John Greaves III's Blog, page 7

Talking Roller Derby, Nutrition and Eating Disorders with Sports Nutritionist Gina Nofzinger

Sports Nutritionist Gina Nofzinger is a survivor! This former Army wife is always up for the next challenge, be it roller derby, perfecting her deadlift form or becoming a certified sports nutritionist after breaking the grip of eating disorders on her life.  I hope this glimpse into the life of Mama Mia Gina leads to many more collaborations in the future because I love her positivity and common sense approach to life and health! 

Gina, tell me how you got your start in fitness. Was it because of roller derby?

Not quite. Soccer was my sport of choice growing up, and I played for about 20 years.  I also enjoyed my fair share of softball, volleyball, and tennis.

Actually, pause that and tell me how you got into roller derby! You’re the first person I’ve ever had contact with who was involved in the sport. Are you still active in roller derby?

Roller derby has been on my bucket list for about 10 years. I attempted to join a team in Dallas years ago, but the commute was going to be too challenging for practices and bouts. When I relocated to Fort Hood, they had just begun a team on post called Hell on Wheels!  I was able to join the team and played it for about 2 years, before the team dissolved. It was a great experience and allowed me to build relationships with women from all facets of life.  Roller derby is a great sport, because every age, shape, and size is welcome and there is a purpose for each.

You’re a tall woman at 5’11, were you a blocker or a pivot?

Ha ha! Well, my team preferred me to be the Jammer, but I played all three positions.  Blocker was my favorite because . . . well you get to smash into other ladies and use your body with great force!!  It’s a great way to release anger or frustrations (in a safe way, of course).   Speed has NEVER been my forte, but POWER is another story.

Nothing wrong with being strong. Do you have any injuries from roller derby or other sports that you have to train around now or make adjustments for in your normal training routine?

Yes!! With all the years in soccer, I rolled/sprained my ankles more times than I can recall. Then, I waited until I was ‘well-seasoned’ (38 years old ;)) to join roller derby and my body could tell the wear and tear.

That’s the biggest difference between Masters athletes and younger ones. I think we can do the same things, we just pay for it longer.

In August, 2016, I had four surgeries on my right ankle. The doctor did the typical scope, the Brostrom procedure, peroneal tendon repair, and then pieces of bone from a break (I didn’t know I broke it) were imbedded into another tendon.  So he removed the pieces of bone and repaired the second tendon.  Needless to say, I am much better after proper recovery and physical therapy.  My ankle will most likely never be 100% again, but I try to take the time to do stretches and strengthening exercises.

Gina, your husband retired from the United States Army. Did you get into training at home because you no longer have ready access to on base fitness centers?

Not quite. Luckily, he is a retired disabled veteran, and we are still able to use facilities on post. But since most days are busy; having a gym conveniently located in the garage works best for me.  Plus, I can act a fool and be silly when the mood strikes.   HA!

You said, “When insomnia strikes, I lift.” It’s great that you take advantage of having a training facility conveniently located in the home but that can be a double-edged sword. Do you struggle with insomnia often and how do you strike a balance between taking advantage of the time since you can’t sleep anyway and making sure you get plenty of rest?

That is a great question, because getting adequate sleep is extremely important for healthy living and mentality!!   I wouldn’t say that I struggle with insomnia too much, however, my husband was working nights for about a year, and when he would wake up at three, I would usually get up with him.  Which means I would try to be in bed super early. And I’m embarrassed to say how early I usually go to bed, but it’s really really …. Really early.   Lol.  I told someone the other day that I have become so much of what my 4 year old self dis-liked; early bedtimes, and vitamins, and blah blah blah.    Haha!

Ha! I think I’ve seen that several times as a meme on social media. I’ve got to find that graphic and add it to the story.

But when I do have a difficult time sleeping, more times than not, I will lift. It’s a retreat for me in a way, a release.  It’s MY time, with MY things, doing what I want, in whatever way I want to do them.  Some may read that and it may sound very selfish, but having my own time doing what I enjoy, is 100% SELF CARE. And that’s important for every individual.

You recently earned your certification as a sports nutritionist. So let’s look at one of your Instagram posts in that context.

“Nutrition is not low fat. It’s not low calorie. It’s not being hungry and feeling deprived. It’s nourishing your body with real, whole foods so that you are consistently satisfied and energized to live life to the fullest.”

Unpack what that quote means to you both as someone recovering from an eating disorder and as a certified sports nutritionist.

EATING DISORDER BRAIN – if I read that when I was struggling with my ED, I would be shaking my head as I read it, in disbelief. When I didn’t have a healthy perspective, I believed the lesser calories consumed, a smaller size would be the result. BUT, with that comes other things; low energy, metabolism issues, difficulty sleeping, ‘skinny-fat’, or way to slender, etc. I would be in my head about calories or fat or sugar or whatever, constantly. I would say to myself often, ‘if I eat that, what will I need to do to work it off?’ When I was deep in my ED, I didn’t feel nourished, I didn’t feel satisfied and I definitely didn’t feel energized. My only target was eating as little as I could. I was so uneducated, and so mis-informed, as are SOOOOOOO many people!!  It’s a lonely road.
EATING DISORDER BRAIN ( RECOVERY ) – food is fuel! You can’t build your body without the proper nutrients.
CERT SPORTS NUTRITIONIST BRAIN – Oh gosh where do I start? Understanding the energy your body needs to just function is important!  Breathing, thinking, digesting food, sleeping, and things like that all use energy!! The body isn’t going to perform as best it can without FUEL. So all those things that use energy cannot function well without the nutrients needed.  #amiright ?      ha!
Flexible dieting enables people to eat what they want (moderately). The body can only process so many grams of fat, carbs and protein, and everyone’s numbers are different. If you consume more than your body needs (calorie surplus), then the excess calories are stored, which leads to weight gain.

Reading this quote as a nutritionist, I agree with it. Nutrition is nourishing your body with a plethora of foods that vary in color and aren’t processed. Eating the right kinds of foods, will leave you satisfied and energized. You will simply feel nourished, and that is good nutrition.

Studies show that the less sleep a person gets, the higher their craving for carbs and caffeine. As someone who suffers from insomnia and a nutritionist what’s your view of the proper way to manage carb intake and caffeine so we don’t interfere with our circadian rhythms and hinder both our health and ability to properly recover from training?

Sleep is sooooo important. People most likely feel the need to consume more caffeine and carbs for the quick boosts within their blood sugar. I personally don’t feel there is anything wrong with the intake of caffeine if it’s not huge doses and is consumed in a timely manner.  Unless an individual has health issues regarding caffeine, I feel it’s safe. If I were discussing this with a client, I would want to know their history with caffeine, and then I would inform them of nutrient timing, as well as smaller more frequent meals. They may decide they don’t want/need the caffeine and carbs any longer.  But adequate sleep is a definite role player.

Were you inspired to become a sports nutritionist because of your background with ED?

Yes, that was a reason behind it, but I also began taking classes for nursing and it was then, that realized how in love I was with learning about how the body processed things, the biomechanics of the body, the anatomy and such. It’s a fascinating topic for me, and I enjoy learning about it.

How do you plan to use your certification going forward?

I have a small group of clientele, and reeducating them about nutrition leaves me feeling a great joy. That’s how I will continue to use my cert.

You had another post that said, “The next time someone asks you what you weigh; tell them 100 and sexy!” Do you think that women both in and outside the fitness industry still struggle with the idea of weighing too much even with the influence of fitness influencers like Kortney Olson and her GRRLLL Army fitness line?

I feel that people like Kortney Olson can make a positive impact on some.  And that is wonderful! Women, men, adolescents— PEOPLE will continue to struggle with body image issues, until they are informed and accepting of proper nutrition.  Too many people are not educated on the ins and outs of nutrition.

