The Man Who Lost His Body

One of my last required Kinesiology classes that I am taking here at UMASS is Motor Control. In this class, we learn the ins and outs of how the muscles, neurons, and brain are all connected in our daily function. My lab instructor played this video clip for us from a documentary before furthering our lesson. The full documentary is called “The Man Who Lost His Body.” I can not make you watch this short clip, but I will say you would not regret it. I ask that you to at least think about these questions: How often do you think about being able to roll over and get out of bed when you wake up? To be able to put your socks on, pour your coffee directly into its cup, and walk out the front door into your car? For many of us, the answer is never. Proprioception is so normal to our development that we don’t even realize we have it. This clip shows how the everyday motions we go through without batting an eye, this man has to consciously think about. And I mean every...single….little movement he has to think about. The determination and time that this man exemplifies is remarkable. The next time you complain about having to get out of bed or go for a workout, consider yourself lucky enough that those are even options. Take care of your body and treat it right simply because you are able to. Make your body your machine. I’d say he did. 

Do you hurt?

How's your posture?  No seriously, how's your posture at this very moment?  Do you even know what "good" posture is at this point in your life?  Maybe you have an idea as your CPC coaches have brainwashed you to knowing what proper form is: engage your abdominals, shoulders in your back pockets, apples not applesauce, hips in line with shoulders, rib cage back - sound familiar?  Chances are however, without the constant reminder from your coaches and trainers, you have forgotten what perfect posture looks and feels like; especially if you are a female who has gone though pregnancy, someone who has suffered an injury, or an golfer. 

I happen to fall in two of the three categories: once pregnant, now recovering from a shoulder/neck injury.  As a trained ballet and contemporary dancer a 30-45 minute ballet barre "warm up" and "stretch", 3-4 times a week, was the norm for me from ages 8-25. I was able to extend (arch) my back until my shoulders were just about level with my hips, or extend my leg behind me so that it was higher than hip height (for you dancers who are reading this you know what I'm talking about).  Well, the only part of your body; joint or muscle, gaining mobility during pregnancy is your hips - you can kiss that beautiful back extension goodbye unless you continue to stretch during and after pregnancy, or during and after injury, EVERY DAY - yes, EVERY DAY.

Having suffered an injury last fall, I have had to decrease my level of intensity when exercising or teaching group fitness, modify certain movements so that I could actually wake up the next morning and be able to lift my right arm, or look over my right shoulder.  As a matter of fact, I took a break (almost) completely from teaching and exercising for about two months - it wasn't easy stepping away from doing something that I did six to seven times per week (sometimes twice a day) for the last five years. I hated it in fact, but I took the time to step outside the dance and group fitness box to educate myself further of the importance of flexibility and mobility.  I now rely on other resources to maintain and improve my mobility like yoga, centergy and trigger point therapy, which has also become an important piece of programming for my clients. 

For you golfers out there, posture is the foundation of your golf swing.  Any exercises that involves flexibility, range of motion or core strength will help improve your swing mechanics. I urge you to find the time NOW and during golf season, to stretch, whether its a yoga class, one on one training with myself, or dedicating time to foam roll, as it is a critical part in increasing your range of motion, improving flexibility ensuring more speed and power and minimizing muscle soreness.

It didn't happen by accident.

I wanted to take a few minutes to talk about classes, more specifically how they are set up and put together.  I could be reiterating what may have been posted in old blogs but whatever, I want to bring it up again because, well, we all take classes be it at CPC or other places.  

First off I’ll just share a quick story that I’ll never forget, this happened shortly after we had opened about 5 years ago.  I don’t remember the person specifically but I remember how the conversation went, it was something like this.  

Person “Mike that was a great class, thanks, that was tough!”  

Me “Thanks (person), glad you liked it”  

Person “Where do you come up with some of these exercises and how do you put them together into a workout like that?  You guys probably have a book right that you print things from?” 

Me “No, there’s no book, we don’t print anything, all of the workouts that we come up with are our own material.  We write every program/class, we plan out the exercises, the timing, the reps, how much rest, all that stuff.”  

Person “Wow, I didn’t realize that!” 

I don’t remember what my response was after that but you get the point of the conversation……we write our own shit!

With the exception of a few classes, namely the TRX Premiere classes which we have the rights to teach, all of the programming that is presented to you and that you go through each day that you are here comes directly from that coaches brain.  Part of what a lot of people don’t realize that makes CPC so different is that there is a lot that goes on behind the scenes that people don’t see or know about.  We work tirelessly to make sure what is presented to a subscriber within the 30 or 60 minutes seems flawless and effortless. What isn't known is that it can take upwards of 30+ minutes to really put together a good program/class together. Multiply that by however many classes a coach instructs in a week and add that to what is methodically written for each personal client program. Yeah, that’s a pretty good amount of prep to be this good. Trust me, I wish sometimes that CPC printed shit from a book, less work sounds awesome but then the class isn't really MINE anymore! 

With that being said, one of the really tough parts of putting together a great class is the set up.  The actual program (what you have to accomplish) can be pretty easy, what’s tough is the logistics of laying it all out and making sure that it flows well.  Where should I put the rower?  Where should the ropes go?  I have the kettle bells over here, so the RIP’s should go over there so that when we switch they can go right into the slam balls, but will that leave enough room for the slosh pipes?  YES, this is what we go through EVERY time we write out a class. It’s not easy and there are times we misjudge. Those moments are very noticed in here because we try to make sure they're RARE. 

Geoff and myself have been here since the beginning so the space is what we know, it’s what we are used to, we’ve grown as the facility has and adjusted our programs along the way.  I wouldn’t say that it’s easy for us to put together programs, it can still be tricky sometimes and we mess things up a little from time to time, but for someone new like Lana, Amber, or even back when Sarah first started, it can be tricky to program around the space that is available to us and get used to it. It takes time and thought to plan this stuff out, and yes as with anything it gets easier as you go but it’s still work. And all of this is the very reason we stress that signing up in advance is so critical. It makes the effectiveness of the class and the quality of the experience what you have come to expect and pay for.  

