Get In My Belly

Recipe Chain…

So we’re always so excited to chat about new recipe ideas for clean eating, recipes that provide alternative ingredients to make sweets less toxic, and recipes that are just plain awesome!  

I made up these “Buckeyes” a little while back and thought they were killer so I brought a bunch into the gym and everyone loved them.  It couldn’t just be because of my master chef skills (I also have some mean nun chuck skills too...I digress...), but they tasted great AND were made with simple, easy, healthy ingredients. Everyone asked me to share the recipe so I have below, but I also thought it would be a great idea to share recipes from time to time with everyone...

I’ve posted the BUCKEYE recipe below and I’m opening up the door to any of you who want to share a great recipe you have too! Shoot it off to me at cat@starkestrength.com and I’ll be sure to post it for everyone. GET.IN.MY.BELLY.

BUCKEYES

Ingredients:
1 14oz can of white kidney beans (cannellini beans), drained and rinsed

½ cup unsweetened applesauce

½ cup pumpkin puree

2 tbsp. coconut oil

1 tbsp. vanilla extract

1-cup peanut butter

Pinch sea salt

10 oz. semi-sweet chocolate, melted

Directions:

Line 2 cookie sheets with wax paper. In mixer, puree the crap out of the kidney beans until smooth, add in applesauce, pumpkin puree, coconut oil, and vanilla and continue to puree. Add in peanut butter & salt until fully mixed. Scoop ½ tbsp., roll into ball, and place on cookie sheets and then cover them and refrigerate for 15 minutes, while waiting work on some handstands! When 15 minutes passes, take them out and put a toothpick in each ball, cover again and this time toss them in the freezer for 45 minutes. We want to make sure the balls are stiff enough for the chocolate J. 45 minutes is enough time to send me one of your favorite recipes, so if you’re feeling motivated to do so shoot me one off at cat@starkestrength.com!  Just a bit before the 45 min is up, melt the chocolate! Take the frozen balls out of the freezer, one by one dip them in the chocolate so that a bit of the ball is still poking out the top and place them back down onto the wax paper. Remove all the toothpicks, toss them back into the fridge for whenever you’re ready to eat them, serve them, share them, hoard them, whatever you want to do with them. 

Enjoy!

Bring It Then Ring It!

Thanks for posing Mandy right after your massage ;-)

Hitting a new PR (Personal Record) is an awesome thing to do and to celebrate at Starke we ring the PR bell and typically everyone cheers (just like when someone offers to buy a round of shots). What is a PR and when is it appropriate to ring the bell?

A PR does NOT need to be a 1RM (Rep Max) effort. It can be a new record that you set for a previous lift at a lighter weight.

Example 1: Mandy busts out 5 deadlifts @ 230lbs and two months later she ends up building up to that heavy 5 again but pulls 250lbs for 5 reps. That is a new PR (Ring The Bell).

Example 2: Ryan tests his max unbroken pull ups. Last time he tested them he hit 38 reps unbroken. This time he hit 53 reps without breaking. That is a new PR.

One thing you need to make sure of is that you are staying true to form and the results are measurable to count it as a PR.

If I back squat 360lbs for 5 reps at full depth then try adding another 30lbs but don't hit full depth and break parallel then I shouldn't count that as a PR. (half assed squats only get you half a nice ass) What I should do it take some weight off the bar and do another set at full depth to make it count. Paul does not get to ring the bell ;-(

Be proud of your accomplishments and celebrate them with everyone around. We all love a new PR even if it's not ours.

Now you know. Bring It Then Ring It!

Posted by Paul

What A Change!

Becky setting up for some Deadlifting. 

Adding more training days to your week can be a great thing and you should definitely see more progress and return on your investment (time and money) but changing your training schedule can cause changes in the rest of your life and the balance that you had achieved is now gone. Making the jump from 2 or 3 sessions a week to 5 or 6 (or more) isn't as simple as just adding more workouts. Yes only training 2-3 times a week can limit progress and return on your investment but training more means more commitment on different levels.

When adding training sessions to your week (or multiple training sessions a day) there are several things that need to change along with it.

1. Training more means eating more. This doesn't mean that you can eat whatever whenever. You just need to be prepared to fill up the gas tank more often because you will be driving further during the day. By not filling up your tank with proper nutrition your body will start using muscle tissue for fuel if there isn't the right amount of carbs, fat and protein to sustain your new level of activity. Make sure to have fuel available before and after your training session.

2. Make sure your training is varied to promote growth and proper adaptation along with skill work to accomplish new tasks (and goals). If you run 6 days a week for 6 miles at a pace of 6 miles per hour what will you be good at? I'll give you a hint you'll probably be good at running 6 days a week for 6 miles at a pace of 6 miles per hour. Doing the same thing over and over will only get you good at doing that same thing over and over and it might leave you with an overuse injury. Vary your training so things don't get stale.