I ask because it seems that, largely due to the influence of Crossfit, increasing numbers of women are now actively seeking to grow the size of their hips, thighs and rear ends. This is a dramatic shift from the past when women aspired to be unnaturally thin, or were ashamed of their curves.

So true. When I look at a woman who has been in the CrossFit world for a long time, I see strength and health. I see a body that is athletic and still feminine.  And even though I don’t do ‘CrossFit’, that is my personal target.  To look and feel healthy, upright, rooted, nourished, energized, and strong!

One thing that my wife and I are trying to do is promote positive body image through our clothing both for men and women. Everything we sell is designed to promote the fact that the person wearing it is an overcomer. That’s why you don’t see apparel saying, “Addicted to tacos” or “Must have coffee” in our line. We have no problem with either of those foods but we want to promote the idea that the person in our clothing is strong enough to overcome not helpless to deal with cravings. Does that make sense?

Yes this makes sense and is very admirable!

You posted a healthier alternative for when cravings strike. I believe it consisted of coffee, milk, protein powder and chocolate syrup. What’s the exact recipe and macro breakdown?

Is this regarding the chocolate Fairlife milk, and Hershey’s syrup?

Yup! That’s the post!

This is 240 grams of fat free Fairlife milk, 11 grams of protein powder, and 14 grams of Hershey’s syrup. YUM!   The macro breakdown is 0F/18C/21P.

I think it’s important that sports nutritionists or any wellness professional give actionable tips like that to help with compliance. What’s another favorite recipe of yours to battle cravings that may hinder you from reaching your goals?

While a chocolate protein shake will usually fill me up if I’m feeling a bit hungry, sometimes I want/need something solid. So, low fat string cheese is always great.  0% Fage greek yogurt with a packet of Truvia and some granola is also a fave.

Dan John and Josh Hillis co-wrote “Fat Loss Happens on Monday” and one thing they emphasize is focusing on the many small positives whenever you hit a setback during a fat loss cycle. What other useful advice do you have for someone trying to get into better shape?

You hear it all the time, but honestly— just don’t give up!  Consistency is a challenge for the majority of us, but if you end up stopping, then you gotta start over.  I’ve done it many times in my life, and now a motto of mine is something that I stole from a therapist in treatment, she would say at the end of every session: “Keep coming back’!!!”

Wes Jenkins has written about the power of dedicating a full year to improving body composition rather than trying to get everything done in six or even twelve weeks. As a sports nutritionist what do you think about the power of habit and the concept of taking one year to change your life?

AGREE TO THE MAX!!!   YES!  But, some people have better success with baby steps.  So a year is awesome, but some may need segments to get them to complete the entire year.   By that time, hopefully it will be a habit for them.

For me personally, it’s shaking out to three months of fat-loss and mobility work primarily, followed by three months of hypertrophy and mobility work, followed by three months of strength building and another three month fat-loss phase. If you’re interested, we can get you in on some of the planning.

I fully support the periodization protocols! All that I have read about it has proven to benefit the athlete if done properly. It makes sense to break up your training into cycles (macro, meso, micro) and build upon the previous cycle. Periodization training was discussed a lot in my schooling, in fact, an entire chapter was on that topic!

Let’s finish up by talking about your home gym. Do you primarily have barbells, kettlebells, machine weights or a combination?

I have a few dumbbells, two barbells, some bumper plates, a squat rack, bench and hyper extension. I just sold my leg press and elliptical. Which was supposed to clear up room in the garage but then my hubby got a kayak, and well— Ha ha!

How do you prioritize what equipment you’re going to buy?

I ask myself this, “What piece of equipment can I utilize the most without having to purchase more”? I don’t feel that you need a whole lot to get in a good work out.

I know you mentioned needing a better heater, what else is on your wish list for the gym?

A 20-25lb kettlebell is on my Christmas list!!

How can people follow your training or contact you if they want help in taking control of their eating and beginning a better relationship with food?

I love talking nutrition!!   After I assist someone with nutrition or training, I feel that I leave with more joy and contentment then they do!  It does wonders for me because there is so much mis-information and bro-science out there.  Anyone can DM me @gina_nofzinger on IG, and I am happy to help them if I can.

The post Talking Roller Derby, Nutrition and Eating Disorders with Sports Nutritionist Gina Nofzinger appeared first on Garage Gym Life.

One Year by Wes Jenkins

One Year of Work

This picture encapsulates 1 year of work. Left side is about 215, right side is 235-240ish. Being a powerlifter, my ultimate goals revolve around the weight I can move. If I cut down right now, I could probably be in the same shape as the left side at 5-7 pounds heavier, and stronger. On the left I was carb cycling, with a backload day, on the right just eating clean but not counting calories.

I enjoy eating, I honestly do, I can cook so I don’t have a problem preparing food, but at the same time, sticking to a four day a week schedule of meat and vegetables is expensive. When you’re carb cycling though, deadlift day and squat day with pasta post workout is life.

I’m dropping roughly two pounds a week right now. Not dieting, just eating clean and adding volume in my workouts. I’d like to lose slow enough to drop about 15 more pounds without my strength being affected.

The Point of it All

In all seriousness, what I’m getting at is once you take the enjoyment out of this fitness thing, and make it a chore, you are really defeating the purpose. I’m not at all advocating just eating like crap, not moving

I can cook so I don’t have a problem preparing food

around and putting your John Hancock on an early death certificate, but why get ripped without endurance and a healthy body? Why be big if you aren’t strong? Why be flexible if not for joint health and meditative purposes?

Don’t do it for anybody else, do it for you, not to show off, but so you can live a long life, AND ENJOY IT! My grandfather is 86 years old and still helps chop wood, my father is 64 and is still kicking ass, you almost have to tranquilize him to keep him still. I Still can’t beat him in arm wrestling! He double overhanded 425lbs on a whim last year because he saw the weight on my bar. After he left I was like, “What in the actual Fu**?”

I see people trying and failing, Jesus died for us to be imperfect, but you were blessed with a life. Live it to the fullest, have fun, lift heavy, eat good, be with family and friends as much as possible, and trust that as long as you are trying, you are better off than having ever said “ there’s no way I could do that”.

I have Pops to thank for my arm genetics, Mom to thank for my legs and both of them for instilling a work ethic in me to still bust my ass to not rely on genetics. When I first started lifting weights when I was thirteen or fourteen, I was happy to bench 100 pounds and squat with one plate, so I’m not one of those freaks that deadlifts 400 pounds the first time they ever touch a barbell.

What You Did Before, You Can Do Again

If you ran 2 miles everyday in high school, get your 45-year-old behind up and try to build up to running 2.1 now. If you benched 400 in high school, aim to make it a 2-3 year goal now.

Point is, you can ALWAYS get better. What will one year do for you?

About Wes Jenkins

Wes Jenkins is 6’2″ 230lbs of dedicated garage lifter. He’s deadlifted 600lbs both sumo and conventional and is preparing for his first powerlifting meet. You can follow Wes on Instagram @deadliftpro6 or read his story here.

Even better check out Wes’ t-shirt The Deadlift Pro6 in the Garage Gym Life store. 10% of the annual proceeds benefit Locks of Love, Wes’ favorite charity.

The post One Year by Wes Jenkins appeared first on Garage Gym Life.

One Year

One Year of Work

This picture encapsulates 1 year of work. Left side is about 215, right side is 235-240ish. Being a powerlifter, my ultimate goals revolve around the weight I can move. If I cut down right now, I could probably be in the same shape as the left side at 5-7 pounds heavier, and stronger. On the left I was carb cycling, with a backload day, on the right just eating clean but not counting calories.

