New Years Eve Schedule

On Monday we will have a 9am & 4:30pm options.

Tuesday (New Years Day) we will be closed.

Regular schedule on Wednesday!

Beginning on Saturday January 5th, we will be implementing some new programming and class schedule. A more detailed post will follow.

But for the 5th it's bring a friend Pain Clinic! So if you've got a friend who you've been telling about the gym, bring them down on the 5th for a free workout and a chance to see what we're all about!

See you guys tomorrow! We'll send you out with a bang!

There Is Work to Be Done

2012 was an incredible year at the gym. We grew in numbers, events, equipment, and improvements to the gym. Strength was gained, pounds were lost, and lives changed.

IN 2013 WE WANT YOU TO JOIN US..

We can get you where you want to be but it won't be easy and you'll have to do your part. We don't want you to from January to February, we want don't resolutions we want long term changes.  Give us 3-4 workouts a week, tighten up your diet, and within 2-3 months you'll notice changes. So much so, you will refuse to go back to the way you used to be.

It's not an empty promise, it's a fact because we have seen it happen time and time again.

Whether you want to be an athlete looking to do competitions/events/obstacle races...or just want to be in better shape to play with your kids. We will get you there...

We will get you there because we are dedicated to making you better. This isn't our job...this is our passion.

This isn't a fad...

This is our life's work, our purpose...

Let us make 2013 your best year yet. Email dale@pskcstrong.com and let's get started. There's work to be done.

MERRY CHRISTMAS!

Merry Christmas guys!!! We hope you enjoy every second of spending time with your loved ones. We will back to regular schedule on Wednesday throughout the rest of the week.

Thanks to our friends at FighterZ Wanted we were able to get your all some gifts this year! Airdynes...a torture device! Truly the gift that keeps on giving..

MERRY CHRISTMAS!

Christmas/New Years Schedule

Here's our schedule for the Holidays:

Christmas Eve (Monday) - 9am only
Christmas - closed
Wednesday-Saturday: regular schedule

New Years Eve (Monday) - 9am only
New Years Day - closed
Wednesday - regular schedule

We will be implementing some awesome additions/improvements starting with the New Year. The first thing will be on Saturday, January 5th with a "Bring a Friend" Pain Clinic. This is a free workout for a friend of yours. You'll be their partner for the Pain Clinic and it's a great chance for them to check out the gym and see what we're all about. So let them know now to save the date for Saturday the 5th.

We'll be posting a full update of what you can expect to see in the New Year! One teaser...6am classes on Tuesday & Thursday! Maybe Santa needs to buy a Keurig for the gym!

Strength Goals

Many of you have been asking about goals to shoot for in regards to strength numbers. Additionally, considering that the New Year is rolling around I wanted to provide you a list of general strength goals to shoot for if you’re not already there on some of them.

Keep in mind these are relative strength to bodyweight goals. A 500lb deadlift is pretty impressive for a 250lb male it's even way more cool for a 165lb male. These goals were developed from a collection of expertise through Mark Rippetoe’s Starting Strength, Military Athlete, and Gym Jones and our own experience in the gym.

These are not strength standards as compared to the power lifting/Olympic lifting arenas which rightfully so are considerably higher. Maximal strength is amazing and impressive, but our goal at the gym is to produce relative strength but not at the expense of conditioning/capacity. We want to produce well rounded strong and capable individuals that are as strong as possible and able to handle any task that life may throw your way. A 500lb deadlift is awesome, but not at the expense of a drastic decrease in your conditioning levels. 

These goals are something an individual could expect to achieve given the proper amount of dedication, training, and recovery. They do not represent an end to themselves either, more simply an indication that a solid BASE of strength has been achieved. 

STRENGTH STANDARDS:

1.       DEADLIFT: 2 X BODYWEIGHT (M&F)

2.       BACKSQUAT: 1.75 X BODYWEIGHT (M), 1.5 BODYWEIGHT (F)

3.       FRONT SQUAT: 1.5 X BODYWEIGHT,  BODYWEIGHT (F)

4.       OVERHEAD SQUAT: 1.25 X BODYWEIGHT, BODYWEIGHT (F)

5.       STRICT PRESS: .75 X BODYWEIGHT, .66 X BODYWEIGHT (F)

6.       PUSH/SPLIT JERK: BODYWEIGHT (M), .75X BODYWEIGHT (F)

7.       BENCH PRESS: 1.5 X BODYWEIGHT (M), BODYWEIGHT (F)

8.       CLEAN: 1.25 X BODYWEIGHT (M), BODYWEIGHT (F)

9.       PULLUPS: 12 DEAD HANG (M), 4 (F)

10.     HSPU: 8 STRICT (M), 3 (M)

Review the list, evaluate where you’re at and start forging ahead to get there. If you're already on some or all of them, continue to progress forward. We will be there to help you along the way no matter where you're currently at. 

Starting the first week in January we are adding in more linear progression to our strength training that will give you a better systematic approach to getting stronger.  It will require you to establish 1 rep maxes (1RM) in certain lifts and calculate %s based on those lifts. More of that later..

In the meantime, keep training hard and being awesome. For those that want to train hard and be awesome, we are having a beginners program this Thursday at 630pm. We’d love to get you started down the right track. Email mo@pskcstrong.com to grab you a slot!

