by Ari Witkin

About 15 years ago, my mom dragged me to my first yoga class. She’d been practicing since the 70’s and had experienced many of the benefits that yoga brings. I say “dragged” because I really had very little interest in going. My impression, especially as a teenage boy, was that it was just for women or it was too hippy for me. Despite my apprehensions, I joined her in class because I knew it’d be good for me. I played basketball, baseball, and ran cross-country in high school and my muscles were incredibly tight. In a forward fold, I could barely reach past my knees – the thought of touching my toes was laughable. I continued to go sparingly over the years, without much progress.

After I finished grad school in 2008, I moved to Washington, DC and took a job with the Brookings Institution. I taught classes in National Security Policy Issues and Legislative Strategies. Like most in DC, I wore a suit and tie every day and, for someone who’s always been a bit laid back, work created a lot more stress than I wanted in my life.

A good friend of mine invited me to a yoga studio a few blocks from my apartment and I immediately fell in love. My two teachers there were incredible! The owner was a German woman, who had served as Chief of Staff to a Senator and then worked as a senior manager at the World Bank. She completely broke down after years of added stress and decided to make a career shift into yoga. Her sequencing was challenging, yet accessible.

 Her boyfriend (now her husband) also taught at the studio. I saw a lot of myself in his teaching style. He was a complete goofball, as am I, but I was making random jokes while leading discussions on how the Senate Foreign Relations Committee can affect global nuclear proliferation – my style of teaching just didn’t fit what I was teaching.

I decided to move back home to Austin about three years ago and make my own career shift. I now work in the health & fitness world and teach three yoga classes every week.

I was introduced to yoga through the lens of an athlete who needed to stretch. I fell in love with it as a way to calm my system during an unnecessarily stressful time in my life. Today, each practice serves a different purpose. Sometimes, a vigorous flow is a great workout. Other times a restorative practice provides the perfect amount of rest to reinvigorate my entire system. I have a meditation and asana (pose) practice and take the intention of my yoga practice off my mat and share the joy its brought me to friends and strangers alike.

Traditionally, yoga is a lifelong practice in order to achieve a connection to a deity – to achieve a level of bliss through the eight limbs of yoga. I have great admiration for those who have dedicated their lives to this journey, but understand that, for most people, including myself, yoga can mean something different in each practice.

The point is this – whether you come to my class, Morgan’s, another studio, have a home practice, or enjoy the benefits of yoga for a few moments during the fusion portion of other classes at the shop, yoga is whatever you want and need it to be.

Stretch it out with Ari on Tuesdays and Thursdays at 6:30pm. Register here.

by Josh Harris

“There is simply no other exercise, and certainly no machine, that provides the level of central nervous activity, improved balance and coordination, skeletal loading and bone density enhancement, muscular stimulation and growth, connective tissue stress and strength, psychological demand and toughness, and overall systemic conditioning than the correctly performed full squat.”
–Mark Rippetoe

In today’s post I’m going to cover the benefits of performing a full, correct squat.  This will be a short, general post about the barbell back squat. Later, I will go move in depth (pun absolutely intended) and discuss the movement, point out common issues, provide corrective exercises and give you some exercises that will not only aid in strengthening the squat but strengthening the whole body as well.

Benefits

When someone asks me what are the benefits of ATG squatting (squatting to where your’ hip joint is lower than your knees). I give them this copy pasta list of great benefits.

1. Improved functional flexibility.

2. Improved joint elasticity.

3. Better mechanical work.

4. More even distribution of force throughout all joints involved.

5. Greater range of motion which causes more work per rep, which causes more even muscle growth and strength throughout a greater range.

6. Greater midsection strength because greater control is needed for a lower position.

7. Better balance.

8. Makes you stronger in the lower ranges which allows you to be even stronger in the partial ranges.

In general, when performed correctly, the squat can give you these benefits plus more. To summarize: ladies, the squat is not only the best overall exercise to “tone and firm” up your’ butt, thighs and core, it will increase hip flexibility and function. Guys, the squat, in my opinion, are one of the best mass gainers out there (top 5 include: squat, deadlifts, power cleans, push press and incline). Furthermore, it has been shown that heavy resistance exercise protocols increases serum testosterone levels.

In a study performed with an exercise protocol utilizing a 10 RM load and 1-min rest periods, males demonstrated significant increases above rest values from post exercise values in serum testosterone, and all serum concentrations were greater than corresponding female values; however, females exhibited significantly higher pre-exercise human growth hormone levels compared to the males [1]. This is due to a few physiological reasons that will be discussed in a later post. However; the point I want to focus on is the fact of an increase in serum test. As we may know, an activation of muscle tissue increases testosterone synthesis. And we can figure out that a rapid increase of muscle activation due to higher load stressors can further increase this test release during recovery. And where is the greatest ratio of muscle fiber to the rest of bodily mass? The gluteus, hamstrings and quads. So we can assume (only assume) that during this study performed, activation of the lower body was performed. However we can only speculate.

