Your Load Can Be Heavy or It Can Be Light..

You choose heavy or you can choose light..but you will always have a choice

Tonight the workout was as much mental as it was physical.

 I get asked all the time; "why do you all that crazy stuff?" or "What kind of things/stuff do you guys do there?" after giving a 10 second generic answer, sometimes their immediate reply is..."ohhh I could never do that". On the outside I just smile and nod.... internally I'm thinking....

"yes, you're right you never could do it because mentally you're not willing to"...

Another question that is asked regularly, is why did you open up a gym during a recession in a town that has been on the economic down slide since the 1970s?!?

So here is my answer....we are not a gym, we are a club of like minded individuals who want to become better. My whole goal for PSKC is to create the most mentally and physically tough individuals in the Portsmouth area. The kettlebells and the workouts are our vehicle to learn about ourselves.

"You become what you do" .... take a minute and think about it.

How can you learn about yourself if you're not constantly testing yourself? You go to work, you come home, you sit in front of the TV or XBOX and repeat....day after day...year after year. Suddenly 10 years becomes 20 and what do you have to show for it? You are alive, but your soul is dying a slow death. You became what you did...nothing.

"You become what you do"; is this how you want to spend the rest of your life? Empty, untested, unknowing what you are capable of doing...is this the life you envisioned for yourself when you were younger?

Every time you enter PSKC, whatever is on the board does not matter. What matters is that you're willing to commit fully to the task at hand....weights, times, reps...they do not matter. What does matter is that you pour yourself fully into the workout. The workouts at PSKC are your vehicle for clarity and enlightenment....however you still must be the driver. Enter tonight's workout...

Very simple....it involved different exercises mixed with carrying an object around the block for a total of 6 times. Now here is where the mental aspect came into play. Each person chose the weight and/or object they thought was appropriate to carry. This is how you learn about yourself....anything in the gym was up for grabs to carry around the block. You could have picked a 10 lb med ball each time, you could have carried a loaded barbell, you could have picked up a person and carried them....the point of the exercise was to learn what you were willing to do.

Would you take the easy way out? Would you pick the light load? Would you quit along the way?

When faced with decisions in life will you shoulder the heavy burden or will you choose the light and easy way out? The people who enter PSKC know the answers to these questions, because they KNOW what they are made of....they TEST themselves, they LEARN about themselves....TIME and TIME again. Each day they become tougher....

Why, this towns needs them. For far too long this town and their people have chosen weakness, they've picked the light load. Now it's time to shoulder the heavy burden if we ever want to become better...so.. your load can be heavy or it can be light....which will you choose?

Hard work is making a comeback..

Truly worth a 1000 words, some people have a difficult way of saying "I love you"

Short post tonight, finally coming down off  a high from earlier. 42 people entered through the doors of PSKC to immerse themselves in a "Lactic Acid Bath" workout...it was an amazing energy in there tonight. People refused to quit on one another and encouraged each other to "hold the line". That's what happens here, pants/dress sizes are shrinking while strength and conditioning levels are increasing and people want to share it with their friends. Enlightenment through physical discomfort is a beautiful gift to give. 

We've been open for a month now, and it is more than I could have ever imagined and I'm excited about what the future holds... Come join the most twisted, sick, and loving family in Portsmouth. If you are willing to commit and give pure and beautiful effort ... you are always welcome here, egos are not.

Introducing Running with Ann Marie, Wednesdays at Noon

PSKC Running Clinic – Wednesdays at Noon

The greatest part about PSKC is the people. People from all walks of life, backgrounds, and fitness levels come to train here. One of my favorite things to watch is the friendships that develop as a result of the common bond shared through enduring the pain. Another great thing is that what everyone brings to the table here and the unique opportunity to learn from one another. At PSKC we have one of the most talented and tough runners in the area, Ann Marie Allen.

Trust me, Mommy does run fast

Who is Ann Marie?

