Hi and welcome to another week,
Just want to jump in straight away this week and mention our awesome October special – 10 sessions for $99. This is nearly 25% off the normal 10-round pass price and 35% off the price of 10x casual sessions. If you are trying to get a friend down to the gym, if you know someone looking for a bit of a pre-summer ‘purge’ or you are looking to make a bit more than a ‘1-session commitment’ but still aren’t ready for a membership, this might be a great option. The special will be running for this week only (or until we sell 100 packages!)…get in fast if you want one. The 10-round passes are valid for up to SIX MONTHS.
So. Before I start on my piece, I just want you to ask yourself a question. Why do you think we have spent a small (well, medium sized!) fortune updating the gym/adding new equipment? What do you think we are hoping to get out of it?? Have a really good think about this for 30-seconds or so before reading on if you will – and if you are inspired to jot down a couple of notes, I would love for you to share them with me. But in order for me to answer the question I have to tell a story.
Back when Round 1 opened in 2010, we had eight barbells in TOTAL (actually, we had some barbells in the weights area but let’s focus on barbells available for classes for the moment). We had 4x 10kg barbells and 4x 15kg barbells – and used to try and split the groups up so that there were 4-boys and 4-girls in each…bad luck if you were a girl who wanted to lift heavier I guess! We had some 1kg, 2kg and 3kg handweights – none of the 8’s and 10’s. We did not have a single kettlebell. There were no power-racks, no dead-balls, no wall balls, no medicine balls, no sand-bags, no sleds…there wasn’t much of anything really. Some bags, some spin bikes and two treadmills.
Now – I don’t want to dismiss what we had back then – there was certainly more than enough equipment to get everyone moving forward in terms of their strength and fitness…but if the ‘biggest’ barbell the strongest person in the gym could lift was 15kg, well – let’s just be polite and say that our overall potential as a gym community was being limited a little bit by the equipment available. But more to the point, it was limited because our aspirations were limited – everything we could relate too/aspire too was on a limited scale.
I have included a video in the ‘Link of the Week’ section which documents the progression of the 1- mile world record from the time Bannister broke the 4-minute ‘barrier’ up until today. But what is interesting is that before Bannister cracked through the mark, the record had barely budged for 10 years. Nurmi ran 4:10 in the Olympics back in 1924 – in 1944 it had come down as far as 4:01 (about 1-second every 2 years)…but when it got to 4:01 no-one could break through that 4-minute ‘barrier’ (only 1-second faster) until Bannister finally did it in 1954. In other words, the record marched steadily downwards for 20-odd years – then stagnated for 10 years – then, as soon as the 4-minute mark was broken, it happily resumed its descent once more. In fact, within months of Bannister breaking the record, it was down in the 3:57’s and the record continued to drop – by approximately 1 second every 2 years just like it had BEFORE that imaginary 4-minute barrier got in the way.
We have changed the gym because we want to provide everyone with a way to break through their own 4-minute barrier. It gives us access to more room. It should (well, it will when I get my act together) allow us to better structure our circuits so that it is easier/quicker for everyone to grab the barbells/kettlebells that they need. It gives us easier access to chin-up bars and Olympic rings – and in different areas of the gym. It is going to make it a lot easier to set up ‘multi-mode’ stations where we can intermix kettlebells, barbells, rings, wall-balls and bodyweight exercises. And importantly it gives us a clear growth strategy in terms of adding additional barbells and bumper plates which will give everyone better access to the tools that will help them get fitter and stronger. There will be no restrictions on the progress people can make – seeing people lifting heavier weights will become more common during classes, which will in turn enable more people to become stronger under the ‘If they can do it then so can I’ rule.
Basically, we have changed the gym to remove barriers to progress. The new facilities (and we are not done yet!!) will allow people to more easily ‘move up’ it with the weights they use and with the complexity of the exercises they do. This in turn will set a great example for those people around them – who, once they see what is possible will push their own limits even further. The new equipment is not there to be intimidating. It is not there to ‘make’ you do things you don’t feel comfortable with. It is not there so we can make you do exercises you don’t know how to do properly but with really heavy weights…none of that is the plan. It is there to provide you with a path-way for improvement – to provide you with a path-way through which you can see yourself become a stronger and healthier you.
See you in the gym.
Michael.
Month 2 – week 3…and all is well! This is a 5-week month so we are not quite half-way through the current set of work-outs/food restrictions. Please remain focussed on the long-term and don’t make any short-term decisions now that will compromise your results come ‘scan in’ day. Stick TIGHTLY to the food rules and don’t miss sessions. Have a plan to train and a backup plan to do any sessions you might miss. And get your barbell circuit done…you will be the one disappointed come ‘scan-in’ day if your results aren’t what you are looking for.