Can anyone think of any type of programming that should NOT involve a squat motion? The chances are there will be probably close to no type of programming that would exclude a squat motion. The squat motion itself is a very common, functional movement. From picking something from the ground to sitting in a chair, the squat is the foundation for these movements. So why neglect the squat from your training? If you are, try to implement more squats slowly until the movement becomes comfortable then move on to more complex endeavors. If you are already at that point, let’s try to focus on hip, knee and ankle flexibility and midline strength. If you are the few who can perform a correct full squat, let’s crank it up to the next level and focus on strength and power output per rep.

The squat motion overall benefits everybody to some degree. So don’t be afraid of the squat rack get that low and move some weight! Consistency creates habit; meritocracy creates failure; consistent meritocracy creates failing habits.

Be sure to catch Josh in South Austin for our Fusion N’ Go Outdoor bootcamp! Sign up here!

Reference

[1] Kraemer, W., Gordan, S., & Fleck, S., et. Al. (1991). Endogenous anabolic hormonal and growth factor responses to heavy resistance exercise in males and females. Internation Journal of Sports Medicine, 12 (2), 228-35.

by Dunte Hector

Occasionally someone will remark during or after class that I make a squat clean or a Turkish get-up look easy. If you’ve ever wondered the same, here’s a question: How many cleans do you do every week? And another: how many weeks have you been doing cleans?

It is easy to take for granted things we’ve done day-in, day-out for years. It is easy to forget how difficult it was to learn a skill — how to ride a bike, how to tie your shoes — and even easier to forget how quickly variations were picked up after that. Sometimes you ride standing up. Sometimes you ride with no hands. Sometimes you ride while looking over one shoulder. Those are just variations of riding a bike.

But when you learned to ride a bike, there was that death-grip-on-the-handlebars, teeth clenched, steel-eyed focus on turning those pedals over one by one by one, now wobble for balance, now pedal one stroke, two strokes, three strokes…until one day, BOOM! You had it! It suddenly came together and you were riding. Almost the next day, you were trying to ride no hands like the older kids in your neighborhood.

Movements in our workouts are the same way. As coaches, we have been practicing basic movements every day for years. A squat is no longer a new skill; it is a well-ingrained pattern, a motor habit. The squat never changes, but position the bar just like so and… a front squat, a back squat, an overhead squat. Just like that, 3 variations are picked up almost instantly.

I have easily done ten thousand power cleans in my lifetime. The squat clean is just a variation. In one way or another, every coach has done at least one push-up every single day for 5 or more years. The Man Maker, the shoulder tap, the clap push-up are all just variations.

“If it’s important, do it every day.” Dan Gable, amateur wrestling legend, said that.

If you’re struggling with a movement at the Shop, I suggest you do it every day. Liz practices pull-ups after every class. Hugh does 2 sets of 5 front squats before every workout. Matt sneaks in sets of 10-20 kettlebell swings after Fusion. They might not see it yet, but I see it getting better; I see it getting easier.

Folks, you’ve been tying your shoes every single day for years. At this point, you make it look easy yourself, but there was a time where it was a real challenge. If there is a movement at the Shop that’s holding you back, practice it every day. Practice, practice, practice, and wait for the boom.

For a while, you’ll be clenching your teeth, gripping the bar too tight, and reciting our cues from class like gospel – “chest up,” “knees out,” “elbows high.”

Chris, Alex, and Leann all became coaches after spending time as members; after struggling, after practicing, and after mastering some of our key movements. Just like them, if you practice enough, you can make it look easy too. And, you know, after being a member, coaching is just a variation.

 
Do some extra reps with Dunte this week! Register for classes here.

by Coach Veronica

Are you letting your stress get the best of you? Do you find that you’ve skipped a workout or two because of stress? Stress is often overlooked because it’s just a part of life. We face multiple demands each day such as work, making ends meet, family, and even your workouts. However, brushing stress under the rug day in and day out has a significant impact on our overall health and fitness goals.

Sure, our bodies are designed to handle small amounts of stress, but they aren’t meant to handle a ton of stressful events daily. When we are put under a stressful situation, good or bad, work-related or social, our bodies go into flight-or-fight mode. Once we’re in flight-or-flight mode, our nervous and adrenal-cortical systems work full time. This happens because our basic animal instinct is to survive no matter how difficult the circumstance.