Ann Marie has been a runner for 15 years. She is a mother of two small children and a full time graduate student. She believes exercise is essential for proper health and a quality to life.

Credentials:

• Exercise Physiologist (B.S. Exercise Science)
• Certified Personal Trainer (A.C.E.)
• Certified Kettlebell Insturctor ( Primal Training Systems Level I)

In addition to the qualifications she has, anyone that has worked out with Ann Marie knows she is just flat out TOUGH. We are honored to have her at the gym helping others. 

So why are we having a running clinic at a kettlebell gym? They don't have to separate from another, being strong will help your running and vice versa, it's all about developing the right balance. 

Being physically fit means being able to overcome any physical challenge life might throw at you. Sometimes that means lifting big heavy things or running. If you're stuck somewhere without a vehicle and you need to move from point A to point B as fast as you can....guess what you'll be doing...running. So you better not suck at it....Ann Marie will coach you not to suck. 


Okay...so what's the cost?

*The monthy membership includes all running coach services.

*It is 5 dollars per class/appointment, or if you have a package of classes one will be deducted for these services

Why the Pain Clinic?

Hey guys..good to be back in God's country, will even be better to get back to PSKC for Saturday's Pain Clinic. So just why the hell do we call Saturday workouts "Pain Clinics"?

For those of you unfamiliar with southern Ohio....this area is PLAGUED by prescription pain medicine abuse and addiction. It is so bad that Scioto County has the notorious distinction for being on the Drug Enforcement Agency's (DEA) top 10 list for trafficking pain medications in the COUNTRY.

For more info read this article Southern Ohio; home of the Pill Mills
Or see below..



These zombies are walking our streets only concerned with finding their next fix so they can numb their minds and bodies to their world. Blame who you will, the addict, the "business man", the doctor... the one thing all these leaches have in common is mental and/or physical WEAKNESS.

The addict is physically, mentally, and emotionally weak. They are too scared to face life and sometimes that means facing its bitter harsh realities. It's easy to run away, to not be responsible, to not experience pain.

The businessman is morally weak, instead of choosing to  actually contribute to their community, they choose to prey on the addicts to make a quick buck.

The Doctor is mentally weak. He chooses to sell his soul all in the name of the mighty dollar. Did you really spend a significant portion of your life in medical school just so you can dispense pain medication to the weak masses? What happened to you? What about the Hippocratic oath?

We at PSKC are a different breed. We live here, we see the devastation firsthand. We all know someone who is either an addict or worse...died from drug overdose. We see the once vibrant souls, full of laughter and life...now walk the streets as zombies...numb to the world.

We choose to chase the pain, not run from it. We understand that steel is only made through fire. We embrace the pain for we know that each time we enter the doors at PSKC, when we leave we will be stronger, fitter, better than we were when we entered.

Pain clinic peddlers and abusers be forewarned, we don't want your weakness in our lives and in our towns. It is not an option, we are simply tougher than you. For the rest of you out there, if you feel the same come join us...the only way to fight weakness is with strength.

Dirty 30s

Tonight Dave and Monica introduced a little dirty 30 action to the crew. Dirty 30s consist of performing 30 seconds of work followed by 30 seconds of rest for a total of 5 minutes. The exercises were:

Sandbag Squat
Pullups/Climbing
Pushups (any variation)
Butcher Pushes
Tire Drags
Double KB Press

Equal rest to work ratio can be tricky. If you are using the appropriate weight, it might start out "easy" in the beginning...but the wizard will always catch you in the end.

On my end, even though I'm out of town and miss my people, I always take advantage of any opportunity I can to train, learn, and be coached by others. It just so happens that my adopted home away from home is  CROSSFIT LEGION.


It's always great to be coached and learn knew things, it's even better to learn from great people, in this case it's Henry and Justin (two former veterans) of CF Legion. For example, I come from a kettlebell background...but today they put this Southern Ohio kid through some good old fashioned gymnast training. They focused on teaching the hollow position, then progessing through knee ups, L-sits, knees to elbow, toes to bar, sweepers then ended with some "skin the cats" (as seen below).