I enjoy eating, I honestly do, I can cook so I don’t have a problem preparing food, but at the same time, sticking to a four day a week schedule of meat and vegetables is expensive. When you’re carb cycling though, deadlift day and squat day with pasta post workout is life.

I’m dropping roughly two pounds a week right now. Not dieting, just eating clean and adding volume in my workouts. I’d like to lose slow enough to drop about 15 more pounds without my strength being affected.

The Point of it All

In all seriousness, what I’m getting at is once you take the enjoyment out of this fitness thing, and make it a chore, you are really defeating the purpose. I’m not at all advocating just eating like crap, not moving

I can cook so I don’t have a problem preparing food

around and putting your John Hancock on an early death certificate, but why get ripped without endurance and a healthy body? Why be big if you aren’t strong? Why be flexible if not for joint health and meditative purposes?

Don’t do it for anybody else, do it for you, not to show off, but so you can live a long life, AND ENJOY IT! My grandfather is 86 years old and still helps chop wood, my father is 64 and is still kicking ass, you almost have to tranquilize him to keep him still. I Still can’t beat him in arm wrestling! He double overhanded 425lbs on a whim last year because he saw the weight on my bar. After he left I was like, “What in the actual Fu**?”

I see people trying and failing, Jesus died for us to be imperfect, but you were blessed with a life. Live it to the fullest, have fun, lift heavy, eat good, be with family and friends as much as possible, and trust that as long as you are trying, you are better off than having ever said “ there’s no way I could do that”.

I have Pops to thank for my arm genetics, Mom to thank for my legs and both of them for instilling a work ethic in me to still bust my ass to not rely on genetics. When I first started lifting weights when I was thirteen or fourteen, I was happy to bench 100 pounds and squat with one plate, so I’m not one of those freaks that deadlifts 400 pounds the first time they ever touch a barbell.

What You Did Before, You Can Do Again

If you ran 2 miles everyday in high school, get your 45-year-old behind up and try to build up to running 2.1 now. If you benched 400 in high school, aim to make it a 2-3 year goal now.

Point is, you can ALWAYS get better. What will one year do for you?

About Wes Jenkins

Wes Jenkins is 6’2″ 230lbs of dedicated garage lifter. He’s deadlifted 600lbs both sumo and conventional and is preparing for his first powerlifting meet. You can follow Wes on Instagram @deadliftpro6 or read his story here.

Even better check out Wes’ t-shirt The Deadlift Pro6 in the Garage Gym Life store. 10% of the annual proceeds benefit Locks of Love, Wes’ favorite charity.

The post One Year appeared first on Garage Gym Life.

Build and Inspire with Muscle & Mirth

Muscle & Mirth: More Than Just Flexing While You Laugh
Muscle & Mirth founders David and Chari Hensler are on a mission to change the world.  They plan to do this through encouraging others to discover and pursue their passions, the same way that discovering their passion for lifting weights and each other lifted them both out of depression and emotional turmoil.
First of all, thank you guys for you wanting to share your story with us. A lot of times people think that what they have to say isn’t important; but as you well know because of what you also do; every one story is inspiring to somebody.

David: That’s no problem, I appreciate that entirely, that’s what we’re all about. Same kind of mission— someone’s going to hear it, they’re going to be able to relate and they’re going to get that confidence or courage to take that step to change their lives for the better.

You’re about to move into your first home correct?

David: Yeah, first time home owners

Okay, but you already had a garage gym, so were you renting a house?

David: Yeah, we’ve been renters forever, so we, the house are currently in have been for about two years. We’ve moved quite a bit but our equipment has always come with us since we purchased it. We bought it in Utah originally and we’ve moved out of state to Arizona; it came with us and within Arizona we had several different houses— any house that we’ve rented always had to have a two car garage in order to set up our gym. Our cars have always been outside regardless.

I like it, park on the street, that’s what I’m talking about.

Chari: We didn’t care if we had one bedroom as long as the garage was big enough.

Ha, ha! So tell me how you guys got started in fitness and specifically in training at home.

David:  I was a teacher at the time working with people to get their GED and get their lives straightened out— I quit all of that when I was twenty-seven, stayed at home while my ex-wife went to school and I worked at night. I went through the divorce when I was thirty, I had a very tumultuous, emotional experience through all that and I had no self-confidence. I moved back home and I was completely emaciated, 145lbs and I’m 5’7 so that’s pretty skinny, my brother just walked me out to the garage, threw on the 45s and said, “Hey man, rep it out, let’s see what you got!” I hadn’t benched since high school, but I did it and I was like, “I’m either going to start lifting weights or be really self-destructive.” I joined a gym in town for a year and then moved to Utah in 2010.

You can’t train just your body and not train to be emotionally disciplined or self-confident and have a healthy view of your body. -David Hensler

Chari: Our stories are similar in that we both came from backgrounds that involved a lot of lack of self-confidence and little physical exercise. I didn’t exercise at all and nutrition was not important in my house at all. So at the close of my first marriage I was introduced to Zumba and I loved it. It was exercise but didn’t feel it like exercise and I felt like I was finally doing something for myself. And it really helped me to build a lot of confidence. It’s how I stayed sane and it really helped me to pretty much endure the last couple months of an unhealthy marriage and really catapulted me into a healthy place. Then when I met David he introduced me to the gym and to weights and I pretty much fell in love with that because that’s when I started seeing changes in my body and really a lot of physical changes that I appreciated. And because we had three kids from my first marriage and two from his, we needed to be able to make working out a part of our daily routine but not compromise our family. And so we just started buying equipment and having a set up in our garage allowed us to have the garage door open, kids running in and out, being able to parent and lift at the same time and that was what we thought we really needed to be.

Given that you guys already have the kids, I know that you bought a lot of things off of Craigslist but it’s not like you can just go out and buy everything that your heart desires as a garage gym rat. So, what’s like the first thing that you said, “We can really start with this?”

David: I was looking on Craigslist, the first thing I wanted was a rack, with a decline/incline bench and then an Olympic bar with 300lbs of plates.  And I ended up finding one in the town where she was living at the time. I thought the ad was incorrect cause the guy had it listed for one hundred dollars and I could tell it was a little bit older but I didn’t care! It had a rack, had a high and a low pulley with a little standard one inch size plate loaded on the back. Had a bench with the leg and preacher curl attachment.  It was a standard bar, little five footer bar, one inch with the spinning locks with 220lbs of weight. And I think he may have even had the dumbbell handles.  So I was like, “Shoot man, for $100 I’ll take it right now!”

So Chari drove it up and this was before we got married so I just had it in storage. Then I went on Sears and I think they had a 300lbs set for the Olympic bar for $200 brand new.

Chari: We started adding a little bit at a time after that because very gradual; but you’re right. When you are building something at home, you can’t just go out and start purchasing every single piece of equipment that you want because it’s so expensive.

David: Depending on our work schedule and our fitness goals, we just kind of adapt to whatever it is that we want; and there’s a lot of things that were given to us. There’s a handful of people that have come over to see our gym and they’re like, “Oh my gosh! There’s all of these weights in my neighbor’s yard and he’s going to throw them all out!”

I got a brand new Gold’s Gym rack, it’s a bench with adjustable uprights for squatting, an adjustable bench, a 45lb bar and 285lbs plate just given to me; so I cleaned it up with vinegar, oiled it, greased it and I gave it to Chari’s principal because he’s been coming over training with us. And he’s kind of a beginner strength level so I gave him you know, a brand new rack and bench and it cost nothing.

That’s sort of what you are doing with Muscle & Mirth. Typically a business that is involved in the fitness industry is geared towards supplements, training, coaching maybe writing; then there are a ton of fitness apparel companies. You guys started Muscle & Mirth wanted to build and inspire people. So talk to me about the mission of Muscle & Mirth.

