbed into the blood-stream. Because of this, sleep deprivation can cause extreme muscle loss by halting muscle recovery, increasing body fat, and putting you at risk of muscle related injuries (an athlete’s worst nightmare when trying to achieve new workout targets). 

Human Growth Hormone

You have heard the term before, but you might be wondering exactly what is this human growth hormone that the fitness world is always talking about? Well you’re in luck! Here is your cheat sheet guide to this notorious chemical that is in charge of you getting your dream body. As stated above, your hormones are regulated when you sleep and HGH is no exception. This hormone is released by the pituitary gland, and is important to metabolism and muscle related functions. It is because of human growth hormone that our bodies are able to grow and repair properly. All of that sounds awesome right? Now you are probably wondering what the best way to increase these hormone levels are and how to reap the many benefits it has to offer. A combination of getting enough sleep, maintaining a healthy diet, and getting regular exercise  are the main ways to increase this naturally throughout your body. During a HIIT workout, such as Crossfit, you can expect to experience higher levels of HGH in less than twenty minutes, when combined with a good sleep and nutrition schedule. Now that you know how lack of sleep can work against you, let’s talk about the positives of a full night’s rest.

Muscle Growth and Repair

When you workout, the muscles that were used to exert energy begin to breakdown in order to rebuild better and stronger muscles. It does this by creating excess muscle building hormones to repair the damage caused to your body. When you are able to get enough sleep, your muscles are able to relax, increasing blood flow to muscular tissue. The oxygen and nutrients your muscles need to repair their cells is delivered through blood. Therefore, as you sleep and blood flow increases, your body is able to rebuild these newer and stronger muscle fibers. As the muscles grow, you will be able to keep increasing the intensity of your sets. If you do not sleep,  your body still breaks down the muscle, but is not given a chance to repair itself. 

So next time you have the option of squeezing in an additional 5 am sweat sesh or hit snooze, consider the role sleep plays in your fitness goals. After all, it’s okay to sit back, relax, and let your hormones do some of the heavy lifting every once in a while.

contributed by, Lisa Smalls.

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Part I. From Comptrain
“Death Race”
5 Rounds for Time:
– 15/10 Cal Bike
– 10 Burpees

11min Cap.

Part II. 5 Rounds, each at max effort.
– 50’ Sled Push
– 50’ Sled Pull
Rest as needed.