3. Step up your recovery. You may want to make more "you" time or make sure you get some extra time in the sac (sleeping). Recovery is the second part of training so make sure you can get 8-9hrs of sleep. I am writing sitting in my PJ's at 7pm after bailing on a second training session I had planned this evening because I felt a little slow and tired and decided that training Olympic lifts when slow and tired will lead to poor technique. I'm going to bed early so that I can tear Shi* up tomorrow!

4. Space out your training sessions if you are doing multiple workouts a day. If you are going to do two workouts in a day try and break them up and do the more technical and physically demanding session earlier in the day and have the second one as a skills session or use it to build the engine if you are trying to build your cardio respiratory capacity. Don't force a second session if you aren't up to it. The downtime you take could be more valuable than the throttling you give yourself.

5. Make sure you have a goal in mind that's measurable and that will help you to keep coming back for more. Losing sight of the "Why you are doing this" is a great way to lose motivation. Make a goal, set a date, follow a plan and make sure you have smaller goals to demolish on the way. It's not a bad idea to have some other big goals planned too. I believe in Kaizen (Constant and never-ending improvement).

6. Have fun with your training. This should be the best part of your day. No phone, no work, no traffic, no responsibilities. Just doing what your body was meant to do.

Some people treat their bodies like abandoned buildings. I like to treat mine like an amusement park!

Posted by Paul    

   

Are You Ready To Train?

How are you doing today?

Everyday when members walk in the gym I ask them “How are you doing today?” Sometimes I get the response “I didn’t get any sleep last night”, “My kid was sick”, “I have a cold”, “I was out partying” or a number of other responses. Sometimes I hear “great”, “awesome”, or my personal favourite from Craig “I’m going to Fuc* up your gym”.

Anytime I get this feedback I have an idea of how much I can push someone during the workout or if maybe today is a day that they should warm up with the group, work on some mobility, roll out and go home.

If recovery is the second part of training then why don’t people exercise recovery? This goes for any type of training. When you do your workouts and stress the body’s cardiovascular system, central nervous system, & energy systems you need time to recover and repair and recharge those systems. If you keep beating those systems down you may be forced to take more recovery than you think.

If you had a great weekend and got some great sleep (8-9hrs a night) ate well got in a workout or hit your mobility work and feel like taking on the world Monday morning when you hit the gym they you are ready to bring the heat. Lets say after that workout you didn’t bring any nutrition to recover with and went 4hrs without eating, had some fast food, coffee, very little water, and went another 5hrs without eating then only got 5hrs of sleep that night how do you think Tuesday is going to go? So you show up for your workout on Tuesday morning and its not so stellar. Lets say it’s about a 6/10 on the awesomeness scale. Lets say that the rest of Tuesday goes the same way Monday went. How do you think Wednesday is going to go?

Each day if we miss the chance to recover properly we are just beating down our bodies and doing more harm than good. Make sure you have a recovery plan along with your training plan to help you to succeed with your goals otherwise it might feel like you are running on a never ending wheel and you might just be digging yourself into a hole.

Other measures of readiness include a normal resting heart rate, grip strength, central nervous system and cardiac readiness. 

So next time I ask you “how are you feeling?” It lets me know if I can yell at you if your slacking off or I might suggest that you go a little lighter and easier that day because there’s nothing wrong with that.     

Paul     

Do You Even Swing?

Magda busting out "Russian" swings with a 100b bell.

Kettlebell swings are a great exercise to incorporate a lot of muscle activation, timing, and co-ordination. With that being said you need to make sure you are swinging the appropriate weight to to get something out of the exercise.

When choosing a weight you need to make sure that you can pick it up and put it down with correct form. I see people with great swings then look like an angry cat when they pick up and put the bell down. Make sure your pick up and put down are solid before going too heavy.

Once you have good mechanics for the pick up and put down make sure you warm up with the appropriate weight especially since this is such a dynamic movement.

LETS GO HEAVY!!! Ok so now you're ready for some weight. If you use a 25# bell over and over you are not going to get much out of the swings (especially if you are capable of doing more). Swings are a full body exercise and to stimulate the body you need enough weight & intensity to create change and progress.

Moving more weight recruits more muscle fibres. More muscle fibre recruitment means that you will get stronger with that challenging weight and cause some more damage to your tissues (this is a good thing and stimulates growth). This will also create more of an EPOC effect (Excess post exercise oxygen consumption) also known as the "afterburn" effect. That "afterburn" effect requires fuel where fat stores are broken down into the bloodstream and those free fatty acids are used as fuel (also a good thing).

In short. Go heavy, go hard, burn more!

Now ask yourself, Do I even Swing?

Paul  

 

Want to get better at Weightlifting? Try Weightlifting!

Starke Weightlifting classes are available to members and non-members. Our goal for these sessions is to devote the required time and importance to the proper execution of the Clean & Jerk and the snatch and work on the proper pulling mechanics and positioning required to successfully complete these lifts for what your body will allow at the time. This is also a great time to work on squats & accessory work for your lifts to support them (like me and my little triceps for a better faster lockout).

