Month: January 2020

This is a great article that might inspire some of the men in your life to get to the gym and find the weights, better yet, come join the fun in a Fit for Life class!

A new study, which was published in the January issue of the Journal of Epidemiology and Community Health, an international group of scientists interested in muscle health and sarcopenia decided to track people’s muscles and heart health as they moved through middle age.

The big news  is for men, having relatively large amounts of muscle early in middle age reduces the risk of heart disease in later life by 81 percent.

But the overall message of recent research, is that “muscle-mass preservation, through physical exercise and an active lifestyle,” is probably key to protecting middle-aged hearts, especially for men, and provides another compelling reason to visit the gym or fit in a push-up or 10 today.

For the full article in the New York Times click here.

Strength Focus

Complete 4 sets of:

A) Banded Bench Press 6 reps

B) Bird Dog Row 6 reps each side

Conditioning Workout

12 minutes of

3 push ups

6 ring rows

9 KB swings

12 squats

1 lap

Strength Focus
Every 2 minutes (18 Minutes) 3 sets each
a) Goblet squats  10
b) Barbell Row     8
c) Glute Bridge    10

Conditioning Workout
Complete 3 rounds of
250m row
10 Step ups
10 Dumbbell Thrusters

So this lady is strong and getting stronger everyday!!  She shared with me today that she beat her 26 year old grand daughter in an arm wrestle on the weekend!!  Way to go Jane!!

Today’s Strength Work:

4 sets of
a) Ring Rows  8 reps
b) Single Leg Step ups 10 each side

Conditioning Workout
Complete 2 rounds
10 air squats
8 KB swings
6 step ups
4 ring rows
6 shoulder to over head
8 Mountain Climbers
10 Air Squats

Wishing Jane Moysey a very Happy Birthday – to help celebrate we had a special “Girl Friend” workout for her and her close friends.  They worked hard and had such fun!

Lots for great work happened this past week in the gym!  So many bright spots I just have to share!

Pat was determined on the prowler push this week – she pushed it on the black floor, added some weights, and challenged herself with a low bar push, and she did it!!

Carol Ann and Dorothy hit some big numbers on their Goblet Squats!  Way to go everyone!!

Now for todays program:

The Drinking Bird – Pictures say a thousand words!

Think of the drinking bird for all “hip hinge” movements (good mornings, kettlebell swings, deadlifts etc.).  Throughout the movement the spine should be held in a neutral position.

This looks similar to the drinking bird toy.  There should be as little deviation from neutral in the lumbar, thoracic and cervical sections of the spine as possible.

Strength Focus
5 sets of each
a) Deadlifts 5 reps
b) Pallof Press 6 each side

Conditioning Workout
 5 rounds at a steady pace, resting as needed
8 deadlifts
16 Banded Dead Bug
20 Air Squats

The gut is sometimes referred to as the bodies second brain.  Want to learn more about your gut health?  Check out this event!  Mark your calendars and visit http://www.collingwoodpubliclibrary.ca to register.  Our guts and what we put into our bodies everyday impact us more than we realize.

Today’s Work

Strength Focus
Every 3 minutes, for 15 minutes
6 goblet squats – progressively load to RPE of 7-8/10

Conditioning Workout
Working with a partner with one kettlebell.  One person completes as many of the “KB complex” as they can, then switch partners.  When handing off the KB, you must complete one lap of the gym.

Partners must compete a total of 24 rounds of the KB Complex – use poker chips to count!

KB Complex
4 KB swing
3 Goblet squats
2 push press

Exercise Helps Us Embrace Every Stage of Life

Are you worried about getting older? Replace that anxiety with positive thinking and it will add years to your life – 7.5 years, according to aging expert Amy Gorely, who has launched an anti-ageism campaign called “Be Bold, Claim Old.”

Instead of being bummed out about lost youth or worried about what might happen later, we should celebrate every age of life, Amy says. Exercise plays a key role, and working out is one of the sure-fire ways to improve your mood and light up your smile.

“What’s good for the body is also good for the mind,” she says. Exercise fights cognitive decline and helps improve focus, mood, memory and other issues often lumped in with “getting old.”

Every time you exercise, you’re not just helping yourself: You’re blasting ageist stereotypes and maybe even inspiring others.

Today’s Work – Strength Focus
More X-over symmetry bands!

Complete 2 set of 10 reps of each:

A) Pull Apart – Reverse Fly
B) Chest Press – Bear Hug
C) Row

Conditioning Workout
Working for 10 minutes, complete as many rounds and reps as possible.  Rest as needed.

5 push-ups to box
10 ring row
15 squats

Strength Focus

4 to 5 rounds of
A) Sled
B) Prowler
C) Dumbbell March

Conditioning Workout

3 Rounds of
30 KB Swing
30 step ups
rest 1minute

The National Ski Academy

Ever wanted to know a bit more about the gym where you train?  Well when the reporter from Collingwood Today came to learn about  Project Strong and the Fit for Life group classes, she was very intrigued to learn more about the National Ski Academy as well.

Check out her recent article on the School that came out late last week:

https://www.collingwoodtoday.ca/bold/top-competitors-balance-education-and-sport-at-canadas-only-ski-academy-2024614

This week’s class Schedule:

Some of you were not sure about the class schedule for this week, so here is it again

Monday January 20
9:00-10:00am at the National Ski Academy
10:45-11:45am at Crossfit Indestri

Please note the start times for Thursday and Friday are 10:30am this week, not 10:00am.

When in doubt, always check the Class Schedule page on the website.

Today’s Work:

Strength Focus
Today we will be doing some upper body work with some new equipment (Crossover symmetry bands).  The work will be focusing on Vertical Plane Pressing and Pulling.

Complete 3 sets of 10 of each:
A) Scaption
B) Pull Down
C) Incline Press

Conditioning Workout
Every 3 minutes, for 4 rounds
1 lap
8 Shoulder to Overhead
2 Burpees
Rest

I just wanted to take moment to share with everyone some of the results class participants are achieving.

One of my favourite accomplishments came from Ward Fowler.  Ward started the Fit for Life classes late this past summer with the goal of getting back on his skis this winter.  I was incredibly pleased to hear he has been back out on the slopes under the watchful eye of his wife Lou!

Also last week Allan and Rae both hit some big numbers on their barbell deadlifts.  Allan lifted 135 lbs for 6 reps and Rae lifted 125 lbs for 6 reps!

When we consistently come to class each week, we can achieve some big results!  I see so many great things happening with all of you every time you come to class and I am so proud of each and everyone of you!

Strength Focus

Barbell Sumo Deadlift
5 sets of 5 reps

Conditioning Workout
Working for 10 minutes, complete as many rounds and reps as possible resting as needed:

Bear crawl
10 Pull A-parts
10 step ups
10 sumo Deadlift
10 wallballs