Keep up the great work guys....

Thank You Derick...

There are many things that may you impact you emotionally in this life, these two sentences that I read today from Derick impacted me the greatest....

"What Dale won't say to you is he was the one the helped get me to where I am now. Thanks brother."

To understand more about 1LT Derick Carver; click here for Derick's story

I struggled with the decision to write a post about this, because I didn't want it to seem like this is about me. To say thanks to Derick for his kind words he posted on his facebook page is simply not enough, let me be very clear and set the record straight; I did nothing for Derick. His amazing recovery is a result of his tenacity, strength, and determination. He refused to be defeated. All I ever did was tell him a little group of people in a little town in Ohio care and pray for him....the least I could do was share his story and how he has impacted me.

As a matter of fact, Derick has done way more for me than I could ever do for him. He is one of my greatest sources of strength and inspiration, and to read those words from him that I had "helped" him in anyway was indescribable....so to my friend and my hero; Derick thank you brother, thank you.

Monday's Smoke and Simple Iron Truth

Truly an amazing day...we had 6 new folks come to the intro and get a little taste of PSKC's Monday Smoke Session. We took a page from the Training Room and annihilated a triple triplet workout...

20 Seconds of work at each exercise non-stop for a total of 3 minutes. Rest a minute in between triplets then repeat...a total of 18 minutes non-stop work.

First triplet = snatch/swing weakhand, snatch/swing stronghand, pushups
2nd Triplet = high pull/clean, push press, situps
3rd Triplet = air squat, 1/2 burpee, mountain climbers

It was an awesome atmosphere in there today. My apologies for no photos, I too decided to throw myself into the smoke session at the end...

On a sidenote, a blog/website I visit daily CLICK HERE - SIMPLE IRON TRUTH operated by Rob Fusco, posted Derick's story. As I devour much of Rob's writing it was an honor to even be mentioned on his website. Rob has had the privledge of spending several hours training and learning at Gym Jones in Utah. Below is a clip of Rob doing amazing things with kettlebells and his people:

Rob's writing is some of the best stuff out there, agree or disagree with him....the dude has talent. Below is an excerpt taken from his "about" section:

"Simple Iron Truth is a collective of real people who suffer to understand who they are and what they are truly made of.  

We use physical training as a vehicle to carry us deeply into those places within, searching for hints of truth as we go.

Not many are welcome into this because few possess the intelligence and heart to begin to see themselves as they actually are and then take steps to become something more.  

We are protective of what we do because it is rare.  We are suspicious of people because most are shallow, looking for acceptance and validation from others when they should be looking inward.  If this is what you seek, look elsewhere.

We believe in one another because what we do and how we train requires it.  There can be no other way.  There is no other way."

And finally class update: This Thursday's class will be held at 6pm. There is a great week of workouts programmed. Dave and Monica will show you the way...

Kettlebell Snatch

Hope you guys had a great weekend, got out and grabbed some fresh air or spent time with family and friends. For those who didn't make Saturday you missed a classic Pain Clinic/Partner Suffering workout:
We did 4X6 minute stations of;
Sledge/Slamball and Bear Crawls
The "griptacular" swings and dead hang
Wall Ball and Burp-Cleans
Overhead lock and gate sprints

Now time for your homework...watch and learn as one of the best in the game Mike Stehle of the Training Room teaches you the kettlebell snatch
PART I

PART II

PART III

Weekend Motivation

Big congrats to the members of the PSKC family who ran in the Air Force 5K tonight and good luck to those who are going to kill the 1/2 and full marathons tomorrow.

Louvina, Pete, PSKC Coach Monica, Garett, and Jill

Here's a little something to get the weekend started right...one foot in the front of the other, let Kyle show you the way.

