Hope you all had a great weekend. We ended the previous week with some great workouts on Friday and Saturday. And we've got some great ones lined up for the next week. You'll especially love Monday and Tuesday!
It's also the first week of the month..so it's DUES WEEK. Make sure you stop in and get current for this month's training. Don't forget this is the last month for people to come in and get locked into the $50/month rate. After September 1st, the rates will be going up. So now is the time to get to make the decision to becoming stronger and healthier...and just flat out better.
Thanks to all those who helped out at the softball tournament we have some new Olympic bars and bumper plates that will be at the compound next week courtesy of Rogue Fitness!
Why do I always buy from Rogue? Besides the fact they are veteran owned and headquartered in Ohio..take a look at some clips and you'll see why.
9-11 Throwdown Fundraiser Leaderboard..needs some names up there
We are one of a few gyms across America that are participating in a fundraiser throwdown/workout on the 10th anniversary of 9-11 to raise money for the Disposable Heroes Project, all money raised goes towards helping wounded veterans and their families.
All info can be found HERE..don't forget about those sweet ass t-shirts!
We will be collecting money starting now all the way through September 11th. If you just donate $10/week you'll be over $60 by the time the event rolls around. Why should you give? Number one you know it's the right thing. These guys need your help, it's time to step it up and take care of those who took care of you.
The above photo is donation leaderboard at the gym. Nothing like a little competition to get the money flowing. I've put up $200 of my money to the cause to lead by example. The leaderboard will be display the top 5 givers...at the end of the fundraiser prizes will be awarded to the top 3 finishers.
1st Place - choice of kettlebell or free month of dues
2nd Place - kettlebell or free month of dues
3rd Place - PaleoKit Sampler pack
Flyers are available in the gym. This isn't just a "gym" thing...I'm reaching out to the community to support our veterans and their families.
Now enjoy some pics from the previous days of training. See you at the 9am Pain Clinic at the compound!
Great intro tonight...5 more folks showed up and got welcomed to the family. There's no time like the present to come be apart of PSKC. Any new members who sign up before September 1st will be locked into the $50/month rate before the new pricing goes into effect. If you've been on the fence, now's the time to jump off of it and start the path to becoming strong.
This week has been already filled with some great workouts. Monday we worked on some strength development working on cleans, ring dips, and front squats. Followed by a sprint finisher of 3 rounds of gate sprints coupled with 10 X burpee box jumps.
Air Shaye
Then on Tuesday it was time for the 2nd installment of "Tough Mudder Tuesday". We did:
80-40-20 air squats
40-20-10 kb swings
20-10-5 pullups
Run 1 mile then..ladder back up
20-40-80 squats
10-20-40 swings
5-10-20 pullups
Tonight we went back to our "roots" with a nasty kettlebell complex after we put in some gymnastic work on handstand pushups and knees to elbows.
Golden Girl is the fittest grandma in the Tri-State
We'll be back at it tomorrow with the 6pm and 7pm options. Recently I ranted about how I can't stand to hear people complain about the heat (click HERE). Essentially the point was, if you think it's bad ...it can always be worse.
The story of Louis Zamperini is the epitome of it can always be worse. If there's one book you need to read this summer it should be UNBROKEN. The story of Zamperini is amazing and truly incredible...it's ultimately a story of survival, persistence, attitude, and redemption.
Louie was an Olympic runner in 1936, the youngest on the team who was known for his incredible finishing "kick". He was all geared for the 1940 Olympics when war broke out. He then enlisted to become a bomber pilot on the Pacific. This is where the story gets interesting...
His plane crashed...he not only survived, but he survived 47 days on a raft fighting sharks and starvation. He then washed up on an island. The only problem was it was a Japanese occupied island...after surviving 47 days at sea. He was a Prisoner of War (POW) in a heinously cruel Japanese POW camp. Because of his celebrity status of as an Olympic was beaten repeatedly for several months...yet he continued to keep a positive attitude...he continued to SURVIVE.
Please take a few minutes and watch this news clip on his story. You will become a better person for knowing the story of Louis Zamperini, fast forward to the 10:00 mark and enjoy...
By now you guys know we are are huge supporter of helping out worthy causes. In less than the year that we've been open, PSKC has contributed to the following causes.
Now I need you guys to step it up even more. I have registered PSKC in the 9-11 Throwdown
What is the 9-11 throwdown?
