Garage Gym Workout - Fully Body - July, 2017

Garage Workout - This one was pretty tough.
4 Rounds - 50 Double Unders, 50 KB Swings, 50 Goblet Squats, 50 Burpees

 Double Unders

 Kettlebell Swings

 Goblet Squats

 Burpees

 WarMachines - for fun...

Basement Gym Workout - Olympic Bars, Free Weights, TRX - July, 2017

Three Rounds
Pair Two Opposing (agonist) Movements
12-20 Repetitions of each Movement

Biceps Hammer Curl to Rotational Curl

Triceps Isolated Skull Crusher to EZ Bar Skull Crusher

Dumbbell Chest Press to Dumbbell Rotational Press to TRX High Elbow Row

EZ Bar Biceps Curl to Overhead EZ Bar Triceps French Press

ALTRA Running - HIIT Shoe Review - July 2017

In May, I had a great conversation with a representative of ALTRA running in regards to an event that I organize called the Thermopylae.  This event has had great sponsorship from Altra through an Altra distributor, Entrix Sports, and has supported the youth fitness initiative that I have run.  As a result of that programming (now in it's eleventh year) I am participating in this year's IDEA World Fitness Conference in Las Vegas.

As the discussion evolved the idea came up of putting two of Altra's hottest new products through their paces under an enhanced real world training program. 

First, I would run in the ALTRA Torin IQ's, utilizing the ALTRA IQ app (Altra IQ Page, ITUNES Link, ANDROID/GOOGLE Link).
Put them through approximately 25 - 100+ kilometers per week and see how they hold up for comfort, durability, performance and then all of the technical aspects that come as a benefit of Smart Shoes.  Then take them to the heat of Las Vegas and start all over again, running on the strip.

Following this, I would participate in all of my normal training (Crossfit, Functional Training, Obstacle Course Racing, Ninja Course, Military Obstacle Course Training, Olympic Lifting, Coaching, HIIT and many other modalities) in the ALTRA HIIT.  The goal of which would be to put them through the entire range of what could be asked of them at any given time (I also took them to a climbing center).

All of this information, and data, I would then share on my site and link back to on social media.

I was ecstatic.  I got to demo two of the most advanced, and functional, pieces of fitness equipment available (before it was available).  I was, and am, very lucky and wanted to do it right.

After almost a month and a half of hard use, I have an initial review.  A more comprehensive, final, review will follow the IDEA Conference.

Out of the Box
Out of the box they look like cross between a Nike Metcon and a Reebok Nano 6.0/7.0.  There are similarities through each design brand such as: profile, grip design and general material.  They have a great fabric, a low profile, very bold accent colors and a significant cut out around the Malleolus.  The tongue is heavily padded, as are the two heel guards on either side of the Achilles.  The thing that catches most people, that haven't tried Altra before, is very large toe box.
Altra calls this their FootShape toe box.  Each pair of Altra's comes with a booklet to ease you into Zero Drop Running.

Full disclosure.  It looks strange the first time you see them.  Then you put them on.

On your Feet
On your feet is a completely new story.  For those that have never tried Altra before, they fit true to size with Nike or Reebok.  What is different is how that size "feels" on your foot.  When you first put on your size, it will feel like your foot is swimming in the shoes and that you should have sized down.  Take a step back and relax.  Tie them up and go for a walk.  What you're feeling is your foot adjusting to the space that your toes now have and they will take up that space quite rapidly.  Then they feel like you are wearing the most technical pair of slippers in the world.  They are very comfortable.

Side note:  it's recommended to those that are not used to Zero Drop footwear to ease into them through gradually increasing work.  This is very true.  However, also please understand that you will also be adjusting to that toe box each time as well, if you go back to a regular toe box, until you transition fully.  The Nike Metcon 3 has a larger toe box, as does the NOBULL trainer, so that adjustment might be less than coming from a Reebok Nano 7 or Speed TR 2.0 as they are significantly more narrow.