One thing you need to look at is how often you are hitting those lifts? If you are coming to classes a couple times a week and missing snatch and C&J day for weeks you won’t be hitting them enough to make a difference. 

Weightlifting is a demanding sport and skill and requires practice, patience and mobility to be successful. If you are someone who comes to class 2-3 times a week and you keep missing days where we Snatch or Clean & Jerk then show up on a day where we do hit one of those lifts you may be frustrated and disappointed when you are stuck at a previous weight and it doesn’t seem like your lifts are getting better.

Hitting your lifts more than once a month or month and a half is not going to cut it when it comes down to smashing PR’s this goes especially for the Olympic Lifts. If you wanted to get a new PR in you half or full marathon and only ran once or twice a month you would probably be disappointed when you didn’t meet your goal.

Our weightlifting classes are slower paced than our regular CrossFit & Fitness classes. There will be no lifting for time. We break the lifts down and work on technique and segments of the lift where people are getting stuck. If you are having issues snatching from a “high hang” position or from the “launch” position (just above the knees) then snatching form the ground is pointless because you will be just reinforcing improper form and lifting mechanics.

One of our newest members Corey started a few weeks ago and has shown up to more weightlifting classes than regular classes. This is a great way to attack the most technical aspects of what we do and start off on a great road to proper form and technique.

If your lifts are solid and smooth and you are willing to put in the time and effort to get them there then many other technical movements should come a lot easier.  

I want everyone to come try out 3 lifting classes even if you have a limited membership of 2-3x a week (we won’t count those towards your weekly workouts) so you can see what I’m talking about. Plan these classes into your week and shoot me an e mail to let me know you will be coming paul@starkestrength.com I want our members to be successful and the only way to get there is to put in the work.

See you in class.

Paul

         

If You Can't Grip It You Cant Rip It!

 If you Can't Grip It You Cant Rip It!

I would like to talk about a sensitive issue for CrossFit athletes. Sometimes this comes up often and sometimes people avoid the conversation because it makes them feel uncomfortable. I want you to know it's ok to talk about your calluses. All around the world Barbells, pull up bars, Kettlebells, and Dumbbells ale left sitting because their owners can't lift them because of PCHS (Painful callus hand syndrome). This needs to stop now!

It's true that constant gripping, friction, pulling, and rotation can be painful on your hands especially if you haven't been taking care of them. I get asked a lot about what I do to keep my hands ready for action at any time. To be honest, I file them down 2-3 times a week depending on how hard and elevated the calluses get.

Here are two photos of my hands one before and one after the "filing". I use a standard cheese grater type foot file. Make sure it has a fine and a course side to it. Some say to soak your hands first but I find that starting with the fine side on dry hands works better as it will shave off the excess callus and once you get it going flip it over the the course side (if you're in rough shape) then finish off with the fine side to smooth things out.

Before the filing (too much action)

After the filing (ready for action)

When filing your hands down make sure to leave some of the callus so that it protects your hands. If you get rid of all of the callus then you will expose fresh flesh to our harsh training environments.

After a good filing I like to use Glysomed hand cream to add some moisture and TLC to the area you just mined for dead skin.

Taking this approach on a consistent basis will help you to train consistently and not tear open which can slow down your training progress for weeks if it's bad enough.

Post any other suggestions that work for you and lets see if we can continue to train hard with soft hands.

Posted by Paul

Test, Mobilize & Retest. Did it Make A Difference?

Once upon a time there was a very tight man. To protect his identity we will call him Miguel
(or Migs for short).

So "Migs" was in for Saturday's workout which included some overhead squats. He asked me if he could do Front squats instead because he has trouble dropping more than 4" with a 35lb bar overhead. I told him it was ok as long as he stayed after the workout to work on some restrictions for that overhead position.

After the workout Migs went to the rack and threw a bar overhead for the squats. He dropped down to his 4" depth and and held it there. I asked him where he felt the most restriction was. He said his lower back. I had him doing a Side lying "T" & Lumbar spine rotation stretch which he held for 2 minutes per side (should have taken a picture of this). Once he had done both sides he retested the overhead squat position and BAM! He dropped to about 8" in depth That's 4" deeper in his squat than he was prior to the stretch (ladies please refer to a measuring tape to see what 4" looks like don't ask your man).

If you know you have specific restrictions in movements find a way to make it measurable on your own or with a coach perform a mobility exercise and test the movement. If you made gains then hooray! It worked. If you didn't see an improvement then try another mobility exercise and retest.

If you don't know where to start or what to do ask one of your coaches and they should be able to get you on the right track. It may be a little trial and error and depending on the situation mobility takes time bout you should be getting some results from the time you are putting in to the drills. If you're not seeing a difference then try something else.

