At some point in a fitness professional’s life, the idea of, “if I had my own facility I would …” Many have tried, many have failed and some have succeeded. We’re taking the Fit2Play brand, training and culture and giving it a home on Kenny Rd., in 4,000 square feet of space with everything you’ll [...]
guest post by Lori Crock I have been thinking about that a lot lately because my idea of strength has been turned upside down recently. I thought physical strength was how much weight one could lift, period. Working out with Jeff Turner taught me that there is much more to it — moving well is [...]
Thinking about “movement first” will pay off big time — over time. To be ignorant of motion is to be ignorant of nature. – Aristotle You don’t need to be an Olympic athlete or compete with anyone other than yourself to benefit from using the methods of world class performers. By focusing on movement, you’ll [...]
…like a Zombie This past week I’ve noticed people in the gym just going through the motions…literally like they’re asleep in the gym. These “Gym Zombies” have always been amongst us — maybe it’s a full moon? Or maybe it’s just workout boredom, being stuck-in-a-rut or not having the know-how to wake up their workout? [...]
Are You Physically Prepared to Play at the Next Level? The question is applicable to middle school athletes, high school, and even college athletes preparing to go pro. There’s a big difference between a 14 and an 18 year old athlete, but they can and do play on the same teams, facing the same opponents. [...]
We’re excited to open and introduce you to The Gym. Our coaches have been working with athletes and general fitness enthusiasts for nearly 20 years in Columbus, Ohio and surrounding areas.
Register here for our new MovNat & Paleo Columbus Meetup at no charge on the 2nd and 4th Saturdays at 10:30 a.m. Learn new movement exercises in the gym, talk Paleo nutrition and meet other awesome people who want to turn it up a notch. All fitness levels are welcome.
Register now for the first indoor MovNat workshop to be held Sunday, February 19 from 9 – 4 at Fit2Play, The Gym.
You will have the opportunity to train first-hand with a MovNat Team Instructor and take your fitness training to new heights. This 7 hours initiation course will introduce you to all the fundamentals of natural movement that will allow you to get started with your own MovNat training in the gym and outdoors.
We will cover:
Going Primal with Fitness & Nutrition
Now is the Time to Add MovNat & Paleo to Your Life
When I left the 5-day West Virginia MovNat Reawakening workshop in July, 2011, I wondered how I would practice the the skills that had been ‘reawakened’ in me when I returned to the gym with my fitness coach back in Ohio.
The MovNat leadership team and peers had given me some ideas for practicing natural movement indoors … but I still needed to figure it out based on what I could do in the gym with my fitness coach Jeff Turner at Fit2Play, The Gym.
I like to work on skills that I can use in my everyday life … to be ready for anything. To participate in whatever endeavor presents itself … whether a serious or casual sport, home or yard project, playing with my dogs, just goofing off, or enjoying nature in my backyard or at a nearby park.
I maintain this practice because it is 1) it is fun and social, and 2) to continue to grow and be challenged both physically and mentally.
In fact, I enjoy it so much, that Jeff has agreed to help me build a community of like-minded people who want to move in new ways and make a commitment to a lifestyle of, healthy and delicious eating — while we meet some new people along the way.
So here are some MovNat-inspired moves that are excellent in combination with weight lifting and Kettlebell work in the gym. Join our Meetup and practice with us.
Duck walk, bear crawls, crab walk, crawling in general … this can be done anywhere once you’ve warmed up properly (with a MovNat warmup, of course.) Bear crawls sneak up your heart rate if you are moving along rapidly — add them into the middle of any circuit / combo as you crawl through and under things for an extra challenge.
Overs and under … really one of the easiest moves to adapt in a gym. Just place the weight bars at different heights and go over some and under some. I try not to touch the bar. Tip a tire on it’s side and jet through the middle. I did some unders beneath a bar while steadying a slosh log on my shoulder and stepping over a bunch of Kettelbells. Great fun!
Long Jumps … laying rubber weight plates out on the rubber floor (they don’t slide on rubber floor) at varying distances is excellent practice for long jumps. Reminds me of crossing a creek stone by stone.
Lifting … lifting any weight and maintaining grip is one of the key skills we practiced outdoors with rocks, logs, picnic tables, benches and more. In the gym, The kettlebell swing is an excellent practice of lifting and throwing while maintaining a strong grip.
Climbing vertically … two 20 foot ropes hang from the rafters in our gym: one knotted and one not … take your pick depending on your fit level and your mood for a good challenge. No ropes? Poles are excellent to climb.
Climbing horizontally … some bars in the gym allow me traverse horizontally wrapping leg over leg … like we did on the large tree stand in W. Va. … or a horizontal tree branch like many of us practice in the 1- and 2-
day MovNat workshops.
Weighted throwing … varied weighted balls are great to practice lifting and throwing. Sandbags also work very well.
Throwing and catching while Balancing … balancing on a 2x4x8 and tossing a thin, plastic pipe to a workout buddy, while standing on one foot or squatting, is great fun and excellent balance practice.
Balancing in general .. a 2x4x8 gives me plenty of space to practice standing balance, one-legged, squatting, walking backwards, moving along holding something heavy without falling, hopping on one foot, changing direction quickly … and more.
Forward and backward roll … a foam pad is great for practicing rolls. Once you get the form down, I find that you don’t have to rely on a soft surface.
Kettlebell carry … deadlift a Kettlebell, walk and carry. Run and carry. Tip the Kettlebell upside down for a greater challenge (elbow in). Reminds me of the rock shoulder carry we practiced in the woods.
These are just a few moves I have been able to enjoy in the gym. What moves have you adapted to your gym?
Lori Crock is a marketing biz owner and MovNat workshop alum who lives in Columbus, Ohio and plays at Fit2play, The Gym where a MovNat 1-day workshop will be held February, 19, 2012. Join us!