REMEMBER RECESS?

Think back to your grade-school years. Do you remember the pure joy that came over you when you realized that recess was about to happen? You could be having the worst math class of your life and it would all be whisked away by 30mins of running around outside. It was magical.

Feeling the sun on your skin. Feeling the wind blow by as you ran from other kids trying to tag you. Feeling your heart beat and lungs sting as you played soccer with your friends. Man! Looking back, there was nothing better.

Do you remember the feeling of having to line back up to go back inside? Ugh. Terrible. Almost physically painful. I never wanted to step back inside to sit under the florescent lighting, but it was inevitable and necessary. But, the beauty of it all was that you could now address the next part of your day with a renewed energy and focus.

Adults and grade-schoolers are not all that different - some are more similar than others. We are all animals that require movement to remain vital. Stop moving and you start dying. That may seem extreme, but it is that simple.

Wingo living her best life while on her recess.

So I urge you (now an adult) to find your daily recess. Go for a walk. Join a cycling studio. Do yoga in a park. Take lunch and go to your martial arts class. Join a badass gym and move heavy things in useful ways. Whatever.

Find and take your recesses daily and notice the positive changes that are sure to follow.

ONE TO RULE THEM ALL

If you saw our last post, you know that we are going through a phase with the keg. We love this tool and we are trying to spread the word so that y’all can realize it’s value as well.

Look, if you didn’t see the last one, let me just catch you up. Kegs are awesome! They are cheap, weights are easy to adjust if you only have one, they are nearly indestructible, extremely versatile, great alternatives to atlas stones or strongman logs, and have a massive ROI.

One of the movements that can be done with a keg is called the Viper Press. We love this movement at TCS because it accomplishes several very valuable things in a short amount of time:

• It provides a stepping stone for how to deadlift properly.

• We can use this movement a a substitute for the strongman log, which tends to be more challenging for beginners.

• It teaches speed and power generation via the hips without having to discuss triple extension - it just happens.

• It is a full-body movement, but specifically builds the posterior chain and develops a lot of upper/mid back strength.

• It’s fun and easy to learn, allowing us as coaches to get people movin’n’groovin’ sooner!

In the video below, Coach Sean will walk you through the Viper Press while some handsome devil demos impeccable form. ; ) If after watching it, you still have technique questions, or you just need some help implementing this movement in your routine, please reach out to us! We would love to help you out.

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LOG CLEAN MECHANICS: TO HINGE OR SQUAT?

The Strongman Log seems to be one of the most underutilized pieces of SM equipment out there. I think that there are several reasons for this but mainly, it's un-weildly and intimidating to those that are uninitiated. Often, the athlete that is using the log for the first time will associate it to the barbell or even the KB Swing and end up frustrated when, time after time, the athlete misses reps. The truth is, the log is much more similar to the stone than the bar and should be approached in the same manner.

For those that don't really have much experience with either, let's break it down to some of the fundamental components: the hip hinge and the squat. 

In the video below, you'll learn (and see) the difference between what a log clean looks like when performed with a hip hinge and when it's performed with more of a squat-like action. You'll also hear some other basic cues along the way that will definitely make the learning process much more successful and fun - so pay attention to the details in the set up and demos.   

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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