CrossFit Reaches School’s Curriculum

Growing up, most kids looked forward to the one or two days a week that we got to go to gym class during elementary school. We did not think much about dieting or working out. We were lucky if we knew what a six-pack was yet. Everything is different these days for students that go to Ocean City Intermediate School in New Jersey.

This Ocean City, N.J. Middle School is the first school in the state to offer CrossFit Kids, the children’s version of the workout routine, during gym class. Reactions are positive across the board.

CrossFit Kids, the children’s version of the workout program that has become popular over the past few years, is now offered to the student on a weekly basis thanks to the school’s gym teachers, according to ShoreNewsToday.com. Gym teachers Jesse Parker and Renee Bendig are doing their part to what Parker called “evening the playing field for students, encouraging a lifelong love of fitness.”

While Parker had just gained his certification, the two are aided by Joe Pappano, the owner of CrossFit 609 in Upper Township, N.J. The program is help once a week, with Pappano coming in once a month just as a consultant. The Ocean City middle school recently was able to become a CrossFit Kids affiliate, becoming the first school in New Jersey to have the official program in their curriculum.

According to Parker, the students enjoy the ability to get better. He told the Shore New Today, “The students find tracking their progress rewards and they are supportive of each other, encouraging one another to do better.” Parents of the students have shown positive feedback about the program and on how their kids feel about it.

It will be interesting to see if this is a program that begins to spread about the state or event the nation. While CrossFit itself is not an easy concept to grasp, I believe, by starting kids in a program at a younger age, they will understand the fundamentals of a healthier and more active lifestyle without being thrown right into it as a teenager.

Phrases to Live By: “I Can’t” is NOT Among Them

Since the beginning of time, no matter what you are doing, you need to start somewhere and, usually, that somewhere is at the bottom. Weight lifting is no different. To become big and strong, you need to start with what you can do and work your way up the weight rack. There is one thing that is holding you back from achieving your goals: yourself.

Beast Mode is in all of us. It takes a person willing to put in the work to move heavy weight. Maybe not today, but you will move it one day.

It is when the weight appears to be too heavy for you and then you say the two most dreadful words: “I can’t.” How do you know you can’t do it? Unless you have tried it and failed, there is no way of knowing that if you can do it or not. It is becoming way to common of a trend in the world, especially in the weight room.

This goes for both beginners and for those who have done it for years. Heavy weight will always be heavy and it is there for a purpose. It is meant to be moved and it can only be moved if you try to move it.

By saying these two words, you are giving up on a lift before even attempting it. Look at all the great accomplishments throughout history; none of which would have been achieved if they quit before they tried. For instance, lets look at Paul “Tiny” Meeker. On April 13, 2013, at the Texas State Power lifting Championships, Meeker, with just a bench shirt, put recorded a successful 1076.9 lbs bench press. Imagine the embarrassment Meeker would have felt had he never tried to set a new record.

There are events like Meeker’s that happen everyday in the world and in the weight room. If a new lifter does not try to bench 135 lbs for the first time, how will he/she know if they can do it or not? To know if you can do it or not, it must be attempted first without thinking of saying “I Can’t.”

What it all comes down to is what kind of person do you want to be known as. If you are going to have a quitter’s mentality every time you are in the weight room, do us all a favor and stay home. While weight lifting is about individual accomplishments, a positive atmosphere is what keeps lifters wanting to do more. Think about that next time you lay on the bench. Do you want to try to put up 275 lbs? Or are you just going to do a lot of reps with 225 lbs? The choice is yours if you want to be better.

R.I.P. Paul Walker – Lived for Now, Died Tragically

On Saturday afternoon, actor Paul Walker died at the age of 40 after a car crash in Southern California. According to NYDailyNews, Walker was in the passenger seat of his Porsche when it lost control, smashed into a tree,  and exploded. It can be assumed that Walker and the driver died instantly at the scene.

Paul Walker, right, and Vin Diesel in a scene from The Fast and the Furious. Walker, 40, was killed Saturday afternoon after his Porsche hit a tree and exploded. His spokesperson confirmed the report on Saturday.

Most known for his role in five of the six Fast and the Furious films, a transformation has been seen in Walker’s body from his first on-scene appearance to his last days. With this new information now available, it is only fitting that we look at what Walker was able to do to keep himself in shape.

According to Healthyceleb.com, Walker’s workout consisted of a lot more than just hitting the gym and taking in a lot of creatine. Along with the common routine, Walker focused a large amount of his time to cardio. It was noted that he was always active. Whether it was basketball, surfing, volleyball, skating, scuba diving, or mountain biking, Walker claimed that “it was the finest way to live.” 

Another form of cardio that he focused on was different varieties of Martial Arts. Walker studied Karate, Aikido, Judo, Jujitsu, and Kung Fu. He claimed that these activities increased endurance and flexibility while shedding fat (Maybe it’s an activity I should try someday).

In other words, Walker, it seemed, was constantly taking care of his body, whether it was in the gym or in the karate studio. While these are good suggestions to live a healthy lifestyle, it was unfortunate that Walker was taken from this world at age 40.