With so much work, detail, planning, and coordinating going into these programs, if everything doesn’t work out as planned or something gets messed up it can be frustrating.  For instance if the music isn’t playing right, you don’t have all of the equipment you thought you would, or something breaks this can totally throw things off.  But the “show” must go on, you make adjustments, stick with the plan, and keep things layed out as best you can.  Similarly classes are planned for a reason, to try to avoid or easily adjust to the afore mentioned scenarios, obviously to give you a kick ass experience but also to keep other people safe, account for equipment availability, amount of equipment, number of people, space needed or space that just may not be available, and many more.  Next time you walk into a class whether it’s here or someplace on the west coast, take a look around and think of and appreciate the amount of work, planning, and set up that went into it……don’t move that mat!  It’s not there by accident, and I'll bet you'll know when you experience a class that was printed out of a book.

Character. Leadership.

Character. Leadership.

I know almost all of you watched the Super Bowl on Sunday. Most of you for the game itself, maybe some to watch the commercials, and most to get together with friends and eat awesome greasy food. One thing I bet most of you did not watch is the post-game press conferences for both the winning and losing team. In this case the post-game press conference I want to reference came from the NFL MVP Cam Newton. Cam Newton has been exuberant and charismatic all season long as his team put together a 15-1 regular season and cruised into the Super Bowl game with two more easy wins. The post-game press conference after the Super Bowl showed a much different Cam Newton. He showed up with a hoody on (hood up), instead of his usual flashy garb, and was short with reporters until he eventually cut the conference short and walked off the stage. 

Now, I am not trying to judge or tell you anything about Cam Newton the person or athlete, in fact I don’t really care at all, he has zero effect on my life or any of ours. However it is a great example to use when talking about leadership and character. Is this how a leader of a team should act when things go wrong? 

This brings me to my point. It’s easy to be a leader when things are going well. It’s easy to show good character when everything is going the way you want it to. True leadership is being there and leading when things aren’t going your way, when everything looks lost. That is when a leader will step up. Character is no different, how a person deals with winning and losing reveals their true character.

All of us can learn from this, whether you are a parent, an athlete, a coach, a supervisor, or a business owner. A true leader shows his best character when times get the toughest. A person of high character will not make excuses for failures and mistakes. A leader is unselfish and does not draw attention to themselves, especially at the expense of others. He/she is respected, and counted on by his teammates. 

Cam Newton is a good example, when things are going well; elaborate touchdown dances, taunting and showboating seem to be the norm. When things go bad like the Super Bowl, pouting, blame and walking out on his press conference. Is wearing custom gold cleats with the letters MVP a way of putting your team first, or is it a way of attracting attention and putting yourself above the team. How would Tom Brady react differently, or Derek Jeter? Let’s talk about Peyton Manning for a second. Two years ago his team was on the losing side of the most lopsided game in Super Bowl history (watch his post-game press conference). Flash forward two years…Super Bowl champions. No, he certainly does not have the athletic talent he did two years ago, and may be the worst statistical quarterback in the league, but that right there should tell you a lot about Peyton Manning’s character and his ability to lead. When the game was over and the press wanted to make the game about Peyton Manning’s retirement, he respectfully put the attention back on his teammates and coaches. Peyton Manning the leader, not the quarterback led the Denver Broncos to the victory. If that’s not enough to convince you read this (http://espn.go.com/nfl/story/_/id/14738278/peyton-manning-path-super-bowl-goes-practice-squad) or this (http://sports.yahoo.com/news/peyton-manning-leaves-crushing-super-bowl-loss-with-reputation-intact-065205260.html).

Again, my purpose of this is not to bash Cam Newton or praise Peyton Manning. I am writing this to lay out what true leadership and having great character really looks like. It is not always about talent or even being the most liked. It is about being someone your teammates look up to and being that person your team depends on to carry them no matter the highs and lows. Are you a Cam Newton or a Peyton Manning??

Effort & Respect. Give Both.

It's Friday morning February 5th. You're reading the final product almost a week later. No, I'm not that good and that on top of my to-do list that I'm spending my morning writing my blog for next week. I'm writing my blog for next week because I'm pissed. I get more pissed as the morning goes on. I drove home in the snow to walk the dog pissed. Not a wise thing to do.

What could have set me off? I try to stay level headed. I put anger and frustration into my workouts and curb any vocal outbursts as much as possible. When I'm lucky enough to take Friday Morning Mash Up, my body typically feels empty, but I know I can draw from others and find what I need to get through the class. Today, however, it was exceptionally quiet. I don't know why it bothered me, but it did. Maybe it was the athlete in me from days long ago knowing I could look to the right and left of me see shared suffering but rally around. Encouragement, support, and camaraderie got my teammates and me through the most challenging of workouts. This Friday, in a partner based workout, with the volume of the music low what did I hear? Heavy breathing? Sure. Clanging weight? Yes. Encouraging words? Nope. Nothing. The athlete, the former coach, the employee of CPC, the class attendee looking for a way to get through a tough workout had had enough. I had to say something, to which, the response was laughter.

Laughter? Huh. I would have expected...better yet I'll rephrase...I would have hoped for a rally. A realization that the room was dead quiet, the energy level was flat, and we were only 15mins into class. Instead, for reasons I can only guess at, I got laughter. I got jokes about being nagged enough at home. I got excuses not results.

More of the same at the end of class, but, this time, no one had trouble responding to my outburst halfway through class. No one had trouble "foam rolling" making it seem like they were sooooo exhausted from yet another tough class and comparing me to spouses at home (but just wives) who ask for more of this or more of that. HERE is where I get pissed. It's right HERE that I turn into the angry red emoji face. As a strong, independent, woman who can hold her own and has absolutely no problem toeing the line and asking the men in class to do the same I was compared to a nagging house-wife. Nice. Thanks for that.

