Angie's Fitness Corner - Agility and Legs - July, 2017

4 Rounds

Tuck Jumps x 30

 Plank Leg Raises x 20 per leg

 Isolated Lunges x 20 per leg

 Bench Step Ups x 20 per leg

 Prisoner Squat (Body Weight Squat) x 30

Ugh....Leg Day Thermopyletes (and I'm even in an honest to goodness gym)

The dreaded leg day.  The bane of male gym goers everywhere.  In the quest for the pecs that make her swoon, guns that bring a tear to her eye and abs that beg for a slow mo shirt removal (a la Ryan Gosling)....men neglect the collection of the largest major muscle movers, the legs.  This leads to muscle imbalances that have created their own gym sub culture.  The Chicken Legs.

We've all seen these guys.  Sometimes they try to confuse us with the subterfuge of sweatpants, track pants, lulu's (if they dare) or, in the rare circumstances, we will even see the appearance of the man capri.  An elusive creature that should be hunted out of existence and it's DNA wiped clean from our planet.  (read that with the National Geographic British accent)

I'm not that bad.  It's true that I am one of those guys that spends little to no time on my legs.  My rationale is not the same.  I genuinely hate working legs.  They heal slow, I stay stiff, and the burn is not one that I enjoy.  Granted...I have killer calves though (people who know me will roll their eyes and scoff, but they won't disagree).  They're like granite, same cannot be said for my quads.

Proportionally though it looks like someone took a short He-Man figurine torso and arms and put them on a set of barbie legs.  The only difference is the total package measures in at 5'7".  Think brick on chopsticks...running.  It only hurts a little when someone comments "I can't believe you can move so fast with those little things."  (thanks mom)

Friday was a leg day.  As stated I hate leg day.  However, it's a start to a brand new me and this is a "voyage of discovery and challenge" (it sounded better in my head).  So, on with leg day.  My training partner mentioned to me "I want this to hurt." This is a mistake.  Any comment like that is a challenge, a gauntlet that you have smacked the crap out of me with and then dropped on the ground.

Fair is fair.  We're gonna walk funny for a week.

1. Bikes first - Spin to max intensity out of saddle and then back to spin.  Repeat for 14 minutes or 6km.

2. HIIT Circuit - Plyo Jumps 24" boxes to TRX rows, pulls and bicep curls, split squats with kettle bells, kettle bell pushups and repeat 4 times.

3. Core Rotations on BOSU with medicine balls working on balance and rotation.  Band pulls while in a partial BOSU balance/squat.

4. Swiss ball reverse plank with kettle bell (max weight) 2 minutes, 3 minutes, 5 minutes, and then weight free for 5 minutes.

5. Jacobs ladder - 2 minutes (tried to find another machine after...couldn't), Jacobs ladder again 2 minutes.  (cue partner whining)

6. PNF stretching (off color comment from workout partner.  P.S. - I know who my dad is)

Done.

Granted.  People who train legs often will look at this with something between pity and scorn but for a recovering non-leg guy it was a bit of a beast.  No rest, all repeat.  Go till it tingles...in a bad way.

Today it hurts to giggle and my stairs and I are taking a bit of a break (it's not them, it's me).

But, what's the point of wanting to be better unless you are wanting all of you to be better?

How bad do you want it?

So here I am...on the treadmill ramping up my speed and feeling my calves cramp up as the little antagonist in my head screams at me give up or start to cry softly.  This is not unfamiliar territory to me.  I'm a bit of a baby when it comes to pushing myself past my comfort zone.  I am very familiar with what I am capable of and, inversely, what is too far.  However, too far is exactly where I need to go to find the success and gains that I want.  First though...I have to deal with the devil.
The little devil inside my head could take the shape of any number of things.  It could be my boss and the lack of a promotion.  The guy who cut me off and risked both our lives for one extra car length.  The teacher who told me "military or prison". The coworker who catches the breaks.  My mother in law who doubted my resolve.  Even...sorry honey...my wife who has always supported me but knows that sometimes I reach too far.  Any of these things can pop into my head and become an obstacle that knows every dark secret, every weakness, every fear.
It does everything that it can to break you and make you less than who you are.  It shows you the worst that could happen or highlights your flaws.  We all have it...this little devil...and how we deal with it defines not only who we are but the character that we are made of.

"Only through struggle can we determine character."

"Character is not learned, it is revealed."