My favorite place to for mobility ideas and videos is mobilitywod.com always great stuff from Kelly Starrett

Posted By Paul
   

 

"Look Great Gert A Date" And the winner is...

Well our final results are in and here are the top five from the 60 day challenge.

1st Place Brooke Pluta 13.29% for a total of 35.8lbs Takes home $300
2nd Place Randy Amaral 9.28% for a total of 22.6lbs Takes home $200
3rd Josee Lavalee 5.68% for a total of 8.8lbs Takes home $100
4th Eric Sagenes 6.6% for a total of 6.6lbs
5th Bernie Rogocki 4.69% for a total of 9.4lbs

Just a little on what I saw from our top five people

A little motivation for one of the last workouts before the final weigh in!

Brooke made some drastic changes to her lifestyle to end up where she did. She has lost over 70lbs since starting here. Like a run away freight train she looks like she won't be slowing down anytime soon. Brooke would drag her butt out of bed come in and bust her ass in workouts after putting in late hours at school for her play and working part time as well.

Randy would come in and pull double classes once a week and stay after every class to work on core work or throw in that extra bit of work. He has come such a long way since he started here and he is only getting better. I knew Randy since high school and and he's an amazing guy... We're lucky to have you Randy. Congratulations.

Yes those bells are 110lbs each (still too light if she's smiling like that in my opinion) 

Josee is a one of a kind girl who will run to and from the gym for her workouts (no matter what the weather). She has been progressing her skills and always seems to amaze me with how quiet and humble she is. Her success has a lot to do with her never ending list of goals and events which she PR's on a regular basis. This girl never quits.

Eric was one stiff man when he came here and has since loosened up. His mobility and strength has improved immensely and with that comes constant progression with challenging movements. I have been so proud to see Eric breaking parallel on his squats, gaining better positioning in movements and wearing looser shorts since starting here. I look forward to seeing how much further you can go!

Bernie has only been with us for a short time but he has come a long way with his physical and mental strength. He has had two knee replacements and was worried about doing classes here as he thought it was a "younger" persons gym. With proper progressions he has shown that this gym can be for anyone if they are willing to make the time and accept the challenge of being challenged.  


I have seen changes in everyone who took part in the 60 day challenge and the best part is that everyone had different ways about getting the results they received. I will be adding some posts from  people I saw make some great changes. Hopefully what they share can help motivate others to reach their goals or at least help get them started! Different things work for different people and what worked for them might work for you.

The next 60 Day challenge starts in January 2015. Are you in?

To Belt Or Tot To Belt?

Sometimes I get asked "Should I be wearing a belt?" The answer depends on what your goal is.

Lets look your first priority (pressurizing the torso)  then adding the belt to the movement. When moving weight with the barbell we teach people to "stay tight" through the movement and breathe when the joints are all stacked in a safe position.

For example when you pull the bar from the rack for a back squat you brace your torso by taking a breath and driving up under the bar, take a few steps back, exhale and inhale when in position to start your squat and hold your breath on the way down to the bottom and back up to the top. You might let out a noise (and I don't mean a fart) or grunt on the way up or exhale slightly when you get closer to the top to release some pressure. Once you reach the top you will exhale and inhale to re-pressurize then start your next rep (unless you were aiming for one repetition).

Taking that breath, pressurizing your torso, and firing your deep and superficial abdominals will help to create a pressurized and more rigid torso throughout your lifts. Pressurizing the torso works with heavy loads in front, back, and overhead squats, deadlifts, cleans, snatches, & heavy presses to name a few of my favourites.

Adding a belt to your heavy lifts will help to compress the abdominal musculature and cavity (as you expand into it) to create a more rigid torso and provide more stability for the spine. When you wear a belt during your lifts it will help to contain that musculature in a smaller space rather then letting it spill out which allows slightly less rigidity of the spine.

You might be thinking "This all sounds great, Should I wear a belt all the time when training?" Unless your name is Hans or Franz you shouldn't be relying on a belt unless you need that extra bit of support. Save it for your heavy lifts when you need that support or when you are doing higher reps with challenging loads and there is a chance that your core musculature will fail before you are going to stop. I use a belt on heavy lifts having broken vertebrae in my lumbar spine rock climbing almost 10 years ago and it helps a lot when I get to the heavier loads. It also helped me in the CrossFit Open workout 14.3 with the deadlifts & box jumps.

Using a belt all the time can lead to less core development and false sense of security if you rely on it all the time. Use it as a tool to help you move more weight and not as a crutch so you can be slack with your form and awareness.

If you plan on belting it up make sure you try it at a sub maximal load to make sure you understand how to fill it out and feel supported in it rather than trowing it on just to try for a new PR.

Posted by Paul  

Welcome Our New Coach Brad Russell To Starke!

Hey Everyone, 

If you have been signing up for classes on-line hint hint. You may have noticed a new name added to the roster of coaches. Starke would like to welcome Brad Russell to our coaching staff and community.