"Take the first step in faith. You don't have to see the whole staircase, just take the first step." -Martin Luther King Jr. 

Catching Up and the Importance of Setting an Example

Best smile ever...

We actually don't mind when you bring your kids to class at PSKC. Now there are some ground rules;

1. Sign the waiver for your child, you guys only hear me say that about 10 times a class. 
2. You are responsible for your rug rat, we are a strength and conditioning facility in a warehouse/industrial area. Lots of cool things to play with and possible get hurt, so keep an eye out on them. 
3. Only bring your kid(s) if they can behave themselves and aren't a distraction

That's really about it...and we don't even charge you anything extra. Okay, so why? 

Very simple..we want you to be awesome in front of your child. Imagine the amazing example of strength and toughness you're setting for your child at such an early age (see photo above). Let's face it, we all know the term "childhood obesity" and it's at a ridiculously high rate nowadays but are we really surprised? Weak and out of shape parents are likely to have weak and out of shape kids. When pop tarts and mountain dew are the foundations of your kids nutrition and Nintendo Wii counts as exercise, what do you expect?

At PSKC, you are teaching your kids so many important things just by the hard work you're enduring. It's not uncommon to hear the little ones cheering their parents on during a tough workout. So important at such a young age to lead by example. Just imagine what you're kid is being exposed to when the little one watches mom/dad flip a tire, press a kettlebell, jump up on a box, etc...but it doesn't have to end there. Tonya and her college aged daughter Taylor are two peas in a pod sweating it out together at PSKC...just the other day, Taylor was telling me how proud she is of her mom....we are truly family oriented, lifelong health and strength..what a great gift to share with one another. 

ANNOUCEMENT! SATURDAY'S CLASS WILL BE AT 10AM FOR THE OSU GAME!

Crazy week at the PSKC...so far this week's action including everything from:

Monday - a nice little circuit of 40 seconds work/20 seconds rest of wall ball, battling ropes, shuttle run, flutter kicks, jumping pullups, and swings

Tuesday -  20 minute as many rounds as possible of 7 knees to elbows, 7 ring pushups, 7 goblet squats, and 7 swings

Wednesday -heavy cleans and presses mixed with pullups and a tabata 20/10 style of burpees at the end. 

PSKC Coach Dave helping Kristy on her last set of pullups

Today - a dirty mix of running around the block, step ups, and sit throughs/outs...

Keep up the fantastic work guys...see you at 10am on Saturday!

My Heroes Have Always Been Soldiers...

Ever since I was kid I always wanted to be a soldier. I'm sure it was a combination of countless hours of watching Rambo and/or Commando (sorry Arnold, Rambo won every time in the classic "who could beat who" argument). But more importantly it was the time I spent alone shifting through my father's old Army duffle bag from Vietnam and looking through old photo albums of uncles, cousins, and relatives who had all served their county.  Dad never talked much about Vietnam, but it was very evident the military was one of the sources of his strength. At ballgames during the national anthem as a kid I would look around at most people slouching not paying much attention...but if you saw my father he would pull ramrod straight and a stone look of strength and emotion would come across his face until the end of the National Anthem.

So it was pretty obvious the path I was going to take...did Army ROTC, received my commission and did my initial commitment with a couple deployments to Iraq thrown in. It was during these deployments that my love for the American soldier grew....I myself did nothing heroic and/or noteworthy, but to have witnessed the amazing feats of courage and heroism these men and women did will always stick with me and be a constant source of motivation and inspiration for me.

Fast forward to January of this year. I had been out of the Army for 2 1/2 years...but I would always keep tabs on friends and old Army buddies who were still serving. One of them was an old ROTC buddy of mine, Derick Carver. Carver was a freshman when I was a senior, I loved this kid from day one. He was a complete meathead, much like myself and seemed to be more concerned with beer consumption and lifting weights than first year studies. He was a hoss..the only thing that matched his strength was his heart and sense of humor. At a formal dining inn ceremony for ROTC, Derick shaved a receding hairline into his head and did a skit where he mocked me without mercy, but that's just Derick..very special kid.