"Ten years ago the make up of human existence was forever altered. The attacks on September 11 2001 challenged the core values of American society. Over the last ten years we have fought harder then ever imagined to rebuild and restore America's values. In our darkest hour we surged through to the light on the backs of the military and patriotic people across the nation.
On September 11 2011 we mark the ten year anniversary of the attacks on America. In order to honor the sacrifice of those who lost their lives on that horrific day as well as the War on Terror we are asking everyone to come together and throw down on an EPIC WOD and compete across the country as Boxes to raise the most money. (You don't have to belong to a box to do the WOD...donate anyway) All proceeds go directly to the Disposable Heroes Project!!!
So, on Sunday September, 11th PSKC will host the 9-11 Throwdown Workout:
2001 meter row or run
THEN 11 REPS OF THE FOLLOWING:
36/24in box jump
125/85 thruster (number of Pentagon deaths)
Burpee chest to bar pull ups
175/120 power clean (AA Flight #175 - south tower)
Hand stand push ups
2 pood/1.5 pood swings
Toes to bar
170/120 lb DL (Flight 77 and flight 93)
110/75 push jerk (number of floors in each tower)
End with 2001 meter run or row
In addition to simply participating in the workout as a way to honor the lives lost in 9-11. More importantly, I am asking you guys to donate $ to a cause that's very near and dear to my heart; The Disposable Heroes Project (DHP)
DHP's mission is to raise money for our Wounded Vets and spread awareness and thanks for our fallen troops and the ones that still serve us today. They essentially raise money to go take care of our wounded warriors and their families. The organization was founded by a former Marine, Brad McKee who ran a 100 miles straight to raise money and awareness for our wounded warriors..
As a registered gym in this competition, we are competing against several other gyms across the country to see who can raise the most money for the Disposable Heroes Project. Prize packages will be awarded to the top 3 gyms who donate the most money to the DHP:
1st: Set of Bumpers, 24 in Plyo Box, Squat rack from HI Temp
$75 Gift Certificate from PROGENEX
$100 Gift Certificate from ROK
Med Ball from MediCore
2 Kettle Bells from Nu Era Fitness
2nd: 3 $100 Gift Certificates from Wright Rubber
$50 Gift Certificate from PROGENEX
$100 Gift Certificate from ROKFIT
Med Ball From Medicore
3rd: 2 $100 Gift Certificates from Wright Rubber
$20 Gift Certificate from PROGENEX
$100 Gift certificate from ROKFIT
Med Ball from MediCore
How can you help?
Donate directly to DHP by clicking HERE. Or you can stop by the gym and give us your donation and we will do it for you. Remember, these donations are 100% tax deductible. Whatever amount you donate, make sure you remember to tell me so I can include it in the gym total.
Also, if you want you can pick up a sweet ass 9-11 Throwdown Shirt that my boy John at Infidel USA designed for this event. If you purchase one (cost is $25) $5 goes towards your donation total. We will put together a mass order for the t-shirts. I will need your money and size no later than Friday, August 19th. And yes girls...they come in chick sizes too!
it also comes in chick's sizes too
Every little bit helps...I'm calling on you guys to please support this noble and honorable cause. Always remember...good things happen to good people. If you have never had the fortunate pleasure of personally knowing the type of person a wounded warrior is...I invite you to read Derick's story by clicking HERE.... by the way he just bench pressed 455lbs yesterday :)
For new members effective September 1st rates will be increasing to $65 +tax/month and $7/daily.
We are also adding extra membership options via 1, 3, and 6 month options. The longer the membership, the cheaper monthly average.
1 month - $65 single, $120 couple
3 month - $180, $350 couple
6 month - $350, $680 couple
In a year’s period we have grown from offering 6 classes a week to now over 11 classes a week, and plan to offer more. The increase in dues are in order to accommodate the extra classes, extra equipment, associated overhead costs, etc.
FOUNDING MEMBERS LOYALTY:
If you have been a founding member of PSKC (e.g. member during any point the first year), we want to reward your loyalty by giving you the opportunity to grandfather you into the current rate for the next year. I cannot express my gratitude enough for allowing the gym to be successful. The least I can do is keep your monthly rate the same. So starting September 1st, for founding members only we are offering the option to pay for next year’s dues in monthly or quarterly installments.
You will be locked into your currently monthly rate at $50/month. Couples = $90/month
Or you can choose the 3 month option of $150 + tax. Couples rates will be $270 + tax.
