Core Fit 'N Motion

The kids have been stepping up their training for Taekwondo, so as a result it’s been just the adults (except for Josh).  Tonight we did a Tabata workout with Mike (welcome back from Nationals), Tana and Renee.  A tabata round can be the longest four minutes of your life!

Tana reported that she is now down two sizes.  She has worked out three days so far this week.  And… yesterday I saw her do repeated DEEP squats, holding a kettlebell.  Great job!  Renee is getting strong, pressing the 16 k bell.  Wow! Josh is starting to make it look too easy.  Maybe it’s time to move up. Dexter has developed great form, and will be rapidly increasing his weight as well.  Jen is coming once a week.  Yoga, Taekwondo and driving the kids is taking up a lot of her time.  Nonetheless she is catching on fast.

Well, it seems like it’s been a while since I’ve actually added new content. Tonight we did a tough workout with Dexter and Jen.  Last time we did this one, I got the comment from Brittany:

“That workout we just recently did was fun, BUT very very tiring. For at least 3 days my legs were burning! OUCH. Don’t worry I will be ready to go again… I am ready for a challenge! Maybe I should not have said that  Either way, Thanks for working me out and pushing me to my limits.”

We used the new timer to keep us one track – that thing is brutal!  I think the timer goes slow for the work rounds and fast for the rests!

I had a dinner at a work event last night so I left a workout behind for Tana and Renee.  I heard they did great!!!

Brittany, Lorin and Travis have stepped up their Taekwondo training for preparation for Brittany’s team trial event next month so I haven’t seen much of them.  I hope they can at least make it for some of our post workout swims in the pool before fall (we haven’t had much summer here in Minnesota).

We are getting close to moving into some real space soon!  I hope to be offering “real” classes starting September.  I’ve ready made several purchases for the space and can’t wait.  More on that later!

For now, keep it up Tana, Dexter and Renee (I’m amazed to see your improvements and strength increases so far). Keep coming Jen because you are sooooo close in form to move up in weight and really challenge yourself.  Kids (Brittany, Lorin and Travis) I hope to see you as you get time.  Kailee… once???? Come on let’s get a couple more in before you go off to college (best wishes!).  Casey and Chris, I hope to see you back again soon!

Here’s the photo.  Go get ’em at trials!

Congratulations Brittany

Congrats to Brittany for a Silver at the Taekwondo Junior National Tournament.  As a result of this exceptional accomplishment, Brittany will compete at a team trial event to qualify for the Junior National Team and represent the United States at the  Junior Pan American Taekwondo Championships.  Good Luck to Brittany at the August trials!!!!

As a result of her accomplishment, I began thinking of the Blackbelt Success Cycle taught to us as we began our Taekwondo Journey to Blackbelt:

1. Know what you want – this is a classic example of the need to set a SMART goal. S(specific) M(measurable), A(attainable), R(realistic), and T(timed).  In this example for Brittany her SMART goal will be to S-make the Junior National Team, M – Measured by success at the team trials, A – absolutely attainable because she has already qualified for the team trial event, R – realistic because she has trained for many years in Taekwondo, travels 30+ miles each way 3 days a week to train for sport taekwondo, travels 20+ miles each way a couple more days per week for traditional taekwondo, trains crossfit at 6 am one day a week and also has begun training with Core Fit ‘N Motion!  She is totally dedicated and the goal is very real!!! T – her timeline is the team trial event in August.

2. Have a plan and take consistent action – her plan is outlined in the SMART goal listed in #1 above.

3. Have a success coach – Brittany has many – her parents, her taekwondo instructors, friends, crossfit coach and also me. 🙂

4. Review your progress and renew your goals.  Over the next month and a half, Brittany will have to “check in” and make sure she is making the progress she wants to see to best position herself for victory at the end of August.

Good Luck Brittany!!!