PSKC/USMC DEC12

On Saturday we had approximately 40 future USMC recruits along with around 15 Portsmouth High School Football players come down for a 1/2 day evolution of mental and physical development.

We started the day with some classroom instruction on the importance of developing positive self-talk in order to forge mental toughness. Additionally, we hit on the 8 step Troop Leading Procedures to assist in leadership development.

After the classroom instruction portion was complete we broke into a group warmup and provided instruction on a proper air squat and pushup.

We then broke into 6 man squads where each squad needed to gather 25lbs of weight per person to be carried a 1/2 mile to the next objective. At the objective it was time to put into practice the earlier lessons of mental toughness and teamwork via levee bear crawls.

Of course for those who refused to take proper care of themselves and make smart decisions. The wizard took some victims.

After death by bear crawl was over, it was time to return to base via a 1/2 mile truck push loaded with a couple hundred pounds.

We'd like to thank our future warriors for coming out, the amazing staff at RSS Huntington, all the volunteers who donated their time to help, and the young men on the football team to chose to challenge themselves.

Looking forward to the next time!

Beginners Program = Thursday 630pm

Our next beginners program kicks off Thursday at 630pm. The time to start is NOW. Don't wait until the New Year to start. Shoot Coach Mo an email at mo@pskcstrong.com to grab a slot. Speaking of the New Year, we will be bringing you guys some new stuff we're very excited about.

One of those things will be monthly "Bring a Friend" Pain Clinics. The first Saturday of each month will be "Bring a Friend" workouts, the cost is free for your friend and it's a chance for them to check us out and see what we're all about. Being that Pain Clinics are partner workouts, your friend will work out with you and you can get a chance to help navigate the pain train. The first "Bring a Friend" Pain Clinic will be Saturday January 5th.

As much as I hate to admit it. It is getting colder. If it were solely up to me, we'd be rocking straight Rocky IV style with open garage doors. But we do have some folks on the staff who enjoy more of a "tropical" feel so we've sparked up our propane heater and we will closing the doors for the winter after this weekend so we can further insulate around them.

Some of the morning crew have been showing up to the evening classes which is great but it drops off attendance in the mornings. Primarily due to the fact they lack the intestinal fortitude to handle the 20-30 degree mornings. (Coach Zak is there at 5am 3-4 days a week, so you get no sympathy from us).

We are kicking around the option of going to Mon/Wed/Fri morning classes until Spring time rolls around. We are here to serve you all. So let us know if this will impact your ability to get to the gym.

Lastly, we are cooking up something awesome for the USMC Poolees this Saturday. So Saturday's Pain Clinic will be early 0830-0930. If you're volunteering, we need you there by 0930.

USMC at PSKC Saturday December 15th!

This Saturday we are conducting our quarterly team buidling/motivation training with future USMC recruits (poolees) from the Tri-State area. We will putting these young men and women through a couple hours of physical training, teamwork, and the development of communication skills under stress.



The training will start at 10am on Saturday. We will have an early Pain Clinic from 0830-0930. And we need your help!! We need several volunteers to help these young men and women out. Those who have helped in the past will tell you it's an incredible rewarding experience. We will need you to run stations/events that we put these guys through.

 Email Dale at dale@pskcstrong.com if you'd like to volunteer and help out the next generation of warriors from our own hometowns.

From Weakness to Aggression

Even in an incredibly supportive environment, YOU are the one that has to get through it

Yesterday we conducted a workout inspired from GYM JONES . Quite simple on paper, take 2 kettlebells (35m/18f) and perform 100 X Double Clean and Press. The only problem is that once you start you cannot set the bells down. The only authorized "rest" position is in the farmers carry position.

If the person tapped out and quit before they reached 100 reps, the penalty was 25 burpees to be completed on the spot each and every time until the 100 reps were completed.

This physical test was grueling. But much more important was the ability to silence and redirect the mental chatter throughout the course of the 100 rep odyssey. Pretty early on the thoughts of negativity and weakness enter the brain. From a coach's perspective it's fascinating to watch how people respond to when they are immersed in a pool of discomfort.  Immediately, the face/eyes/body language start to display what the mind is thinking...

immediate regret from setting the bells down

"There's no way I'm gonna make it through this, I'm only on rep 17 and my shoulders/arms are toast. I can barely hold on.."

So then the immediate option is let's rest...so the individual drops the bells into the farmers carry position. A maximum of 3-6 seconds of rest is achieved before discomfort settles in...then the battle begins. By rep 25-30...you really start to find out what's gonna happen. Right now the choice is purely and solely mental...at that exact moment you are choosing your fate..you are planting the seed for future success or a visit to the burpee reaper. It's at this exact moment when negativity creeps into your brain...that you choose to feed into the thoughts of pain/weakness/discomfort OR you immediately INTERDICT and RE-DIRECT. 

I recently completed the 12 month Unbeatable Mind Academy (UMA) course created by SEALFIT owner Mark Divine. UMA is designed to teach the lessons of developing mental toughness and forged an unconquerable spirit. CMDR Divine speaks in great detail on the ability to tame the mind from negativity. I've discussed before the parable of the Courage vs. Fear Wolf and how ultimately whatever energy (positive vs. negative) you feed your mind will takeover your life.

The 100 x clean and press workout was an opportunity to "witness" what your mind will do and more importantly your ability to overcome. First and foremost the battle is won in the mind first. 

