COMING SOON: CrossFit Strongman Course

TCS will be hosting and leading the CROSSFIT STRONGMAN COURSE on Saturday, October 21st 2017.

Having the privilege to host and lead these courses is something that we are very thankful for. We absolutely love introducing coaches and athletes to the basics of Strongman and helping them get past any preconceived notions of what Strongman is and who it's for. We also really enjoy helping attendees discover how to appropriately implement this fun and highly effective training method into their programming back home. 

The course is non-stop and action-packed. We do some lecturing and demoing of each movement, but then we provide y'all with more than enough time to practice and get very comfortable with the implements and the movements. We break down each primary movement into fundamental progressions then smooth out the steps until everyone is moving with quality and confidence. It doesn't take long - and really, that's the beauty of Strongman:

Strongman movements are the truest form of "functional training". This stuff is already hardwired in each of us and because, deep down in our genetics, we know this stuff, the learning is actually just remembering.

Now, I may be biased, but these courses are an absolute blast! In fact, one of the most common reviews we get after holding a SM Course is that it was the most fun the attendee has had at a certification. That's what we strive for - a fun, action-packed day of moving heavy stuff(with good technique) with a group of cool, supportive people to bring it all together.

If that sounds like something you or someone you know would enjoy, SIGN UP. If you have questions about the course, contact us. 

We hope to see you there!

Shannon's Strongman Day

Yesterday started out like most....but when it came time for my training session with Shannon, I was in for a real treat.

Shannon is tiny. She weighs 115lbs soaking wet and has not spent a ton of time in the gym, which is understandable since she is currently working towards her Ph.D. in something that this meathead is not going to attempt to re-communicate.

In either case, she knows that becoming strong and fit will help her in all areas of her life and that is how our training came to be. 

Now, we've been working together for about 2 months. We started out slow and really focused on laying a solid foundation of good mechanics and building strength. (This never stops being the priority, right?) We are now at a point that we can begin throwing doses of intensity into our workouts.......so logically, we went right to strongman movements to get that job done!

Why?

If you've been a subscriber to this blog for any reasonable amount of time, you have most likely read that "Strongman movements are not learned - they are remembered." This hardwiring that all humans come with sets up for being able to successfully navigate through life and the obstacles that come with it. The sad part is that most people forget how to lift, carry, throw, squat, run, push, pull - at least when it comes to dealing with actual, real-life scenarios where these abilities are required. The good news is, that we simply need to be reminded because it's already known. It's innate in all of us.

This is exactly why strongman movements and workouts are perfect for newbies! There's minimal teaching that occurs before he or she is rocking it with some appropriate intensity!

The really cool part of this is that it's FUN as hell to do and you'll see that  it lights people up with excitement! Not to mention it gives them a massive boost of confidence. All great things, right?! 

So whether you are a coach or an athlete, if you are not implementing strongman movements into your workouts, you are missing a massive piece of the puzzle. Strongman is real life. To not train these techniques means you're not training for your life. 

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If you're ready to remember how to move and operate in ways your life dictates, Travis County Strength will be hosting the CrossFit Strongman Trainer Course on January 31st. This is the best way to re-introduce these movements and concepts back into your life. I hope to see you there!

Saturday, JAN. 31st  

CF STRONGMAN TRAINER COURSE

 9 AM - 4:30 PM

REGISTER HERE

All The Cool Kids Are Doing It

Some of you probably tuned in to watch the 2014 CrossFit Invitational that took place last night, but I assume the majority of you did not. In either case, this post is because of one of the events that was thrown at the competitors last night.

The international team competition started out much like any other CrossFit event. Right off the bat, athletes had to perform 45 pullups and 45 thrusters as fast as possible. If you do the math, those are the same reps as "Fran", just done one movement at a time. Pretty nasty. Pure CrossFit. 

Next, select athletes took on the challenge of lifting as much weight as possible in the snatch and clean & jerk. This one was definitely a fun one to watch as some of the athletes were throwing around some serious weight and making it look like a cake-walk. 

Most notable was Rich Froning's 305 snatch......in Nanos! Stupid. 

