PECF News Letter
Hopefully these showers bring May Gainz! Here is what’s going on at PECF.
Staying current
If have not joined the ‘members corner’ group on Facebook, please be sure to do so! It is exclusive to PECF members. It is a great resource for sharing information, stories and anything community related.
The secret ‘big gainz’ sauce!
What truly manufactures success in fitness? Is it the equipment you use, the movements you do, or the programming?
The answer is having a very big why! If you have a strong purpose behind the sweat you are putting in, no amount of work is going to stop you. The ‘why’ is what is underneath the goals. Goals are important. They keep us motivated and on task. However, the goals have to be rooted in a ‘why’ that is intimately important to you in order to work.
“He/she who has a why can bear almost any how” – Friedrich Nietzsche (a really smart German dude/philosopher)
April PRs
Meet our new Trainers!
Welcome Drew Wagner and Kara Findley to our team!
Kara is a small town girl born and raised in Rippey, Iowa. She graduated from Northern Iowa with a bachelors in graphic design. She was working a desk job when she discovered crossfit in 2011. That is when she realized working with people in a fun, healthy gym environment was where her passion really was. She started coaching in 2015. Her favorite part about being a coach is helping people become the best version of themselves on all levels. She says being a coach is by far the most rewarding job she has ever had.
Outside of the gym Kara’s hobbies include spending time with her husband David, her dog Mona and the most recent (and by far the coolest) addition to the family, Emma. She is now 2 months old, loves to be outside and cant wait to start lifting weights! Kara and David look forward to taking Emma on hikes and family camping trips!
Drew (Coach Wags) is from Liberty, MO. He recently graduated from Missouri State University with a degree in Kinesiology and Biomedical Sciences. He became a trainer because of his passion for fitness and a desire to help others achieve their goals. He enjoys helping people improve themselves and live a more longer more enjoyable lives. His hobbies are fishing, hiking, going to the lake, basketball, and grilling.
Say Happy Birthday To:
Clay Henderson
Logan McNeely
Colleen Horwitz
Michelle Hanson
Randy Cartwright
Casey Koehler
Ryan Weldy
Aaron Fleener
Jennifer Nguyen
Stephanie Harvey
Greg Canuteson
David Rozak
Trainer blog
by Logan McNeely
T2B (Toes to Bar) Performance Tips:
Neither picture is a no-rep however one is more efficient than the other and both can be used in different scenarios.
The picture on the left is in a better position (depicted by the triangle/lines) for more efficiency and higher reps. This position might be harder if a person has tight hamstrings, lower back, and shoulders. Some points of performance that would help this position:
– push your shoulders and body back away from the bar (think push back)
– keep feet together
– big arch/hollow in the kip
– limited range of motion? Drive knees to chest then kick feet to bar
– For more advanced – this position can also allow for straighter leg kips allowing you to breathe and/or bent knee kips allowing you to get faster reps.
The picture on the right is not in a good position for efficiency, however when performing strict toes to bar this might be optimal. When moving slow, controlled, and without a kip you are now forced to contract the front of your core more by raising the height of your hips. Getting the shoulders further back is much harder hence rolling the truck is how we get the toes to the bar. Strict T2B and strict movements in general are easily overlooked but great tools for strength and technical development! Use this tool in training but never in a game-day scenario when asked to exercise for time.
A great tool we use to help efficiency and skill development is to practice slower and faster variations of T2B while putting something between the feet like a towel, knee sleeve, or folded piece of paper! If you have never performed a T2B before then first work on mastering the basics of the Hollow and Arch positions or Hollow to Arch Swings! Scaling a T2B can be as easy as shortening the range of motion (ROM) to a K2E (knee to elbow), K2C (knee to chest), and knee raises. All of these previous and scaling options have the opportunity for you to master the cadence of the hollow and arch positions. The better your technique is with these movements and positions will result in bigger sets and faster reps of T2B, even under fatigue!
Does your technique hold up under fatigue?
Events to look forward to:
Later this month we are celebrating memorial day CrossFit style with a hero WOD – Murph of course! Remember to sign up for either the 8:30 slot or the 9:30 slot prior to the day. The gym will be open at 8AM, so come in and get warmed-up. There will be a specific warm-up programmed on the white board that is tailored for priming your body for maximum performance.
Here are the scales for Murph
Rx: 1 mile run – 100 pull-ups, 200 pushups, 300 squats – 1 mile run. Pull-ups, pushups and squats can be partitioned as needed. (Yes that is the original Rx version of Murph!) Comp on this is with a 20 pound vest
Rx Plus: perform the pull-ups, pushups, and squats in order. No partitioning. Comp on this is with a 20 pound vest.
Scale 1. Murph sprint. 800 meter run – 50 pull-ups, 100 pushups, 150 squats – 800 meter run. Partition as needed
Scale 2. 1/4 Murph
The recommended time on this workout is under 1 hour! Pick a scale that will allow for this timeframe.
The big event of the year takes place Saturday June 24th. Mark your calendar for our second annual Summer Classic competition. We would love to have as many people in the PECF community involved as a supporter, competitor, or judge. We are in need of good judges, so let is know if you’d like to volunteer. It is a lot of fun!
Summer Shred Challenge with Taylor Dinyer
This challenge is a great opportunity for non members who are looking to embark on a new fitness journey. We are wanting to help people who are wanting to get back into working out and need that boost. This is a great opportunity for a serious lifestyle change. It is hosted by Taylor Dinyer. Taylor is a Certified Strength and Conditioning Specialist with a Masters in Exercise Science. This challenge is ALL INCLUSIVE, which means pre/post body comp assessments, nutrition counseling, and private training classes. Please pass this on to anyone ready to start their fitness journey.
Contact tdinyer@gmail.com for details.
That’s it for now! Let us know if you have any questions or requests. We are here to make your experience as great as possible. Thank you all for being so amazing!