I'm not writing this to step up on the feminist soapbox or to imply I want an apology. Far from it. I'm writing this because the same damn thing keeps happening. Subscribers walk in the door with high expectations for the best. We do our damnedest to deliver. We program, cue, play DJ, set up, break down, and ask for more out of each of you. That's our job. That's my job. Whether I'm taking a class with you side by side, or the one holding the clipboard, I'm still going to ask for more. I'm not your wife creating a "Honey Do List". While I am a woman I am also an athlete, a competitor, and a coach wanting to get the most and the best out of the people around me. I want that in return. Hold yourself to a higher standard. Find your limit and go past it. Support the others around you that are struggling and for godsakes bring something to the table on Friday.

SK

Don't get fooled by flash

Not too long ago I walked into a William Sonoma and was taken back from it. The organizational design, the clean lines and all the STUFF! How cool everything was and is. There are 11+ different kinds of rubber spoons, the numerous kinds of spatulas, the espresso machines, waffle makers, small stackable containers for various salts and spices and the knifes… man those knifes are beautiful! Then it hit me. There is such a correlation between walking into a well laid out William Sonoma and a performance center.

 

 

You may have all the beautiful expensive toys, gadgets and flatware but can you even fucking cook? I mean seriously? Do you really need any of that? You use the torch for Crème Brule’ or do you just like that you have it? What have you done, read, watched or practiced to become a better cook or dare I say, chef?

 

Take this to our industry (fitness). When someone walks into CPC it does NOT sell itself. Granted this place has come a long way over the years but no one is to be fooled – we put lipstick on a pig.

 

However, I know we know our shit. When it comes to movement execution, the ques and corrective exercise to reinforce proper movement and developing an exercise program specific to the individual and or program we have that on lock down. ½ kneeling posture, neutral pelvis, feed-back vs. feed-forward, anatomy, myofascial techniques, sports specificity, rehabilitate, sets, reps, rest, volume and load. Ya, we get it. Do I think we’re the best? No, but we are striving, clawing and pushing every day to be the best.

 

Spending money on advertisement doesn’t work for us. It never will. We tried. We just have to focus on our craft. On our recipes and making them perfect. The money we could spend in advertisement was reallocated 3 years ago to further enhance our continuing education line item. Everyone on staff gets an annual continuing education budget and they HAVE to use it. It’s a mandatory requirement that you push to be better every day.

“Be undeniably good. No marketing effort or social media buzzword can be a substitute for that.”

–Anthony Volodkin

Will we build this BRAND to one day have a space that looks like above? Yes! We are putting money aside to make our move with the necessary 20% down but a space like this will not come cheap!! It has nothing to do with what’s inside and how many square feet of turf we use. It’s who’s inside and what they are creating and sharing with their consumer/subscriber. It's the amount we will invest in our knowledge, the standard we will hold everyone too that will join this team and number of hours we will dedicate to creating programs you know you can't get anywhere else.

We are in the grind every day. I push myself day in and day out so that I NEVER have to look back and ask “what if”. I will know with absolute certainty I left it out there. I told this team at CPC to that standard and they know it. I don't want something to be right I want it to be perfect. Some may make the statement that perfection is the enemy of good and I will agree with you there. That does not mean for a split second that is where you place your expectations. If you're not in it to be perfect than don't share this kitchen with me.

"Don't tell me the sky's the limit when they put f*ckers on the moon!"

- Mr. 305

 

When and if I ever believe CPC is the best. IF that day comes when I feel like we made it I can guarantee you this – I will never push my team harder or with fiercer intensity. No one likes 2^nd place. I hate being here now and once we make our move we're not coming back here. 

Not this day.

 

Not any day.

~Sully

 

Goals and reality

Spring semester is in full swing and my New Years vow of putting pencil to paper and planning out my daily tasks is already being tested. It's time to fight back those lethargic thoughts and take more control of my daily life. It's important to start this rebuilding process with a strong foundation and thanks to SK, I learned about the Passion Planner.

The founder of Passion Planner, Angelia Trinidad started the company after she felt lost about where to direct her passions after college. So Angelia created a tool that helped people clearly define their personal goals and dreams and put them at the forefront of their attention. My passion planner has become a powerful tool for my week to week organization and goals, but my favorite part about it is the positive quotes that start each new week. Use this week's quote as a source of inspiration to take more control of your time and perform efficiently.

 

“Live in the now.

Too often do we worry about the future or regret something that we have done in the past. This week focus your time and energy on things you can control in the present moment.”

Routine is a very good thing to make our days efficient. Repetition of tasks allow us to perform them faster but when we develop bad habits and those bad habits start to become the routine, it's very hard to fix. Since the semester has started my days consist of a very repetitive cycle; class, practice, homework, sleep and repeat. After the daily pattern has been practiced for a few weeks the process of events becomes easy to complete. This is the point I need to look back at each week and understand the times I could have capitalized on changing my mindset and pushed myself more physically or mentally. Do not put yourself in a position to look back and wished you had done something. By pushing yourself to explore daily boundaries you can help to discover a happier journey to your future. We are not in control of the past or our future, only the time we are given in that moment. It cannot be argued our past affects the future but we need to stop living for the unknown. Crush the now.

My last semester at UMass also means my last lacrosse season. With games quickly approaching, team and individual meetings have been in full swing as well. These meetings specifically force us to ask ourselves what kind of team we are and the character we each possess. When faced with these questions it forces you to search for an answer and when I start to search I remember my New Years vow; crush the now. I can confidently answer that when personal or team problems arise I will have patience to do exactly that. Complacency is a dangerous mindset. It is just as contagious as excuses and an easier route than hard work. If someone becomes okay with where they are at, nothing will change. They will not improve nor will their abilities be challenged. It doesn’t matter how high up on the chain you are. If your job on a team is to be the best bench warmer the division has seen, you better be the loudest teammate on that sideline. I know this season, my focus will be to push my teammates and myself in every aspect that is presented each day. No matter what the circumstances, a role is a role so you might as well capitalize it day by day. Never be okay with settling or wishing you had worked harder in practice, for studying on a test, or given a better presentation at work, make it happen. Focus on the now and what is in your control.