I am excited to have Brad with us as a new coach. He has been training with us for over a month now and has shown a lot of dedication to his own training and performance by coming early before class or staying late after to work on his Olympic lifts or even just working on technique and mobility to help with better movement patterns. 

Brad has several years of experience training in CrossFit and has a great knowledge base as a CrossFit level 1 trainer and being a Physed grad who teaches Physed full time for the Seven Oaks School Division. 

Here is more info on our new coach

Name: Brad Russell

Nicknames: Russell, Russ, Hustle Russell

Age: 28

 

I have been crossfitting for 2 years, In those 2 years, along with countless other smaller learning experience, I can point out 3 things that I have learned. Crossfit has taught me how to learn physically. I never imagined myself learning and becoming competent in some of the more refined skills presented to me (Hand stand walking, Muscle Ups, Double Unders), but in order to do that I had to learn how my body learns and how my brain breaks down physical components before I was able to achieve these skills. Secondly, Crossfit has taught me to how to push myself to fitness I never thought possible. When I first started and a workout said "100 pullups", I thought that was unachievable and insane, now its the norm. Thirdly, and most importantly, I learnt how to take care of my body. I have always been strong and always been athletic, but I never thought about much more outside the gym or the hockey rink. Crossfit has taught me how to eat right, train right, and rest right, and now more than ever in my life, I know when I'm healthy. I've learnt what it feels like when I haven't eaten right, or when I haven't given myself enough rest, or mobilized and stretched properly. I've learnt what being fit and healthy means to me.

 

Favorite Workout: Any of the "girls"- I love the challenge of beating myself

 

Least Favorite Workout: Any of the "girls"- I hate knowing exactly how its going to feel 2, 5, 10 minutes after GO.

 

Training Goals: Snatch 245# (Christmas) C&J 315# (Spring break) 20 Muscle Ups Unbroken (Summer)

 

My background as a teacher and experience as a coach I think will bring a new perspective to the gym. Everybody learns differently and my hope is to use my personal experience, successes and failures, to help people look at movements and skills in a new light, to help an athlete move through those sticking points in their fitness and reach new plateaus. At the same time I hope to show the beginners what they are capable of, push the strong athletes to be a little stronger, and motivate the faster athletes to keep up ;)

 

Build To A Heavy 5

Greg busting out a new Backsquat PR @ 245# for 5 and with a smile!

You walk in the door looking at the white board before you can even take your shoes off. BUILD TO A HEAVY 5 FOR THE DAY is on the board and that's what you're going to do. 

What does that mean? When do I start counting? What weight should I use? Did I wear the proper compression undies for squatting? These are all great questions. 

5x5 (five sets of five repetitions) is a staple that we hit consistently here @ Starke. Building to your heavy five can be different from day to day depending on when the workout ends up in the week. If it ends up that we are doing a 5x5 Backsquat on Friday and it was a heavy leg week you might not be hitting your previous weight used for the 5x5 or you might be feeling like a superhero and surpass that weight. 

The only way you will know this is tracking your lifts and weight used. You should be able to look in your book and see "the last time I did backsquats @ 5x5 I used 300lbs". Now the appropriate build for this depending on how well recovered you are would be building up to that 300 and allowing your body to adapt to the weight along the way with some warm ups sets and focusing on proper technique for the squat and pressurizing the torso to support the load. 

Your 5x5 should be done at 300lbs if that's what you're capable of. If you start counting your first set @ 185#, second @ 225#, third @ 255#, fourth @ 285# and fifth @ 300# yet you were capable of doing all five sets at 300lbs you are limiting your strength gains and it's going to take much longer before you see your loads and max loads going up.

My suggestion is if you see 5x5 on the board for any exercise look and see what you did last time and see if you are up to hitting or surpassing it again. If you are a little run down and did all your sets @ 285# instead that still much better than the build I explained above. With that build that I explained that's still something I would potentially use as a build then start counting my first set once I hit 300# if I was up to it that day. 

Remember to keep full range of motion and never deviate from proper form for a new PR or to get that last rep in. Count it only if its proper!

Oh and for the compression underwear. Make sure you have the right pair on so they don't split in the bottom of that heavy squat. The more squats you do the tighter those baby's seem to get. #squatproblems

Paul 

Is your meal a meal or a snack?

Lunch mid day to support activity and energy for the rest of the day. This would be a bit much for the evening especially if you were going to go to bed or be sedentary. I actually gave a bit to the dogs because it was a bit much for me. My point is meals should be well balanced and even though the sources of vegetables, carbs, & protein change this is pretty consistent for me and so many that I have known over the years and works for them. Nothing magical.

I hear from people all the time about eating habits and what their goals are but some of what they are doing is counter productive to their goals.