In the UMA you learn to develop the ability to WITNESS. This is the ability to check in and see exactly where we are mentally. What thoughts are racing in our brains/minds..are they positively or negatively charged? (fear vs courage wolf). 

Secondly, and most importantly is the ability to INTERDICT. For example at rep 17, through our ability to "witness", we quickly realized we were experiencing some discomfort and we had 83 more reps to go. After that thought entered your mind..what did you do next? 

For some it was..."I GOT THIS. I've been here before. Every rep makes me stronger" A great example of interdicting the negative thought pattern and replacing with positive/aggressive statements. 

engaging in an offensive mindset

For others it was "ohhh shit...there's no way..I've got 87 more to go..I can't get through this. It hurts to even hold the kettlebells." Without the ability to interdict negative thought patterns, quitting becomes an easier pillow to swallow. 

The next step is to RE-DIRECT. After we've acknowledged the weak/negative thought pattern, and stopped it through interdiction....now we must now immediately replace/re-direct positive aggressive statements/thoughts/mantras. For some I recommend you become angry at the thought of quitting. Re-direct the thoughts into aggressive positive statements. 

Then we just rinse and repeat. Every new negative/weak thought..we simply repeat the process. WITNESS

INTERDICT

RE-DIRECT

And before you know it...you go from rep 17 and suddenly you're at 97 with only 3 more to go. Stronger mentally and physically along the way.

Too often in life, people allow themselves to be the victim of their story. Blaming others and situations....negativity breeds negative outcomes. Be the person others lean on....not the other way around.

"It matters not how strait the gate,

How charged with punishments the scroll.

I am the master of my fate:

I am the captain of my soul."

William Ernest Henley 

Olympic Lifting Options

nothing like 2 man teams pulling a RZR for a 5K

This week you will notice we are adding in the option of an Olympic lift to be done during the strength/skill portion of certain workouts (depending upon the programming). So for example this will be Monday's training:

Strength/Skill:

Deadlift - 3

Double KB Strict Press - 3

5 rounds

*Olympic Lifting Option:

Clean and Jerk

5-50%

3-75%

Spend remaining time working heavy singles

Finisher:

100 X Double KB Clean and Press (35/18)

* DO NOT SET BELLS DOWN. Only authorized resting position is farmers carry hold. Do not set on shoulders and/or legs. INTEGRITY. If you set bells down or use unauthorized resting position, you immediately perform 25 burpees.

As you can see during the S/S portion we will have 2 different options going on at the same time. On the gym floor we will separate these two groups out with a coach with each group. HOWEVER, in order to participate in the Olympic lifting portion, you must have taken an Olympic Lifting intro. To do so, send Coach Zak an email (zak@pskcstrong.com) and he will get you started. 

The Olympic lifts aren't just something you can pick up on your own. You need to be trained by a certified coach to get you started down the right path. Just so happens all of our coaches are USAW level 1 coaches. 

We believe this will accommodate everyone's needs and give you guys a chance to pick what you want to work on. The choice is yours. If O-lifting doesn't interest you, no problem you can still work the basic lifts and continue to advance your strength levels. Then after the S/S portion is over we link back up for the finisher. 

See you guys for another great week of training!

Shed a Little Light

The other day I stopped at a rural gas station in Kentucky. A young mother was digging in her pockets to pay for some gas. It was clear she had seen better days and strapped for cash. She asked the cashier to give $5.35 on pump 8. I remember thinking "damn, that won't get you far". And didn't give too much thought after she paid the cashier. I was running late in a hurry and waiting to pay for my coffee. I was too concerned with my own worries to give her much thought.

In line in front of me was a tall old farmer, complete with overalls. He reached in his pocket, grabbed his wallet and pulled out a $20 bill. He gave it to the cashier and told the young mom, "Merry Christmas, hope this will get you a little further down the road." Her eyes misted up and said "Thank you so much sir".

After the young girl was out the door and pumping her gas, the farmer gave the cashier another $20 and told her to add to the girl's bill. This time it was the cashier who started to get misty eyes. She told the farmer, "thank you sir, you'll be blessed for that. That girl is a regular and I know she's such a hard worker". The farmer simply replied, "I reckon that's how it works".

That simple gesture undoubetly had a profound impact that day on that young mother. It was clear she was having a difficult and dark day, all the farmer did was shed a little light.

A few minutes later I was checking my Facebook and the above picture popped up in my newsfeed:

"EVERY SINGLE INTERACTION THAT YOU HAVE WITH A PERSON IMPACTS THEIR DAY."

It takes a strong person to do what that farmer did. What if we acted more like a farmer? Imagine the impact we could make, the light we could provide to people during a dark day.

Helping others requires strength, strength as defined by Henry Rollins:

"Muscle mass does not always equal strength. Strength is kindness and sensitivity. Strength is understanding that your power is both physical and emotional. That it comes from the body and the mind. And the heart."

The world is full of weakness, full of people acting like assholes. More than ever, we are in need of strong people. A simple $40 made an enormous impact on that girl that day.

Stop being in a rush, busying your mind with "me first" thoughts. Start looking for opportunities to have a positive impact on someone's day.

Please read the remainder of Henry Rollins essay below. It beautifully explains why we're such believers in using the gym as a tool to develop the total person.