Around this time many New year's resolutions start to take the back burner (luckily for those of us who actually workout year round, the gym here is already 70% less crowded than the beginning of January). The Passion Planner quote is a good reminder to keep up with your own New Year's resolution that you set for yourself. Do not think back to last years failures, do not get comfortable with where you are now, do not be okay with pushing your goals aside. It isn’t just a promise for January or an excuse for “I’ll do better next year.” Whatever goal you set for yourself, it is important to maintain and crush it. Bring the enthusiasm to your specific goal for the entire year. Knowing myself and occasionally having been one of those people to get caught up in routine, I decided to tailor my resolution for living in the now. Instead of coming up with some lame idea I knew I would end up pushing aside, I adjusted mine more directly to a monthly resolution. At the beginning of each month I will look at what is going on in my life and decide what needs the most work, time, or change. I will write it down in my planner so I do not lose sight of my goal. The focus will be a shorter time span so that I can upkeep my ambition towards it. I encourage you to crush whatever it is you are facing this year. As the quote said before, “focus your time and energy on things you can control in this moment.” It will leave you much more optimistic and self fulfilled than letting yourself down time and again. Today is as good as any to go out and get it.

Jam On It

If you have been with CPC for a while or even since the beginning you know what type of musical evolution we've gone through.  We started with a home speaker system that was meant more to play jazz standards while you entertained a lovely dinner party (www.youtube.com/watch?v=RPfFhfSuUZ4&list=PL8F6B0753B2CCA128) than to pump out the latest track from Swedish House Mafia (www.youtube.com/watch?v=PkQ5rEJaTmk).
We then "upgraded" to some larger home speakers and various receivers, all configured in such a way that I think we could of gotten jobs with NASA running wires and cables on rockets.  Geoff and I have put countless holes in walls, stripped more wire ends than my knuckles would like to admit, used enough electrical tape to keep Rocky's in business for a year, zipped so many zip ties that......well.....let's just say we used a lot of those damn things too.

Yeah, believe me, we thought about it......mobile Bootcamps!

Through all of the rigged up sound systems and "technical difficulties" we've had with playing music we have finally landed on something that works, and works WELL!  My point isn't to sell you on how great SONOS is and have you run out and buy your own (even though you should), it's actually to talk/ask about music and more specifically music selection during a work out.  

I'm curious what most CPC subscribers think about our music selection.  I think that we play a pretty balanced and appropriate mix of tunes that are applicable to the specific audience that may be in the room at that time.  But I could be wrong, am I?  What do you listen to when you workout outside of CPC, out on a run, or on vacation?  

I'd really like to know good or bad.  If there are things that you like awesome if there is stuff that you think should go, ok, I won't guarantee that any solid changes will be made but I am curious what people think and what people listen to in general regardless of workout or where you are working out.

Are you a hardcore rocker?  www.youtube.com/watch?v=If9VmBlp82c

More funky and hip/hop?  www.youtube.com/watch?v=4vaN01VLYSQ

Country bumpkin?  www.youtube.com/watch?v=e4Ao-iNPPUc

Or do you like dancing on the ceiling?  www.youtube.com/watch?v=OdQDXs75Ulo

Either way.....let me know!

-MS

Do Not Be Afraid To Fail

“If you don’t try at anything, you can’t fail…it takes backbone to lead the life you want.” -- Richard Yates

What does failure mean to you? Are you afraid of it, does it make you think twice about taking chances? Do you let it get you down or does it motivate you? Think of the last time you failed at something and then think about how you handled it?

Failure is, by definition is: "the lack of success in doing or achieving something; a person or thing that is not successful". Over the past couple of years, and especially this past year, I have been trying to work on how to handle failure. Not only how to manage failure, but how to tackle it and not be afraid of the outcome. Failure to me has a much different definition in life than it does in the dictionary. It has two meanings.

First, I do not agree a person who is unsuccessful is a failure; a failure is someone who doesn’t take the chance to be successful. If you are willing to dare, take the risk, and if it turns out to be unsuccessful, you are not a failure. If you try and fail; good, you either learned what not to do or are that much closer to success.

Secondly, failure is how you handle being unsuccessful. If you are unsuccessful but learned from the experience and let it motivate you, were you a failure? No. Are you a failure if being unsuccessful leads to sulking, quitting and not learning? Yes.

The most successful people in this world are often those who fail the most. Why, because they learn from their failures. They turn their failures into stepping stones to success. Let failure motivate you to be better. At the end of the day would you rather wonder what if, or know that you were unsuccessful and needed to work harder tomorrow to achieve your goals.

This goes for anything in life; sports, business, relationships, and school. Take a chance, it is worth the risk. Do not let being unsuccessful deter you from trying something new or pursuing your goals. Learn from each experience, let it teach you a lesson and move on. Do not sit around afraid of failing.

I have had to improve these qualities myself. I haven’t always been a person who was willing to take the leap and risk failure. However, I have gotten to a point in my life where I do not want to ask “what if” anymore. I have seen some of my failures turn into successes and lead me to where I am today. It has made me a better person, friend, and coach.

To subscribers, athletes, coaches and anyone else reading this: do not be afraid to compete and lose. Competition is awesome; you have to be willing to leave it all out there to get better. If you lose then you know, you have to work harder and learn from your mistakes. One of the quickest ways to become a loser is to want to win so badly that you are afraid to lose. Don’t use up your energy worrying about failing. Put the energy towards the effort needed to be successful.

My challenge to you is to attack your goals without the fear of failing. Go all in. Take the risk. You fail. So what! Work harder and try again. It could be as simple as trying a new class at CPC that looked too tough for you. It could be something bigger like going for that graduate degree or taking a chance on that new job. Whatever it is, do not be afraid to fail, it may very well lead you to your biggest success!

