My younger sister is a Doctor in Internal Medicine and she works in the ICU in Sweden. She’s in the Covid -19 war zone. She takes care of Covid-19 patients daily. She told me they are reaching their capacity now as I am writing this. They are also running out of protection gear for doctors and nurses. She told me that during the last few days she has been responsible for three Covid-19 patients. One man born in 1982, with no previous health issues, one man born in 1950, with no previous health issues and one older lady born in 1930, with no previous health issues – all of them have received treatment in the ICU. The man born 1982 and the man born in 1950, died yesterday.. The old lady walked out of the hospital to go home the same day.

 

The Covid-19 virus is relentless. It does not favour or choose you over me. It does not pick rich over poor or black over white. The virus will get to all of us. Eventually. And yes we know that if you are not in the “chronic illness bucket” (currently 83% Covid-19 cases) you are less likely to get severely sick or die from it. But as my sister said “the other 14% that are not suffering from chronic illness, that still die because of this virus – that’s a huge amount of people”.  “We see that every day and we know that the virus is very unpredictable”

 

A doctor that I work with here in the US told me that they will introduce point system starting this week at the hospitals. Meaning that on a scale used by doctors to determine illness, patients with higher chance of survival will be prioritised. Your score will determine if you get a ventilator or not. They don’t have enough ventilators for everyone.

 

The total collapse of our healthcare system all over the world is a brutal but oh so real slap in the face. The fact that healthcare is financially driven to the point that we cannot care for our people and protect our doctors during a pandemic where we need it the most, reveals how fragile and shitty the system is. 

 

We NEED UNIVERSAL HEALTCARE that is NOT financially driven. We need our research programs and healthcare programs to stand independent of politics and other big pharmaceutical companies. We need universal healthcare for everyone. Everywhere. We need communities that take care of each other. 

 

I have spent two, almost three weeks trying to take care of a virus infection that we have dealt with, including my children – we are now on the mend. We know it’s not Covid-19 as we got tested for it and it was negative. But before I knew we had a “good” old bacterial infection and not Covid-19, I was panicked and dealt with massive anxiety daily. I wouldn’t have been as worried if I knew we had a health care system that I could trust. If we know we are safe, supported and with a care system that is ready when we need it – I know my anxiety would have been much less.

 

Stay well people. And support our hospitals. Skip the “hero appraisals ” and do something about it and donate what you can to make a change. 

 

Char

 

 

Workout Links!

7am Live Stream CrossFit (Mon/Wed/Fri)

7am Live Stream Yoga (Tue/Thurs)

8am Live Stream CrossFit (Tue/Thurs)

9am Live Stream Women’s Only CrossFit (Tue/Thurs)

12pm Live Stream CrossFit (Mon-Sat)

6pm Live Stream CrossFit (Mon-Fri)

8:30pm Live Stream & Chill (Mondays)

8:30pm Live Stream & Chill (Wednesdays)

8:30pm Live Stream & Chill (Fridays)

PS – If you are in the live stream classes and you notice a friend who isn’t there, please share this post with them and let them know you miss them.

 

Life or Economy? Does it have to be one or the other?

The fear is real. Fear of getting sick and overcrowded hospitals that won’t be able to take care of us if it is necessary. The fear of receiving information that a loved one is sick and worst case scenario –  leave us for the angels.. 

 

On the other hand,  every day there is the reminder that our society is closed down. I spoke to a good friend of mine in Norway and she told me that the government have imposed strict rules for every citizen. You are not allowed to leave your residential area, which means you cannot even travel or drive to your summer home or winter cabin, even if it is located in the same state.  Police and military will stop anyone trying to get across the border. No-one comes in, no-one gets out. The freedom of movement we took for granted is gone. And we don’t even know if this is the right way to control the pandemic. 

 

Then we have strong voices arguing that the economy must be saved. I am not saying that those opinions are not true. That we need to weigh sickness/death vs. the greater global economy. But I am questioning – does it have to be one or the other? Economy or lives? I don’t know, but what I do know is that we have taken it all for granted. Our health, economy, globalisation and freedom of movement.  

 

Health is more important than ever. The resilient and healthy will stand after this pandemic. the sick will die. We still have the freedom to move – even though only in our backyard or living room. Please do that folks. Move your body. Get your heart rate up. Do your breath work for recovery. Get resilient. We have a choice to stand up for our health so we can go to work when it is time and to help the sick that is in need. 

