Hey Everyone
Thanks so much to everyone who got along to the gym this past week – sessions have been absolutely crazy in the mornings in particular – and whilst we have seen the heat turn a few people away in the avo’s it’s been really exciting over the past few weeks as we’ve rolled out the ‘new/old’ boxing plans…a bit more focussed on the boxing, a little less cardio and trying to really amp up the mind-muscle connection stuff by really ‘instructor leading’ the class.
What do I mean by mind-muscle connection and why have we been trying so hard to reset the classes along those lines?
To put it simply, the mind-muscle connection means using a DELIBERATE and FOCUSSED movement – rather than a subconscious one – to perform an action. SO. When we make you ‘wait’ and call the combos one-at-a-time, you are forced to really concentrate and ‘explode’ into deliberate movement…which maximises the number of muscle fibres recruited and maximises the training benefits.
The pause between efforts – essentially turning off distractions and forcing you to wait for the starters gun – allows your brain to focus on the task at hand. Being essentially MADE to focus on one thing at really does help you maximise your training outcomes AND help you become more in tune with your body. Hopefully everyone is feeling the benefit of this increased focus and finishing their sessions both ENERGISED by the effort, thinking about HOW you could improve in the next session!
The year seems to be quickly coming to a close – my theory as most people know is that Perth starts winding down on December 1st and doesn’t fire up until Australia Day! – but stuff at Round 1 is accelerating at a RAPID rate.
This week alone we have the following happening.
#1: Annual 12-Days-of-Christmas Challenge
The 10th annual – and the challenge that ‘ISN’T’ a challenge. The 12-days-of-Christmas is all about being accountable to getting a ‘little bit’ done throughout December with the social calendar spiralling around you. 12x Classes between now and the end of the year, a couple of Christmas training circuits, some healthy habits to follow when you can…
Anyway – I love this challenge. $10 in, body scans if you want ‘em, staying on track over Chrissy…this is one I wouldn’t (and WONT) miss!
Sign-up here! (I’m weird I know but this is one challenge that I just can’t understand it when people DON’T participate…It’s simple, it’s ‘easy’ and it really does help keep you accountable during December…which is WIN-WIN-WIN. Anyway, jump on!).
#2: Boxing-ONLY Sessions: BoxFIT45 kicks off.
We’ve been talking about this for weeks…and this week we finally go live. We have a couple of 5am sessions (Tues/Thurs), a 7am session (Wednesday), a 9:15am session (Thurs), a 12pm Session (Monday) and alternating sessions at 5pm/6pm between Mon-Thurs each week…it’s gonna be F-U-N!
#3: New RULES
We have been staring at our ‘RULES BOARD’ for a while now. It pre-dates the opening of the strength gym and – in many ways – is representative of a different time in Round 1 history. The new board isn’t up yet (soon I promise) but it will have rules that apply to BOTH gym environments and we really do need everyone to follow them. The main changes in the rules can be summarised pretty simply:
-NO BOXING if you aren’t wearing Hand Wraps. (Been over this one a fair bit already – it’s all about YOUR safety and YOUR wrists.
-The gym is NOT a beach – Shoes, Shirt/Singlet and tights/shorts are compulsory for all sessions…so no crops and no bare feet!
#4: 5am Training Times
We have reset our Boxing start times each morning to 5am with all classes now 45-minutes. This is to enable the following:
-Pre-Class Demos EVERY SINGLE Day. This has been impossible with the 30minute sessions and it is so good to be able to start the class by running through the class/letting everyone know what they havve in store.
-Post-Class STRETCHING every day. Again – with the following class starting essentially BEFORE the one before finishes, this has been impossible.
Essentially this move is all about re-setting the gym to the pre-COVID plan, being consistent with pre-class demos and stretches (yes, I get it that YOU don’t need a demo but lot’s of people do) and generally ‘being better’…as someone who is there at 5am/5:30am/6am every day this is one move that is WELL overdue.
#5: 7pm Restructure.
Once upon a time, we used to run Boxing classes and ‘Body Work’ classes…but forever and a day ‘Body Work’ has turned a lot of people away as it’s ‘TOO HARD’. Don’t get me wrong – it’s awesome, but it’s also a real challenge and that in itself has limited appeal. For a long time now we have continued running Body Work at 7pm every night largely due to the patronage of 3x clients – Sean, Emer and Daniel – who could be relied upon to show up rain, hail or shine…BUT it’s gotten to the point where it is closer to personal training than a group session AND we simply have to see if maybe there is ‘something else’ that will have a broader appeal. So here goes:
-Monday Nights and Wednesday nights we will be running our class that comes with a ‘NO CARDIO’ promise – ‘FULLY LOADED’. This class is all about lifting – it has a hypertrophy focus and is there to help you get stronger and LOOK strong.
-Tuesday night will be all for the girls with our Ladies Lifting class. This will be a super simple session where we focus on the ‘BIG’ lifts – Back Squat, Deadlift, Bench Press and OH Press. It is all about adding a ‘little bit’ of weight every week (linear progression) and getting stronger whilst building confidence under a barbell.
-Thursday Night – BOYS CLUB. Thursday night is all about the buys – this is an off-shoot of our DAD-Bod program and is hypertrophy + cardio in the ‘fat loss’ zone. It’s a great session with one simple focus – lift some weights, do some ‘cardio for fat loss’…and talk a bit of smack to each other…
I kinda (though I reckon Tracey will give me a list of everything I’ve forgotten) think that’s it. I know I said that Perth wound down from the start of December…but it really does feel like we have been FLYING into this month. I know for me, I’m doing the challenge, I’m pretty fired up for the new BoxFIT45 sessions AND I’m looking forward to jumping into a Boys Club class (or two) during December…Let’s GO!
See you in the gym,
Michael.
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