There will always be a next time, but it’s how you handle the past failure that produces your next result.

-- Wiltey

Mission Over Margin

This year was a challenging year as an operator. CPC went through many changes, a lot of growth, increased expectations and we certainly had our challenges. In no way, shape or form am I complaining about the last twelve months, but rather I am happy to reflect upon how much I learned. Every day. I think that way we handle or react to any situation is all about perception. If enter into something (situation, task, job or challenge) with a negative outlook then it will, in fact, turn out negative because it’s all you will see. If you enter it with the willingness to make it awesome and learn – you’ll do just that and win! I will not for a single second pretend that every time I conduct a session, program, meeting or phone call I am bringing a smile and the very best I could, I am human after all. I don’t LOOK for the negative, but there are times I get dragged down. However, I do think about what I can do to excel and be better the next time around. 

I carried that perspective with me this fall which was a wild ride! To say that a lot went on is a hell of an understatement. For those that are unfamiliar, we have built an amazing relationship with Western New England University over the last few years. We began handling the Strength & Conditioning for all nineteen Varsity athletic programs in the fall of 2014. The signing of this contract tripled the number of subscribers/athletes we were responsible for programming overnight. An undertaking of this magnitude was something all of us were incredibly excited about and learned a LOT from both scientifically and logistically over the last sixteen months.

The success of this relationship brought about the launch of a subsidiary brand under the CPC umbrella: CPC-EDGE. Last year marked the start of operating two businesses and the onboarding of more talent to make our dream a reality. But with the departure of our Director of Strength & Conditioning this summer, we were in a scramble and needed to make some adjustments. The subscribers that coach with us were unbelievably accommodating. The CPC staff never blinked an eye and took on whatever they were asked to do to keep this engine running. The fall of 2015 was the busiest I have ever been in my life and it was fantastic! From August 16 through December 12 I approached each day as if it were a game. I could get beat or I could make adjustments from what I learned to make it great and to win but never did I think about not stepping up. I only had three days off in those seventeen weeks and coached about 10,000 people but it was an awesome experience! I'm living the dream I had in college and would not dare to complain now that I’m doing it - so what's not to love!? 

So why did I name this blog Mission over Margin? Five years ago, CPC started from an idea in my brain into the business that it is. It started because I always believed that you could do it (make a living it fitness) with integrity and have people make informed choices and not spend money because they have to. At CPC no one is forced into a contract. You don't have to stay with a particular coach or come at certain days and times. It's all about what you want. Your coach should never hoard information from you but rather spend your session educating you and making YOU better. I believed you could have a group of professionals that work together every day to make each other better through support, training, encouragement and respect. Succeeding together and never back stabbing and under cutting one another. By creating this, the institution itself would foster an environment of learning and betterment and attract only those that are career oriented professionals in the field with a desire to be better. Complacency has no place in our sessions, our attitude or our programming. To maintain all of this as a startup has been HARD. This has been tough to manage, tough to budget and tough to stay on course. But we did. We stayed true to our mission no matter how hard the day, week, month or quarter - we accepted the challenges, rose above them and created solutions. I am proud to say that at no point have we made a single decision that compromised the integrity of our mission and NEVER in order to make a buck. Profits are important but the certainly aren’t everything.

As an example I, have been asked many times over the years what our Holidays card process is like? Is it expensive, time consuming or necessary? Do we really have to fill out each one or can we digitally sign a message and send them out? WHY? That’s not why they were started. In 2006 I started sending all my clients a holiday thank you card. Sending a hand written message and a thank you to allow you to know that your choice to work with me as your coach is appreciated and I am genuinely thankful for that. There IS a lot of time that goes into the creation of that card. Printing, mailing, addressing, etc. but it’s who we are because it’s not about checking off a box on my list of shit to do. It’s about taking a few moments to allow each person to know they impacted me this year. To let them know that this is a career for me and I love what I do. I take no client, no session and no day for granted and the moment you do you’re going to look around you and be alone. That’s why the Holiday card process is as much on an undertaking as it is and no matter how big we get it will remain that same, true to our mission.

We bring the best product we know how to our subscribers and allow them to make an informed decision to come back, refer a friend or add more to their plate. In five years we built a brand. CPC is its own "thing". Those that subscribe and have experienced CPC know what I mean. Those that follow us on social know what I mean. Those that hate on us know what I mean. We are a major player in the fitness world because we chose Mission over Margin. It's our fucking mission statement. 

-- GS

A Look Ahead

I know it’s hard to grasp because it doesn’t seem to have been a year, but 2015 is now behind us.  It went quick, yes, but I’m not here to reflect on the last 52 weeks but rather look forward to the upcoming 365 days.  

It’s hard to think too that the next 8,760 hours brings us into the 5th anniversary of CPC being in operation.  Having been here since the beginning, I can whole heartedly say that it’s been an adventure, honor, a privilege, a rollercoaster, a struggle, a rewarding experience and among many other things it has been an evolution.  We’ve taken this place from four people in a battered busted up building to what you have all come to know and love, now with a staff of 11+.  The evolution continues into another 525,600 minutes (give or take).  Let me shed some light into where we plan to go in 2016!  Curious?  Take the next 31,536,000 seconds to see for yourself.  

Staff
As with any business, our staff is constantly growing, changing, adapting, and evolving.  The start of next year will see the absence of 4 of our team members, all of which will be working towards and pursuing the completion of their higher educational journey.  With any luck, CPC will be fortunate enough to get most of them back in the summer.  Good luck and best wishes to the 4 of you, I know you will all do great.  
With the absence of some may come the addition of others.  As we move forward, there will be a need for help, some at 18 Maple Ct but also some behind the scenes that most of you don’t come in contact with.  At any rate, if you see new faces, please welcome them and make them feel at home just like you have with the other additions to our team.