I want to drop some weight so I'm just going to not eat much
All I'm going to do is cardio
I heard all this guy did is eat Subs and lost all this weight
OK so I got this pre-workout shake to take and then this other one to take part way through my workout to top me up and then this recovery shake that's supposed to burn the fat but builds muscle and will help with my hair loss
I'm going to try this Pacific diet where you can only eat things found on the bottom of the Pacific Ocean

There is so much information out there and they get some great looking models promoting these things that nobody even wants to look at what works for so many fit strong athletic people and that's normal eating habits.

I have done and competed in almost any sport imaginable and have always maintained a healthy lean body weight and that's because my eating habits don't ever change. The portions do but the food is relatively consistent. For Iroman training I ate a lot 4000-6000kcal a day depending on the training volume. Right now I would have to say its about 3000-4000 depending on the day with CrossFit and Strength training.

I don't say no to anything and eat Ice Cream more than I should. I have a sweet tooth and would have to say that I have something every day that would be considered the "Other" category. I do make sure that there is a limit on these things and make sure to eat the good stuff before the not so good stuff (If you are full on the good you might not want the bad or you'll have less of it).

With almost 13 years of training people and watching what has made people successful or fail has been consistency in training and nutrition. Nothing magical just consistent hard work and good eating habits to support the activity and lifestyle you are leading and making sure it is enough to fuel you rather than starve you.

These successful people are also the ones that put in the time to get food prepped and plan their training times vs grab quick fixes and miss training times and they always tend to be the ones looking for the quick fix or try to do as little as possible and ask for huge rewards (that never seems to work).

When I look at some people's eating habits I am seeing that a lot of meals are the size of snacks and snacks are non-existent or unbalanced.

Every meal and snack should include a Carb, Protein, and Vegetable/fruit combo.

My meal is always 1/2 plate of vegetables, 1/4 protein & 1/4 carb
Snacks or Pre or Post workout are a combo of Carb & Protein and I try to get a veggie in there but that doesn't always happen.

In our 60 day challenge we will help you to dial in what you need to be successful with your goals but it will take some time and effort on your part. I don't believe in any specific diet and only promote  what I have seen work for so many when they make the time for it.

Are you ready for a change? Sign up for our Look Great Get A Date 60 day challenge starting September 18th

Look Great, Get A Date 60 Day Challenge

Hey Everyone,

I have had several people asking about throwing up another challenge so I sat down and thought "What could make our next challenge even better?" I came up with more support, more options to be successful and cash prizes to name a few.

Below is a description of our event that will show you what you're capable of if you're determined to change to some healthy lifestyle habits for 60 days or even get them dialed in to drop some pounds and become a healthier version of yourself.

Let me know what you think!


Look Great, Get A Date Challenge

Back by popular demand is a shorter version of our 90 day knocked down to 60 days beginning September 18th @ 7:30pm ending November 13th

Our goal is to bring some community support to those wanting to build some healthy habits into their lives and kick start it with a challenge.

Here is some info and a break down on the challenge.

The Challenge will begin on September 18th @ 7:30pm with a nutrition seminar put on by Paul & Lorrie giving you ways to be successful in the challenge There will also be a second nutrition seminar half way through on October 18th @ 7:30 for more information along with tips along the way to keep you motivated and supported.
Upon entry into the challenge there will be a weigh in, before photos*, & girth measurements. These will also be done on the last day to compare. Throughout the competition a weekly weigh in will be done to show you where you stand in the challenge.
Winners will be determined by the greatest % of weight lost and voting from peers based on who has made the most amazing transformation over the 60 days.
The last day of the competition (November 13th) Is where all the final weigh ins, measurements and after photos will be taken and the top three will be presented.
The Prizes for top three are as follows
First Place $300
Second Place $200
Third Place $100
There will be random prizes for participants as well that will be well worth the registration.
We will hold a wind up that will be available to all members at SkyZone Saturday November 15th @ 7pm  

Registration for the Challenge is $40 and can be done online.
Registration fee covers Two nutrition seminars, before and after photos, measurements, weekly weigh ins, prizes, & support for your challenge.

*Minimum number of participants required is 12

An answer to Michael's question

Photo: Lisa getting stronger in her strict pull ups.

Thank you Michael for your post on our FB page. The article you had a question about was a great one. I will re post the article along with my response to it.


MoveSkill Elastic Bands are doing more harm to your pull up progress than good.

My response to your question...

Hi Michael, 

Thank you for sharing this article. I think there is a lot of validity to it and understand where they are coming from.

I do believe that the bands can help but it all depends on the way they are used and if adequate stimulus is applied to allow proper positioning and progression. 

In warm ups we consistently throw in “Scap Pull-ups” to promote scapular setting prior to flexing at the elbows. This helps to incorporate the lats in the pull up rather than hanging on connective tissue 

surrounding the shoulder joints and then using the biceps to pull you up two thirds of the way.

When using bands we consistently add tempo work so that you are not using the stretch reflex effect with the bands so that people are not “bouncing” through their pull ups. 

We remind people to engage their Scap’s when at the bottom of the pull up and take a one second pause at the top and one second pause at the bottom to maintain tension in the shoulders, arms, and back.