After a few years we lost contact but got back in touch as he was prepping to go to Afghanistan for his deployment. Some 5-6 years later after I had gotten out of the Army, Derick was now about to lead his first platoon into combat complete with Ranger tab on his shoulder and airborne wings on his chest, the true definition of a barrel-chested freedom fighter. After just a few weeks/months in country Derick and his unit were on a dismounted patrol hunting the Taliban when a daisy chained IED exploded. The IED was rigged for a vehicle, so just imagine the damage it could inflict upon dismounted personnel. Derick was caught dead square in the blast and would lose his leg, others heroes on that day would lose their lives from the explosion.

A few days later Derick would arrive in Walter Reed to begin the surgery/recovery/therapy/surgery/recovery/therapy process. I was fortunate enough to be in DC for work a few days after Derick arrived in Walter Reed. I was scared, I didn't know the extent of the damage, I had heard various reports. I was worried...I didn't know how Derick was doing or if he wanted company. My heart was heavy as I entered the door. I met his beautiful wife for the first time in Derick's room. Just imagine what she had been going through..if you want to see what strength is all about, go to Walter Reed visit with the soldiers and visit with their wives.

Derick was in rough shape, he had his leg at the hip, had multiple broken bones, and there was a jar full of shrapnel the doctors had picked from his flesh. He had just gotten out of surgery when I saw him and he was a little foggy, he had the nerve to apologize to me for being a little out of it...but there was still that smile and light in his eyes. As he recounted his story to me, he remembered everything in vivid detail. As a sat in amazement and listened to his story..... wanting to offer some sort of help, someway to take away the pain...in classic Carver mode; Derick jumps to the point in the story of returning to the combat hospital;

Derick told me he looked at the Doc and asked; "Doc don't bulls@#t me, how does it look"

Doc replied "Son, there is nothing we can do for your leg".

Carver replied "no sh!t Doc, I don't care about my leg but how does my d!ck look?!"

See what I mean about Derick? How can you not love this guy? He assured me this was only a temporary setback, he would most assuredly kick the recovery/therapy thing dead square in the ass, be back in no time, and he was going to spend the rest of his career helping other wounded warriors.

Fast forward 9 months and look at Derick now...

The guy is simply amazing and an inspiration to all. I am a lucky man, growing up I wanted to be a soldier, these guys were my heroes. In the Army I was surrounded by heroes, and now after getting out of the Army, my friend Carver is my hero and each and every time I step foot into PSKC, he is on my mind. When I want to quit, rest, stop...I think of Derick.

Not because I feel sorry for him, but because if he was there training with me he would be kicking twice the amount of ass with only one leg.....use this story as your source of strength and motivation. When you want to feel sorry for yourself, go a little slower, lift a little lighter, think of Derick...he didn't let you down, the least you can do is return the favor.

UPDATE:

This post was originally written in September of 2010. Fast forward to now (March 13). Both Derick and I are in the process of opening up our own Crossfit Affiliates. We both competed in the Crossfit Linda workout at the Arnold classic. I was fortunate enough to coach him and film his first round of 10 (seen below):

Well this lil bit of inspirational awesomeness set off an internet bomb led by the Governator himself...ARNOLD. 

And I'm sure that will be just the tip of the iceberg for our boy Derick...the future is looking bright. 

Touching the Void..

Over 15 people showed up to participate in a special Saturday Pain Clinic workout. At the beginning of class we took time to remember those lives lost in the terrorist attacks of 9/11 and remind ourselves that the wolves are still out there waiting to prey on the sheep...thank God our shepherds (military/law enforcement/first responders) are out there protecting us.

Tomorrow we will start the week off right...intro class at 6pm followed by the regularly scheduled beatdown at 7pm. Can't wait to see you guys...

Also, here's some homework for you. Get your netflix on and watch the movie/documentary "Touching the Void"...