Classes/Schedule
As you all know by now, our class content is always changing and evolving, this is due to a few things.
1. We don’t want you to get bored with it
2. We don’t want to get bored with it
3. It makes sense! To keep you progressing, moving forward, and evolving with your fitness goals, we need to vary the content of what we offer.  Our “classes” are more of a program and with every program, you need some change, variety, and progressions to get better and see results.  

Be ready for some fun, exciting, and new changes to the schedule for 2016!

Programming
In addition to our regular class schedule, CPC will be adding various “Programs” to the schedule for the year.  What’s the between a program and the regular schedule you say?  Let me tell you.  Programs will be specific, separate, and specialized classes that will work with a specific group or towards a specific goal for a specified period.  For example, in the past we have run out EAT program, Endurance Athlete Training program, which is geared towards endurance athletes on their off-season, it incorporates certain classes at certain times on certain days for a certain number of weeks.  We also have a Ski program running and will have a TRX Camps program coming up as well as many other over the next year.  Stay tuned.

Outings
You’ve gotten a taste of the CPC Subscriber Outings already with our kick ass visit to The Adventure Park in Storrs, but get ready for more!  First off in the new year, we have indoor rock climbing at Central Rock Gym in Hadley. Hopefully, you’ll be able to join us….if not, fear not!  Over the winter we may have a snow-shoe excursion coming your way, some rafting once the weather allows, zip-lining, who knows?  Keep an eye and an ear out for whats coming up every couple months.

Sarah Kelly
Adding yet another tool to her repertoire, SK recently completed the (lengthy) required course work to become an IRONMAN Certified Coach.  A big congrats to SK for all the time and hard work she put into it!  
What that means for you!  Well, you now have a certified professional and accomplished triathlete/IRONMAN (IRONWOMAN) to help you with your triathlon goals.  Much more information to come so keep in touch, but any initial questions, please see or contact Sarah.  

EDGE
Western New England University continues to be the focus of the CPC/EDGE programming and has seen much success since our relationship started.  As with everything this relationship continues to grow and evolve hopefully bringing with it many successes for the WNEU Athletics program.
EDGE also continues it’s relationship with American International College and working with some of their athletic teams.
Keep an eye out for EDGE making its presence know in other area sports team and athletic programs.  
2016 is going to be jam packed!  We have a lot coming your way, and we know that you will love it!  Constantly evolving is what keeps us ahead of the game and bringing you the best in the area!  Some have doubted our methodology, but you know what?  You all have stuck with us, reaped the benefits, believed in us and for that we are truly grateful!  To everyone else - It works, so screw you!  Here’s to a kick-ass 2016 done the CPC way!

-- MS

How Do You Top An Incredible Year? You Don't.

How do you follow up a year like 2014? A year in which I lost a job but got an even better one. Qualified for the IRONMAN World Championships, trained for and completed my first IRONMAN at the World Championships in Kailua-Kona. A year that gave me the lowest of lows and the highest of highs. You don't try. You just do. I can say that on paper 2015 may look a little anticlimactic in comparison, but it feels just as rewarding.

My goal for the year was professional growth. While I wasn't the newest addition to the CPC Team, I felt like I had to earn my keep. I took on whatever projects that were given to me. Some worked. Some didn't. Some just need more time to develop. I taught classes. For awhile there it seemed as if my name was on the schedule every other class, which is a lot when the expectation is to bring originality and enthusiasm to each. Every new person to walk through the door looking for personal training became my client. A handful have moved on for various reasons and in some way, I can't help but think I didn't do my job well enough to make them stay. However, the majority have stuck with me and achieved a significant amount of success within the last 12 months. 

Establishing myself in the walls of 18 Maple Court wasn't necessarily hard, but it took time. I learned very quickly that the lifestyle I once had before joining the Team at CPC was never going to be the same. As a collegiate coach, I made my schedule. I practiced when I wanted. I established my recruiting calendars. I worked out when it was convenient for me. I worked on an academic calendar and looked forward to Fall Recess, Winter Break, Spring Break, and, of course, SUMMER! I can probably count the number of days that I took off this year or wasn't planning and programming on two hands. The hours in which I once had to train was now being used to train others. The luxury I had to once walk lazily my dog in the morning was replaced with a 30 minute power walk thinking about how much time it would take me to navigate the 5 fire hydrants, 2 nasty dogs on the corner, the park with all of the squirrels, and one semi-well behaved Lab to be back in time for my next client. 

I've quickly learned that time in this profession is money. It is either directly billable or an investment that you make on yourself for later. One of the many things that I love the most about working at CPC is the expectation always to be better and to learn more. Mediocrity has no place inside the literal and expanding figurative walls that make up CPC. Education is paramount. I attended a Functional Movement System (FMS) course in Boston with Mike. I took the newly released TRX Functional Training Course. As a team, we attended the TRX Trainer Summit in Baltimore. And if on top of taking over group programming and a steady client load I decided it was time to pursue a certification to be a recognized Triathlon Coach. In August, I pre-registered for the online IRONMAN Coaching Certification. On September 9, I logged into the program for the first time and started the 90 day clock to completion. It was an intensive 11 module (think chapters) course that required more attention and detail than anything that I have done since college. I was a student again. I would grab a few hours of free time during the week to work on each module but the majority of my weekends from September to Thanksgiving were spent in front of the computer learning, relearning, and enjoying all fifty-one hours spent preparing to take the online and written exams. Add in another three hours to take the online multiple choice exam and another thirteen hours spent painstakingly answering questions about athlete-centered program design. The investment upfront was well worth the time and financial commitment on my end. The weight that lifted when I learned I had passed was significant but short-lived. The wheels are always spinning and putting my certification into action is what 2016 is all about.

