From a distant view some may think...thats a small garage...a small space...cold... not very welcoming, no sign out front. How come people keep coming back for more each week, and why are more and more people signing up. What goes on behind that closed garage door at OPT? Why are clients walking out of the garage 1 hour later with steam poaring off their head as they walk to their car...with the biggest smile on their face?
At OPT we breed success by creating a positive encouraging environment that produces successful clients. My clients train hard, everyday. They learn to eat clean and are constantly working on improving their overall lifestyle. With those 3 pillars, its inevitable that your goals will be accomplished, most cases, faster than you thought.
This last month has produced life long memories for OPT...lets recap
1) my dog Rondax eating Brendans money right off the 24' plyobox
2) Kristen pulling a crazy 1:39/500m split on a tababta interval on her first time rowing.
3) Ann crushing a Dumbbell Swing/situp workout at our schools gym during school hours. Thats dedication. Soaked in sweat, walking back to the classroom to teach.
4) Brendan learning his lesson with drinking water during a workout.
5) Andrea learning the push jerk for the first time... confusing huh :)
6) Andrea refusing to quit during a wod as she was coughing, needing her inhaler, she would not quit.
OPT
Sunday, January 31, 2010
Dreams....
Dream it...do it...
Have you become addicted to limiting beliefs?
Do those limiting beliefs soothe you and comfort you while at the same time holding you back?
In the short term, it can be much easier to tell yourself you can't do it.
Yet when you look at the big picture, it's much better to go ahead and do the work of achievement.
You can comfort yourself today by believing that your lack of progress is not your responsibility.
However, you'll soon be paying for that short-term comfort with long-term regret.
For your dreams are calling to you, and they'll never be satisfied until you do something about them.
You have what it takes to reach them, and they know it.
Written by my coach and mentor James Fitzgerald...
I know everyone can relate to this...take a step back...look at the big picture...and enjoy the ride
Have you become addicted to limiting beliefs?
Do those limiting beliefs soothe you and comfort you while at the same time holding you back?
In the short term, it can be much easier to tell yourself you can't do it.
Yet when you look at the big picture, it's much better to go ahead and do the work of achievement.
You can comfort yourself today by believing that your lack of progress is not your responsibility.
However, you'll soon be paying for that short-term comfort with long-term regret.
For your dreams are calling to you, and they'll never be satisfied until you do something about them.
You have what it takes to reach them, and they know it.
Written by my coach and mentor James Fitzgerald...
I know everyone can relate to this...take a step back...look at the big picture...and enjoy the ride
Tuesday, January 26, 2010
Family...
Written by my coach and mentor James Fitzgerald...
You and only you determine the operational definition of FAMILY.
I can give you countless stories on the walls of my office of folks that have used the word recklessly, more by lack of knowledge rather than ignorance. Stories of broken, devalued and low morale lessons in what we all think "family" is and was.
One thing we teach at OPT is family.
I have many families in my life, but to each holds the same description; honour of others, respect elders, help because you can not because you have to.
As a child I thought I understood family; as a young adult I thought I knew family; when i began my own I thought I knew family...they come and go just as the definition evolves.
Holding too close an attachment to what you believe family is, is not important; what is, are the principles underlying what it means to be a part of one FULLY!
I would step in front of a truck for any member of my family; and they know it (examples are, my house family, my OPT trainer family, my online big dawg family, my client family, etc...)
*Side note- As your level of training progresses you will find that success in becoming truly "fit" is more than lifting weights and running. A clean diet is imperative (thats another conversation) but having the support structure at home is a major foundational building block to helping you accomplish all your goals, at the gym and elsewhere....*
You and only you determine the operational definition of FAMILY.
I can give you countless stories on the walls of my office of folks that have used the word recklessly, more by lack of knowledge rather than ignorance. Stories of broken, devalued and low morale lessons in what we all think "family" is and was.
One thing we teach at OPT is family.
I have many families in my life, but to each holds the same description; honour of others, respect elders, help because you can not because you have to.
As a child I thought I understood family; as a young adult I thought I knew family; when i began my own I thought I knew family...they come and go just as the definition evolves.
Holding too close an attachment to what you believe family is, is not important; what is, are the principles underlying what it means to be a part of one FULLY!