. . . having a set up in our garage allowed us to have the garage door open, kids running in and out, being able to parent and lift at the same time . . . – Chari Hensler

David: So Muscle & Mirth is a brand of fellowship building and inspiring strength. And although, we identify ourselves as a brand, what we really are is a movement to bring together athletes from all walks of life and not athletes in the physical sense, but athletes in the cultural sense. And we’re going to bring people together and they themselves, through their life and through their pursuit; whatever that is, that they’re passionate about. People are going to see that, they’re going to relate to it and they’re going to feel so inspired that they’re going to break whatever it is that’s holding them down.

Chari: Yeah, that’s the other piece of it is that we recognize that it wasn’t just the physical aspect of it. We had come from a place where mentally and emotionally we were not well; and we recognize the fact that, yeah, you can be physically healthy but that does not mean your mental game is on target. And so you have to address all aspects.

David: It’s an integrated approach to fitness and health.  You can’t train just your body and not train to be emotionally disciplined or self-confident and have a healthy view of your body. So we came up with Muscle & Mirth; so muscle is the strength that we feel so passionate about. And the Mirth we took out of our wedding vows. Mirth is just enjoying life. We make each other laugh, we enjoy each other’s company, I consider Chari my best friend; she considers me her best friend you know. We build each other up, I want to see Chari be her best, there’s no sabotage involved.

I think the community we identified with the most was Garage Gym Life. Anybody that lifted outside, in the garage, with unconventional means we felt like that’s our tribe! So we kind of grew and eventually came across Alvin Brown.

He had this book called Journey To Personal Greatness and it’s the whole thing. Talks about mind, body and soul and how to really strengthen yourself in all different aspects. His resume is so impressive! But his whole thing, is you got to visualize yourself as a champion.

Chari: You know he helps us put our mission into words essentially is, to articulate it and to not be afraid of it and, just go out there and try it!

So is he like your business coach?

David: Not just business but he considers it kind of like our life coach. It’s the business, it’s the personal, it’s training, it’s all around. So, he is a really big one for us because he’s the one the pros go to and he’s really a big endorser of us.

I think that’s why we don’t get too upset about the followers and the likes and the views; we’re more interested in substance.  I mean, we really want try to be genuine and interact as much as we can. But I really think some people— validity I guess is the word that I can think of; but they want to know that someone actually cares about what they got going on.

Your brand is designed to build and inspire. How are you monetizing it to cover your overhead?

Pretty much this picture is in here just to show David’s hair

Chari: The apparel is a product for right now. But I think it’s step one in our long term vision as far as where we want Muscle & Mirth to go. And we’re still kind of trying to figure that out exactly what our endgame is, and I don’t think that’s a bad thing. We jumped in full speed and we’re just kind of formulating it and having it evolve into what we want it to be as we go.

I think that’s fair because you never know. Next year you might find that there’s an opportunity as technology develops you didn’t even think about. And quite honestly, if you thought about it now you probably wouldn’t be ready to do it. You have to become the kind of person that can take advantage of that opportunity when it comes.

David: Yeah, and we have a lot of really good people around us giving us some really great advice. And I think the best is just to manage the overhead. Because you know, we invested in what was necessary and the next thing was to make sure that you scale the growth. Like if you want to buy things by cases, well the risk is you’re going to come up with a design and no one’s going to like it. Now you’ve got 250 shirts collecting dust; and you’re in a hole. You know wholesale for that still is quite a bit of money. And the more you get out there and, people see that you’re genuine about what you doing and the really being like, they think about who you are, they start asking about you. I don’t have any fancy lighting in the garage, we don’t use Hi-Def cameras, I mean it’s pretty much just us and that’s the way we want people to see us; this just how it is. There’s nothing glamorous about lifting weights at four in the morning! If you’re sincere about what you do and people jump on alongside those, it’s the little things that matter. Like my brother came back and just dropped off a tripod that he found at Wal-Mart. He was like, “Hey! You can use it for your videos!” That’s what makes us keep moving forward; I mean I love when little things like that happen.

Tell me about your team. You have @liftlikemommy and some other people I think…

David: Yeah, @run_paddle_ride …

So what does being on the team mean? And how do people get on your team?

David: Okay so, Team Muscle & Mirth is something that we originally did not want to do. We call it sponsorship just for an ease of definition. It’s a familiar term and people know what it means. We get approached quite a bit as I’m sure you do too. You get a bunch of those guys that just want free stuff—

If you’re giving out free stuff, I’ve got some addresses I can give you of people who have stepped forward and said they want free stuff! Ha ha!

David: Ha ha! These three ladies were alongside even before Muscle & Mirth was seen. You know Muscle & Mirth was nothing more than our handle, it was nothing more than our user name but they were there from the beginning.

Chari: We loved their optimism and willingness to help others— it’s about what they are doing you know matching our mission. So we feel like these athletes that we have right now are a good fit.

David: They’ve kind of come through some struggles, some dark seasons and all of their stories have that triumphant, “I got through it, pushed through it”; Emilee, who’s @stronglikebox, she found powerlifting. She had postpartum depression and then she started lifting and now she’s an amazing cop. Jennifer, who’s @run_paddle_ride, she’s so inspirational, she’s a mom; she helps her husband out with their contractor business. She loves motocross and she learned to ride and then before you know, she started racing it; she picked up snowboarding and she goes out and surfs; she runs marathons, she even did an ultramarathon. She does everything fearlessly…

Chari: And with such a great attitude! She has a very good perspective on life.

David: And then Tara, @liftlikemommy, is the same thing, just so confident, found power lifting and all three of those ladies just live what it is that we envision Muscle & Mirth to represent. So a lot of times now people say, “Hey man, how can I get some merch?” or “I rep Brand XYZ or this supplement company I’m part of their team and so I’d love to be a Muscle & Mirth athlete.” It’s not about the shirts, it’s not about the hat, it’s not about the swag and the designs we come with. You know, if you’re doing it, if you want to be on Team Muscle & Mirth, we already know who you are; we shouldn’t really have to be asked because you’re already there with us. And there’s no payment so it’s just you’re part of what we’re doing.

I know you have a life coach. Do you do any life coaching for other people?

David: When we look 18 months down the road at what we think Muscle & Mirth will become, I think it is that but it has to grow naturally and organically.

Chari: Yeah I think we are kind of naturally fulfilling that role just because we put ourselves out there, like, “Hey we work out!” And people recognise that about us, they see how we eat— so they naturally ask questions and then we’re intuitive enough to hear their responses and then see what they’re doing and then we’re able to point out the mental side of it. Like I hear you couldn’t do this; you need to switch your mind-set and use these strategies. So I think we do naturally fill that role although unofficially.

Last question is do you have anybody you want to thank?

Chari: Ha ha! How much time do you have? We’re actually indebted to a whole lot of people.

Alvin Brown, Journey To Personal Greatness
Neal Gyngard, Tower Climbing Grease Monkeys
Will Taylor, CrossFit Cedar City
Mark Bell’s Powercast
Jake Huddelston and Joshua Uptmore, Too Fit USA
Susie Aranda, Garage Gym Barbell  (Glad you reminded me. I’ve been meaning to reach out to them actually. )
Xtreme Graphix
Renuka Rajan
Ray Forrester
Patrick Little @swollja_boy
Derek @dc_pwr
Tara @liftlikemommy
Emilee @stronglikebox
Jennifer @run_paddle_ride
and everyone else who believed in Muscle & Mirth from the beginning!

 Follow David and Chari as they build their dream (and don’t forget to buy apparel to support the movement):

Instagram @muscle_and_mirth
Twitter: @muscle_n_mirth

Facebook: @muscleandmirth
YouTube
 Website: muscleandmirth.com.

