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.