"It took me years to fully appreciate the value of the lessons I have learned from the Iron. I used to think that it was my adversary, that I was trying to lift that which does not want to be lifted. I was wrong. When the Iron doesn’t want to come off the mat, it’s the kindest thing it can do for you. If it flew up and went through the ceiling, it wouldn’t teach you anything. That’s the way the Iron talks to you. It tells you that the material you work with is that which you will come to resemble. That which you work against will always work against you.

It wasn’t until my late twenties that I learned that by working out I had given myself a great gift. I learned that nothing good comes without work and a certain amount of pain. When I finish a set that leaves me shaking, I know more about myself. When something gets bad, I know it can’t be as bad as that workout.

I used to fight the pain, but recently this became clear to me: pain is not my enemy; it is my call to greatness. But when dealing with the Iron, one must be careful to interpret the pain correctly. Most injuries involving the Iron come from ego. I once spent a few weeks lifting weight that my body wasn’t ready for and spent a few months not picking up anything heavier than a fork. Try to lift what you’re not prepared to and the Iron will teach you a little lesson in restraint and self-control.

I have never met a truly strong person who didn’t have self-respect. I think a lot of inwardly and outwardly directed contempt passes itself off as self-respect: the idea of raising yourself by stepping on someone’s shoulders instead of doing it yourself. When I see guys working out for cosmetic reasons, I see vanity exposing them in the worst way, as cartoon characters, billboards for imbalance and insecurity. Strength reveals itself through character.

Learning about what you’re made of is always time well spent, and I have found no better teacher. The Iron had taught me how to live. Life is capable of driving you out of your mind. The way it all comes down these days, it’s some kind of miracle if you’re not insane. People have become separated from their bodies. They are no longer whole.

I see them move from their offices to their cars and on to their suburban homes. They stress out constantly, they lose sleep, they eat badly. And they behave badly. Their egos run wild; they become motivated by that which will eventually give them a massive stroke. They need the Iron Mind.

Through the years, I have combined meditation, action, and the Iron into a single strength. I believe that when the body is strong, the mind thinks strong thoughts. Time spent away from the Iron makes my mind degenerate. I wallow in a thick depression. My body shuts down my mind.

The Iron is the best antidepressant I have ever found. There is no better way to fight weakness than with strength. Once the mind and body have been awakened to their true potential, it’s impossible to turn back.

The Iron never lies to you. You can walk outside and listen to all kinds of talk, get told that you’re a god or a total bastard. The Iron will always kick you the real deal. The Iron is the great reference point, the all-knowing perspective giver. Always there like a beacon in the pitch black. I have found the Iron to be my greatest friend. It never freaks out on me, never runs. Friends may come and go. But two hundred pounds is always two hundred pounds."

Jingle Bell Jog - 5K Saturday December 1st

Last year we pushed a truck for the innaugural Jingle Bell Jog. This year we're recruiting as many "reindeer" as possible and we will be pulling Santa's sleigh for a 5K! Just so happens Santa's sleigh will be a RZR side ATV.

If Boston is feeling up to it, he will be driving the sleigh. We will attach tow straps to the sleigh and pull the ATV for the 5K. We will break into teams of 4 and rotate out every 30 seconds for the duration of the 5K.

Here's what you need to do:
1) Get registred for the race. Click HERE or see Sara Mauk at the gym to get signed up. Don't forget this is a fundraiser for the Red Cross, so your registation fee goes towards a great cause.
2) Get to the gym at 0815 on Saturday to help decorate the "sleigh"
3) Wear your most creative Christmas themed clothing/costume
4) Be awesome.

Last year was a blast and this year will be even better. So get signed up and we'll see you on Saturday morning!

Giving Thanks..

We will be cancelling evening classes this Thursday and Friday but we'll give you some opportunities to get in some nasty workouts (pre & post) Turkey day.

THURSDAY - 9AM PRE-THANKSGIVING BURNER

FRIDAY - 9AM BLACK FRIDAY BURNER

SATURDAY - 9AM PAIN CLINIC

As you all prepare to be with loved ones and chow down this Thanksgiving, we just want to say THANK YOU. We are truly blessed to be surrounded by a community of awesome individuals. We love being with you all and witnessing you achieve your goals and change your lives for the better.

While we all love to read and watch amazing testimonials about weight lost, strength gained, and lives transformed. No one will deny how cool it is to watch Slusher deadlift, Zak clean and jerk, or see Ash attack workouts. The most important part of what we do in the gym is to make us more confident and capable for life outside the gym. This funny story that was emailed to us by Anita, a grandmother illustrates that point.

Just wanted to say thanks to PSKC because of you guys, last night I learned how strong I have become.

"Yep this granny had to rescue a grandchild. This is gonna sound a little silly but here is the short story. We were at Party Pros and my youngest grandson got away from me and climbed all the way to the top of the jungle gym. After frantically looking I found him, tried to talk him down but, no go. So here I go climbing ropes and ladders, crawling through tunnels and dodging kids, finally I make it to him and he was thrilled. I thought about just going down the slide to get back out but it dawned on me. You guys would never let us have the easy way out. (plus I didn't want us to get kicked out because our party was just getting started) So I did it the hard way; I carried a 25lb kid back down, over, and through until we returned to the beginning. I thought about laying on the floor and panting like we all do but because of you guys I didn't have to. I was in good enough shape as a grandma to do what those kids were doing and not even think about if I could or not. So thank you guys. This is a funny story but we all need to laugh sometimes. So laugh away because my family sure did. Thank you, Anita"

So as you gather around with your loved this Thanksgiving give thanks for the mental and physical strength you've obtained. Also please take time to remember those who are still serving in far away lands. Pray for their safety and strength.