*If you decide you don't want to pay for the monthly at any time during the year, at which point when you start back up you will be subject to the new prices. For example, if you pay your monthly dues for September and October..but don't pay your monthly dues for November. When you start back up in December you'll be subject to the new pricing. Therefore, in order to remain at the current pricing you must pay your monthly dues each and every month for the next year.
You guys have been there for us since the beginning and we want to make sure we say thanks by locking you into your current rate for the next year. A savings of $180!
No one likes when prices go up, myself included..but it is a necessary evil. However, loyalty and gratitude are very near and dear to me as well. That's why we wanted to ensure the founding members have the option to be remain at their current price for the next year.
Yes, I know you can go to any other gym in the area and the monthly average price will be lower if you do a year contract. But we don't compete with other gyms, we dominate them. Essentially, your "membership" at other gyms is an equipment rental fee. That's it... you don't get provided instruction on how to do kettlebell technique, gymnastic exercises, olympic and powerlifting.
No where else in the area can you get what PSKC offers. We give you amazing instructors/coaches, we give you an amazing team and atmosphere, and most importantly we give you strength and the ability to do the impossible.
Feel free to hit me up on email or Facebook if you have specific questions.
Additionally, we will honor anyone that becomes a member between now and August 31st at the current rates. So if you've been on the fence about becoming a member and/or buying the monthly option. Now is the time! If you wait to after September 1st, you'll be subject to the new rates.
Don't forget...TOUGH MUDDER TUESDAY is tomorrow! It's a doozy...you have the 9am or 6pm option. Start hydrating now! See you at the compound
Okay..here's some class changes/additions..so pay attention:
THURSDAY - 9AM & 6PM (NO 7PM CLASS)
FRIDAY - 9AM & 5PM CLASS
SATURDAY - 9AM PAIN CLINIC
So we're adding a morning class on Thursday, but deleting the 7pm. And we're adding an earlier 5pm class on Friday!
WEEKEND SOFTBALL TOURNAMENT HELP:
This weekend, I really need any and all help you guys can give to support the weekend softball tournament at Doc Singleton Park on the West Side off of State Route 73. Even if you can only stay a couple of hours, that will help relieve someone who has to be there all day.
Dates: Saturday & Sunday 23/24 July
Times: show up anytime after 8am on Saturday AND Sunday. The games will last to around 6-7pm on both days
Location: Doc Singleton Park on the West Side off of State Route 73
All money we receive for helping out will go towards buying equipment for the gym!
Today was hot....incredibly hot..one of the hottest days of the year.
It doesn't matter...it can always be worse.
Somewhere else it's a helluva hotter....
Someone else is wearing full battle dress uniforms carrying 50-60lbs of gear....patrolling the streets.
You got to be "hot" for less than a hour...
They get to be "hot" for hours on end...
The next time you want to complain about something...do yourself a favor and those around you a favor.
KEEP YOUR MOUTH SHUT.
You go from an air conditioned house to an air conditioned car to an air conditioned office back to your car and back to your house.
Is it really that awful for you? If it's just sooo terrible that you find the overwhelming desire to pronounce your weakness, that you have a significant inability to suffer...don't do it around me. It just really pisses me off...
-Rant over....
Today we hit up the first of the "Tough Mudder Tuesdays"...and it was nasty.
Start off with a run to the stop light.. then
15-14-13-12-....3-2-1 of
wall ball
step ups
weighted situps
After you completed round 8, you hit another run..then you finished with a run. It was long..and very wizard friendly.
thank you Shep for the BDU idea..you always make me better
To all those who showed up and braved the heat full well knowing it was going to a very challenging workout. Be proud of yourself, when you wake up in the morning you know you chose strength, the hard road over the easy path. For those who didn't show because it was "too hot", or because you knew the workout was gonna be hard...STOP LETTING FEAR DICTATE YOUR LIFE.
For greatness to be achieved, there must be great challenge present. Step up and relish the challenge. Eliminate weakness from your life....no one likes a whiner.
For those who want to challenge....we welcome you tomorrow for the weekly Wednesday 5pm intro. Just make sure you're drinking plenty of water!
Indy Tough Mudder is approaching! 12 miles of brutality in the freezing cold...PSKC has a team registered and anyone is welcome to take the challenge if you think you're up to it by clicking HERE.
You need to be conditioned to handle 3-4 hours of running, climbing, obstacles, and generally "embracing the suck". But remember...