Personally, this year was not about training and racing. There was no way for me to follow up 2014 and establish myself in a new job. I did train, and I did compete, but only twice. I completed my first stand alone marathon in May at the Vermont City Marathon in Burlington. I needed to make sure that I could do one without having to swim and bike before hand. I also took on the Sea2Summit Triathlon. A self-supported 1.2 mile swim, 90-92 mile bike, and to close out a "run" to the top of Mount Washington via the Tuckerman's Ravine trail. It wasn't an IRONMAN, but the adventure and the challenge was there. The self-imposed pressure to perform was gone. Honestly, I was more concerned about getting lost and dying on the mountain. As always once the gun goes off the fears and concerns go away, and it's go-time. Every part of the day was perfect...except for a slight bottle exchange error on my part at mile 75. Sometimes when you're lucky enough to have an almost perfect day you have a perfect finish making it to the top as the first female. No, it wasn't Kona but summiting Mount Washington in just over two hours after having been in Maine that morning makes for a pretty amazing experience. 

So what has 2015 taught me? 
When you think there is not enough time to train - there is! 
At some point, I will have to cut back on my coffee consumption.
Rest & mental health days are important. Take more of them.
Modesty has no place in this business. Sell yourself. (I'm still working on this.)
Know what you're good at and capitalize on it. 
I love my job and feel lucky to be part of such an incredible team.
Life will never be what it once was, and that's okay. 

-- SK

Doctor Doctor

2015 has been a very exciting year. I have finished my didactic criteria towards earning my Doctorate in physical therapy. I am very fortunate to be in a position to achieve this degree and it is something I have worked very hard towards achieving. My path didn’t always involve getting my doctorate, and if you talked to 18-year-old Tim, who knew it all, I wouldn’t have gone about it the same way. Regardless, I am in a position I am very happy with, and that is possible because I always took the time to reflect on small life events and large life events. The end of the year is typically a time for reflection so let’s take a look at things that may require reflection.

How did you do? Yikes! That may be the definition of vague – but it is vague on purpose. This statement can apply to a lot of different scenarios. How did you do in that plank? Did you use the right muscles? What about that squat you performed on Monday – how did you do? How did you do as a family member? How did you do in taking responsibility for that mistake you made? Knowledge is power – if you know how you are supposed to move – make an assessment. How did you do?

Did you meet your goals? Goals can be established to address anything! Did you meet your goal of completing one muscle up? Did you hit a new PR for a lift or a run? Did you get something done professionally that you have been striving for? Setting goals are important because they keep you on track and remind you what is important to you.

Are you consistently doing something that helps you strive towards your goal? This item is extremely important because we often fall off track in regards to our goals. Very frequently life takes over and things we want to accomplish get put on the back burner and eventually forgotten. This is understandable and completely okay – but if you want to minimize the detriment experienced during those times and make strides towards your goal, do something. That something can be small but keep you on track and keep you thinking about it. 

Are you working on your weaknesses? This item can also apply to fitness and life. If you are strong and consistently work on your strength but never your mobility you increase the risk that you may get injured. Also, if you want to be well rounded physically but only work on your strength but never your cardiovascular endurance are you striving towards your goals? Are you exercising/eating/resting properly? All of those components are so important to keep your body healthy. 

Are you happy? Whoa – loaded question. I urge all of you never to put this item on the back burner. Are you happy with all of the reflections completed above? Are you happy with what you have achieved professionally? Physically? Are you working on elements that you currently aren’t as strong. People who focus on the mind – body – spirit triad that Springfield College has adopted and preaches tend to have great success in living a well-rounded life when done properly. Relaxation is a buzz word that jumps into my head. It is very easy to plug in and get what you need to done but can you rest and relax just as well? 

If any of these reflections yielded responses you weren't pleased with – IT’S OKAY! THAT’S LIFE. The important thing is what are YOU going to do to change that? I was not always on the road that I am now. I had to perform a lot of personal reflections and always alter my road and my path. It wasn’t always easy – but it was always necessary. Now I can honestly say each day I’m a little happier than the last and I’m going to be a DOCTOR! I’m accomplishing something I never dreamed possible. Ask yourself those tough questions this holiday season and let’s get after it in 2016. Everyone can achieve their goals if they put effort into it and grind. The best thing? We are all here to help you grind when you need a boost – that’s why we have this community. Everyone deserves to be the “doctor” of their life – and achieve what they want. Let’s get it and crush 2016!

-- TM

Maximizing Our Potential

Think about this - Can you maximize your potential to feel and look your best at the gym or fitness center where you are currently a member (if it's not CPC)?  How many of you workout at the same gym that your friends do?  Don't get me wrong, I'm no professional at comparing one gym to another. But I do know one thing, I wish I would have chosen a smaller, local gym right out of the gate fifteen years ago rather than a commercialized, "big box" gym now that I am a professional in the fitness, health, and wellness industry.  

Now, I want you to think about this - would you choose "local, organic and specialized" or "commercial and processed?" You would choose local, organic and specialized as you know, (and it has been proven) that it's better for you, wouldn't you?  Apply that to the gym/center that you carefully chose as your oasis to de-stress, #EarnYourBetter, and overall look and feel your best. 

Now that I've got your attention, I want to share my professional gains in the last four months with my "local, organic and specialized gym". I now call CPC home. A place where I've learned more in the last four months about the fitness and wellness industry, the science, and its opportunities (for me) than I have in the last fifteen years as a gym member and group fitness instructor. 

I, too, started out where you are, a client or subscriber - but unlike you, I chose the "big box gym".  Sure, it was perfect for me at the time because all I wanted was the group fitness classes. I never liked the machines. I hated running on the treadmill (never understood why people like running inside, staring at a TV when you can enjoy the outdoors and fresh air), and most of all, it really bothered me that half the people there all knew each other and spent 80% of their time kibitzing - that's exactly how NOT to maximize your potential at the gym!  The funny thing is, I found myself working at a big box gym ten years later as a group fitness instructor. Why? Because it was fun - period. Flash forward July 2015 where I met Geoff at GREATHORSE. Two weeks later I was a Fitness Instructor for CPC, August 21 I taught my first class, August 30 I went through my first TRX training, by September I was scheduling my second training for TRX and in October I joined the CPC team at the TRX Summit in Baltimore.  By November, I booked my Level 1 TPI Training in Orlando, FL for January 2016 and discussed my golf fitness program idea that we will launch in early 2016.  Oh, and also added a class to the CPC schedule specifically for teachers. Yep - all that in just four months. I wish I knew about my "local, organic,  and specialized" performance center sooner - it would have saved me a lot of gas money driving back and forth to teach classes at the big box gym.

