Strength, on the other hand, doesn’t come so quick, not at least without the use of drugs. Sure, in the beginning students may experience 50lb PRs and monumental feats of strength gains that are a combination of building true strength, improving the neurological firing required to do the work, and acquiring the skills to do so. True strength gains are slow. You’ve got to pay for them with nutrition, training, diligence, and a whole lot of effort. Luckily, unlike conditioning, strength stays around for a while. You could stay a country mile away from the nearest barbell for two weeks and come back a match a PR.

Why am I telling you this?

Firstly, I want you to understand what you’re in for. If you’re going on a trip, you ought to pack accordingly and since you now know this isn’t a short jaunt, maybe you can get your mental baggage together to support the ride. Secondly, if you’re desiring more strength (which should be every one of you) don’t get discouraged. You aren’t broken, wrong, or useless. This stuff just takes time.

Logan Gelbrich

———————

Friday’s Workout:

Complete the following for time:

100 Goblet Squats (53/35)

**Every minute on the minute perform 5 burpees

The incredible taste and, like Michael Jordan, bacon’s ability to make those around it better are critical selling points for the cured breakfast meat. One could even argue that the primal nutrition strategy’s attraction to dietary fat makes it a point of pride against those struggling with calorie counting and “low fat” dietary efforts. Nonetheless, bacon isn’t short on raving fans.

Even the most devote bacon eaters, like myself, will concede some things about bacon. These things include the idea that though it’s an acceptable “meat treat,” bacon isn’t exactly a high performance meat. Rather, the idea is that that bacon is a noteworthy loophole. In addition, one might be willing to concede that the presence of nitrates and nitrites docks bacon a few points on the health meter.

New insight from Dr. Chris Kresser may trump, at least, of these “cons” of bacon. In his article on the topic of nitrates and nitrites, we may not be compromising our health at all by consuming nitrates and nitrites. He even goes to say, “It may shock you to learn that one serving of arugula, two servings of butter lettuce, and four servings of celery or beets all have more nitrite than 467 hot dogs.”

Wow!

Is the take away here to move to a 100% bacon diet? Not in my opinion. My two cents, however, is that we need to continually ask ourselves why we believe the things that we believe to be true. The health and fitness industry is full of examples where we hold true things that have been passed down as uncertainty long enough to become dogma. Forever question. Forever tinker.

Logan Gelbrich

——————–

Thursday’s Workout:

Hang Power Snatch

5-5-5

Then, complete the following:

10, 9, 8.. 1 Hang Power Snatch (115/75)

1, 2, 3.. 10 Candle Sticks

Yup, even the super rich, the super beautiful, and the super famous have bad days, weeks, months, and years. So, what do we normal, problem-prone people do about this?

I’m not suggesting you quit your quest for happiness. But, given that we know adversity is built in to the game of life, we could change our relationship with it. When things go bad, stop acting so surprised. It’s supposed to go bad. We’ve already established that.

So, next time you hit a rut in your life, grit your teeth and soak up the experience. Get selfish. Use it. Each bout with adversity can be an opportunity to get you one step closer to self-actualization.

Think about it. You’re perfect run through life will include times like that. We all “nail it” when things are going well, so how about a “job well done” when things get tough, too.

Logan Gelbrich

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Wednesday’s Workout:

AMRAP 12

2,4,6,8…

Power Cleans (135/95)

V-Ups

The most common question I hear is when are you guys going to open. Oh, let me tell you, I wish I had a date. There seem to be so many things to do, and none of them get done as speedy as we would like.

Dad: The Foreman.

It is a funny thing, I don’t remember the last time I was consistently this tired.  I wouldn’t change it for the world.  This experience is truly stacking up to be one of epic proportions. Each day we will come back and work all day. Some days feel like we accomplish a ton. Some days almost feel like we didn’t make a dent.  Progress, progress, progress. We’re setting small goals, having a list of tasks, accountability, checking in with each other.  These have been the things that have made us successful thus far.

This place is going to be phenomenal, because we are gonna make it that way.  This place is a place of hard work, and passionate people, and it will remain that way, even when all the construction is done. There have been so many laughs, and so much sweat, and a lil bit of blood (we’re construction amateurs – Haha). This, too, will continue.

I can’t wait to show you guys what it looks like when it’s done. I hope you are as excited as us. Stay tuned!

“Hold the Standard”

Danny Lesslie

———————

Tuesday’s Workout:

Complete 8 rounds for time of:
15 Squats
100m Sprint

In a perfect world, it would be a bridge none of our students would ever choose to cross. Unfortunately, it’s a road well traveled. Furthermore, it’s often the “better” athletes that are most guilty of this mistake.

It’s the glass ceiling. It’s the ego. It’s emotion driven.

[This moment is the moment you choose to trade position for short term progress.]

Remember, we’re lucky. In our world, better position and skill also equal increased performance. So, “playing to win” and compromising position to do so will cost you power (and an opportunity to learn). Even after “3, 2, 1. GO!” I challenge you to prioritize position.