This will help to develop proper positioning in the pull-up even if you are using the appropriate resistance.

I don’t state teaching Kipping till the athlete has some strict pull ups under their belt. Having the muscular strength and mobility is a must when it comes to adding momentum to a movement.

I know that using bands and bouncing through reps can happen during high rep workouts but those aren’t the time to work on strength work. We do have specific low volume high load workouts for pull ups to promote strength gains and 

strengthening those positions. 

Going to most gyms most people can bang out pull ups but only do the top half of the pull up over and over again. It’s not often that I see people using full range of motion during pull-ups. Using the correct band and the right tempo can help

achieve strict pull ups along with many other progressions and variations. I do kick people off the bands and onto jumping pull ups with a focus on the eccentric phase as well (a slow lowering).

We have used bands and many other progressions for pull ups and I have seen people go through five ranges of bands (heavy to light assist), to jumping pull ups, to strict pull ups, to weighted strict pull ups, to kipping, to butterfly and yes it has 

taken time but with the appropriate resistance and stimulus applied you will strengthen the movements.

One thing I will incorporate from this article is the Barbell on the rack to lower the bar (no pun intended) with toes on the ground. It is something I have done in the past in my PT days but lost it along the way. 

I still think mastering the strict pull up is a huge accomplishment and takes time, dedication, lots of effort and proper progression and it’s always great to see someone pull several of them off.

To me being strong enough to do strict pull ups is a huge asset when it comes time to learn kipping or butterfly pull ups as it helps to give you the control throughout those movements.    

Paul 

RX'd vs. Non RX'd

It's time to make a decision again. You got down to the gym. You warmed up with the group worked on your mobility work and now it's time to pick a workout and weight. Oh, look at this. The coach has an RX'd weight posted for the workout, I guess I'll just use that. 

Let me explain what an RX'd weight is for those of you who don't know. An RX'd weight is a specific weight chosen for a workout to use to gauge, compare, and challenge athletes on a level playing field. I don't ever expect people to be doing RX'd unless they have been training with us for quite a while (6 months, a year, a year and a half). 

Choosing an RX'd option depends on a lot of factors. Some of which include...

• Your fitness level
• How long you have been training with these movements
• Mobility restrictions
• Strength base
• Understanding of the movements required
• Ability to maintain proper form and standards during the workout 

The longer an individual has been coming to the gym and the coaches knowledge of the individual should dictate whether or not the athlete will go RX'd. Sometimes athletes would like to go RX'd because of the status but if you cant lift the weight properly and safely for the set number of repetitions then a lesser weight should be chosen that will still challenge you and allow you to remain in total control. 

I have had newer people join the gym who are already very fit, strong, and mobile and get them using lesser weight until their bodies have a chance to adapt to the movements we do especially if their training background is different than ours. These are the hardest people to convince that they need to slow down because they have what it takes but don't have the physical experience with the workouts at intensity to maintain form and technique. 

For those that aren't able to hit RX'd workouts, don't worry. Your day will come. It takes time, consistency, strength, mobility, and the ability to move the weight in a manner that is safe and able to challenge you consistently. Put in the work and the time and you'll get you to where you want to be.

If you don't know what to chose ask the coach!

Paul Dyck 

Guest Post By Ali

So I can remember this young girl (15) coming into our gym wanting to workout with us. She did her first free class and immediately signed up for the next foundations class. During those classes Ali was like a little sponge soaking up everything that we talked about all the movements we demonstrated and all of the technique required to execute a movement efficiently and accurately.

A year and a half later Ali still amazes me as her hunger for strength, technique and improvement is as strong as the first day she walked through our doors.

Ali is a special girl who would come to workouts smiling at 6am. Her parents would drop her off every morning that she attended those early classes (not as much of a smile on their faces). Ali always puts form first, she doesn't tell me when she wins an award for every sport that she plays, and she doesn't complain about workouts. She comes in, does her job and has made Starke a better place.

When Ali comes in and finds out that she doesn't have a skill or movement like handstands, double unders, or pull ups she will practice them before and after class and looks for way to improve until she nails them then its on to a new skill.  

I feel that everyone is like a puzzle piece at our gym and everyone plays a roll and adds balance to our place and that makes it as amazing as it is.

Thank you Ali for this post and we are lucky to have you training with us. You are an amazing girl and we know you have a bright future ahead of you. Thank you for being a piece that would be missed if you weren't around.