Muscle plan people – at this point you need to switch over from Standard Workout 1 (SW1) to Standard Workout 2 (SW2). You will follow this until the challenge is over. Please remember to record your progress on the new recording sheet and look after it – you will be writing on it for the next 7 weeks!
It was great to make a bit more progress during the week with the new rubber and additional (wall mounted) racks being installed. We still have a few more racks to go in, as well as moving the power racks, installing edging for the rubber floor, installing all of the wall ball targets etc – but in terms of ‘real’ progress I would like to think this week was a ‘big’ week. Anyway, I have written enough about the refurb in the opening piece so I will leave it there for now – just want to say it is exciting and that I appreciate everyone’s patience as we make the changes…more updates as the progress happens!
I have almost finished the programming for a reboot of the ‘Starting Strength’ program. The program is a 6-week fixed program (3 sessions per week) where each session includes 15-minutes of technique training PLUS 15-30minutes of ‘effort’. The ‘effort’ components comprise simple movements (Pull-ups or Fence Pulls, pushups, squats (Body Weight only), situps) as well as a very basic running program (generally about 5-10minutes but not more than 200m at one time)).
The ‘effort’ portion increases from session-to-session, week-to-week. In other words, the load steadily increases from one session to the next to the point where you are in great position to join in with a TANKS class (for example) when the 6-weeks is over. For example, Week 2, session 2 would consist of a review/overview of DEADLIFTS followed by Four (4) Rounds – No Time Limit. 5x Pull-ups/Fence Pulls, 10x Pushups, 15x Walking Lunges, 20x Situps. Finish with HBR+ (Number 12) Farmers Carry and a 90 seconds Bridge. Week 5 Day 3 would consist of a a review/overview of Barbell Rows followed by FIVE (5) Rounds – FOR TIME! of 5x Pull-ups/Fence Pulls, 10x Pushups, 15x Squats, 20x Situps. Finish with4x FLAT OUT Half-Bin Runs – each run starts on the 2 minute mark. Finally a 2:30 bridge.
I will provide some more details on the program over the next couple of weeks. If you think you might be interested in the 6-week ‘starting strength’ program, please send me an email entitled ‘Starting Strength’ to info@round1fitness.com.au. I think this program would be amazing for anyone who really wants to ‘get in shape’ fast – and if you were committed and just didn’t miss a session you would be amazed at what you could accomplish in a quick time.
The new Quick Wraps are in the gym and available in four (4) sizes – XL, L, M and S – and 3 colors (Red, Black and Pink). They are a great product which has been too long coming (because of me really) and hopefully they fit the bill for people who want the protection hand wraps offer without the hassle of having to wrap your hands. These quick wraps offer good support and I am really happy with the way they have turned out.
Our next order of t-shirts will be in the gym in the next few days – similar to the existing design but in blue or black rather than red/white. The samples look cool – here’s hoping the ‘real thing’ is even better. These will be $20 – same price as the existing t’s.
Congratulations to everyone who is keeping up the pace with the October mini-challenge. I know I have been loving it – I am a little concerned my shoulder injury could knock me out of contention to finish (3 this week could be a push!) but only time will tell. For anyone who hasn’t gotten involved (just jump in this week if you are keen), the challenge is based on the ‘Perfect Pair’ workout.
20 Kettlebell Swings
10 Push Ups OR 10 Goblet Squats
20 Kettlebell Swings
9 Push Ups OR 10 Goblet Squats
Complete 10 circuits reducing the Push Ups/Squats down my 1 each round until you reach 0.
To answer a question, you can do Pushups one day and Goblet Squats the next but you cannot alternate between the two in the same workout!
That’s it. Simple as! 3 times each week. Ready for summer! The white board is up and ready to go – if you missed week 1, no matter. Jump in on week 2. I have been completing the workouts and it is a great little boost to your week!
Perkville is awesome. It is a rewards scheme that gives you ‘credit’ in the gym for every time you pay for your membership/every time you scan your membership card at the front counter. You can then turn that ‘credit’ into TANKS classes, InBody Scans, Personal Training, Protein, new Boxing Gloves etc – whatever you want really!
Signing up really is simple – go to www.perkville.com , enter the same email address that you have registered at the gym and everything else is done for you.
Free stuff at the gym just for turning up? Sounds alright to me!
From the opening section – progression of the mile world record: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=4VsTU5Z-ays
See you in the gym!
Michael.
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