This "strength of will" or "character" is how we should truly see ourselves and how we should truly know our value.  It is the purest form of US.  It is not for others to judge or critique.  It is not for them.  It's for us.

Family and friends shape and forge it with us, adversity and strife burnish it's lustre...but at the end of the day who we are is just that.  Who.  WE.  Are.

It's understanding that the situation or time in your life may be bigger than you are, difficult to overcome and almost insurmountable in it's scope...but still knowing that you are greater.  That you will triumph.  That when the smoke clears and all that's left is all you have...you are still there.

The little dog giving the big dog pause.

So I find myself still on the treadmill.  Lungs burning, sweat filling my vision and every fiber telling me that I'm not good enough...not strong enough.  So, I do the only thing that's left to me and everything that I am or hope to be.

I turn up the speed.

Oli's Fitness Corner - Full Body Weights - July, 2017

 Squats

 Bicep Curl

 Push Up with Plank Row

 Lunge

 Shoulder Press

Complain too much??

Alright.  Rubber meets road time.  Training days.  Or. Training Daze.  Getting to the gym can be a challenge.  We all work, we all have lives outside of the gym, and we have families.  This provides us with a plethora of excuses that we use to "get us out" of meeting our fitness commitments.  I run into this issue myself all of the time.

It's Friday afternoon.  I've just finished my staff meeting, followed by an extended phone conversation and a weeks worth of coaching.  I'm exhausted.  The fine line between training and going home has just become a tightrope over a chasm full of excuses.  It's so easy to just fall to either side and let the excuses cushion me on my way down.
"I'm too tired."
"I deserve a break."
"I'm a whiny baby who deserves some pout time."
"Chocolate, the Juliet to my Romeo, is calling me."

 Then I remember a video I once saw featuring Warhawk Matt Scott.  It's a Nike commercial but the message is all too clear.

Matt Warhawk

It's puts a lot of things into perspective.

These excuses that we make for ourselves are just that excuses.  This doesn't belittle how real the excuses may be (you may really be tired...and I may be a whiny little baby).  However, excuses can be refocused to determination.  If you're tired, exercise will rejuvenate you.  If you're a whiny little baby, your fitness can reveal your true character.

It's usually a lot more than you give yourself credit for.

Your Marathon Awaits - 2018

Goal #1: Read this article.

To be “resolute” is to be driven, purposeful, determined and unwavering.

This time of year, it has an almost antagonistic ring to it for many.  In some it fosters thoughts of change, rebirth, growth and a new beginning.  For others it is a reminder of past failure, desires not met and goals not achieved.  Many people who have had these negative outcomes look at resolutions and think “better luck next year” or “I’ll never make this stick”.  This reminds me of a quote from Lao Tse that I use with my young athletes.  It states: “Watch your thoughts; they become words. Watch your words; they become actions. Watch your actions; they become habit. Watch your habits; they become character. Watch your character; it becomes your destiny.”  I do paraphrase it a bit.

This article is not going to change your destiny, your character, your habits, your actions or your words.  I just hope that it changes your thoughts.

Regardless of your resolution the most important thing is to be resolute and resolved to the thoughts that you have, or want, for yourself.  It starts with you and it starts small.  It’s the conscious effort to change some part of your daily life for the better.  It’s choosing water over pop.  It’s taking the stairs over the escalator.  It’s you making the time for the gym when you want to go home.  Maybe this change does not happen all the time…but at least once.  That one change resonates exponentially to others.

We are lofty people.  We set impossible goals.  Not because they are, in fact, impossible, but because we set them in a way that allows us the opportunity to fail.

I challenge you to set goals that do not allow you to fail.  This means setting them small and being accountable to your goals.  Instead of the resolution “I will be…..by 2018.”  Set the goal “I will be…by tomorrow.”  I will be…by next week.”  Through this you create success and success breeds more success.

I used to set those same resolutions.  I never succeeded…not once.  Not because I wasn’t passionate about my goals or motivated, but because they were too much.  I was pre-destined to fail.  I started thinking about those small goals and how utterly pointless they must be.  I would say to myself, “What is one glass of water or an extra 10 minutes of cardio going to do when my goal is so much greater?”  Then I had my moment of clarity; my epiphany.  My life wasn’t a sprint.  None of our lives are.  They are a marathon where we are only racing ourselves and victory is determined by our quality of life.