 

Ali's Post (The girl is a typing machine too)

I can still distinctively remember my first workout at Starke Strength & Conditioning. Specifically the fact that I could not lift my legs the next day, never mind walk down stairs for the next week. That first workout kicked my butt so much that I wanted to go back for more. And so I signed up for the April Foundations class in 2013. I had intentions of doing a few months of training there to help with my volleyball for the last month or two of the season.  I started going three times a week, and then a while ago I changed to unlimited because I was enjoying it so much. It was no longer about training for volleyball, but just becoming stronger for everyday life. While I love the physical aspects of the gym it’s the people that make me love it so much - they are all so special. They make everything fun, and we’ve become like family. I have met so many amazing people in the past year, many of which I could not imagine my life without. I always look forward to seeing everybody and getting the encouragement and friendships from so many awesome people. The environment that surrounds me daily is so inspiring. If it’s not because someone is cheering me on to finish, it’s the way they kick my butt and make me want to be better. It’s the way they push me to become a stronger, better athlete.

Coming to Starke has been the best thing that has ever happened to me. The coaches are so dedicated and inspiring. It takes a special person to love what they are doing, and be good at it and I know that the coaches at Starke are exceeding at that. I am so lucky to be coached by awesome people that are dedicated to their lifestyles, and care so much about improving the lives of others. The energy is always high, there are always great laughs and there’s always something to look forward to. Coming to the gym has made me so much stronger and has improved my cross country running as well. This past (grade 10) year, my cross country and track seasons were the most successful to date. I was running only about once per week during outdoor track, yet I knocked nearly 30 seconds off my 3000m PR from last year. People can say what they want, but I know that coming here has made me grow immensely as an athlete and even better, I love it. I love it more than running, and it improves my running so I couldn’t ask for anything more!  Doing Crossfit has also improved my mental capabilities and made me even more competitive and driven.  Going to the gym is not a chore for me, or something my parents make me do. It is what I want to do and something I choose. I want to go there every day and get stronger. I want to be the best athlete I can. I want to push my limits and challenge myself.  There’s no place I’d rather be than at Starke with all the awesome people that go there. I look at the other 16 year olds I know and realize how lucky I am to have discovered something I love, and be able to live it every day.      

Recently I have really gotten to know a lot about Crossfit and really exposed myself to the whole “world” of Crossfit. Especially with the Crossfit Games on right now! It is all so inspiring to me and these days I seem to find myself wanting so much more from myself and setting so many personal goals. I am so determined and motivated every day to be better and to push myself every time I walk in that door. And on those days where I don’t feel as motivated, the people in the class are there to push me through. I always leave with a smile on my face, whether I get a PR or the workout kicked my butt. There is just something special about the people, environment and constant challenges that Starke offers. I love it. I couldn’t imagine myself without it and look forward to where it will take me. I can’t wait to see what the future brings. Looking back at the past 14 months, I think about how nervous I was for my first class, and look now at where I am. Although I am really pleased with my progress, I am so far from where I want to be. The best part is, I have so much time to improve and I am doing it with the best group of people I could ask for. That’s just another great thing about Crossfit and our gym. No matter how much you improve or accomplish, you always want more and there are always ways to make it harder and to be better. The coaches here are awesome and I can’t thank them enough. Starke Crossfit has changed my life in so many ways and I cannot wait to see where I and all the other members of the gym will be in the years to come. 

Thanks everyone!

Ali

Starke has made me stronger and more capable of pushing through hard moments in runs or matches and be able to get through with strength and confidence thanks to all the challenging workouts we do. I am way more confident in everything I do whether it be sports, or just everyday life. Now I know I AM strong and can do anything. When I doubt myself I think of some of the hardest most challenging things I've done at Starke  (like 14.5!) and know that what I'm doing is nothing compared to my accomplishments at the gym. Physically and mentally I'm a much stronger athlete; and just feel so much stronger when I run. When I feel strong mentally, I run strong physically. I think of the coaches and all the people at the gym when I run and can hear their voices in my head pushing me harder past my comfort zone.  And in tough moments, I use Starke's motto "The strong always survive" to motivate me further. Knowing that I am strong and getting stronger each day makes me dig deep and perform better than I ever was able to before. I can survive anything thanks to Starke.  I love knowing that I can not only run races but I can lift heavy weights too (some) pull-ups, swing heavy kettle bells and flip upside down on my hands. It's such a great feeling that I can do all those awesome things when most runners I compete against are solely running for training. It makes me feel like I have an advantage and I always use that to push hard and know that I can do anything. I cannot believe how much Crossfit has helped my athletic performances  and that makes me so excited to work harder every day and look forward to what may be down the road. I also transitioned from a middle to a setter this year in volleyball and have so much more strength to push that ball and set up my teammates confidently.

Starke has affected my sports and just everyday life greatly, and in the best way possible.

Cross country KPAC (divisional) gold in the meets (I think there were 3 or so) and Milk run gold

Cross country provincials gold

Indoor track 1500m provincials gold

Outdoor track KPAC(divisional) 800m, 1500m, 3000m gold

Outdoor track 1500m provincials silver

Outdoor track 3000m provincial  

Junior Varsity female Athlete of the Year this year

Also I was captain of both volleyball teams I  played on this year.. club (and school) volleyball

Club team won several tournaments this season.

Post by 

Ali & Paul Dyck