The post Build and Inspire with Muscle & Mirth appeared first on Garage Gym Life.

Planning Ahead to be a Successful Mobile Fitness Professional by Anna Woods

Mobile Fitness Professional

I travel to several of my clients’ homes on a weekly basis to train with them. Most of my clients are people with developmental or physical needs who require added assistance or help. I have a tote of workout equipment that I drive around in the back of my van that I use with all of my clients.

Tools in the Box

My toolbox consists of:

A towing rope
Kettlebell
Resistance bands
5,8,10,15# dumbbells
A weighted bar
A TRX
PVC Pipe of different weights
A mat
AbMat
A mini-band for resistance
Ankle weights/Wrist weights
Cones/Markers for Distance
Deck of Cards
Board Game

Consistency

I try to maintain a consistent pattern of workouts for my clients each week so they know what to expect and I know for sure what extra equipment I will be bringing from my home gym. Each week has  a theme whether it be dumbbells for resistance, a board game for cardio/HIIT; or bands for resistance with the cones as markers for agility drills; ankle weights/wrist weights with the AbMat for core to extremity focus; a kettlebell tied on the end of my tow rope to mimic rope climbs or battle ropes (especially for my folks in wheelchairs); TRX and a Deck of Cards for a brutal cardio/core session.

Consistent, But Never Boring

I let my clients know ahead of time what we will be doing, but always leave one element of surprise to keep them curious and excited.  Obviously we also make use of the seasonal weather to do driveway or sidewalk workouts as opposed to garage or indoor exercise.  When we are outside I use sidewalk chalk to create agility ladders, or landmarks for circuits and stations.

Planning Ahead to be a Successful Mobile Fitness Professional

Part of my client’s assignment before I arrive is

to have their space set up
to have completed their foam rolling techniques
be hydrated and fueled.

If they have some of their own equipment, I tell them what they need to have laid out ahead of time for our session, so we can keep it to an hour.  Finally, I set out very specific guidelines for cancellations so they will understand that my driving time is figured into costs and the success of my business.

Learn more about Anna’s training background in Crossfit and with Beachbody coaching by clicking here. Find out more about her innovative sheStrength app here. You can also follow her on social media:

Facebook: Anna Woods Fitness

IG: shestrength

Blog: shestrength.com

Email is: anna@shestrength.com

The post Planning Ahead to be a Successful Mobile Fitness Professional by Anna Woods appeared first on Garage Gym Life.

DIY Jack Stand Curl Station by Michael D. Wailes

DIY Jack Stand Curl Station

I don’t mind curling. I just don’t like setting up the curl station.

It might sound like a strange statement coming from someone talking about working out, but I am lazy. I am ALWAYS trying to find a way to make the workout easier. And I really shouldn’t say the workout, but rather the workout preparation.

I hate bending over, lugging plates up to the bar, and then breaking it all down again. That is the part of the workout that I always look to find an easier way.

It’s the primary reason I don’t use curl bars. I own curl bars. I just don’t use them because it is a pain the south 40 to use them – especially if you don’t have a preacher curl bench or a rack narrow enough to hold the bar steady and secure.

Yes, before you ask, I’ve already tried that

Oh, I’ve tried the “bench-balance” routine. You know, the one where either you get smashed on the side of the head by the light side of the bar, or you lose the plates on the heavy side and catch them with your toe. And in most cases, I get the Daily Double: both face and foot smashed.

That leaves setting the bar on the floor and working from there. I don’t care who you are . . . trying to place or remove a 25lb or larger plate on a small, specialty bar that is on the ground is exhausting.

Solution? Off to the Man Store!

Over the past year, I’ve spent a good amount of money on some specialty bars, but have neglected using them just because they are so difficult to work with outside of a rack. So this summer I set about to find a solution to this dilemma.

My first idea was to come up with something that I could build into my power rack but never could come up with an elegant solution. Whatever solution I was looking for, it would probably need to be self-standing.

My next idea was to go to the hardware store and get a bunch of black pipe components and assemble two stands that could serve the purpose. But after realizing it would take roughly 25 pieces for each stand to be built the way I had envisioned it (and at the cost of approximately $40 each), I knew there had to be a better way. Wandering aimlessly around the store, I tried to think of what “tool” that might already exist that I might be able to “re-purpose” for the task at hand. It needed to be sturdy, strong, and most of all: CHEAP!

Jack Stands to the Rescue!

Then it hit me: jack stands! What a perfect solution: they are built to handle some heavy weight, they are easy to move around and store, they are adjustable, and if the whole garage gym thing goes bust – I would still have a nice pair of jack stands.

I raced over to the automotive aisle and found a pair of stands with a two-ton capacity and the ability to adjust the height from 12″ to 18″. And the best part, they were less than $25!

To protect the finish of my bar, I simply added some foam pipe insulation to the top of each stand and then wrapped it with some vinyl tape. I have seen a rubber pad available for purchase online that serves the same purpose.

Current Status: Savoring the Victory

So far, these have worked as planned. I have used them with both my curl bar and my triceps bar without issue, and they store nicely within my rack when not in use. I may even begin using them for rack pulls to keep from damaging my safety pins.

Boot Camp Packing Survival Guide for Mobile Trainers

my iPhone is the most important thing I bring to sessions

What to Pack when you’re a Boot Camp or Mobile Trainer

When you run an outdoor boot camp class, planning is everything. Whether it’s a 6am or 6pm class, I don’t like to depend on my memory to make sure I’ve packed everything I need and then get to the park and realize I’ve forgotten a critical piece. I now have a good checklist and system in place so once my coffee kicks in, I’m ready to run class!

The top 10 boot camp basics:

Mats – I know a lot of trainers ask their clients to bring mats, but I always supply them, and then clean them when I get home. I buy these mats from Amazon, which are thick and are holding up pretty well to the elements so far. At only $20 per mat, I don’t get too upset if they get beaten up outside. They were also highly rated by the Wirecutter, which is an online review site that I use often when buying new products, fitness related or otherwise.
Small dry erase boards / markers / erasers – My class always includes circuits, so I write down each exercise on a dry erase board and place it next to the weights. These 9×12 boards from Amazon have been really useful. I keep at least three markers in my bag since they dry out pretty fast. The erasers are useful because I’ll often change my mind on an exercise once I get things set up. This pack of erasers has lasted me a while.
Clipboard – I keep all of the workouts in a Google Sheets file and then print that day’s workout and put it on the clipboard, with a few copies of my waiver underneath in case any new people show up for class.
Waiver and pens – Before anyone picks up a dumbbell in my class (or in my garage gym), they all sign liability waivers. Sadly this is just a necessity of life as a trainer in 2017. I always keep three or four copies on my clipboard and several pens in my bag.
Portable Bluetooth speaker – This speaker from Amazon takes a beating in my class (it has fallen off of planters, steps, and my car more times than I care to admit) but still pumps out good sound. When I bought it a couple of years ago, it was highly rated on the Wirecutter, but has since been supplanted by some new ones.
iPhone – This is the most important thing I bring. I need it for texting (when I hear the ding I know people are running late or slept through their alarm), playing my song list on Spotify, timing intervals, and taking pictures of people during class to post on social media. I also have the Square app on my phone so people can pay me on site.
Business cards in a snack sized Ziplock bag – I get asked for these a lot when people walk by class, or by boot campers wanting a card to give their friends. It’s in a Ziplock in case my bag gets wet from being out in the rain.
Water bottle – You can find quality, durable tumblers here.
Bug spray – Non negotiable in the summer. Nothing can ruin a class like gnats or mosquitos.
Measuring tape – I take clients’ measurements on a regular basis, so I always keep one in my bag. The best way to keep it contained is with twist tie.