"greatness is only possible when challenge is present" - Josh Bunch
To start training some of us hit up a rather hilly 7.2 trail run/walk/climb in Shawnee forest on Sunday. So to better prepare the tribe for the Mudder, starting this week we are launching.... "TOUGH MUDDER TUESDAYs" ..
Each week on Tuesday the workouts will be designed to last in the 30-50 minute range. For example on Friday Shep did this little number...
3 Rounds
Legion Run
50 box jumps
50 burpees
It took the majority of folks around 40 minutes and they all universally proclaimed "thaaaat suuuuucked".
The purpose of these Tuesday "endurance" efforts will be train the body for higher volume as well as the mind to develop the "one foot in front of the other" mentality. This will come in very handy when you're on mile 6 of the Mudder...
Don't worry we will be providing modified options for all members to accomodate ALL levels. These sessions aren't just for people who are doing the Tough Mudder. It will benefit EVERYONE...so I better not see anyone pussing out on Tuesdays.
5PM FRIDAY EVENINGS
Also, because of some good feedback we are going to test run a Friday evening class. This class will start at 5pm on Fridays. This will allow you guys to come straight from work, knock out an awesome training session and enjoy the rest of your Friday evening. The first Friday evening class will begin this Friday (July 22nd).
If, however, after a few Fridays we are not averaging good numbers for this class (7-10). We will remove it from the schedule. So it's up to you all to keep it on the schedule!
SOFTBALL TOURNAMENT VOLUNTEERS:
PSKC needs volunteers!! This weekend July 23 and 24th. We are helping run (concession stand, collect tickets, etc) a softball tournament for Preston Messer at Doc Singleton park on the West Side. All the money we receive for helping out will go right to the Equipment Fund to purchase more Olympic bars and bumpers. We already have a few volunteers, but the more the merrier and it will help lessen the burden. We will start at 8am each day and plan on being there all day. Get ahold of me via email: louisdaleking@yahoo.com if you can help out and help get the gym more Oly lifting gear!
When you think one more rep is impossible....yet you lock it out
When you hit the floor and just want to lay there....yet you get back up
When it's freezing..and the kettlebell handle hurts your hand just to touch it...yet you swing it
When it's incredibly hot the sweat stings your eyes.....yet you still have vision
When your callous is ripping....yet you still hang on the bar..
When your legs are a unique mixture of concrete and jello....yet you still jump
When you're told you shouldn't lift....yet you grab the chalked bar and pull
When gravity is pulling you down with the force of the universe on its side...yet you pull up
When it's just too damn heavy to lift....yet you find a way
When the rest of the world forgets....yet you remember
When you want to quit on yourself....yet you can't let your friends down
When you want to stop....yet you still push
When you want to be weak....yet YOU REMAIN STRONG
When it starts to get bad...when those last 2 minutes seem like 2 hours. When you want to slow down, but yet you still keep trucking through. What gets you through it? What do you focus on? Do you this for those who wish they could? What do you think about? Is it those around you who are suffering just as bad? Would do this stuff alone? Does the tribe make you stronger? Is it the shouting of the coaches, the music, the people?
Maybe it's a mixture of all or none at all... regardless you are still the pilot of the vehicle. But the beauty is ...you get to choose which vehicle you want to command.
Do you want sit in the driver's seat of an old, slow, unmantained car with years of rust accumulated? You're unsure if it can make it out of the driveway let alone down the highway without breaking down?
Or do you want to be excited when you strap yourself into the cockpit of an incredibly powerful all terrain machine, that is equally fast as it is powerful? It legitmately can do anything and go anywhere you want it ...
But in order to get what you want you to drive....you have to have the drive within you.
Take some time to consider what is truly inside of you that keeps you going in the aforementioned examples, there's no wrong or right answer...some are driven by critics, some are driven by just wanting to be better.
As for me, it will always be the thoughts of the US Military that keeps me going and remembering myself as a kid. As I kid I spent a significant amount of time daydreaming. Hours of playing in the woods, fueled by heroic visions of Rambo, Commando, Rocky, Bruce Lee movies, and even Best of the Best gave me lots of time to think about who I was going to be when I grew up.
As a 10 year old, the thought of being 30 was light years into the future...I had no clue what I wanted to be or do...I just knew I wanted to do something special and be good at it...whatever "that" may be.