Cortisol and adrenaline are two hormones release when we’re put under stress. Cortisol is known as the “fat storing hormone” and increases sugar (glucose) in the bloodstream, and can be linked to insulin resistance or diabetes. Your adrenal glands are pumping out adrenaline, which increases your heart rate and elevates your blood pressure. When these hormones are always on the rise, your body can succumb to improper thyroid function, blood sugar imbalances, decreased bone density and muscle tissue, weakened immune system, inflammatory response, and that dreaded abdominal fat that’s so hard to burn off in the gym!

How do you re-evaluate the stressful stimuli in your life?

Make a list of daily tastes, situations, places, and people and how they make you feel. If any of these things are not lifting you up or making you a better person, then its time to reorganize. Try a yoga class at lest once a week. Make an appointment on your busy schedule to disconnect yourself from the rest of the world even if its for 20 minutes! Allow yourself to wind down from the day so you get a good night’s rest. That means turning off that dang computer (after you read this, of course).

Deep down, you know when something is not a positive stress stimulus, so stand up for yourself and your health. And if you’re feeling stressed at all, take a breath and look at a picture of a puppy. Your body will thank you!

Let loose with Coach Veronica Monday, Wednesday, Fridays at 7am and 7:30pm, Tuesdays and Thursdays at 7am, 8am, and 9am. Register here!

By Morgan Osmani

What do you think of when you hear the word “strength?” Do you imagine strong muscular bodies, or the ability to lift large barbells over your head all at once or several times in a row? Do you think of marathon runners or triathlon competitors aiming toward personal records? How about perfectly fit bodies with a minute percentage of body fat? What about powerful historical figures, such as Abraham Lincoln and Martin Luther King Jr., who made incredible impacts on society?
Check in with yourself right this moment and notice what comes to mind when asked what you think of when you hear the word “strength.”

The dictionary defines strength as:
• The quality or state of being strong: bodily or muscular power; vigor
• Mental power, force or vigor
• Moral power, firmness or courage
• Power by reason of influence, authority, resources, numbers, etc.
• Number, as of personnel or ships in a force or body.

Did you by any chance associate a meditation cushion or a yoga posture with strength? My guess is that, if you did, it’s because you have practiced once or twice before. For me, strength is not about how heavy you can lift, how far you can run, or how many days a week you make it to strength class. While these things are amazing accomplishments and an expression of our strength, the truth is, our strength amounts to far more than a workout or accomplishing a goal.

In my experience, both personally and as a yoga instructor and fellow practitioner, I find myself accessing my strength in unplanned circumstances or life events that most workouts do not obviously prepare me for. What I love most about practicing yoga or applying a yogic mindset to a strength training or conditioning workout is that it is an opportunity focus on my approach to the task or yoga posture, rather than the take or posture itself.

Yoga is not about how deep your backbend is, the depth of your lunging warrior pose, or even the accuracy of alignment. Yoga is about how open your heart is and whether or not it can remain open in the midst of all the unplanned circumstances of life. Yoga is an invitation to stay connected to a wholeness that exists no matter how strong we think or feel that we are. Strength is about following our goals and intentions through to their completion, even if it means we fail and discover ways to have fun in the process. Yoga is about remembering what we want and assisting others in remembering what they want, in the gym or on the sidewalk. Being strong asks us to be kind to others when we have forgotten our own strength or feel fearful of showing up fully because we feel week in our heart, mind, body, or spirit. Yoga is a process of discovering how much of your own expectations you are willing to let go of in order to align with the present moment. It is about how much acceptance you can offer those around you and yourself as you meet yourself and others exactly as you are, dropping expectations and making peace with what is.

Can you be kind and loving towards your foot, your injury, your belly after eating massive amounts queso, or your neighbor without keeping score? Are you willing to breathe in life fully, in each moment and fiercely drop your mental conditioning over and over again, as many times as it takes for you to make peace with your body, your mind, or your life exactly as it is?

As I write this article, I do so with the challenge of maintaining peace and equanimity as I journey through a slew of canceled flights and several hours of travel on a trip that should have taken just a few hours. I have witnessed fellow travelers lash out rudely at gate agents and airlines employees. I have also witnessed airlines employees lashing out coldly or meanly towards customers in attempt to preserve their own sanity. I cannot help but think and believe that part of what is required to live in a more cooperative society is the mental, emotional, and physical ability to rise above our mental conditioning.

Yoga, strength classes, and conditioning classes may not directly prepare us for difficult circumstances in life, but the continual process of training our mind and resisting our conditioning to do one less burpee, or to work harder than necessary in a yoga pose, has surely trained me to respond as peacefully as possible to an uncertain situation. Perhaps what we are up to in our workouts is far greater and far stronger than we realize and that when we come together for a workout our strength magnifies as we inspire each other to resist our conditioning, try something new, or give ourselves a break.

Hope to see you on the mat or in a class sometime soon.

Find your balance and build strength with Morgan Tuesdays and Thursdays at 6:30pm! Sign up here!