Thank You!

I've tried to describe in words the amount of love and generosirty a community gave on Saturday..I'm not that good of a writer. I do know, several hundred people came together and gave several thousand dollars to a family, one of our families, in need. It will forever be one of the greatest days of our lives.

Ash and Joe want to make sure that every business, group, and individual that made Saturday possible....THANK YOU. What a great area we will live in!

From young to old, competitor to spectator. We all came together to show a little love. However, our work is not done yet. Here's some details for this weekend's activities at the gym and more importantly some more opportunities to help out our lil man Boston.

THURSDAY:
A group from PSKC will be donning our Battling for Boston shirts and walking in the Portsmouth Christmas Parade. So here's the plan for Thursday:
430pm-530pm - Special evening class (the rest of Thursday evening's classes will be cancelled)
530pm - meet in front of PHS
600pm - we will walk together as a group on Boston's behalf. Be sure to wear your Boston shirts!

FRIDAY:
Normal class schedule (9am and 530pm)

SATURDAY:
Pain Clinic at 9am
Beginners Program - 10am (be sure to email mo@pskcstrong.com to grab a slot)

Benefit for Boston at Koehler's Farm - click the link and check out the details for a great time with some great food and great music put on by Les Norris and Garret out at their Otway farm.

SUNDAY:
1230pm - Sunday workout. This Sunday we are hosting our good friends from the Studio Fitness in Dayton, Ohio. They're coming all the way from Dayton to see how we train at PSKC. So if you want to get a workout in on Sunday, come on down at 12:30pm then head out to Minford for a great Boston fundraiser afterwards.

1pm - Battling for Boston Fundraiser at Minford Middle School  All kinds of kids activities and great stuff going on to support Joe, Ash, and Boston.

BATTLING FOR BOSTON DETAILS:

We are ramping up for awesomeness this Saturday at 10am! We will be hosting a multi-event fundraising extravaganza at the gym in an outdoor festival/tailgate atmosphere. So please bring your own fold up chairs/pop up tents and dress appropriately. Good news is that the forecast is calling for sunny and a high of 66!

We will be having all kinds of events going on and 100% of proceeds will go towards the "Battling for Boston" fund. So bring the kids and your checkbook!

Here is a rough draft schedule of events, please note times are not exact:

8-9:00: Volunteer Arrival and Setup

9-10:00: Competitor Registration & Warm Up

10:00 - entire day: Event(s) kickoff;

Bidding starts on Silent Auction some of the items include:

$25 Gift Certificate to The Robin’s Nest

(2) 1 hour gift certificates to The Relaxation Station

Wine Gift Basket from the Party Connection

(2) $150 Gift Certificates to Rogue

Bath & Body Works gift Basket

Victorias Secret sunglasses

Blower from Wagner Rental

$25 gift certificate & T-shirt from Graphic Solutions

Battling for Boston painting

Battling for Boston graphic prints

Handmade Ohio State quilt

Handcrafted Wooden Trucks

Kyle Signs Ohio State Cornhole Boards

$50 2POOD Gift Certificate

Ohio Builders Supply Tool Package

$30 gift certificate to The T-Shirt Zone

Dale Earnhardt Mountain Dew hood donated by Pepsi

ADD MANY MANY MORE if you would like to donate any items for auction contact Sara Mauk at: saragraf@appalachianwoodfloors.com

Kids activities : Inflatables donated by Party Pros, Facepainting, Cakewalk, SnoCones, Portsmouth Fire Dept. Firetruck

Battling for Boston Shirts, bracelets, and stickers will be available for sale

$1000 Raffle tickets go on sale, Nelson Medical Massage for a year raffle tickets will be available, Papa Johns for a year raffle tickets will be available

10-1:00: 3 Event Fitness Competition (register for competition by using this link: http://battlingforboston.eventbrite.com)

12:00: Food will be available

1:00: Cornhole Competition (register anytime before 1pm, cornhole competition will start right after fitness competition is complete)

2:00: Silent Auction Winner(s) Announcement

3:00: Raffle Drawing and wrap up

PARKING: We will be blocking off the entire compound to hold all the events, so you'll need to park on 10th and/or Court Streets.

VOLUNTEERS: We will be needing your help! We will need folks to register the competitors, judge the events, watch the kiddos, etc. Please reply to email if you're willing to help!

Most importantly spread the word and come ready for just a flat out good and fun time. We will have something for everyone and it will be a wonderful time to open your hearts and wallets and support a family in need. 

In the meantime stay up to date on the latest greatest on Battling for Boston Facebook Event page; click HERE

In Southern Ohio, we take care of our own! See you Saturday!

Schedule Update, Shirts Are In, & Registration Link!

Shirts are in and they awesome! $20/shirt. We've got kids sizes all the way through 2XL for those with monster traps. Every single dollar goes to Joe/Ash/Boston.

Here's how you can get them:

1) They are available NOW for local pickup only during evening classes (click link for schedule).

2) They'll be available for purchase (assuming we don't sell out) during the Battling for Boston fundraiser on the 10th.

3) After the 10th, for the out of towners, we will set up a link and ship what we have remaining out to you.

*No pre-orders, no "set me some aside",  we're rolling first come, first serve. Accepting cash or you can make a check out to "Battling for Boston". 