So now what drives me is the memory of that 10 yr old kid...if he were here next to me today would he be proud? If he were there to watch me every single time I train in the gym...would he like what he sees? Would he proud of the effort I produce? Would it inspire him?
For the moment Tia and I don't have any children, but I'm sure when he/she comes along that kid will be driving force. If your kids watched you work out would they be proud...would it inspire them?
So the next time you want to slow down, catch your breath, set the weight down, come off the bar...remember that kid you were when you were growing up fantasizing about the man/woman you would become or think about your own kids watching you....do whatever it takes to make them proud and be the example that inspires them to greatness... always remember your drive, your source of strength...
See you guys at the compound! We've got both Friday and Saturday 9am classes lined up for the weekend..
Please take 20 minutes of your valuable time and watch these 3 clips. Especially if you're on an anti-depressants. Now I'm not endorsing this one way or the other..just providing it because I found it to be pretty interesting.
I like to think in terms of analogies....when you talk diet and exercise it can get fairly technical and overly complicated when it really doesn't need to be. If you want to get strong, pick up as many heavy things as possible in as many different ways as possible...pretty simple. No need for "advanced" protocols and systems...just lift heavy stuff.
Same thing for nutrition. Think of your stomach as the roots and your body as the tree and branches. If you see the top of the tree withering away and looking rather sickly...odds are the roots are in as equal bad shape. It's the roots job to provide the valuable nutrients and water from the soil (food) to the rest of the tree and branches (body). If you got problems/issues with the roots...you're gonna have major problems with the rest of the tree.
Same thing with the human body...if your gut is all jacked up from the foods you're not supposed to be eating....you will have major downstream/upstream problems (autoimmunity, obesity, inflammation, CVD, cancer, Metabolic Syndrome, etc).
The videos below make the case for how even depression is affected by what you eat or equally important...what you don't eat. Watch not just once but a couple of times..and use some "google-fu" to conduct further research to validate or disprove. Never take anything as gospel, always research, question, and experiment...it's your only your health and lift we're talking about.
Remember you can never out-train a terrible diet. For those who haven't tried PSKC out..come on down. We'll get you started down the right track to becoming stronger, healthier...and just flat out better. Next intro is Wednesday at 5pm. Hope to see lots of new faces!
P.S. Wes (aka JFK Jr) that guy is a Pharm-D just like you. How come we never have such fasicnating conversations/discussions? I feel slighted bro...
before = "skinny" ... now = strong, capable, and healthy
Roughly 6 months ago a skinny tattooed blonde chick walked into the compound for the Intro. Her name was Leslie, she is now known as Les Norris.
Before she transformed into the monster that is Les Norris, she was simply Leslie. 6 months ago Leslie was skinny....not strong.
6 months ago pullups, deadlifting, power cleans, were not apart of her training regime. She just did "weights". She was a smoker and her own words had the strength "to barely open the door". Since that time she replaced Jager bombs with "Mapache bombs" and relishes the time she can work on her strength.
Here is an excerpt from an email she sent me a while back....
"I did my first pullup last night! Dude--not to get all corny but your gym has seriously changed my life. I haven't had a smoke since January and I don't even want one. My strength has increased immeasurably and I had no idea that I could push myself to such great lengths. You weren't kidding when you said I would see results. I can't say enough good things about PSKC."
Very powerful words indeed. But to appreciate these words, sometimes you need a powerful visual image to support them.
This was Leslie about a year ago. She weighed about 99lbs and had been training at another gym for 4 years doing "weights".
BEFORE
This is Les Norris now...6 months after training at PSKC.
AFTER
Today's society tells girls they need to be "skinny". And as you can see from the "before" picture, she definitely was skinny. But just how physically capable was she?
The majority of the time that skinny = unhealthy and weak. I'm so thankful that Les bucked the system and decided to be strong and healthy versus skinny and weak. Her transformation wasn't easy, she trains HARD and eats GOOD. She is a shining example of what can happen when you can combine training + diet + attitude.
Click HERE for some other examples of strong PSKC chicks.
We have dozens of examples of people losing weight at PSKC. But the example of Les is very special. What happens when you don't have weight to lose? YOU GET STRONG AND BUILD DENSE FUNCTIONAL MUSCLE. That's what's happening to the people who are losing weight as well at PSKC.
Great job Les Norris...this is just the beginning for you. So much for powerlifting, kettlebells, and olympic lifting being just a "guy" thing.