Durability
I am hard on shoes.  Really, really hard.  Besides coaching, training, lifting and competing; I also teach Physical Education full time.  Runners are my office.  As a result, I'm pretty demanding when it comes to durability.
The HIITs look almost new.  This is after a pretty incredible amount of work and transitioning them through everything that I could throw at them.  The fabric that Altra has developed for the HIIT is very abrasion resistant and the grip doesn't quit.
The rope guard, which it hasn't been marketed as, is lower profile than the Metcon's but more robust than the Nano 7.0.
For those doing hand stand push ups against a wall, these won't catch and won't wear out.  No squeaks.

Functionality
This is where these shoes really shone for me.  The very first thing I did when I put them on was head down to my rack and lift...heavy.  The Power Platform and FootShape toe box gave me a much better feel for the weight and I easily rep'ed through deadlift, cleans and squats with full support.  The next test came when I grabbed my speed rope.  This is usually where lifting shoes, for fitness, fall apart.  They are usually too stiff and cause a ton of load through your soles and into the calf.  The HIIT's were flexible and responsive without too much give.
I brought these out to INJANATION for a team windup and put them through a Ninja course, Military Obstacles, Warped Wall, Prowler pushes, climbing walls and ladder climbs.  They took it all.  Finally, they went through life.  They did very well and I look forward to additional colorways coming out.

I am a little partial to the red and black but that's to be expected, I am a Canadian delegate to IDEA after all.

Reviews for the Torin IQ and final reviews to follow for both the Torin IQ and HIIT.  App review for the ALTRA IQ App as well with screen shots.

Thanks!

IDEA World Fitness Conference July 20 - 23. Las Vegas, Nevada

 

I’m excited to be an International Representative for the 2017 IDEA World Convention, July 20-23, in Las Vegas, Nevada! This is an amazing opportunity to join 10,000 fitness professionals at largest and longest-running fitness event in the world! Only IDEA brings 60+ countries together to network and learn from the best health and fitness experts on the planet!

Gorila Fitness - Canadian Fitness Brands

Gorila Fitness

1.      Can you tell me a little about yourself and your brand?

The whole idea was to bring quality equipment in Canada and save Canadians the ridiculous shipping fees of international orders. We're two brothers; Vincent & Martin Roy, we love training and a couple years ago discovered and fall in love with Crossfit method. So when we wanted to train at home our parents gave us the shed for a home gym. Shopping around for a squat rack, everything was too expensive (mostly because of the USD, shipping & custom) so we opted to build it. My brother (Vincent) has a background in mechanical engineering and welding so we've designed a simple squat rack for our home gym, roughly painted and everything. Probably a week after that, a friend of our parents (Luc Marotte, now our partner in the company) was looking for a squat rack and asked us to build it and we did. After that a gym owner contacted us and asked for a rig, then a sled, and the demand just never stopped growing so we started a company and bought some tools and stuff.

2.      What was the “spark” or start of your company?

We just knew we could build something as good or even better then competition for the same price or even sometime cheaper but saving our clients the shipping and customs was enough to convince them to buy local! We are building every home or commercial gym as if it was ours, I think that gives a more human touch to the fitness equipment industry. Plus, almost nothing was made IN canada, obviously there was a lot of Chinese products on the market and the quality was not at all what we wanted for our clients: poor quality and construction equals poor longevity, less movements possibilities and less options.  Today, 80% of what we do is Canadian made in our facility in Chambly (South sore of montreal) guaranteeing not only the quality but also functionality, design and most of all, accessible customer service!

3.      Where did the idea for your brand come from?

We were inspired by big companies in the USA and wanted a badass name and logo to compete with them so we were searching for big fierce animals. The gorilla was our first idea but we knew there was a few Gorilla Gym and stuff and didn't want people to get confused. After weeks of research we thought "let's just remove one "L" from there for trademark issues and move on with Gorila Fitness", so we did!