We wanna give some special thanks for making these shirts happen. The one pulling the strings on this was our very own Muscle Hamster (aka Sara). It was her slogan and her design. More importantly it was the wonderful company she works for APPALACHIAN WOOD FLOORS, that donated money to cover the cost of the shirts being made. That way every single cent from these shirts goes towards the Battling for Boston fund. 

Secondly, big thanks to another member, Lori Lowe for making the shirts as fast and as awesome as she did. So if you have any shirts you'd like to get made please contact her. 

SCHEDULE UPDATE FOR THIS WEEK:

Wednesday:

Regular Schedule and we'll be having a beginners program class at 630pm. Email mo@pskcstrong.com to get a slot

Thursday:

ALL CLASSES ARE CANCELLED 

Friday:

Morning class will be cancelled. 

530pm class is a go. 

Saturday:

9am is a go. 

The Battling for Boston fundraiser is shaping up rather awesomely. Gifts/items for the silent auction are rolling in, including $300 in gift certificates from Rogue. If you'd like to donate an item please email Sara at: saragraf@appalachianwoodfloors.com

Finally, if you're going to compete in the 3 workout competition for the fundraiser please use this LINK to register. We're capping the competition at 80 folks, and right now we've got 50 slots remaining. Please sign up ahead of time, it will help us plan heats and ensure the competition is moving smoothly. If you're not competing, just come to watch these folks do some awesome stuff along with the raffle drawing, silent auction, food, cornhole tournament and much much more!

BATTLING FOR BOSTON - NOVEMBER 10TH

How do you not fall in love with this dude?

BATTLING FOR BOSTON
SATURDAY NOVEMBER, 10TH
PORTSMOUTH SPARTAN KETTLEBELL CLUB
10AM

Right now click HERE and donate to the online fund.

Many folks personally know the Schwambergers, but many of you don't. Allow me to better explain the situation that our beloved Boston is now facing.

Imagine one day you drop your 3 year old wild man off at preschool and then a few hours later as you pick him up he comes comes sprinting out of the school to be picked up by his mom. Imagine that feeling....the feeling a parent cherishes as their kid is beyond delighted to have his mommy.

Then in a matter of a week, you sit in the Cancer Center as the doctor tells you your son has a cancerous tumor on his brain stem. It can't be operated on, the chances of survival aren't in your favor, and the best option is to undergo radiation treatments. For 5 days a week, 6 weeks long your son will have to sedated as radiation beams into his brain to try and stunt the growth of the tumor.

This is why we are Battling for Boston. Boston is one of those kids that will automatically bring a smile to your face. He has never met a stranger, he's a ladies man, he's a stinker, he's a sweetie. Everyone at PSKC knows him because his mom (Ashley aka Quadzilla) is a coach there and Boston has spent more time at the gym than me. He's also always at competitions to watch his momma with his dad (Joe) or his beloved Papaw there as well to play with him.

The community support for this family has been nothing short of miraculous. We definitely have our problems in Southern Ohio but the tribe unites and rolls deep when we need to. A large part of that is because folks know the kind of people Joe and Ash are.

Just a few weeks ago they celebrated their one year anniversary. Joe is the kind of person you want on your side. The only thing that matches his heart is his hard working attitude. Joe works at a steel mill in West Virginia. For 6 days a week, every morning before the sun rises Joe is on the road to work. 6 days a week, 10 hour shifts Joe busts his ass to provide for his young family. Sometimes Joe just doesn't sleep. There's been multiple times as soon as he gets off from work he loads up in the car with B-man and Ash and heads out to a competition to support his wife. That's who Joe is, a man who would do anything for his family. During this time to help Boston, Joe will be granted FMLA from his employer however he will not be receiving any source of income for the days off he has to take to be with Boston.

Ash simply put is someone special. Ash would travel to the ends of the Earth for her friends. She is fierce, determined, strong, loving, and has made her life's purpose to helping other people become healthy and strong.  She started out as a member of the gym who quickly transformed herself into one of the most amazing examples of female strength I've ever witnessed. After a year or so, it was an easy decision for her to become a trainer/coach. In addition to her passion as a trainer, she is passionate about nutrition and healthy eating. In the last 2 months, Ashley has steadily gained more personal training clients and began to develop her own business where she cooks healthy meals for members of the gym. Right before Boston was diagnosed with the tumor, she was ready to launch her business full steam. During this period with Boston, Ashley will not be receiving any income.

 This is why we are Battling for Boston. This is the story of us all. A young hard working couple striking it out on their own life. We can all relate and now we're going to be there united in action and prayer for one another. In an election season when half the country dislikes the other half, now is the time to stand united for a family that needs us. We need your help.

On Saturday November 10th at 10am we're going to have one helluva good time. We're working hard to have something fun for everyone. Battling for Boston is a chance for you to come be awesome. We have something for everyone and as long as nothing interferes with medical appointments the B-Man himself will be there. We're really looking to put on a festival/tailgate atmosphere thrown into the middle of a unique fitness competition.

Below is a list of the day's events/activities

3 Event Fitness Competition:

1) Max Clean and Jerk. Take the bar from the floor and put that thing over your head anyway you want. You get 3 attempts at your max weight. So if you miss an attempt, you get 2 more chances.

2) Maximum repetitions of thrusters (95/65) in 3 minutes. You're welcome!