All of a sudden those small (insignificant) goals seem to have a lot more value.  You no longer look towards the distant future and instead look towards today, tomorrow and the day after.  If you look at your small goals and their results you begin to notice something, change.  Change is subtle but it is always present and always carrying you towards your goals if you let it.

Move towards a new resolution starting today.  Set the following five (5) goals by filling in the blanks.

I will ________________________________________________ by this morning.

I will ________________________________________________ by tonight.

I will ________________________________________________ by the end of the week.

I will ________________________________________________ by the end of this month.

I will ________________________________________________ within three (3) months.

Then try it.  See what happens.  You are smart and motivated.  You are looking for answers and for results.  You are doing your homework.  You are ready to achieve your goals.  You read this article.  One goal accomplished.  Your marathon awaits.

Basement Gym Workout - Free Weights, Olympic Bars, TRX - July 15, 2017

Three Rounds
Pair Two Opposing (agonist) Movements
12-20 Repetitions of each Movement

Biceps Hammer Curl to Rotational Curl

Triceps Isolated Skull Crusher to EZ Bar Skull Crusher

Dumbbell Chest Press to Dumbbell Rotational Press to TRX High Elbow Row

EZ Bar Biceps Curl to Overhead EZ Bar Triceps French Press

Jordyn's Fitness Corner - Leg Day (Squat Progressions) - July, 2017

4 Rounds

Side Lunges/Side Pistol Squats - 20 repetitions per side

Bodyweight Squat - 30 repetitions

Plie Squat (Wider Base) - 30 repetitions

 Pistol Squat (Single Leg) - 20 repetitions per side

 Squat Pulse (Lower portion of squat movement) - 30 repetitions

Emily's Fitness Corner - Push Up Progressions, Core and Leg Burn Out - July, 2017

3 Rounds

Standard Push Up - 20 repetitions
Core Tight, Back Straight

Tricep/Close Push Up - 20 repetitions
Elbows In, Core Tight

Basic Hover Push Up - 20 repetitions
One leg off the ground and slightly elevated.

Full Hover Push Up - 20 repetitions
Leg fully out to side, core engaged.

Elevated Crunch - 30 repetitions
Legs vertical and reach for toes.

Static Skater/Alternating Leg - 2 minute hold and then 20 per side
Back low, hold position, maintain form.

ALTRA Running - HIIT Shoe Review - July 2017

In May, I had a great conversation with a representative of ALTRA running in regards to an event that I organize called the Thermopylae.  This event has had great sponsorship from Altra through an Altra distributor, Entrix Sports, and has supported the youth fitness initiative that I have run.  As a result of that programming (now in it's eleventh year) I am participating in this year's IDEA World Fitness Conference in Las Vegas.

As the discussion evolved the idea came up of putting two of Altra's hottest new products through their paces under an enhanced real world training program.

First, I would run in the ALTRA Torin IQ's, utilizing the ALTRA IQ app (Altra IQ Page, ITUNES Link, ANDROID/GOOGLE Link).
Put them through approximately 25 - 100+ kilometers per week and see how they hold up for comfort, durability, performance and then all of the technical aspects that come as a benefit of Smart Shoes.  Then take them to the heat of Las Vegas and start all over again, running on the strip.

Following this, I would participate in all of my normal training (Crossfit, Functional Training, Obstacle Course Racing, Ninja Course, Military Obstacle Course Training, Olympic Lifting, Coaching, HIIT and many other modalities) in the ALTRA HIIT.  The goal of which would be to put them through the entire range of what could be asked of them at any given time (I also took them to a climbing center).

All of this information, and data, I would then share on my site and link back to on social media.

I was ecstatic.  I got to demo two of the most advanced, and functional, pieces of fitness equipment available (before it was available).  I was, and am, very lucky and wanted to do it right.

After almost a month and a half of hard use, I have an initial review.  A more comprehensive, final, review will follow the IDEA Conference.

Out of the Box
Out of the box they look like cross between a Nike Metcon and a Reebok Nano 6.0/7.0.  There are similarities through each design brand such as: profile, grip design and general material.  They have a great fabric, a low profile, very bold accent colors and a significant cut out around the Malleolus.  The tongue is heavily padded, as are the two heel guards on either side of the Achilles.  The thing that catches most people, that haven't tried Altra before, is very large toe box.
Altra calls this their FootShape toe box.  Each pair of Altra's comes with a booklet to ease you into Zero Drop Running.