Learn from the Best: Phil Heath’s Sample Workouts

The name Phil Heath means everything to anyone associated with the bodybuilding or weight lifting community. When the three-time Mr. Olympia is ready to gives suggestions about how to get to the top, you listen.

“The Next Big Thing” was nice enough to offer a sample workout on his website Phillipheath.com.  Below, you will see the workout suggestions that he has laid out for his fans. (Caution: Workout is not for the fainted heart and beginners in the weight room)

Phil Heath is a three-time champion at Mr. Olympia and uses this workout routine to get himself in top shape for the competition.

CHEST

• Incline Bench Press 4 X 10
• Flat Bench Press 4 X 10
• Decline Bench Press 4 X 10
• Flat Dumbell Flyes 4 X 10

BACK

• Pull-ups 5-7 Failure
• Bent over Rows 5 X 8-10
• Lat-Pulldowns 5 X 8-10
• Seated Low-Rows 5 X 10
• Hyperextensions 5 X 12 w/ weight
• Deadlifts 3 X 8-12

BICEPS and TRICEPS

• DB or Barbell Curls 4 X 10
• Preacher Curls 4 X 10
• Incline Curls 4 X 10
• Hammer Curls 4 X 10
• Pushdowns 4 X 10
• Skull Crushers 4 X 10
• Donkey Kickbacks 4 X 10
• Dips 3-4 Failure

SHOULDERS

• Barbell Military Press 3 X 8-10
• Side Raises 3 X 8-10
• Front DB Raises 3 X 8-10
• Rear DB Raises 3 X 10
• DB Military Press 3 X 12
• Upright Rows 3 X 12

QUADS/HAMSTRINGS

• Back Squats 3 X 8-10
• Leg Press 3 X 10
• Leg-Extensions 4 X 10
• Hack Squats 3 X 10
• Walking Lunges 2 Down n’ back
• 45 degree Lunges 2 X 10 Hamstrings
• Standing Leg Curl 3 X 10
• Russian Deadlifts 4 X 10
• Lying-down Leg Curls 4 X 10
• Seated Leg Curls 4 X 10
• Ham n’ Glute Raises 5 X 10

CALVES:

• Standing Calve Raises 3 X 14-20
• Seated Calve Raises 3 X 12-20
• Seated Calve extensions 3 X 12-16
• Donkey Calve Raises 3 X 10 (Optional)

This may seem like a lot of exercises for each muscle group, but in reality, it is similar to what the average weight lifter does. The only difference is the amount of reps done for each weight. In the weight room, there are two types of workouts: Bulking (high weight, low reps) and Toning (low weight, high reps). It appears as if Mr. Heath is combing the two and creating his own concept. In other words, this workout calls for high weight with a high amount of reps.

While it is not a routine I would recommend for beginners or even amateurs, it seems to be worth a shot. Good luck on leg day. Willing to try this routine? Let us know how it goes and if you would suggest it.

Quote of the Week: Lift and See Results

After winning eight straight Mr. Olympia in his career, Ronnie Coleman decided to share his knowledge with Jay Cutler and the rest of the weight lifting community with his words of motivation.

This week’s Motivational Quote of the Week does not need much explanation. An eight-time Mr. Olympia Champion, Ronnie Coleman needs no introduction.

One of only two people to win eight in a row (Lee Haney also did it), Coleman knows exactly what he is talking about when it comes to anything in the weight room. His successor, Jay Cutler, appeared to have learned from Coleman on his way to four Mr. Olympia titles as well.

“Hard work and training. There’s no secret formula. I lift heavy, work hard and aim to be the best.” – Ronnie Coleman

That is all it takes if you ask Coleman. Honestly, it seems to be plain and simple. If every person is able to put this attitude to the weight room, and life itself, their training could become that much better and results will follow.

Thanksgiving Suggestions For a Healthy You

It is that wonderful time of the year. The time when we all love to indulge in a large amount of food, take a long nap, and then enjoy leftovers and dessert. We try to be good all year round to stay fit and healthy and this weekend wants to mess us up.

While we like to use this time to relax and enjoy the time with family, we need to be mindful about how much we consume and what we eat. I would like to offer a few suggestions that anyone can do this weekend to burn off the food.

#1 – Limit yourself to one serving on all courses. As big as a turkey-lover that you are, save the rest of the food for your lunch tomorrow. We all like to splurge your into all the trimmings, but self-control is a big part of your diet. You have load up your plate on the first go-around, but let that settle in before you before you even decide if you want anymore.

#2 – Make sure you return to the gym on Friday. The gym was crowded on Thursday full of people trying to pre-burn the calories they are going to eat today. Tomorrow morning or during the day, it is key to return to the gym and take care of your body.

#3 – Enjoy yourself. Move around the house and try not to sit around all day. Help with the cooking, serving, or anything you can do. By simply moving around the house, you keep the blood flowing and will continue to burn calories.

So from us at Trial and Lift, we would like to thank you for reading and wish a Happy Thanksgiving.