"The closer you are to death. The more you realize you are alive.
The closer you are to death, the harder you cling to life."

With a shattered and broken leg, 5 miles from base camp..would you have what it takes to crawl back to survival? What I found amazing is how he did it mentally...he became obsessed with reaching little goals. He would set the clock at 20 minutes and pick out an object in the distance to reach in that 20 minute timeframe...slowly but surely he made it off the mountain.

Friday Homework...

Flexibility and Mobility...
Everyone wants to lift heavy things, jump high, and run strong....but who honestly wants to take time and work on their joint mobility and flexibility? Odds are some of you just mentally checked out after you read that word and now returned to facebook....

For the brave and SMART who remain I offer you a dude named K-Starr. I don't know him personally but I have read/watched A LOT of his stuff, and it is pure awesomeness. In order to be strong and fast as possible you got to spend time on your increasing your overall mobility. For those who have been to PSKC and have heard my rant about how Americans spend the majority of their hours sitting on their ass, which equates to massive amounts of back, knee, and shoulder pain. K-Starr and his daily blog of mobility goodies tells you how to unscrew yourself by spending a couple minutes a day regaining mobility in the human body.

For my guys with tight shoulders (I'm talking to you Chris) here's an example to work from...


So, check his blog daily and start incorporating his mobility exercises into your daily routine. And yes of course, you can come to the gym 15 minutes early and work on regaining your lost mobility. SEE YOU TOMORROW AT 11AM!!

Some odd object strongman training..

Is there a cooler way of father-daughter bonding? 

After a couple brutal days of conditioning workouts...we focused on strength today. So we took a page from the  Training Room and threw in some strongman style training for variety and fun. We broke people into groups and did 4 rounds of 4-8 reps of the following:
Kettlebell floor press
Tire Flips
Rope pulls on the sled
Knees to elbows
Sandbag Squats

Chris on the tire flips

The crew had a great time and got exposed to some odd object strength training. It was an honor to have you all there.Saturday is September 11th, we will be having class at 11am to honor those on that fateful morning.  See you Saturday!!

The snowball is turning into an avalanche...

Sara and Monica on the tire drags...

It keeps getting better and better....people of the PSKC are throwbacks to the strength and toughness of the steel mill and factory workers who built this town. In the last decade especially, southern Ohio has been infested with drug addicts, criminals, and pill mills. All these parasites have one thing in common...they are weak and afraid of pain. PSKC members accept and embrace the challenge each and every time they come in the warehouse. They know it's going to be hard; but that's why the come time and time again. It's their way of flipping the bird to weakness....and along the way they get into the best shape of their lives.

KB high pulls mixed with push presses. Start out with 20 a piece and ladder down to 4, not to mention the burpee/sprawls thrown in for good measure

Bear crawl sprint finisher..

Labor Day's Labor… SOCF putting in work Well over 20 people showed up to pay for the sins of the weekend. What is the only cure for bbq, beer, cake, chips, and cookies? Swings, burpees, slamball, sandbag carries, farmers carries, and running all done in a team format will typically do the trick. "Don't turn your back on the wolf pack.." Great work to all who showed up on a holiday to get their workout in. We even had four new folks show up to get their first taste of kettlebell training. It was great to have you guys and welcome to the family. "I am haunted by the idea of time passing by unused. The idea that I could look back on a period of my life and remember nothing significant about it terrifies me." – Craig Weller If you take a hard look at your life are you really dedicating the necessary time to those things that are truly important in life? Do you make time for God, family, friends, and health? Are you actively engaged in life, or are you content with letting your mind and body simultaneously rot, melting away into the couch all to consumed with learning about the details of Paris Hilton's recent drug arrest. Yesterday at the end of class we discussed the fact that each of us only has a certain amount days on this Earth. Please go to Barefoot Fitness http://barefootfts.com/blog/memento-mori and read Craig Weller's excellent post on Memento Mori. I have printed this sheet and fill in a block weekly, it's an excellent  visual aid to keep me focused on what is important. How you live your years is totally up to you. If your life is full on inactivity and stress, you might live a long life due to advances in medical technology; but how you spend those years is what counts. Are you destined towards a path of shopping  at Krogers in a scooter wearing an oxygen tank, spending the majority of your time and money in a healthcare facility? Or will be the example of health and strength for your family and friends to follow no matter what your age. You will always have a choice…when is it acceptable to choose the path that involves weakness?