I know for those of you that do CrossFit, the title is dangerously close to one of your named workouts.  This workout was nothing like Fight On Friday.  Three of the kids fight this friday at the Taekwondo Junior Olympics in Austin, Texas.  Good luck to Brittany, Lorin (Dex) and Travis.  Each will be competing in the 14-17 black belt division.  The top four finishers in each division qualify for a fight off in Colorado Springs at the Olympic Training Center in August.  The winner of the fight off makes the Junior National Team.  It is so cool to be associated with kids that train and compete at that level.

Now that I have digressed, we had a nice turnout tonight in the cooler Monday evening air.  We did a shorter workout consisting of five rounds. Each round consisted of Overhead Lunges, Sling Shots, Clean and Press, One-Arm Swing and Squats.  It was designed to be an easier workout to keep the kids active, but not work them too hard.  Tana, Renee, Dexter and Josh all participated as well.  I think they all liked the easier start to the week.  I must say there was a look of surprise (relief?) on their faces when they heard after the first round that they only had 4 more to go.

Tana is looking great.  She is squatting deeper, clothes are looser and she is lifting more weight.  Great job and keep it up! One day she will let me put her picture on the site.  Until then, here are some of the rest of the gang…

Can you say balance, stretch and strength??

Good to the core

Cleans and Presses

It’s been a busy week!  We had a great turnout Monday with Lorin showing up for his second workout.  He’s already showed great improvement in form.  We ran another 8-station circuit outside in the humid Minnesota evening.  The bonus was that Brittany (along with her sister that watched), Josh, Renee and I all jumped in our pool afterwards to cool off…

Last night was a Taekwondo night.  This was our last Tuesday training before the National Tournament.  I can’t wait to see how good Mike, Lorin, Travis, Brittany and I all perform.

Tonight we ran a traditional class (so I could workout as well).  It was a tough workout and we were all drenched with sweat.  No swimming bonus because Mike didn’t bring his swim suit 😦

Dexter came on Monday.  I already lost track of how many workouts he has completed, but I’m totally amazed at how quick he has learned all the moves and how hard he pushes himself.  I’ve known him for a long time, and his work(out) ethic is amazing.  Keep it up!

Don’t usually do Kettlebells on Thursday.  I like to save it for Taekwondo, but Taekwondo has been cancelled on Thursdays for the summer.  So instead, we had a turnout of two.  Dexter came for his second workout. Tonight we tried some new tools and did a nice workout of 11 rounds with 2 minutes of exercise followed by 1 minute (or so) of break. The focus was to do more weight than normal.

Last night we tried out the new barbell.  Check out Mike and Josh from last night and Dexter and Brittany tonight!

Heavy?

What Strength!

Old School Turkish Get Ups - Way to go Brittany and Dexter!

Rows Anyone?

Tonight Was Interesting…  Our biggest group, yet again – 8!  We had people from Delano, Cokato, Waverly, Brainerd and even Hamburg Germany.  Since it was the first workout for several we kept the workout basic (but not too easy) so everyone could keep up. Tonight we ran an 8 station circuit.  Most of it was outside in the nice humid Minnesota evening.  The mountain climbers caused a lot of groans, but way to stick it out.

Warming Up

Kettlebells aren't supposed to be fun!

Rope Work

Our Friend From Germany

Round 3

Check out this back kick!  I couldn’t get this high without our training.  A coach for another athlete saw the kick and came up to me after the fight and asked if I was a Ninja…. I laughed but was glad to see that someone was impressed with what a 40 year-old could do!  All is possible with the right training.

Alan in Blue Back Kicking - Renee - now you have a photo of Alan working out!

Sorry, no pictures.  We had the biggest turnout to date.  7 – Brittany, Decca, Jen, Mike, Renee, Tana and Travis.  We had an 8 station circuit that we ran through twice.  Congrats to Jen and Decca for making it through the fundamentals intro and their first circuit!

The ropes provided the biggest challenge for everyone. Renee reported that she liked the plyo box jumping the best.  I liked the group doing the Figure 8 To A Hold – very impressive.