3) THE BOSTON - 7/22/09 Boston's birthday.

For time

7 deadlifts 225/155

11 kb snatches each arm (53/35)

9 Slurpees (slamball to burpee)

3 rounds 

$25 registration fee. Compete in 1 event or all 3!

$1000 Raffle:

We have tickets available for sale at $50/ticket. The grand prize is $1000 cold hard cash. Presale tickets are available through PSKC and its members. Tickets will also be available for sale during the event.

SILENT AUCTION:

During the fundraiser we will be having multiple awesome items up for silent auctions. Please email dale@pskcstrong.com if you'd like to donate an item for silent auction. 

KIDS CRAZINESS:

Party Pros has donated inflatables for the kids to run around and go crazy. We will have cake/dessert walk, face painting, snow cones, all kinds of stuff for the little ones. 

CORNHOLE TOURNAMENT:

Get a partner and get in on the cornhole action! You will be rewarded with awesomeness and bragging rights. So what if you can clean and jerk 315, winning the cornhole tournament is much more impressive. $20/team. 

T-Shirts and Wristbands for Sale:

Throughout the day we'll have awesome Boston merchandise for sale. 

Food!

Big thanks to BW3s and LaRosas for donating tasty grub. Come enjoy some wings or pizza while enjoying the activities. 

If you can offer up anything hit us up on our Facebook page or shoot us an email

See you on the 10th. In the meantime make sure to donate online and stay awesome!

We Take Care of Our Own

He is one of our own and he needs our help. Boston (aka Bubs, Bossman, B-man) has a cancerous tumor growing on his brain stem. Bubs is the 3 year old son of our own Coach Quadzilla (Ashley) and Joe and has probably spent more time at the gym than most of us being there with Ashley all the time.

We will follow up with a later post detailing the reason why Boston and his incredible family are so special. But for now we wanted to push out a couple of things.

GO RIGHT NOW AND DONATE MONEY BY CLICKING HERE. They are going to incur a small fortune in medical expenses as Boston undergoes radiation treatment in the future. So far, we have had donations ranging from $4-$500. Any amount no matter how small will help.

PRAY. Right now pray Boston, pray for strength, make them feel your love.

SAVE THE DATE: SATURDAY NOVEMBER 10TH

We are working on an epic fundraiser for Saturday, November 10th. Of course will be doing some workouts/lift-a-thon. But it will be more than just another workout fundraiser. We will have something for everyone! We are looking to make it a tailgate atmosphere. We will have stuff for kids, cornhole, shirts and wristbands for sale, raffles, food, and fun. Joe, Ash, and Boston plan on being there as long a medical appointment doesn't keep them. We want to raise as much money as possible and have as much fun as possible.

We will be meeting at Port City Pub Thursday after the 530pm class is over to discuss details for the 10th. Once we get them finalized we will post them here on the blog and Facebook.

GO ATTEND A FUNDRAISER!!
Say what you will about Southern Ohio, and we obviously have our faults, but I'll be damned if we don't take care of our own. Once the story our lil Bubs hit Facebook, the entire Scioto County poured their hearts and wallets out. Below is a list of fundraisers/links that we encourage you to attend. These are the ones I'm tracking, I apologize if I left something out. Email dale@pskcstrong.com and I'll get them up there.

November 1st - "Boston Marathon"
November 2nd - Benefit for Boston - Community Bake/Yard Sale
November 9th - Battle for Boston at Crossfit OKM in Hilliard OH
November 10th - Battling for Boston at PSKC - details to come

November 17th - Buckeyes for Boston - OSU vs. Michigan tickets raffle

November 18th - Battling for Boston Benefit at Minford Middle School 

Scioto Smiles ongoing benefit : To help him and his family, they are offering "Smiles for Boston." From now until December 31st, they will donate $25 of any custom home whitening kit and $75 of any in-office whitening directly to Joe and Ashley Schwamberger. Please call us at 456-1100 for more information and help us by sharing this post! Praying for a miracle for little Boston!!!

Hollywood Hair Benefit: Hollywood Hair in New Boston from Monday till Nov 17 for every hair service they are donating a portion of it to a jar for Boston!

It's time to step up and show how we much love and care. Put yourself in this young couple's shoes. Nothing is stronger than a mother's love for her son.

Saturday Mudder Details

Will there be any emotional breakdowns this year??

Hard to believe it's that time of the year again...the Mudder is upon us! This year we've got around 25 folks signed up on Team PSKC ready to conquer the Tough Mudder (click HERE for course map). Also looks like the weather will be a little better this time around, highs being in upper 50s on Saturday and sunny.

Our start time is 1140am on Saturday. So here's the logistics:

We will meet at the gym at 0830 and carpool to Maysville. Apparently if a car has 4 or more people you don't have to pay the $10 parking fee.

The address of our parking area is:

4037 Kentucky 10, Maysville KY 41056

Once you arrive at the parking area. We'll board a shuttle bus to the actual event.

Click HERE to go ahead and print/sign your waiver ahead of time.

Some tips:
Someone bring a roll of ducktape to tape around your shoelaces to your shoes. So hypothetically, if your shoe comes off in the mud your husband won't have to use his teeth to untie your shoelaces so you can get your shoe back on.

The less clothes the better. No matter the temperature, you're going to get soaked head to toe in freezing water and you're going to get muddy. Accept this fact now, embrace it.

