Glass Backs

Lately it seems we’re running across so many people with back problems; many of whom are WAY too young to be so severely or easily injured. It seems we’re a society of ‘glass backs’; one wrong move and people are on the ground. How did we get this way? In our opinion it’s a combination of things: a culture that keeps us at desks and in chairs, a culture where most people are sedentary, and a culture where people who do exercise think core work consists solely of crunches and sit-ups. If you are going to have a strong back that is resistant to injury, you must train the entire core using functional movements, and you must use weights that challenge you. Teaching proper form on the best movements and properly scaling weight, reps, range of motion, and intensity for each of our clients is EXACTLY what we specialize in. It’s the whole reason we are a Personal-Training-only CrossFit affiliate. Book your complimentary first session and see what we have to offer!

Party! Party!

Don’t forget to schedule time to come by our 1 Year Anniversary Party. It’s NEXT SUNDAY, March 4. We will have refreshments, live demos, chair massage, Dr. Kristin McLain Milonas, and the fine folks from Missouri Running Company! There will also be lots of prizes to be won. In fact, you could win up to SEVEN free sessions. But you can’t win if come by. See you there!

What is “functional”?

“Functional movements move from core to extremity and can tolerate high loads and move them long distances in a short amount of time.” -Coach Greg Glassman; founder of CrossFit.

Are YOU ready to be transformed?

‎”This is the workout that transformed not only my body, but my mind. It’s all about CrossFit, man. It is the new generation of fitness.” Yes, another Bob Harper/CrossFit post. Why? Because this a huge deal. One of the stars of The Biggest Loser, Bob is often referred to as “America’s Trainer.” He’s been in the fitness industry for decades, and is literally world-renowned. And most exciting for us, he’s recently had his eyes opened by CrossFit. It really is that powerful! Come see for yourself.

Happy Anniversary (to us)! Let’s party!

Join us on Sunday, March 4 for our 1 Year Anniversary Party! We will have live demos, vendors, refreshments, and PRIZES!!!

It’s all in the hips…

Continuing in our recent focus on the squat and deadlift is this thought: the squat and the deadlift are not leg movements; they are hip movements. When performed correctly they use all the muscles of the hip structure and place little stress on the knee.
The Squat and the Romanian Deadlift (RDL) are also similar in two other ways. 1. They begin in the upright position. 2. The movement is initiated by the hip breaking and the glutes coming back. A common error, particularly with the squat, is to see the knee break first, causing the movement to become quad dominant.

Hormonal Response

Hormonal response; another great reason to Squat and Deadlift. When we lift heavy weights like during Squatting and Deadlifting, our body responds with a cascade of hormones. In the case of men it is testosterone and growth hormone. For women it’s mostly growth hormone. Both hormones are anabolic; fat burning and lean muscle building. If you want to be lean and shapely, you need those hormones. BTW, another great way to get that hormonal response is through intense metabolic conditioning workouts such as CrossFit Workouts of the Day (WOD). What do you think happens when you combine heavy weights with intense metabolic conditioning like the workout in this video?

Is your routine letting you down?

 Ever wonder why you see so many squat and deadlift videos from us? It’s because they form the basis of nearly everything we do. Your quads, hamstrings, glutes, and spinal erectors are your engine; your ‘go’ muscles. They are essential for both adequate functional strength and advanced athletic performance. And NOTHING trains those muscles better than the squat and the deadlift. The fact is, if they are not part of your routine… your routine is letting you down.

What flavor is your Kool-Aid?

Yahoo Fitness ran this very interesting article about CrossFit.  There are some legitimate points. In fact, many of the concerns mentioned are part and parcel of why we run our gym as a Personal-Training facility. CrossFit really is for everyone; but great care must be taken in how that happens. Because of our model we are able to take more time teaching form and scaling load, reps, ROM, intensity, etc. The traditional CrossFit box has many things to recommend it. So does our approach.  Give us a call or email to find out if we’re the right approach for you.

Pick your trainer carefully.

 Kristen has only been with us for a few weeks. She still has a couple of things to work on but her form is really coming along, especially for a former dancer. (They’re taught nearly the complete opposite of what you want in strength training.) We never ceased to be flumoxed at the some of the clients we get from collegiate athletic backgrounds whose form is not nearly as solid as someone new like Kristen; and after years of “professional” coaching. It just goes to show you: pick your trainer carefully.