I would step in front of a truck for any member of my family; and they know it (examples are, my house family, my OPT trainer family, my online big dawg family, my client family, etc...)
*Side note- As your level of training progresses you will find that success in becoming truly "fit" is more than lifting weights and running. A clean diet is imperative (thats another conversation) but having the support structure at home is a major foundational building block to helping you accomplish all your goals, at the gym and elsewhere....*
Tuesday, January 19, 2010
New Clients!
Photo courtesy of Crossfit.com
Andrea came to OPT wanting to get in better shape for her police academy. She is currently 6 months into her police training and there are a few fellow recruits strutting their stuff. Andrea wants to quietly beat them at PT by the end of the academy in 5 months. I explained to her with hard work, and dedication to OPT, that she will reach all of her goals. Andrea understands she has OPT in her back pocket now, and everyone should be scared.
Kristen also came to OPT wanting to improve her fitness levels for the academy.
Kristen understands the level of committment needed to crush her personal goals and leave the other recruits eating her dust.
I put Andrea and Kristen through their first 3 fundamental movements on their first night. Air squat, front squat, overhead squat. Then we moved into their first workout
10 minutes, as many rounds as possible
5 pushups
10 situps
15 air squats.
I'm very very impressed by my two new OPT family members. Watch out.
"The competitor to be feared is one who never bothers about you at all, but goes on making his own business better all the time." -- Henry Ford
Monday, January 11, 2010
Talking the talk versus Walking the walk
Enough with telling everyone how fit you are...here is a basic assessment test to give yourself....lets see how fit you really are....
Level 1 Beginner-
- 10 push ups (chin, chest, thighs touch ground at the same time)
- 50 unbroken body weight air squats (hip crease is below knee cap at the bottom)
- Static hang from a bar- 30 seconds
- Situps unbroken 30 (not crunches)
- 400 meter run 2:04 (not on a treadmill)
- Deadlift 3/4 of your body weight
- Vertical jump- 10 inches
- Pullups- 3
- Standing shoulder press- 1/4 body weight
- 1/2 mile run- 4:20
This is a general overview of where a beginner (3-12 months) of training should be, there are obviously numerous other factors, but like a said...a general overview. This is level 1 out of 4. You will probably find you are good at some of these movements, poor at others. You have just defined your weaknesses, now go attack them.
Level 1 Beginner-
- 10 push ups (chin, chest, thighs touch ground at the same time)
- 50 unbroken body weight air squats (hip crease is below knee cap at the bottom)
- Static hang from a bar- 30 seconds
- Situps unbroken 30 (not crunches)
- 400 meter run 2:04 (not on a treadmill)
- Deadlift 3/4 of your body weight
- Vertical jump- 10 inches
- Pullups- 3
- Standing shoulder press- 1/4 body weight
- 1/2 mile run- 4:20
This is a general overview of where a beginner (3-12 months) of training should be, there are obviously numerous other factors, but like a said...a general overview. This is level 1 out of 4. You will probably find you are good at some of these movements, poor at others. You have just defined your weaknesses, now go attack them.
Some simple things I've learned in 2009..
I have put together a list of simple but useful things I've learned in 2009...maybe a few of them can help you....
1) Its ok to take a training day off, if necessary
2) Chew better, eat slower
3) Find 15 minutes per day to lay on your back, no noise and listen to yourself breath
4) There is such thing as too much sleep, your body is designed to wake at a certain time each day
5) My dog will eat a clients 20$ bill if they leave it where he can find it.
6) Your brain quits before your body
7) Millions of people have it harder than you
8) Family first
9) Find the things in life you spend your negative energy on, make a conscious effort to re-direct those feelings towards a positive experience, your future goals.
10) Its easy to follow the crowd, its rewarding to blaze your own path
11) 50X0 makes you strong
12) Only help those willing to help themselves first
13) The indispensable first step to getting the things you want out of life is this:
Decide what you want.
14) Listen to your dreams....nothing can stop you
1) Its ok to take a training day off, if necessary
2) Chew better, eat slower
3) Find 15 minutes per day to lay on your back, no noise and listen to yourself breath
4) There is such thing as too much sleep, your body is designed to wake at a certain time each day
5) My dog will eat a clients 20$ bill if they leave it where he can find it.