Equipment:

Dumbbells, specific to that day’s workout
Kettlebells – I have 8ks, 10ks, 12ks, 16ks, and a 40lb one, all of which I bought off a trainer who was selling off his stash. I used nail polish to paint different colored stripes on each handle to mark the different weights.
41” resistance bands (½” in width) – these are great for upper body warm-up and exercises like face pulls if you attach it to a tree or a piece of playground equipment. I buy them from resistancebandtraining.com since I know the quality will be good but you can also find them on Amazon.
Mini bands – great for warm up for beginners. These are the ones I keep in my bag.
Slingshot hip circles (aka The Blue Band of Terror) – These are fantastic for warm ups for your more advanced people (expect a quick outer glute burn on side stepping!) or for upping the ante on squats or glute bridge. I have several in small/medium and a few in large/XL.
Medicine ball – if ball slams happen to be on the menu that day
Jump rope – I use this on Fridays for cardio day
Cones – Also used on Fridays to mark sprint distances

Best of luck out there in the elements!

Rachel Flanagan is a personal trainer based in Pittsboro, North Carolina. She runs a boot camp three times a week at a local park and with her trusty totebag in hand, she calls herself the Mary Poppins of fitness. She also trains people one-on-one in her garage gym. You can follow her on Facebook and Instagram , or find more information about her on her website .

The post Boot Camp Packing Survival Guide for Mobile Trainers appeared first on Garage Gym Life.

Boot Camp Packing Survival Guide for Mobile Trainers by Rachel Flanagan

my iPhone is the most important thing I bring to sessions

What to Pack when you’re a Boot Camp or Mobile Trainer

When you run an outdoor boot camp class, planning is everything. Whether it’s a 6am or 6pm class, I don’t like to depend on my memory to make sure I’ve packed everything I need and then get to the park and realize I’ve forgotten a critical piece. I now have a good checklist and system in place so once my coffee kicks in, I’m ready to run class!

The top 10 boot camp basics:

Mats – I know a lot of trainers ask their clients to bring mats, but I always supply them, and then clean them when I get home. I buy these mats from Amazon, which are thick and are holding up pretty well to the elements so far. At only $20 per mat, I don’t get too upset if they get beaten up outside. They were also highly rated by the Wirecutter, which is an online review site that I use often when buying new products, fitness related or otherwise.
Small dry erase boards / markers / erasers – My class always includes circuits, so I write down each exercise on a dry erase board and place it next to the weights. These 9×12 boards from Amazon have been really useful. I keep at least three markers in my bag since they dry out pretty fast. The erasers are useful because I’ll often change my mind on an exercise once I get things set up. This pack of erasers has lasted me a while.
Clipboard – I keep all of the workouts in a Google Sheets file and then print that day’s workout and put it on the clipboard, with a few copies of my waiver underneath in case any new people show up for class.
Waiver and pens – Before anyone picks up a dumbbell in my class (or in my garage gym), they all sign liability waivers. Sadly this is just a necessity of life as a trainer in 2017. I always keep three or four copies on my clipboard and several pens in my bag.
Portable Bluetooth speaker – This speaker from Amazon takes a beating in my class (it has fallen off of planters, steps, and my car more times than I care to admit) but still pumps out good sound. When I bought it a couple of years ago, it was highly rated on the Wirecutter, but has since been supplanted by some new ones.
iPhone – This is the most important thing I bring. I need it for texting (when I hear the ding I know people are running late or slept through their alarm), playing my song list on Spotify, timing intervals, and taking pictures of people during class to post on social media. I also have the Square app on my phone so people can pay me on site.
Business cards in a snack sized Ziplock bag – I get asked for these a lot when people walk by class, or by boot campers wanting a card to give their friends. It’s in a Ziplock in case my bag gets wet from being out in the rain.
Water bottle – You can find quality, durable tumblers here.
Bug spray – Non negotiable in the summer. Nothing can ruin a class like gnats or mosquitos.
Measuring tape – I take clients’ measurements on a regular basis, so I always keep one in my bag. The best way to keep it contained is with twist tie.

Equipment:

Dumbbells, specific to that day’s workout
Kettlebells – I have 8ks, 10ks, 12ks, 16ks, and a 40lb one, all of which I bought off a trainer who was selling off his stash. I used nail polish to paint different colored stripes on each handle to mark the different weights.
41” resistance bands (½” in width) – these are great for upper body warm-up and exercises like face pulls if you attach it to a tree or a piece of playground equipment. I buy them from resistancebandtraining.com since I know the quality will be good but you can also find them on Amazon.
Mini bands – great for warm up for beginners. These are the ones I keep in my bag.
Slingshot hip circles (aka The Blue Band of Terror) – These are fantastic for warm ups for your more advanced people (expect a quick outer glute burn on side stepping!) or for upping the ante on squats or glute bridge. I have several in small/medium and a few in large/XL.
Medicine ball – if ball slams happen to be on the menu that day
Jump rope – I use this on Fridays for cardio day
Cones – Also used on Fridays to mark sprint distances

Best of luck out there in the elements!

Rachel Flanagan is a personal trainer based in Pittsboro, North Carolina. She runs a boot camp three times a week at a local park and with her trusty totebag in hand, she calls herself the Mary Poppins of fitness. She also trains people one-on-one in her garage gym. You can follow her on Facebook and Instagram , or find more information about her on her website .

The post Boot Camp Packing Survival Guide for Mobile Trainers by Rachel Flanagan appeared first on Garage Gym Life.

Packing Survival Guide for Boot Camp and Mobile Trainers by Rachel Flanagan

my iPhone is the most important thing I bring to sessions

What to Pack when you’re a Boot Camp or Mobile Trainer

When you run an outdoor boot camp class, planning is everything. Whether it’s a 6am or 6pm class, I don’t like to depend on my memory to make sure I’ve packed everything I need and then get to the park and realize I’ve forgotten a critical piece. I now have a good checklist and system in place so once my coffee kicks in, I’m ready to run class!

The top 10 boot camp basics:

Mats – I know a lot of trainers ask their clients to bring mats, but I always supply them, and then clean them when I get home. I buy these mats from Amazon, which are thick and are holding up pretty well to the elements so far. At only $20 per mat, I don’t get too upset if they get beaten up outside. They were also highly rated by the Wirecutter, which is an online review site that I use often when buying new products, fitness related or otherwise.
Small dry erase boards / markers / erasers – My class always includes circuits, so I write down each exercise on a dry erase board and place it next to the weights. These 9×12 boards from Amazon have been really useful. I keep at least three markers in my bag since they dry out pretty fast. The erasers are useful because I’ll often change my mind on an exercise once I get things set up. This pack of erasers has lasted me a while.
Clipboard – I keep all of the workouts in a Google Sheets file and then print that day’s workout and put it on the clipboard, with a few copies of my waiver underneath in case any new people show up for class.
Waiver and pens – Before anyone picks up a dumbbell in my class (or in my garage gym), they all sign liability waivers. Sadly this is just a necessity of life as a trainer in 2017. I always keep three or four copies on my clipboard and several pens in my bag.
Portable Bluetooth speaker – This speaker from Amazon takes a beating in my class (it has fallen off of planters, steps, and my car more times than I care to admit) but still pumps out good sound. When I bought it a couple of years ago, it was highly rated on the Wirecutter, but has since been supplanted by some new ones.
iPhone – This is the most important thing I bring. I need it for texting (when I hear the ding I know people are running late or slept through their alarm), playing my song list on Spotify, timing intervals, and taking pictures of people during class to post on social media. I also have the Square app on my phone so people can pay me on site.
Business cards in a snack sized Ziplock bag – I get asked for these a lot when people walk by class, or by boot campers wanting a card to give their friends. It’s in a Ziplock in case my bag gets wet from being out in the rain.
Water bottle – You can find quality, durable tumblers here.
Bug spray – Non negotiable in the summer. Nothing can ruin a class like gnats or mosquitos.
Measuring tape – I take clients’ measurements on a regular basis, so I always keep one in my bag. The best way to keep it contained is with twist tie.