Full disclosure.  It looks strange the first time you see them.  Then you put them on.

On your Feet
On your feet is a completely new story.  For those that have never tried Altra before, they fit true to size with Nike or Reebok.  What is different is how that size "feels" on your foot.  When you first put on your size, it will feel like your foot is swimming in the shoes and that you should have sized down.  Take a step back and relax.  Tie them up and go for a walk.  What you're feeling is your foot adjusting to the space that your toes now have and they will take up that space quite rapidly.  Then they feel like you are wearing the most technical pair of slippers in the world.  They are very comfortable.  An extremely stable piece of footwear.

Side note:  it's recommended to those that are not used to Zero Drop footwear to ease into them through gradually increasing work.  This is very true.  However, also please understand that you will also be adjusting to that toe box each time as well, if you go back to a regular toe box, until you transition fully.  The Nike Metcon 3 has a larger toe box, as does the NOBULL trainer, so that adjustment might be less than coming from a Reebok Nano 7 or Speed TR 2.0 as they are significantly more narrow.

Durability
I am hard on shoes.  Really, really hard.  Besides coaching, training, lifting and competing; I also teach Physical Education full time.  Runners are my office.  As a result, I'm pretty demanding when it comes to durability.
The HIITs look almost new.  This is after a pretty incredible amount of work and transitioning them through everything that I could throw at them.  The fabric that Altra has developed for the HIIT is very abrasion resistant and the grip doesn't quit.
The rope guard, which it hasn't been marketed as, is lower profile than the Metcon's but more robust than the Nano 7.0.
For those doing hand stand push ups against a wall, these won't catch and won't wear out.  No squeaks.

Functionality
This is where these shoes really shone for me.  The very first thing I did when I put them on was head down to my rack and lift...heavy.  The Power Platform and FootShape toe box gave me a much better feel for the weight and I easily rep'ed through deadlift, cleans and squats with full support.  The next test came when I grabbed my speed rope.  This is usually where lifting shoes, for fitness, fall apart.  They are usually too stiff and cause a ton of load through your soles and into the calf.  The HIIT's were flexible and responsive without too much give.
I brought these out to INJANATION for a team windup and put them through a Ninja course, Military Obstacles, Warped Wall, Prowler pushes, climbing walls and ladder climbs.  They took it all.  Finally, they went through life.  They did very well and I look forward to additional colorways coming out.

I am a little partial to the red and black but that's to be expected, I am a Canadian delegate to IDEA after all.

Reviews for the Torin IQ and final reviews to follow for both the Torin IQ and HIIT.  App review for the ALTRA IQ App as well with screen shots.

Thanks!

Jordyn's Fitness Corner - Program #3 - Flexibility Progression - July, 2017

Hold each stretch for a minimum of 30 seconds to a minute and a half.

Hamstring Stretch

 Glute and Hamstring Stretch

 Calf Stretch #1

 Hip Extensors and Glute Stretch

 Groin and Adductor Stretch

 Calf Stretch #2

 Quadriceps Stretch

 Hamstring Stretch Progression

 Hamstring and Calf (Gastrocnemius) Stretch

 Hip Extensor and Glute Stretch

IDEA World Fitness Conference July 20 - 23, 2017. Las Vegas, Nevada

 

I’m excited to be an International Representative for the 2017 IDEA World Convention, July 20-23, in Las Vegas, Nevada! This is an amazing opportunity to join 10,000 fitness professionals at largest and longest-running fitness event in the world! Only IDEA brings 60+ countries together to network and learn from the best health and fitness experts on the planet!

Cayleigh's Fitness Corner - Leg Day - Body Weight - July, 2017

4 Rounds
Form over speed.

Plie Squat - 20 repetitions
Wide base of support, head up and shoulders back.

Squat Pulse - 30 repetitions
Narrow base of support, start at bottom of motion and come up only half way, then repeat.

Curtsy Squat/Cross Over Squat - 15 repetitions per side
Stay in good posture, step behind and squat while loading front leg, maintain form.

Pistol Squat - 15 repetitions per side
Go slow, maintain control and good posture.

 Lunge - 15 repetitions per side

Squat - 30 repetitions
Follow photo, maintain spine, head up and shoulders back.

 Side Squat/Lateral Lunge - 15 repetitions per side