Hey Team,

Hope you’re all having a great week.  Apologies for the ‘extra’ blog post this week…as I have mentioned to a few people I have been writing a heap lately – I guess I have a bit to say about the challenge AND (of course) the upcoming Peak Performance class.

As a gym owner, I’ve always strived to create programs that truly serve our members. Over the last 14 years (rising 15 if you can believe that!!) I think we’ve built something special at Round 1 Fitness. Programs and programs like BoxPlus and Functional Fitness have become cornerstones of what we do – helping countless people achieve their goals whether that’s getting stronger, fitter, or simply feeling better.

But here’s the thing: after all this time I’ve realized that standing still isn’t an option. Sometimes, the one thing I can’t do is nothing. That’s how Peak Performance came to life—not because it’s perfect, but because we need to keep evolving, trying new things, and learning as we go.  I know launching something new is a risk. It’s nerve-wracking, to be honest. There’s always that little voice in the back of my mind, asking, “What if this takes away from everything we’ve worked so hard to build? What if it’s not quite right?”

But here’s what I’ve come to believe: perfection isn’t the goal—action is. Peak Performance may not be a polished, finished product on day one, and that’s okay. What matters is that we’re trying something different, taking the first steps, and letting the program evolve through action. I don’t have all the answers right now, but I know we’ll find them along the way.

Peak Performance is an opportunity to offer something new, a dynamic blend of strength and conditioning without the strict progression of Functional Fitness. It’s designed for people who want to move, sweat, and push themselves without the pressure of tracking every lift or rep. And while it’s different, it’s not meant to take anything away from the core programs we’ve built together over the years.

To make it even easier for members to flow between the two programs, we’re working to align the strength gym streams. For example, if we’re focusing on Front Squats on Tuesday in Functional Fitness, then Peak Performance will also feature Front Squats that day. While the structure might differ—Functional Fitness could be a structured 5×5 plan, whereas Peak Performance might focus on 4×12—we’ll aim to keep the core lifts the same. This way, you can jump between programs without feeling out of sync with your strength training.

Here’s a sneak peek at what Peak Performance sessions might look like:

Sample Plan 1:

• Warm-up Challenge (10 minutes): 1000m Row + 100 Kettlebell Swings (pairs)
• Circuit (30-minutes):
  1. Strength:  15x Bench Press
  2. Strength:  15x Deadlifts
  3. Cardio:  200m Sprint
  4. Strength:  15x Barbell Squats
  5. Conditioning:  15x Hanging Knee Raises
  6. Conditioning:  20x Sit-ups
  7. Conditioning:  10/10 Dumbbell Snatches
  8. Isometrics:  Wall Sit
• Finisher (10 minutes): Partner Kettlebell Farmers Carry – 3x 200m

Sample Plan 2:

• Warm-up Challenge (10 minutes): 1500m Ski Erg + 100 Box Jumps (pairs)
• Circuit (30 minutes):
  1. Strength:  3×8 Push Press
  2. Conditioning:  Kettlebell Circuit [10/10x Bulgarian Split Squats, 10/10x Clean and Press, 10/10x KB Woodchops]
  3. Cardio:  400m Run + Active Bridge
  4. Cardio:  50x Calorie Bike Challenge + 20x Wall Ball Shots
  5. Core:  Ab Circuit:  [15x Russian Twists, 15x Knees to Elbows, 10x Ab Wheel Roll-outs – Restart]
  6. Strength:  3×8 Barbell Hip Thrusts
• Finisher (10 minutes): Team challenge – Max Calories in 5 minutes (Bike + Rower)

Now – there are a few variables / nuances I have left out of the above session plans (basically, they have to be coached and some will be transition on time, others on reps etc) but hopefully there is enough there for you get the basic picture.  We are going to use the strength gym to the fullest – for strength work, for conditioning sets, for cardio…and I think you all know that in terms of capacity there is 500m2 of space and an absolute MOUNTAIN of equipment available for us.  We’re not going to be hiding in a corner and limiting what is possible…

I guess what it all comes down too it is:  Trying something new—even if it’s not perfect—is better than standing still. That’s the heart of Peak Performance. It’s about taking action, learning, and growing as we go. We’ll refine it, improve it, and make it better with every session.

So here’s to Peak Performance. It’s something new, something exciting, and something that I believe will evolve into something great. I’m ready to take the leap—and I hope you are too.  November 4th is ‘Go-Time’…and if you’ve been enjoying Friday Night Lights, well, what you have really been enjoying is a sneak peak of ‘Peak Performance’!

See you in the gym!
Michael,