Equipment:

Dumbbells, specific to that day’s workout
Kettlebells – I have 8ks, 10ks, 12ks, 16ks, and a 40lb one, all of which I bought off a trainer who was selling off his stash. I used nail polish to paint different colored stripes on each handle to mark the different weights.
41” resistance bands (½” in width) – these are great for upper body warm-up and exercises like face pulls if you attach it to a tree or a piece of playground equipment. I buy them from resistancebandtraining.com since I know the quality will be good but you can also find them on Amazon.
Mini bands – great for warm up for beginners. These are the ones I keep in my bag.
Slingshot hip circles (aka The Blue Band of Terror) – These are fantastic for warm ups for your more advanced people (expect a quick outer glute burn on side stepping!) or for upping the ante on squats or glute bridge. I have several in small/medium and a few in large/XL.
Medicine ball – if ball slams happen to be on the menu that day
Jump rope – I use this on Fridays for cardio day
Cones – Also used on Fridays to mark sprint distances

Best of luck out there in the elements!

Rachel Flanagan is a personal trainer based in Pittsboro, North Carolina. She runs a boot camp three times a week at a local park and with her trusty totebag in hand, she calls herself the Mary Poppins of fitness. She also trains people one-on-one in her garage gym. You can follow her on Facebook and Instagram , or find more information about her on her website .

Strong and Bendy; A Thug Gets Mindful

Mindfulness and yoga go together but thug? Marisol Swords is a homeschooling yogi who balances that with a love of lifting heavy iron! Granted mobility work is fairly popular among lifters but it’s still rare to find someone as passionate about yoga as they are about weights.  I learned a lot from this garage athlete who walks effortlessly between both worlds! Plus I had to find out where the Instagram handle came from right?

Marisol, I appreciate your support for Garage Gym Life especially your willingness to talk about your yoga practice. I know that it’s a very personal part of your life but given how many misconceptions there area about it, I’m glad that you’ve made yourself available to talk about it.

What’s the significance of your Instagram name mindfulyogithug? How did you get it and who gave it to you?

I can’t help but laugh.  I am a very private person, and when I chose the name I never considered having to explain it to anyone, so I’ll do my best.  Mindfulness is a major part of my daily yoga practice.  Its the yoga that we do when our bodies aren’t bending on a mat.  I used to teach it to students at an international high school here in Lima.

Yogi because I am yogi. I’ve been practicing yoga for a majority of my life, beginning with my father in his dojo while growing up in the Bronx.  My yoga has taken root in my life off the mat as well, because yoga is much more than just contortion and stretch.

A thug is an outlaw, hooligan, someone choosing to live outside societal norms. The word also has multiple significances to me personally.  I grew up constantly fighting either my sisters, bullies, or watching battles of those around me.  Violence and crime were major components of my childhood experience.  Growing up in the Bronx, no matter how good of a person you wanted to be, you had to be a bit of a thug to survive. Now that I’m grown and learned a few things about the world as a whole, I choose to be as kind and compassionate as possible.  But in a world full of every man for himself, unconditional kindness is an outlaw ideal. Purposefully choosing a peaceful life of love and kindness, by my logic, still makes me a thug.

I used to drive a school bus.  My middle and high school students would call me a peaceful thug sometimes because I looked tough, sounded tough, and I’m from the Bronx but I was sweet to them.  I fought my battles with logic and calm and that impressed them.  So I figured why not exhibit a bit of my own duality in my IG name.  I am mindful.  I am yogi.  I am thug.

How long have you been training and what made you start training in your home?

I have been training in my home since the day I was born, literally.  My parents had a townhouse with a basement in the Bronx and my father was (and still is) a skilled martial artist and instructor.  Dad always had a free weight gym in the basement right next to his fully functioning dojo.  He taught gung fu and martial arts almost daily in that basement, and we attended almost every session.  He started training us as soon as we started walking. I had never seen the inside of a commercial gym until I was twenty years old, so I honestly believed training at home was the norm, and Globo Gyms were odd.

You were absolutely correct to believe that by the way! 

I never really got into the swing of going to a GYM GYM to do my training, I always found a way to get things done at home.  Its how I was raised.  That aside, gyms in Lima were not my cup of tea [Marisol lived in Peru but has since moved back to the United States. She is still training at home -ed.].  People already stared at me everywhere (I was a foreigner and I stand out with all these tattoos), and gyms are no exception. I am more comfortable and therefore more effective in my training when I train at home.

Which strength sports do you train because although it looks like you don’t shy away from trying new things like pole dancing or Olympic lifting, it seems like your main two pursuits are yoga and powerlifting. Is this correct?

Lol!  My main activities are yoga and powerlifting.  I still practice martial arts at home, but not like I did when I was a little kid.  Believe it or not, the pole dancing was something my sixteen year old begged me to try for months.  I finally gave in.  And Olympic lifting is just for fun, its nice to see what this body can do.

Yoga seems to be equal parts instruction and self-discovery.  Do you find that training at home helps more with one or the other?

Yoga is all self-discovery.  Almost everyone (including myself) starts their practice focused on the physical part (asanas), then slowly realize that yoga is a life long journey of discovering not only who we are, but more so what we are not.  Training at home helps me to focus my efforts inward, motivating me from within.

However, I am an academic person who is never afraid to admit when I need instruction beyond what I can teach myself.  So when I feel I’ve hit a wall or plateau, I seek guidance.  I try to stay humble knowing that I can always learn more.

I saw a post where you were practicing yoga and you said that it was because you’d had a tough lifting session.  Besides physical recovery, how does yoga practice help you as a lifter and as a person in general?

The way yoga helps me has changed over time the more I’ve practiced.  My practice began because my dad wanted to make sure we were flexible martial artists.  Then it became what helped me lose 100 lbs after a difficult high risk pregnancy.  Somewhere along the line, my yoga practice stopped being about the physical benefits and became about my minds ability to gather itself from the shattered pieces of a hard day.  It became about how savasana was the only time I could ever experience true quiet, and it was rejuvenating.  As my time on the mat became more inwardly focused, my time off the mat became filled with greater patience for people and things and an increased ability to successfully deal with my own stress and anxiety.  I learned that I can still be honest and sassy without being hurtful and mean (I used to be a very miserable person, yoga helped change that too).

As far as lifting, I started taking lifting seriously in January of this year and I achieved quick gains because of my established flexibility and range of motion. In that way, yoga makes me a better lifter.

You said in an Instagram post, “I’ve been a yogi so long that when I get to the bar I forget to act like a lifter,” could you explain that and describe how you deal with it now that you know that about yourself?

My introduction to yoga was at about nine years old.  Through adolescence and adulthood, I’ve always done yoga and martial arts; those have always been my sports.  Due to my highly mobile life, I have to consider the transportability of activities.  A punching bag is much harder to transport than a yoga mat, so over time, yoga became my main activity.  Yoga makes you strong, but nothing makes you as strong as weight training.  I wanted to improve some of the more strength intensive yoga poses, so I started lifting.  I’ve watched all kinds of people set up for their lifts.  Its all explosive and loud and filled with grunts and screams that sound like something out of an action film.  My set up for everything is yoga based.  When I set up for deadlift, I prepare with mountain pose and chair pose.  When I set up for squat, standing back bend and down dog variation on the bar.  While learning how to lift, I related all movements back to my yoga, so my lifting became a type of “yoga” practice of its own. I don’t really try to fight it, I let it be.  Its the organic path my lifting practice has taken, so I roll with it.