The more clothes you have on the more wet weight to carry around, and the more wet clothes you have the harder it is to get dry..so less is better.

Bring a bag to change out into. Bring a couple towels and a trash bag to put your nasty stuff into.

If you have any other questions, just post them on the PSKC page. See you maniacs on Saturday!

For those who missing out on the muddy goodness, we will still have the regular 9am Pain Clinic.

Rest/Recovery/Reload

How long can you  throttle an engine before it breaks down? Even the most powerful engines need some garage time, have their oil changed, and wheels re balanced.

The bug has bitten you hard. You squat, you deadlift, you push, you pull, you climb, you run, you swing, you jump....all with great intensity..all at varying weights and times. And you love it! Love it so much in fact that you're scared if you missed more than one day of working out you'll magically turn soft and weak.

In the very beginning of opening the gym I had to stress the importance of consistency (funny, this post was written almost exactly 2 years ago). So in one way I'm glad I have to write a post dedicated to telling you all to take time off. I mean how awesome is it that the majority of the folks who go to PSKC are hardcore consistent with their workouts?

But there is a problem....if you never miss a workout, you're in serious risk of becoming OVERTRAINED.

Simply put..you can't hammer your system religiously 4-6 days/week for unlimited weeks. You need rest. You need to recover/rejuvenate/reload. Think of your long term training cycle just like the stock market. Over a longer period of time, we hope to see consistent gains in the market, just like we want in your fitness/performance. However, that doesn't mean it will be a consistent linear mark on returns. To be a long term investor you need to understand to have peaks, you must have valleys. (see below)

But you need to be in it for the long term, understanding that some short term dips in your portfolios are okay. In this analogy these short terms "dips" are what we're referring to as "rest days/deload/recovery".

What happens when you don't let your body rest and heal up? You're running the risk of being overtrained which can ultimately lead to: INJURY

The biggest thing that can set you back in regards to making consistent gains in your fitness levels is injury. If you're stubborn and refuse to take planned "deload" days/week you're increasing your risk for injury.

To get stronger, fast, more awesomer, you need REST.

There are 3 legs on the table that supports awesomeness.

1) Training - this is the easiest part. We handle this for you. We push, pull, squat, deadlift, swing, climb, sprint, run, row, jump (you get the picture). We do them at varying distances and time lengths. And the most important part is that we do things you don't like to do. (cough D with deadlifting..cough..cough..Dale with running).

2) Nutrition - a bit more difficult, but once you learn HOW to eat (don't eat dumb sh!t), it's just a matter of having the discpline NOT to eat the dumb sh!t. Click HERE to learn more.

3) Recovery - this is the 3rd and equally important part of the triangle. It's the least sexiest one of the three and for some of you psychos out there it's the most difficult one to uphold.

So if you're training right AND allowing proper recovery time. This is basically what happens with your body and how you get stronger. The workouts are like a punch in the face, a shock to the system, a stress (good stress). Your body starts breaks down as a result of the stress, you allow ample time for your body to recover from the stress impacted upon it, there is a period of "supercompensation" where your body/mind goes from Clark Kent to Superman, then you dominate your next training session and the cycle repeats as my dad always says "onward and upward".

However, if you're traveling down the path to overtrained this is what is happening:

Boils down to too many stresses over a period of time and not enough recovery/supercompensation. Click HERE to read more.

How can you tell if you're getting close to becoming overtrained? Here are some signs to look for:

1. You're losing motivation to train ("getting through it" vs. "crushing this m@therf@cker")
2. You're feeling "under the weather"
3. You're not sleeping well, feeling restless
4. You haven't had a great workout in a while (no PRs and/or not making gains)
5. You're constantly sore from workouts and your joints ache

"If you're gonna be stupid, you better be tough"

If you're experiencing these signs take some time off. Use common sense, take some planned days off (2-4), get some rest, allow your system to reset and come back hungry to train. If you don't do this, you will get injured. And you won't be able to pinpoint the exact time you hurt something (back, elbow, knee, hip, whatever), it will be the result of an accumulation of weeks/months of consistent stress without adequate time for recovery. Then one morning you go to get the Folgers in the coffee maker and boom your low back is locked up and you can't unfold yourself.


Somethings to help boost your recovery:

1. Eat an anti-inflammatory diet (see above). 
2. Take anti-inflammatory supplements (fish oil, KillCliff)
3. Mobilize yourself. When's the last time you stretched or did joint mobility at home? If you don't know the answer you're wrong. 
4. Take planned rest days and even deload weeks. And yes that means you. If you've been hammered by coming two days in a row and you're wicked sore, take the next day off! Even if you see the workout and it's one of your favorites, take a seat on the bench champ, you'll need it. There's a reason why Wendler's 5/3/1 program calls for a deload week every 4th week from heavy lifting. Jim is a "lifer", he's been there and done it. Don't think you're smarter than someone like him take his advice. 

Some folks are advocates for a 3 days on/ 1 day off cycle or a 5 days on/ 2 days off cycle. Some folks preach taking one week off of training for every 6 weeks of hard training. I'm not that dogmatic in the approach. It boils down to the individual and what capacity/level they are on.

It's really simple, don't be stubborn, be smart and listen to your body. If you're feeling run down, take some days off, get fresh so you can come back more awesomer.

I promise if you take 3-5 days off your body won't turn into mush, you won't lose your strength and capacity. Odds are you'll be stronger and more hungry to be awesome.