4.      What is the goal, or main priorities, of the brand and company (outside of financial)?

The ultimate goal is certainly to be known for our quality and become a reference in Canada for Strongman, weightlifting, crossfit & training equipment in general! That's precisely why our client's satisfaction is our top priority and I know it sounds cheesy but it's true. Anything our clients are not happy with, we're not happy with. That's how we've been thinking since day one and I think that's part of our success. Finding the perfect products that would meet all the special needs of our customers!

5.      How do customers/athletes, and their opinions, influence or impact your brand?

A LOT! We're always asking around for reviews and ideas! We try a lot of them and most of our new products comes from client's suggestions or athlete's tips. It's a never ending process and we know we can count on our clients honesty to improve our quality of service and products. Everybody's needs are different and the goal is to find the product that will fit most perfectly. That's precisely where the "custom" part of what we do is coming handy, being able to customize pretty much anything to client's specs is a huge plus for us!

6.      Where do you see your brand in one year and in five years?

In one year we would like to improve our client base in western Canadian market & military market and give our customers more variety. We are also working on improving our website & social media platforms! Now in five years we'd like to be the reference in Canada, we know that's still probably a bit short term but I believe in our team's capacity to do it and I believe in the quality of what we do.

7.      What is the impact of social media on your brand and business?

I think social media plays a big role in pretty much every business today and we're no exception. We were a bit struggling at first but still were getting a lot of orders through our facebook page. Now that we have a social media team, the goal is to give our followers creative and interesting content every day.

8.      How does your brand innovative and rise about many of the others in the industry?

The "Made in Canada" tag is a big deal for us. We take huge pride in that and I know it's very important to our customers, knowing they can buy a canadian product at about the same price as an imported product.

Now equipment wise, the big difference is in the quality and durability without a doubt. We won't settle for products that won't last a lifetime, that's especially why we've established a satisfaction guarantee. We use the best materials available and make sure the fabrication is done perfectly from start to finish. We're also always asking ourselves how to improve a certan product. For example, how could we make a flat bench into a ghd for home gym purpose (might be coming soon, might not ;) )

That said, the branding is also a big part of our difference I think, the logo is freaking badass and people love it.

9.      What is a priority for you, as an individual and as a brand, moving forward in fitness?

Having fun! Whether it's in training, at work or in life. Almost all the marketing in fitness is about being fit and badass and we want to change that, we do not want to take ourselves seriously.

10.    If you wanted people to know one thing about the clothing (art, fit, durability, etc).  What would it be?

We had a hard time finding the right blend for our shirts and tank tops because we wanted people to wear the shirt while training and going out with friends. Very proud of the blend, seriously super light and comfy plus the colors are awesome.

11.    As a Canadian brand, what do you feel is the most important piece of information to    leave with your community?

I want people to start doing more things in Canada. Over the years, we've learned that although it can be a bit more expensive at first, it's totally worth it. Shorter production & shipping time, a lot more control on quality and design, faster customer service, much easier to deal with the suppliers and clients love it!

High Intensity Interval Training - HIIT - 40-20 Challenge - May 2017

High Intensity Interval Training (HIIT) Workout
40-20 Challenge
40 seconds
20 repetitions

The challenge works as follows:
Eight (8) exercises total
Four (4) exercises that are cardiovascular based
Four (4) exercises that are strength/weight based
40 seconds of work on the cardiovascular exercises
20 repetitions of work on the strength/weight exercises
Complete in pods of two (2) as follows

Mountain Climbers (40 seconds)
Rotational Bicep Curls (20 repetitions)

Burpee (40 seconds)
Dumbbell Floor Chest Press (20 repetitions)

Reverse Lunge (40 seconds)
Overhead Press (20 repetitions)

Flutter Kick (40 seconds)
Bent Over Dumbbell Row (20 repetitions)

May the Fourth Be With You Workout - 2017 - Star Wars