6) Your brain quits before your body
7) Millions of people have it harder than you
8) Family first
9) Find the things in life you spend your negative energy on, make a conscious effort to re-direct those feelings towards a positive experience, your future goals.
10) Its easy to follow the crowd, its rewarding to blaze your own path
11) 50X0 makes you strong
12) Only help those willing to help themselves first
13) The indispensable first step to getting the things you want out of life is this:
Decide what you want.
14) Listen to your dreams....nothing can stop you
Monday, January 4, 2010
Sunday, January 3, 2010
A MAGIC INGREDIENT!!!!!!!!!
Ok so its a rare sighting when someone witnesses me eating desserts. BUT let me tell you, I LOVE THEM! My mouth is actually watering as I write this. There is good news for all of us dessert addicts. BLANCHED ALMOND FLOUR!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!! Yes, this is a substitute for that disgusting white, broken down, zero nutrient, high glycemic FLOUR. Over the holidays I made pancakes and chocolate cookies with almond flour and they came out better than regular recipes. One thing....its expensive, but its so worth it, feel good about eating DESSERT!!!! I'll leave you with this website, and your homework is to go complete a hard workout, then make a dessert of your liking off this website and ENJOY!
www.elanaspantry.com
COACH BRANDT'S RANTS
- The following article was written by Chad Action Brandt, an original Calgary OPT Big dawg, http://actionconditioning.blogspot.com, good stuff-
As I walk around town I get people stopping me now asking me about CrossFit; Great I love that, keep it coming! I also get to hear peoples stories of how they lost 50lbs on the "I just put my body through hell, my hormones are now thrashed and for some reason I can't sleep, soup diet!". I also get to hear injury stories and when they thought they were their fittest; Cool!
You know what I listen to everything they say, I nod my head in agreement, why? because I have been there searching for what is going to help me get in shape the quickest, cheapest easiest way possible. THIS IS WHERE I WENT WRONG! BIG TIME!
The one statement I hear is "CrossFit is too expensive". It drives me crazy when I hear this!
I have seen and heard it all, nothing surprises me, but this statement pisses me off!
It kills me inside that there are so many people out there that pay a gym membership that can buy you a Costco roll of toilet paper, and they expect to learn and get fit from this! WHAT!
While these people will pay $8 for a fancy coffee, $70 for a new shirt, $500 for a bullshit University class taught by a teacher who could care less and $12 for a fitness magazine to curb a craving to sweat. I will not even talk about how much MONEY people pay to keep their car running, but don’t put that into their body? What the hell gets you around day in and day out? YOUR BODY!
OR you could watch Soap reruns & sports highlights on the treadmill at your local globo gym, later copying that guy or girl who are doing cool exercises, chit chatting between sets that do not reward rest, while complaining to the staff that the TV is on the wrong channel and there are no towels, then calling that your workout!??? HEY YOU ARE WAISTING YOUR MONEY!
I have been on this path to quick and lazy fitness, it does not work!!!! The effort you put in is what you will get out. Quick and easy = PROBLEMS remember this!!!
At CrossFit I teach you how to attain your INNER ATHLETE! We all have one inside of us. It works with and is similar to your ‘Inner Voice’. To find it, you have to play like a kid again, have fun, move your body, build positive inner energy, pushing out the negative, compete with yourself daily, sweat and use the help of others who are on your path. (those people you train with now are defiantly on your same path watching TV on the treadmil. That is exactly what you will get out of it: Master TV Watching Walker)
You need to challenge yourself daily, I teach this by programming the workouts daily to be constantly varied functional movements done at high intensity. While doing this programming you get Personal training daily, learning all movements/exercises needed to perform the workout efficiently and safely.
Do you get this at your gym? DAILY?
Do you have others keeping you motivated before, during and after your workouts, sweating right along with you, ON YOUR SAME PATH?
All you have to do is "walk through that door" our coaching staff will do the rest!
I will stop here, I feel like a friggen infomercial! I hate that!