Sunday homework...kettlebell swing

Here are some great instructional clips on the fundamental exercise of kettlebell training...THE SWING.


Jeff Martone is owner of Tactical Athlete, he is one of America's foremost experts on kettlebell training. He specializes in adapting kettlebell training for the military and federal law enforcement agencies. I was fortunate enough to have learned and obtain my kettlebell certification from him. He is truly a great instructor. Especially for my new folks, take some time to watch/listen to Jeff and learn from the best..

kicking off Labor Day Weekend...

Regularly scheduled class will be going down on Monday:
Kettlebell Intro at 6pm
Regular Class at 7pm

Beginning this Monday, we will offer intro sessions every Monday and Thursday at 6pm. Intro sessions are MANDATORY for people who are unfamiliar with kettlebell training. Cost of the intro is $20 which includes your first class, you don't owe the $20 until after you finished your first class.

Why?

 If you don't like training at the PSKC and never want to come back. Keep your money, plain and simple...you don't owe us anything. After your first class, simply tell one of the coaches "thanks but no thanks". You won't be judged. I'm not here to charge people something they won't use. My success is built upon your success. However, I'm confident in the fact that once you get a little taste, you will be back again, and again, and again. You will be a regular and you'll bring your friends along too. How do I know this?

The impossible starts becoming possible, you start to see results, you feel stronger, fitter, and just flat out better. It's a story repeated several times over. Just ask the people who have been doing this for a while...

Saturday's Pain Clinic Action:

Although most of the regulars were spending the day at the River Days Parade, we still had around 10 folks come in and get introduced to the concept of "partner suffering" aka BLUE FALCON workouts, specifically meaning the longer it took your partner to complete a task, the longer you remained under physical stress. The stations included sledgehammer strikes while your partner did shuttle sprints. The griptastic 15Xswings while your partner did a dead hang from the bar. 20Xsquats while your partner "rested" in the front leaning rest on rings, and finally bear crawls while your partner did farmers carry holds. No better way to start off a holiday weekend.

Big props to Tiffany and Tash....I love these girls' attitudes. What is it with all these West Siders wrecking shop at PSKC? I hate to say anything good about the West Side, but damn they do raise them tough out there.

SEE YOU GUYS ON MONDAY!!!

Friday's Victory Celebration...

Skid Row Sprints

How do you top off OSU's annihilation over Marshall (sorry Jay)? Come back with an awesome workout. Friday's training consisted of:
7 rounds of:
7X heavy kettlebell swings
7X handstand push ups
7 X pullups
Skid Row sprint

PSKC coach Monica- leading by example

This was a great work and got people familiarized with some movements they've never attempted before. Also, it got people to pick up a heavier bell and feel the associated effects.

props to Sara, she killed this workout

Looking in the mirror...

REMINDER: NO CLASS TONIGHT; WE WILL MEET BACK UP ON FRIDAY AT 5PM.


Another great crowd yesterday! We worked on the refining the kettlebell clean and press technique for the newer members, while the more advanced folks worked on finding how heavy a bell they could clean and press with solid technique. It’s an awesome thing to witness people nail a clean and press a weight they never thought they could lift, or hit their first box jump (way to go Jennifer!)