This person needs yoga and so do you

One of the things that keeps lifters from stretching in general, never mind doing yoga, is the perception that it makes you weaker. There is some research supporting this which is why many strength coaches advise dynamic mobility rather than static stretching. How do you balance out your yoga practice and your powerlifting training?

I balance out my yoga and my lifting by changing yoga style.  For warm ups, I like to do ten or fifteen minutes of some vigorous, heat producing power yoga flow.  Flows keep you moving; so there goes your dynamic mobility.  After my training, I switch style to some yin yoga or Iyengar with the long holds and props.  There is a yoga style for every thing.

I hope lifters can look at super yogis like Kino McGregor, who has never done a back squat or a bench press in her life, and realize that yoga breeds strength, without hindering it.

I see several pictures of you squatting and deadlifting on what looks like your back deck. Is that where your gym is?

Yes, my gym is in my backyard overlooking some very beautiful greenery.  It makes for a very peaceful lifting environment.  Even when my dogs are running amok and my cat is stuck in the tree.

What are your best numbers in the gym?

Squat: 135 1RM

Bench: 90 1RM

Deadlift: 145 1RM

I have no idea if that is a lot or a little, but I know that all of those lifts have more than doubled since I started lifting in January.  We all start somewhere right?

Do you intend to compete?

No.  I have zero desire to compete.  I am a person who loves a sport for the simple fact that my body is capable of performing it.  I have no desire to see how I stack up to anyone else, I’m happy just doing my thing.

What did you start your gym with and what do you have now in your workout area?

My current gym started with one five foot, thirty pound training barbell.  That was my first squat, bench and deadlift weight; and I struggled with it!  It didn’t take long before that thirty pounds felt light.

I currently have a power squat cage, two seven foot Oly bars, over 300 pounds of bumper plates, a bench, variety of dumbbells, a yoga swing, gravity trainer and my newest addition: a barbell landmine.  And that’s just what I keep in the training area.  I’ve been collecting gear for years, the rest is scattered throughout the house.

Speaking of equipment, tell me about your yoga wheel, how is it different from using a foam roller?

A foam roller is for foam rolling only really.  A yoga wheel can be used for rolling, but it gets pretty tricky to balance on it after a while.  Mainly a yoga wheel is used to assist and enhance range of motion in a yoga practice.  And people like to do really cool tricks with them.  I’m not one of those people!  I play it safe, lol.

What’s a normal training day for you?

There are two separate flights of stairs with about twenty steps in each in my home.  I am a stay at home mom with a homeschooled teenager, I run up and down those steps a million times a day aside from training.  A normal training day consists of morning meditation, power yoga for warm up, about an hour to ninety minute powerlifting session, then cool down yoga and more meditation.  My teenager often lifts with me and participates in the yoga, but opts out on meditation.  For cardio, I go to my local CrossFit box and let them yell at me while I do burpees or I run laps up and down the stone steps near the mountain up the street from my house.  Living on a mountain range makes finding challenging cardio as easy as walking outside.

You said that yoga helps build mental discipline but as a yogi is there a tension between being calm and centered and trying to get tight and fired up for powerlifting?

No, not really.  As a yogi, I understand that all things possess duality: the idea that contrasting aspects can coexist.  I also understand that while I may be hyped for lifting in that moment, when I am done lifting, I am done.  The moment of hype has passed and the moments of calm have arrived.  If anything, being able to have lifting as an outlet for that fiery energy supports my efforts to maintain a calm center.

How is your family involved in the different aspects of your fitness lifestyle?

My husband has always known I’m athletic, I mean a five foot two Puerto Rican ninja is hard to miss.  But for the most part my family participates in many of my practices, at their own levels of course.  My husband enjoys the yoga aspect of my practices the most while my daughter prefers lifting, attending the local CrossFit box as well as learning to power lift with me at home. Overall, we have always been a pretty active family.

Are you familiar with Natural Movement and have you tried it?

I was not familiar with it until this question here.  Thanks to Google and YouTube, that has been fixed.  Lol.  No, I have never tried it, but if I am ever in a city that has a workshop or studio for it, I will most definitely be going.  That looks right up my alley.

What’s the biggest misconception that people have about yoga? Or to put it another way, what do people ask you all of the time when they find out that you practice yoga that you wish they’d stop asking?

“I would do yoga, but I’m just not that flexible.” or “Do I have to be flexible to do yoga?”

I wish people would stop and really listen to the absurdity of the above statements.  You don’t need a flexible body to do yoga; you need a flexible mind.  When I hear people tell me this, I have to bite my tongue because anyone’s biggest obstacle to anything that seems impossible is whether or not you can convince yourself you can do it.  Same with yoga.  So the real question becomes: what are you afraid of?  Most people want to do well at things, especially athletes who are accustomed to being the best.  Trying something that might expose an area of weakness in them doesn’t hold high on their to do list.  I find myself explaining to people that yoga is not a competition sport about who can get the bendiest.  You start where YOU are, and with steady practice, you improve.  Internalizing this concept is where mental flexibility comes in handy, you learn to let go of the idea that we are in competition with one another and come to understand that we are all having the same shared experience.

Are you into music while you train or do you prefer natural sounds regardless of what type of training you’re doing?

I almost never use music while I train and when I do, its gangsta rap.  When I train, whether its yoga or lifting or martial arts, I tune out all activity around me and focus on the movements.  So, whether I have music playing or birds tweeting, at some point I don’t hear it either way.

Powerlifting, even raw powerlifting, lends itself to specialized equipment, knee sleeves, heeled shoes, wrist wraps while yoga is practiced barefoot. Because of your greater mobility do you find that you can dispense with all of that?

No.  Not just no, heck no.

Knee sleeves for lifting are just smart, human knees aren’t meant to support so much extra weight.  So are wrist wraps and heeled shoes for squats.  But with yoga, you’re not adding any weight the body is not already used to carrying, so no special gear is required.  Also with yoga, you want to be in full contact with the surface on which you practice.  Yogis have nice, mystical explanations for why, but I am a huge fan of science.  Having your full foot in contact with your practice surface allows you to take advantage of Newtons Third Law: for every action there is an equal and opposite reaction.  As you push your feet down into the ground, the ground pushes back up into your feet providing greater stability in standing poses.  Kinda like when you dead lift, you want flatter shoes so you can push the floor, well, when you yoga, you wanna be able to push the floor and feel it push back.

As a yogi, I can practice with nothing but the clothes on my back, but as a lifter, knees sleeves, wrist wraps and lifting shoes are my desert island essentials.

Do you find it ironic that so many people shy away from yoga because of the religious overtones while not realizing that they already do a lot of the poses when they stretch anyway?

I do find it very ironic, and even kinda funny.  I chuckle because practicing yoga asanas does not indoctrinate you into a new religion.  And while many people practice the full eight limbs of yoga as a! spiritual path, it would still be considered a philosophy, not a religion.  And you can literally hold the beliefs of a philosophy to be true AND still be devout to a religion, especially when the principles of both support one another.  My father is an excellent example.  He was raised, as are most Puerto Ricans, as a Roman Catholic.  He became a martial artist and Buddhism became a major part of his life philosophy.  If you ask him, he will tell you he is a Christian Buddhist.  He finds zero conflict in this dualistic designation.

Regardless of why people do or don’t practice “yoga”, as long as they are doing the moves and feeling the flow, and maybe even gaining some calm, they can enjoy it under whatever name they like.

You can follow Marisol on Instagram @mindfulyogithug/.

 

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