Remember I have been down that quick and easy path to vanity fitness, it does not work at all. Now I train my body and mind to be healthy, to be able to handle challenges thrown at me in any situation. I am focused on training my Inner Athlete and finding balance, looking good is the bonus I receive for my efforts :-)
***One thing I will add to this article is, EVERYONE needs a Coach if you are looking to get better at whatever it is that you do. I have been crossfitting for 4 1/2 years and yes I have a Coach. I see MANY people make the mistake of training without a Coach and they are CONSTANTLY stuck in the same RUT, and I know if you ask that person why they have not improved over the course of X amount of years, they will give you many excuses. But what it comes down to is....EVERYONE has endless years of learning ahead of them if they are looking to continually improve as an athlete. I will forever have a coach, i will never stop learning. If you do not feel its important to you, or too expensive, then I encourage you to support your local Globogym.
GET SOME!!!
As I walk around town I get people stopping me now asking me about CrossFit; Great I love that, keep it coming! I also get to hear peoples stories of how they lost 50lbs on the "I just put my body through hell, my hormones are now thrashed and for some reason I can't sleep, soup diet!". I also get to hear injury stories and when they thought they were their fittest; Cool!
You know what I listen to everything they say, I nod my head in agreement, why? because I have been there searching for what is going to help me get in shape the quickest, cheapest easiest way possible. THIS IS WHERE I WENT WRONG! BIG TIME!
The one statement I hear is "CrossFit is too expensive". It drives me crazy when I hear this!
I have seen and heard it all, nothing surprises me, but this statement pisses me off!
It kills me inside that there are so many people out there that pay a gym membership that can buy you a Costco roll of toilet paper, and they expect to learn and get fit from this! WHAT!
While these people will pay $8 for a fancy coffee, $70 for a new shirt, $500 for a bullshit University class taught by a teacher who could care less and $12 for a fitness magazine to curb a craving to sweat. I will not even talk about how much MONEY people pay to keep their car running, but don’t put that into their body? What the hell gets you around day in and day out? YOUR BODY!
OR you could watch Soap reruns & sports highlights on the treadmill at your local globo gym, later copying that guy or girl who are doing cool exercises, chit chatting between sets that do not reward rest, while complaining to the staff that the TV is on the wrong channel and there are no towels, then calling that your workout!??? HEY YOU ARE WAISTING YOUR MONEY!
I have been on this path to quick and lazy fitness, it does not work!!!! The effort you put in is what you will get out. Quick and easy = PROBLEMS remember this!!!
At CrossFit I teach you how to attain your INNER ATHLETE! We all have one inside of us. It works with and is similar to your ‘Inner Voice’. To find it, you have to play like a kid again, have fun, move your body, build positive inner energy, pushing out the negative, compete with yourself daily, sweat and use the help of others who are on your path. (those people you train with now are defiantly on your same path watching TV on the treadmil. That is exactly what you will get out of it: Master TV Watching Walker)
You need to challenge yourself daily, I teach this by programming the workouts daily to be constantly varied functional movements done at high intensity. While doing this programming you get Personal training daily, learning all movements/exercises needed to perform the workout efficiently and safely.
Do you get this at your gym? DAILY?
Do you have others keeping you motivated before, during and after your workouts, sweating right along with you, ON YOUR SAME PATH?
All you have to do is "walk through that door" our coaching staff will do the rest!
I will stop here, I feel like a friggen infomercial! I hate that!
Remember I have been down that quick and easy path to vanity fitness, it does not work at all. Now I train my body and mind to be healthy, to be able to handle challenges thrown at me in any situation. I am focused on training my Inner Athlete and finding balance, looking good is the bonus I receive for my efforts :-)
***One thing I will add to this article is, EVERYONE needs a Coach if you are looking to get better at whatever it is that you do. I have been crossfitting for 4 1/2 years and yes I have a Coach. I see MANY people make the mistake of training without a Coach and they are CONSTANTLY stuck in the same RUT, and I know if you ask that person why they have not improved over the course of X amount of years, they will give you many excuses. But what it comes down to is....EVERYONE has endless years of learning ahead of them if they are looking to continually improve as an athlete. I will forever have a coach, i will never stop learning. If you do not feel its important to you, or too expensive, then I encourage you to support your local Globogym.
GET SOME!!!
Subscribe to:
Posts (Atom)
