Tuesday, November 22

Christmas Party December 3rd

Our annual Christmas party is almost here. Make sure you save the date for December 3rd at 6pm. Bring a side to share and a gift for secret santa(limit is $20) There will be some wine provided, but if you have a favorite you would like to bring and share, feel free! Attire is anything but sweaty gym clothes:) Dan and Sheri will be hosting at their house. There is a flyer at the gym with directions and details.

Thursday, November 17

Attn. Coaches

USA Weightlifting

Sports Performance Coach Level 1 Certification

At CrossFit Spokane





Sat/Sun December 3-4

Registration deadline is Monday November 21


Wednesday, November 16

A Good Trainer?

What makes a good coach or training facility?



The market is flooded with gyms, personal trainers, and fitness and nutrition products. So how is one to know what they are getting when they begin training with a coach, trainer or at a gym? Basically, it comes down to the experience of the coach or trainer which will more often than not dictate the quality.

Not so good
  
Experience come from many contact hours with a lot of people, in various settings, using a variety of movements and equipment over the course of many years. You could find a trainer or coach with every certification and/or degree under the sun, but they may not know their ass from their elbow when it comes to instructing movements, being personable to the client, effectively coaching a group of people or even knowing the “why” of the exercises you are doing. Here is a test, ask them why they are having you do a certain movement, why is it done in this particular way and how it can be modified? "Because" is not a good answer.

UUHHH, not so good

While I was attending a Strength and Conditioning mentorship with Mike Boyle 2 years ago, I was introduced to the idea of “10,000 hours of practice”. There is a book written by Malcolm Gladwell called Outliers. In his book Malcolm says that it takes roughly 10,000 hours of practice to achieve mastery in a field. Just so you have some reference to the volume of experience and training that is, one would have to dedicate 15hrs a week for 12yrs, 20hrs a week for 9 ½ years, 30hrs a week for 6 years or 40hrs a week for 4.8yrs. In the fitness or strength and conditioning field a trainer may have a certification or even better a 4 year degree. How many hours of experience is that? A 2 day weekend certification 12-16hrs, a 4 year degree 120 classroom hour, 240 internship hours; we are up to 376hrs of experience; that leaves 9,624 hour left.


 HOLLY CRAP, that's a big stone
 
So what is the point? The point is, are you getting what you paid for, hopefully experience and not just the shinny equipment. A great coach or trainer should have several “certs” but more importantly to you, experience.
  
Something to remember, a shinny new gym doesn’t correlate with good training, experience, knowledge or practice.


A perfect example of "Functional Stupidity", but a shinny gym.


If you like the post please leave a comment below

Tuesday, November 15

40lbs in 6 months

Jeff first week


Jeff second month


I reluctantly joined Crossfit Spokane, “Crossfat” as I call it, after being encouraged by a co-worker who is sold on your program.  I joined to get in better shape for water skiing.  The results were evident; I had the best water ski season in 25 years.  So why didn’t I stop participating in Crossfit once the water ski season began?  That is the question I ask myself every night when I leave your gym exhausted and wringing wet.  The answer is complicated, but lies in some combination of the results and the environment you have cultivated.  It is almost addictive.  I didn’t really think I was in that bad of shape when I joined, but before the first WOD was complete I knew otherwise.  You guys have addressed my special needs and seem to really know how to balance between pushing to success without pushing someone overboard.  Thank you, your staff and family for the knowledge and dedication.  I have been working out at your gym now for six or seven months and have lost over 40 pounds.  Now that we have worked off that weight I look forward to putting some of it back on in the form of muscle.


Thanks again, Jeff Van Leuven

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Jeff 40lbs lighter after 6 months

Monday, November 14

Get Stronger With Time Off


For most people whom are eager to build muscle, get stronger, burn fat or what ever physical change they are striving for, will believe that more is always better; more reps, more intensity, more volume, more training days. However, this is not always the case. Sure you want to train hard, but you have to train smart. 



Now there are many factors that going into an effective program that will illicit the most progress possible, but I want to touch on one factor that most people don't even think about or do until their bodies make them do it by way of injury and that is to Take Time Off.  What I mean is schedule in or program in "Deload" weeks throughout the year.



What is a "Deload" week?  It is a deliberate time off or away from the gym to allow your body (physiologically and psychologically) to recover from the hard training it has been going through. Have you ever been training hard for a long period of time and go away for a few days or a week (family, vacation...) to come back and feel stronger than before?  Why not take advantage?



I would recommend a "Deload" week every 8-12 weeks of consistently training.  If your messing around on a few machines or doing "Zumba Kick Boxing" at OZ fitness two days a week than this may not be necessary.  If you're on a more intense and structured strength program this may be the trick to you breaking through the plateau.

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Winter Sports Conditioning Camp

(Get ready for Spring Sports)

Starting Now

M/W/F 630-730pm

This is a 2-3 day a week 1-1 ½ hr training session for middle school, high school and college athletes only. This program is for the athletes who are looking to make it to the next level: Varsity, All Conference, All State, College Starter, scholarship athlete, AFL/NFL… No weekend warriors or noncompetitive athletes allowed.

This is not your average weight room S&C program, this “Underground, Renegade, Dinosaur” style training. We utilize ropes, sleds, chains, bands, sandbags, body weight training, Olympic lifting, Strongman training… This program will make you bigger, stronger and more athletic, the kind of athlete that is noticed by coaches and is feared by competitors.


The other guys are doing the same old camps, weight room routines and conditioning programs; if you want to be a standout athlete and get to the next level, you need to do something different then your competition.




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Saturday, November 12

Fat burning "Machine"

 "Cheese"

 Wait, that's not "Paleo"

 Ya, I know, but it tastes good and there are plenty of strong healthy people who eat cheese.

I love cheese and milk.

"PROOOTTTTEEEIIIIIN"


Want to jump start you metabolism for the day?

Try having about 15-20gms of protein and 16oz of water with in 30min of waking up.  If you don't like breakfast or don't have time, make time for this and so it; it takes about 1 min.  If you're not eating breakfast and your fat or out of shape then what you're currently doing is not working, so give it a try. You will give your body the nutrients it needs to perform well mentally and physically and you will begin to burn more fat.

Need more help and guidance? We can help you.