Logan Gelbrich

———————

Monday’s Workout:

Pause Front Squats

5-5-5

Then, complete the following for time:

21-15-9

Thrusters (95/65)

Push Ups

Life has its “truckers,” too. The problem with that is that life, like races, present all kinds of scenarios.  Some scenarios demand a sprint, while others benefits most from a slow, grinding pace. I’d go as far to say that there’s great value in being able to toggle from running lead in the rat race, to displaying Ghandi-like patience, and owning that day-in-day-out mid range gear.

For me, I feel like I’ve been on a Star Tours warp speed-like pace the last year or so. I’m aware of it. I know it takes a toll, but I also know it’s important right now. The one thing that has kept me in it is knowing that it’s temporary and practicing living in third gear for short periods of time.

How successful are you at shifting gears? Do you notice what gear you seem to default to? Would you benefit by speeding some time living at an unfamiliar pace?

Logan Gelbrich

——————–

Friday’s Workout:

AMRAP 4

6 Jump Squats

6 Presses (95/65)

-Rest 2 min-

AMRAP 4

6 Squats

6 Push Press

SEALTeam 2

They aren’t normal. These physical specimen are cut from a different cloth. With years of experiences as professional athletes, trained killers, and military conditioned fitness levels, they truly are “elite.” As the tip of the spear, these individuals eat, dress, walk, and talk differently than you. Their fitness isn’t your fitness.

So, if you’re a video editor, an ad sales rep, a school teacher, a chief operating officer, a cargo handler, a programmer, or a marketing director, this is definitely not for you.

Or, is it?

Logan Gelbrich

——————–

Thursday’s Workout:

Complete 3 rounds for time of:
50 KB Swings (53/35)
40 Walking Lunges
30 Squats
200m Run

Take this blog, for example. Out of precedent and commitment to the community, I am committed to writing this blog every weekday, until… well, the end of time. Given that it’s like writing in a journal daily (except that it has to be good enough for other’s eyes), it’s probably one of the most challenging things I’ve done, but I don’t regret it. I really believe that the blog is a massive part of what makes our fitness school gel.

Mike moving under the bar.

There are days, however, where writing comes extremely difficult. Yet, I have no choice… literally. The result is commitment to my responsibility because that’s the only option I’ve got. Thank God. Having no choice has taught me so much, and I take pride in the little streak we have going at FFOTB.com.

There are other situations that offer just one choice, too, you know? Our lowest income students are often the best. Their struggle to justify the cost of membership leaves them with no choice but to show up and get their money’s worth.

Committing to a race or fitness competition can illicit the same response. Want to get yourself in gear? Sign up for an event a few months down the road. Then, you’ll have no choice but to show up prepared.

In what ways can forcing yourself into these situations have a positive effect on your training?

Logan Gelbrich

———————-

Wednesday’s Workout:

Complete 2 rounds for time of:

20 Front Squats (135/95)

800m Run

I mean, I get the figure of speech, but it rarely works that way. Quite frankly, opportunity often comes as the result of a ton of knocking of your own. Even in the most seemingly supportive examples of this, rarely does opportunity slap someone in the face who is sitting on the coach on their third episode of New Girl and their second bowl of ice cream.

You know all those people that have success “fall into their lap?” Think again. Look back at all the work they did putting the pieces in place for them to fall in their favor.

Krysten overhead.

You know, this place is that way, too. Never, and I mean never with a capital ‘N’ has someone knocked on my door seeking opportunity only to be denied. In my opinion, there is no defeating a willing man or woman. So, this place will forever support the motivated few.

Think about that.

Ask. Receive. It’s as simple as that. OK, well maybe not as simple as asking. But, asking and then acting will often do the trick. Put your money where your mouth is.

As FFOTB extends its reach with DEUCE Gym in Venice, our ability to provide opportunity only get bigger. Let me be clear. This a broad claim on purpose. Ask Mike Arnold what happened when he asked for workout ideas on the road? Ask Dan Estes what happened when he mentioned wanting to run a 10K?

Not looking for nutrition or fitness opportunity, guess who is doing the logo work for DEUCE? What about the office design? The endurance program? Website? You guess it, the people that knocked are.

Looking for opportunity? Do some knocking!

Logan Gelbrich

——————–

Tuesday’s Workout:

Complete 4 rounds for time:

15 Deadlifts (155/105)

15 Tuck Jumps

30 Sit Ups

Let me ask you this: Are we immobile because we are old? Or, are we old because we are immobile?

As many of our students are a testament to this as they are more fit than they were in their youth, I urge you. Don’t let your age impede your performance.

Andrea finds “jumping position.”

Logan Gelbrich

——————–

Monday’s Workout:

Complete 2 rounds for time of:
30m KB Front Rack Walking Lunge (53/35)
300m Run
30m Bear Crawl
30m Bear Crawl
300m Run
30m KB Front Rack Walking Lunge