Stuff to Check Out: Early January Edition
We’re halfway through January, which means daylight hours are as long now as they were at the beginning of December, and slowly starting to get back to a normal sense of routine after Christmas holidays, vacations, and all that brings with it. I’m sure some people are working off dinner, baking, and all the partying that goes with the season. I had my share as well. Everyone does a Challenge in January, but I started mine in December. I did a 31 day egg nog challenge and feel like an absolute beast.
Because of this, I tell my clients to not even bother weighing in for the first week back at the gym, and we tend to do measurements and stuff if needed in the second week. That first week is just working out the tinsel, sodium bloat and tryptophan from the festivities. Plus the hang overs.
Since last week I wrecked your brainz with some talk about feet and ankles, I figured this would be a good time to take a tour around the interwebz and see what’s happening.
Workshops
So far the first half of 2016 looks busy, with dates confirmed in Squamish, BC, Toronto, Seattle, Prague and Oslo, plus speaking at the Kansas City Fitness Summit again. For more info on the dates and locations, plus to register, head over to my Schedule of Events page HERE.
Is Your Trainer Wrong? – Men’s Fitness
I was part of a panel discussion with some other smart fitness professionals discussing some of the commonly controversial concepts brought up in fitness circles. Things like should your knees go past your toes when you squat (yes, for most people), are kipping pullups a good idea (if you’re a gymnast or competitive Crossfitter, probably, but likely not for anyone else), and did Star Wars Supreme Leader make me pee myself a little when he first appeared (maybe.) A great overview for anyone wanting a bunch of awesome viewpoints on fitness stuff.
Top 5 Exercises You NEED In Your Routine – James Harris
I co-wrote this piece with an up and coming trainer who works in my gym, and we went over some of what we felt were the best bang for your buck exercises for people looking to train for both strength and for aesthetics, plus had the research backing to develop a stronger case.
Top 40 Fitness Professionals to Follow in 2016 – JMax Fitness
I was fortunate enough to be featured on this list last year in position 34, and this year I’m in 14, so I think that means I’m kind of a big deal on the internet. That or there’s just more expected from me this year than last. I’d argue there’s some people who were on the list last year who should be on this year (Dr. Spencer Nadolsky comes to mind, since he’s just released his first book The Fat Loss Prescription in December. And is allergic to shirts), but since it’s a subjective list versus objective list, I’ll take what I can get.
Is There A Recipe For Great Gym Culture? – Pete Dupuis
This is something I’m very passionately confident is the future of the fitness industry. Commercial gyms are starting to realize this and create a specifically cultivated culture for their members and catering to their desires. Think of Planet Fitness and their concept of “zero judgement” while still judging those who train hard and want to do things like deadlifts. They’re consciously saying they want to attract the people who are most intimidated by a gym, and need to have a supportive environment. While they aren’t catering to me, they’re okay with that. Barbells and machines don’t make a fantastic facility, because every gym has those. How you stand out and separate yourself from the crowd as a gym owner is entirely in how you develop the culture specific to the people you’re looking to attract.
The Evolution of Everything: How New Ideas Emerge – Matt Ridley
This is one of the books I’m reading at the moment, and it’s a truly fascinating read looking at how every aspect of life and processes goes through evolutionary changes consistent with the Darwinian theories, breaking down everything from technological advances through Moores Law to free market economics and government regulation, through to standards of living and world incomes. The concepts discussed could be used to enthrall everything from how the iPod became popular over the Zune, to how fitness trends will become flashes in the pan versus have longevity.
High Tensile Strength – Still Available
What’s that? You’re in the middle of January and you don’t have a workout plan to follow to get you ready for when you want to be ready for that thing that requires you to have some level of fitness? Well look no further. You can get 6 months of semi-custom programming all for one low price. There’s almost limitless customizations available, plus 48 different tracks you could take to find your ideal workout, so there’s nothing holding you back.