 

Daily Oak Park Classes Today:

Join Zoom Class – 7AM

 Join Zoom Class – 12PM

Join Zoom Chill Out Class – 8.30PM

We’re posting the Zoom Whiteboard’s in the right margin consistently again. Please check out. But here’s today’s … 

Thursday’s Workout and Demo. 

“Bodyweight Tabata Fight Gone Bad”
Five Tabatas in 20 minutes

Thrusters
Jumping Lunges
Jumping Squats
Hand Release Push Ups
Jumping Jacks

*Tabata (20 secs on and 10 secs off, for 8 intervals) of each movement. Complete the Thruster intervals before moving on to the Jumping lunges, etc. Complete a total of 40 intervals in 20 minutes.

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March 26 Workout of The Day Demo from Oak Park Los Angeles on Vimeo.

 

 

We are about to close up the year of 2019 and enter a new year. Year 2020 (yes I know, it is 20 years ago since we stepped into the twenty-first century…!). I love this time of the year, not only because of all the festivities but as a time for reflection and change as the new year approaches. I don’t believe in New Year resolutions to speak quite frankly. Mainly because most New Year resolutions last for about a month and then people go back to their old habits. But it is good to reflect on your current situation. What patterns do you seek to change in the new year? More importantly, are you looking for growth as a human? Personally I would like to change my family’s consumption patterns to work for a better and more sustainable environment. Drive less, recycle more, avoid coffee to go cups, avoid food waste and fly less. As a human I would like to recover more efficiently, read, study and educate myself in areas where I need it, and I would like to be more disciplined about eating plant based food. More importantly I want to settle my thoughts and be okay with doing what’s right long term and avoid any or all shortcuts.  Easier said than done, I mean who wouldn’t skip a few steps and avoid the uncomfortable.  But that’s not the growth I am talking about, I am talking about choosing the harder path and being in for the longterm game. Let’s try that approach in the New Year and see what happens. I am pretty sure it will be worth it!

 Merry Christmas and Happy New Year from Coach Char! 

 

Tuesday’s Workout

“Let Me See You Strip”

FT:

20 Deadlift (225/155)

30 Power Cleans (135/95)

40 Shoulder 2 Overhead (95/65)

50 OH Squats (45/33)

EMOM 3 Burpees

 

Wednesday’s Workout 

In 2:00 SKI ERG Max Cals :1:00 + Max Target Wall ball Shots

4:00 – Rest

In 2:00 ROW ERG Max Cals: 1:00 + Max Target Wall ball Shots

4:00 – Rest

In 2:00 AS BIKE Max Cals: 1:00 + Max Target Wall ball Shots

 

 

As we last week entered Thanksgiving celebration and the beginning of Christmas preparation – we also entered the period of ear infections, colds and the ultimate stomach flu. It is a wonderful time of the year. 

If you are a mother/father with young kids at home, it is almost a guarantee that you will get hit with some type of virus or bacterial infection. The week of Thanksgiving is the guaranteed “sick week” in our household. It happens E.V.E.R.Y darn year. This year we started off with one ear infection, followed by another ear infection and ended the grand finale with the stomach flu. No sleep or recovery between rounds. All this while trying to work, take care of our and other peoples health and enjoying (read prepare) for one of the biggest holidays of the year. Needles to say that when sh*t hits the fan, it can be really really challenging. But I wouldn’t change it for the world (only the stomach flu). 

At Oak Park – we practice hard emotional labour. We do that through physical and functional training. We do that through mental skills and we do that through breath work and active recovery. As a mother of two young boys, as an athlete and entrepreneur – I would never be able to get through a week of craziness and sickness as we had last week unless I had my physical practice and recovery patterns to fall back on. Crap will always hit the fan. The bigger question is what will you do and how will you behave when it hits you?

Please read and listen to Mindful Motherhood: Finding Flow, Abundance, and Bliss When the Doo Doo Hits the Fan! A motherhood series where we discuss topics like the one above. You can also check out www.soulgardenmoms.com

Stay healthy, keep moving and wash your hands!  

Tuesday´s Workout 

For Time
2K Row

Wednesday´s Workout

“HUMP DAY THIS”
2*4*6*8*10*12*14*16*18*20*22*24*
Burpees
* = 200m Run