Yesterday I saw a full 180 in a client. It was his third session. He had come in looking for what everyone looks for. Six pack abs. Fine, yes, you can have that. Stop eating, move to a third world country. Abra cadabra, six pack abs revealed. We all have a six pack buried beneath. We do not all have core strength, balance, functional fitness tools. Ask the biggest meanest lifter at your gym to do ten burpees, ten pull ups and ten squats. See what happens. Now have him repeat it. And again. I fail to see the point of bench pressing 500 pounds and not being able to touch your toes. Give me a leap, a run and the ability to chase my kid any day. To each their own.
Anyway, the client mentioned had the breakthrough in the middle of a balance drill. All of a sudden he realized that he was doing sport specific movements without knowing it. He made a point that he no longer cared about six pack abs, but wanted to focus on his balance, his flexibility, his core strength. I cannot deliver this to a client without the person coming to this realization themselves, I can only guide them to this point. It was a good moment for both of us and one that I strive to deliver to every person I work with.
Today…
Morning class…full body.
Gym….
warm up
-bench assisted one arm push up x8 each side
-L pull up x10
-feet on bench pliometric push up x10
-135 lb bench press x20
set one:
bench press 185 lb x8, x7, x6, x5
set two:
hammer machine chest fly 70 lb. 3×10
super setted with dips 19, 15, 15
set three:
handstand push ups assisted 3X5
dumbbell clean and press 45lb x8 each arm, 2 sets. 50lb x8 each arm with ten burpees
set four:
three rounds of…
bodyweight skull crusher x10
close grip push up x10, 8, 7
cable pull down 110lb. 2 sets x10, 1 set @100 lb.
assisted stretch finish.
Yesterday was rest, body still recovering from the Sunday beating. Today energy is low, light total body work with cardio. Tomorrow back to the big stuff.
Now that we are up and running our task is to define what it is to train at “The GARAGE”. In this process we must consider the environment we have created, resources at hand and the subject. In order to facilitate this process we have eliminated distractions, technology and excuses. In this way we attempt to get down to the essence of what it is to be “in it”.
On Monday I managed to get through an entire training session with a long time client without any deviation from what I had planned for that workout. He moved fluidly from one exercise to another with a focus that I have rarely seen in him. He even began to tell me about something non fitness related and had to stop himself in the middle because it was not in line with what we where doing in that moment. A big step in the right direction.
Why this change? Why now? I believe that there was nothing familiar (like another member or “sit down in” machine) to cling onto or to distract him. It was only me. His attention was entirely on me for the first time in a long while. His often empty stare evolved into one of focus and intent. I had supreme power and he was left to follow my lead. His brain is now “dialed in”.
The brains role is vastly overlooked in fitness. By eliminating something you have to climb into and replace that with exercises that demand focus you force a neural response which starts the body on the right track to making a real connection with the task at hand and the body’s place in space. The nervous system receives and sends info for the muscles to react to. Not the other way around.
We are told you have to train people how to treat you. This is true for 1 on 1 fitness as well. Set the tone right from the start and be consistent. Give time for gossip and personal issues (last 10minutes of session) but not until they have earned the right and never initiate an unrelated conversation. If they still want to talk at the end then let them. By that time they will be so exhausted it wont even matter.
Our job is to help people align their goals with their actions. By creating an environment that forces full body awareness we help people to get back in touch with themselves and yield results.
Remember: Just because they pay you does not give them rights to an hour of ownership. Not in my gym!
Peter K
Swim 1.5k open water ocean. Choppy as all get up
Bike 40k Rickenbacker causeway. Cursed hill. Up and down and up and down. Twice.
Run 10k Cranden Park, no shade, sunny.
Fall over and wait to feel legs again.
FRIDAY
Run one mile-6:40
20 sets of….
5 pullups, 10 pushups, 15 squats
one minute rest at set 10 and set 15
Run one mile-7:25
total time 40:16
This was done at moderate level as sunday is a 1.5k swim, 40k bike, 10k run triathlon.
SATURDAY
Two games one on one with Courtney from south Miami.
12-0 win
11-1 win
the one point was a gift from the heart.
one game hustle-win
one game three on three
16-8 win
i think i have mild heat exhaustion.
good night.
We have had many clients come through and workout. Response has been very positive. We’ve made some changes in arrangement to open up the space and make it more functional. Functionality is the name of the game. Thanks to Joy for showing us some great new stretches and correct form for several yoga poses.
Wednesday workout:
95 lb hang snatch x15
sprint quarter mile
repeat x5
ring dips x10
jump pull ups with leg raise x10
3 supersets
jumping jacks
burpees
split runs
mountain climbers
high knee running
30 second each no rest
repeat circuit twice for a total of five minutes
Thursday workout
interval cardio circuit
one minute on 30 seconds off
burpees, jacks, weighted punches, stair runs, pull ups, push ups, sit ups, step ups, etc.
36 minutes
65 lb barbell curl, jump squat, barbell row
10 each
3 sets
Our first official day was filled with cleaning up and running sessions as well as brainstorming for future use. Good stuff.
Thanks to everyone that came out and helped us celebrate our opening. We had a great evening and look forward to having another get together in the near future.
Photos by Giovanni Terrafino
Runner rug, plants, more and more paint. The details, the details, the details….
We have had several clients through to give the place a run and to work out the kinks before the official opening. The lobby is shaping up quickly with paint on the baseboards and bathroom door. Thanks to Eddie for the help. Saturday I took a short walk to the Biscayne Market and met some nice people involved in massage, organic food and a local newspaper and invited them to the opening. Also Saturday Nikos and Joy (Peter’s parents) came by and again helped out. Their help has been immensely valuable, from the beautiful curtain covering our garage door to the reinforcement of the second level. As I type this LL Court J is trying to hang new lights and getting to the point of massive frustration. Needless to say we are all looking forward to Saturday and seeing this thing fly. Hard work and patience.
Saturday workout…
5 rounds of….
100 jump rope
10 push ups
40 LB KB swing x 10
35 db Split snatch x 5
Sunday workout…..
SET 1
135 lb. bench press x20
ring row x15
push up x15
pull up x8
no rest
repeat x3
SET 2
40 lb kettle bell swing x10 each arm
25 lb ball slam x10
single leg push up x20
jumping jacks x50
no rest
repeat x3