Allow this to prove to you that you chose the right team of professionals to work with to help make you your best.  In a short four months, I'm on track to being my best professionally and bringing my ideas to life thanks to the willingness and support of my leader and team. CPC is about real connections, real people who are committed to real results for their team members and their subscribers. It's about maximizing our potential.  

-- Lana

From Player to Coach

My path into the world of strength and conditioning is a bit unconventional compared to most. My path is far from straight. I started as an athlete, went to school for business, became a coach and recently discovered a passion for strength and conditioning.  When I think about why, I cannot help but think of this quote by Muhammad Ali -- “The fight is won or lost far away from witness – behind the lines, in the gym, and out there on the road, long before I dance under those lights.” 

For me, it is all about the process, not just the result. There’s no better feeling than working your ass off to get the result you want and being satisfied with your effort. How an athlete handles being pushed to his limits in a workout or practice will tell you a lot about a person’s character before they ever step onto a field. Athletes often forget how important the process is when trying to achieve their goals; to be successful, they need to have the drive to compete day in and day out. Not only during games but in the gym and during practice. As an athlete, I knew it was up to me to put in the work. As a coach, it is my job to make sure each athlete has the opportunity to be successful while pushing them to be their best. 

A strength and conditioning coach is all of that wrapped into one. A strength and conditioning coach plays a huge part in the process and path to success. Yes improving the physical capabilities of your athletes is enormous, but the real power comes from your ability as a coach to bring a team closer together while pushing them beyond limits they ever thought possible. It is awesome to watch an athlete or a team after a workout in which they gave you everything they had to get better. What could be more gratifying than watching student-athletes reach their goals and knowing you played a part. 
Being a former athlete and a coach, I know what it takes to be successful. I can use all of the tools I learned as an athlete and coach every day as I transition more and more into the world of strength and conditioning. The fact that you can push someone to be better and make a difference is someone’s life is very gratifying. It is why I am enjoying every moment as strength and conditioning coach and looking forward to what 2016 has in store. 

-- Wiltey

Juggling It All

“There may be people who have more talent than you, but there’s no excuse for anyone to work harder than you.” - Derek Jeter

He is right. I know there are people who are more talented at what they do than me, and maybe they work harder than I do. With that said, I will do everything in my power to catch them. There are no easy ways around excuses. We all have thoughts that run through our mind steering us toward the easy way out. When you think you’re too tired, too busy, not good enough, it is how you conquer those thoughts that define your path. Mentality and perspective are key components to overall well-being and balance as a whole. When I think about school, lacrosse, and building a career, the balance of it all is a blessing. It is also often frustrating because I can not give my full time to just one. But then, that truly wouldn’t be a representation of who I am.

Each one of these factors in my life is not “juggling it all.” It is about fitting what I love into one harmonized schedule and working harder every day. Each thing is not categorized into a specific slot; one is not a sport, one is not school, one is not work. They are all a piece of me. Things I genuinely love. I want to be the best student, defender, and fitness instructor I can be. I will not be any of those things if I do not put in extra efforts to get there. Life is all about the perspective you take. We could all complain we’re too busy, that’s easy. But what if you raise that bar higher? What if you realize what you’re doing is nothing compared to the person next you? That’s how I feel every day. I always look up to achieve what the people around me are. My parents, siblings, coworkers, teammates, peers - they set the bar not me. With a lot of admiration and competitiveness, it is that inner drive that allows us to juggle what we do but never allows us to settle. You need to go above just getting by; it’s the extra time you see people put in that get them ahead of the rest.

Let’s go even further than that. We are all where we are for a reason. If you want something, you need to invest yourself. You may fail a thousand times, but every progress and lesson learned is a step forward. Balancing all of these things are anything but easy. There is no excuse for any of those people to work harder than you. It is all about perspective. Who is it going to feel more rewarding to at the end of the day? Nothing worth having is ever handed to you. I have learned this both through experience and through watching others. So if you ask me, how do I juggle it all? Simple, I don’t. Your life is what you make it.

-- Amber 

What I've Learned Along The Way

A year and a half ago, I started at CPC working primarily at Western New England University. Within that year and a half, I have grown so much as a person, a coworker, and a coach. The biggest thing I have learned while working at CPC is to be myself and never to want to stop learning. 

When I first started I held myself back a lot and questioned myself, but as time went on that shit got old, and it was tiring not being yourself. When I let my true personality out, trusted myself and opened up with my coworkers and athletes, that's when the real coach inside me came out. I learned when you start to question yourself; others will start to question you too. When you come out of the gate with energy and passion, that's when your athletes know they can trust you. Who doesn't trust someone that isn't passionate about what they do right? So, the more confident I got in my coaching and myself my relationship with my athletes and coworkers grew to a bond that is going to be hard to let go of when I eave for my internship at Notre Dame. When I go there, though, I am going to bring a very large piece of CPC at all times. I'm going to go there and be myself and be the coach I know I can be. I'm never going to want to stop learning, and I'm going to be excited to be able to bring some stuff back to WNEU next fall. 

Don't worry, I promise I'm coming back because Geoff legitimately made me pinky promise! Overall, I might learn some new things there at the big ND, but truly what I've learned so far (just within a year and a half at CPC) I think I'm going to teach them a year or two also! Thank you to all my athletes, everyone at CPC, and Geoff for everything. I wouldn't be who I am or where I am today without you all! I will miss you.

-- Madi