The clean is a tricky thing to learn especially if you’re new to it…so check out Uncle Mike from the Training Room give some excellent coaching points;


We are always striving to find that perfect balance between strength and conditioning. What good is it if you can deadlift 700 pounds but it takes you 20 minutes to run a mile? Or vice versa, you are a marathon runner, but don’t have the strength to carry your significant other out of a burning house/car/etc…

After the cleans and presses, we went into a sprint style workout of descending/ascending ladders of one arm kettlebell swings and box jumps;

10X 1 arm swings w/s
1X box jump
…
…
all the way down to;
1 X 1 arm swing w/s
10X box jumps

Times came in anywhere from 6-12 minutes, most left exhausted but a few left looking like there still might have been some gas in the tank. Sometimes during these shorter sprint workouts, a few of the advanced trainees leave wanting more compared to (for example) Tuesday’s 30 minute workout. Just because something is shorter in time does not make it easier;  IF MAXIMUM EFFORT IS APPLIED.

Look at it like this; if I told you to run one lap (400 meters) versus 4 laps (1 mile) around the track, there is going to be a significant difference in power output on the one lap versus a sustained effort on the mile run. The difference in that power output is directly related to intensity/effort level that is being produced.

Some of you are much more comfortable staying at the medium/moderate levels of intensity that you would apply on the mile run versus an extremely high level of intensity required (outside of your comfort zone) for an all out no holds barred 400 meter sprint (shorter distance).

I did the same workout earlier in that day in just over 6 minutes and I was spent/exhausted/wanted my mommy to tell me everything is going to be okay. 2-3 minutes later I was fine as I recovered. But I would not have felt that way if I only put forth a moderate level of effort and finished the same workout in say 8 minutes. I would have been cheating myself…

Only you know if you gave it all you had; you’re the one who has to look in the mirror that day and ask if you gave it your best on that day.

For some of you, this may be an unfamiliar concept, and that is perfectly fine. If you’re willing to learn, we can show the way…

Tuesday's Circuit Training and SOCF

Class schedule announcements:


Intro class tonight at 6pm, followed by class at 7pm.

No class on Thursday for the Buckeye opener.

Makeup class will be this Friday at 5pm. Plenty of time to get home and go watch your local high school team.

Another awesome day of training went down yesterday with a few more people being introduced to PSKC. Tuesday's training consisted of:

5 Rounds of 40 seconds work/20 seconds rest of:
Battling Ropes/Slamball
Wall Ball
Knees to Elbows/Windshield Wipers
Double KB Push Press
Odd Object Squat (pick something awkward off the ground and squat it)

Would like to throw a big shout out to the employees at Southern Ohio Correctional Facility (SOCF); you think you got a tough job? Try everyday to deal with Ohio's most dangerous inmates; not only do you have to be physically tough, but just think of the mental and emotional toughness you have to possess in order to deal with society's criminals each and every day.

The least we can do at PSKC to show our appreciation is to offer a discount to our law enforcement/military/and first responders; you know… the people who actually protect society from the wolves of the world.

As a sheepdog/warrior  of the public you have to be physically prepared for the worst case scenario; the better physically conditioned you are the more confidence you will have to conquer these worst case scenarios. However, it’s important to note that this philosophy not only applies to the first responders, it applies to the business man, school teacher, etc as well. It doesn't matter if you're a SWAT operator or a restaurant owner. You owe it to yourself to be in the best physical condition possible. Why?

Sometimes life is going to punch you in the face, then try to kick you while you’re down. You have to have the confidence and the mental toughness to know you can get through any situation (sickness, loved one passing away, job loss, divorce, etc). If you aren’t continually subjecting yourself to challenges, how do you know you have what it takes to overcome them? These workouts are tough, demanding, and challenging but fun at the same time. Some of you just starting out may think “There is no way in hell, I can do that.” But I promise you, you will get through them and some interesting things will happen along the way:
• greater self confidence
• greater strength and conditioning levels
• greater capacity for physical performance
• greater attitude in general

Don’t believe me? Ask some of the folks who have been training this way for a month or two and see what they say.