In any case, the next challenge involved rowing for calories while your teammate held the top of a deadlift with some significant weight (275/405). If your partner dropped the barbell, the athlete on the rower had to stop until the bar was picked up again. Once the two-person team cleared this fun-fest, they traded reps on a (135/185) barbell power snatch. It stretched out for some time and was more involved than what I described, but you get the idea.

The last event of the night is the one that had me excited. Why? TIRE FLIPS!

That's right, the 4-person(2males/2females) teams had to break off into male/female couples and flip a 950lb tire in alternating fashion for the length of hockey rink. It was pretty badass to watch some of the very best CrossFitters in the world struggle with something that Travis County Strength athletes take on all the time!

Now, don't get me wrong. I am not saying that my athletes could have done the same workout any faster than the American team. All I'm saying is that this is proof that the strongman movements are absolutely scalable and can be performed by newbies as well as some of the best athletes in the world - and both will come out smoked!

SMOKED! Having to take some time to get their shit together for another flip.

This is exactly why I have such a passion for strongman and odd object training. It has a profound effect on athletes, but yet is so simple to coach and teach to new athletes. You've heard me say this before, but here it comes again......

Strongman movements are not learned....they are remembered. And because of this shit being hardwired in us, we get a massive return on our investment. Suffice it so say that strongman movements give you the biggest bang for your buck.

This beautiful idea was planted in my head when I attended my first CF Strongman Certification  course several years ago. Rob Orlando - the face and brain behind CF SM - stated a lot of things that made perfect sense to me, and has ever since.

That's why I'm so stoked to now be on his certification staff! I know have the awesome responsibility to share this badassery with others so that they, too, can implement these powerful tools, movements and ideas in their training and the training of their athletes. 

I mean, if the top CrossFit athletes in world are doing it more and more....don't you think that if you were to also implement strongman and odd object training (in a appropriate level for you) you might see some success and progress? 

I know you would. And not to mention the simple fact that this shit is FUN! Who doesn't want to flip a big, dirty tire, or learn to pick up an atlas stone? That shit is cool! The first step, however, is learning from those that have experience.

Here's your chance!

Saturday, Jan. 31st    
-   CROSSFIT STRONGMAN   - TRAINER COURSE
Travis County Strength  
9 AM - 4:30 PM

REGISTER HERE

Logs, Stones & Kegs Oh My!

If you've been following us for a while you already know about the love and admiration we have for the Strongman methodology.  In fact, it would be extremely rare for the coaches at TCS to exclude some sort of Strongman element from their workout.

Why do we love these movements and this method so much?

That's easy.  It all boils down to ROI - Return On Investment.  

Yes.....just like the big boys on Wall Street, we look for the most efficient and effective ways to get our job done.....in our case, our job is to get people moving well and building strength.  And, as the name implies, Strongman is at the very top of that list.

You see, the time and energy it takes a coach to teach the barbell snatch(and the athlete to perform the movement safely and proficiently) is tremendous.  The snatch is an outstanding movement used to develop speed, coordination, and power.  But, if I can teach a new athlete a keg clean or a stone shoulder that develops those very same characteristics....and do so in less time.....well, the answer is pretty clear.

The Strongman movements are all derived from natural human movement.  As we like to say at the CrossFit Strongman Certifications, "These movements aren't learned, they are remembered." That's important to understand.  These movements are exactly how we moved objects when we very young.  

But sometimes you need some help remembering, right?

That's were Coach Nick Mounce makes his entrance.  Nick loves the Strongman stuff!  A LOT!  So much so that he wanted to create a Strongman Seminar to help others discover the awesomeness that is Strongman and the potential these movements have to build tons of power, strength and speed.

His first seminar is taking place this Sunday at Travis County Strength from 10am-1130am and is open to the public.  The goal of this initial session is to dig in to the details of the Strongman Log, the Atlas Stone and the Keg - all extremely effective tools that build silly amounts of strength!  Proper technique and safety will be a priority while working through the skills and drills associated with each implement.

This seminar is a great opportunity to learn about some new movements in a small class setting (capped at 6).  We hope to see you there! 

REGISTER HERE