PDXStrength News

Here is a handout that we pass out to our new 101 members of PDXstrength, but we thought it would be useful if we shared it to all of our members. Nutrition is a key component to reaching your health and fitness goals. We hope these tips are useful and help you along your fitness journey.

Adequately fueling your body is so important! This is a journey of curiosity. You will not get it perfect on the first try. For a more detailed and holistic approach, please check out The 10 Principles of Intuitive Eating.

Here are some ideas to consider experimenting with:

o Drinking half your body weight in ounces. (If you weigh 200 lbs., drink 100 ounces of water). Try having a water bottle with you all the time.

o Trying to include protein, carbs, and fat with most meals to help you feel energetic and satisfied.

o Eating breakfast most days.

o Working towards limiting alcohol to 2 drinks a week or less.

o Experimenting with increasing the amount of fresh foods you eat (fruits, veggies, whole grains, nuts/seeds, etc).

o Paying attention (without judgment) to how you feel on days when sugar intake is higher

o No more “fat free” products or products you think you should eat because they are low calorie, processed alternatives.

o Trying to increase the amount of organic and local foods you eat. Maybe that means checking out a farmer’s market.

MEAL IDEAS & TIMING 

Pre-workout meals/snacks: this depends on the individual and how soon you can eat prior to your workout.

Find what works for you and stick with it.

It is helpful to consume some carbohydrate and protein before and after workouts.

Fats are a huge part of a balanced diet. They are satisfying and make foods (including veggies) taste good. Fats slow down the transit of the carbohydrates and protein through the stomach. In addition, many vitamins are fat-soluble and require some fat to be absorbed by the body!

Carbs and protein are ideal sources of fuel for long duration, high intensity workouts because the body processes these nutrients at a faster rate than that of fats. Try saving the fats for other opportunities throughout the day.

KICKING OUT NEGATIVITY 

Our thoughts can feel so powerful at times, especially in regards to body image. What if we told you it doesn’t matter whether a thought is true, but rather far more important is whether it’s helpful?

Suppose I’m overweight and my mind says, “Better get to the gym and earn your weekend because you’ve been l-a-z-y!” This thought is not helpful; it does nothing but blame, disparage, and demoralize. It doesn’t inspire me to eat sensibly or exercise more in a fun, enjoyable setting. Rather, this thought makes me feel like a total LOSER!

You can waste a lot of time trying to decide whether your thoughts are true. This is dumb. Don’t do it. The more useful approach is to ask, “Is this thought helpful? Does it help me take action to create the life I want”? If it’s helpful, pay attention to it. If it’s not, acknowledge the thought and detach from it.

But what if that negative thought seems helpful and motivating? We agree, these thoughts appear useful in the short term. But often, harsh and cruel words eventually stop providing motivation and become obnoxious and hurtful.

Experiment with self-compassion. For example, I might say to myself, “Wow. I recognize that getting in shape is so tough. Though I appreciate the story that my mind is telling me, I am, in fact, not a lazy person and I care tremendously about my well-being.” For more on self-compassion, check out Kristin Neff’s TEDx talk.

Feel free to not pay attention to magazines, Facebook, Instagram, or other types of posts that make the negative thoughts louder. Is comparing yourself to a 0.01% body fat Insta-Celeb helpful? Hell no!!!

Hope you enjoyed this and feel free to contact us with nutrition questions and we will do our best to guide you in the right direction.

Written by Christie Choma

COMPETITOR PROGRAMMING- Exciting News!

We are proud to offer competitor programming for athletes that are interested in maximizing their fitness at PDXstrength. If you want more than just an hour long class, if you are interested in fitness competitions, or want guidance to improve skills and strength necessary to be pushed to your full potential, our competitive program is your answer. Our PDXstrength athletes will have the option to upgrade their membership and have exclusive access to our thoughtfully designed Competitor Program. The cost is $25 per month. A typical day example of the Competitor Program will include our standard strength and conditioning “workout of the day” to ensure we keep our PDxstrength community training together, however it will also have additional strength/skill, conditioning and/or accessory work to be completed by you on the side three days a week. It’s important that all of our athletes at PDXstrength have the option for growth, and we want to give you the tools to take your fitness to the next level. Please be mindful of the normal classes going on and work around them without being a big distraction to the athletes in the class.

Our first day of competitor programming will start on October 9th. To sign up for our competitive programming please click here https://clients.mindbodyonline.com/classic/ws?studioid=45374&stype=41&sTG=10

***Please be on the lookout for some schedule changes in September. We will be adding a new bootcamp class Friday afternoons at 4:30 pm starting September 29. Kettle bell club will be held Wednesday evenings instead of Tuesdays. ***

Build a Better Booty! Ready to build a strong, powerful and shapely butt? It is time to fire up those glutes, and learn how to activate those beautiful buns! Get ready to lift, shape and experience the best strength training program to activate those glutes.  This 5 week workshop series, will meet once a week. Big, powerful glutes are great, not just because they make you look good in a tight pair of jeans, but also, as all booty enthusiasts know, because a strong butt sets the stage for safe, heavy lifting in the gym, faster sprints, and a solid and injury-free lower back. More often than not, those with a strong set of glutes tend to display better movement patterns in the deadlift, squat, and a whole range of other exercises than those with a weak and flabby butt, and they also have lower incidence of back and knee pain. Since the GM is the largest muscle in the human body — and also at the center of the posterior chain — these observations don’t really come as a surprise.Cost is $80 for 5 classes.Classes will be held Monday nights at 7:30 pm starting September 11.  Sign up here for the most popular workshop series at PDXstrength:Build a Better Booty Workshop Series

Injury is an unfortunate reality inherent in all rigorous physical activity and no gym will ever be injury-free. But there are injuries we can consider preventable or easily avoided if athletes and coaches adhere to some basic principles.

Minimizing injuries will happen if you commit to starting slow, and being humble and aware of where you still need to improve. PDXstrength borrows from so many disciplines that it requires time and commitment to become competent with even one area.

Here are some Good Training Habits to help with Injury Prevention:

While it’s our responsibility as coaches to teach you movement, program intelligently, and keep you safe, it’s your responsibility as athletes to develop good training habits. Here is an overview of three great habits that will significantly enrich your training experience.

1. Be Proactive With Your Movement Prep
Everyone needs to do a little personalized maintenance on their bodies. Even 10 minutes of DIY movement prep before class can go a long way in keeping you fit and pain free. After you’ve signed in and changed, take advantage of the time you’ve got and start moving.

Many of us know where our tightest areas are—they’re the ones that make it difficult to squat below parallel or press a barbell overhead. Spend a few minutes mobilizing and doing some soft tissue work (foam roller/LAX ball, etc.) on your “problem areas.” If you don’t know where to begin, ask a coach what you should be prioritizing and we’ll help you out. MobilityWOD.com is great resource for folks who need simple, effective strategies to help them move better.

2. Log Your Workouts
Training without logging is like driving without a road map. You don’t know where you’ve been or where you’re going. Taking notes on important training session helps you track your progress and helps us make informed decisions about how to assist you in choosing weights and scaling movements.

3. Start Slow and Maintain Perspective
We take our training seriously ( most of the time haha ) at PDXstrength and with that comes with a good deal of responsibility. Our movement pool uses serious strength and conditioning exercises in order to develop broad, inclusive fitness. If we don’t treat these movements and workouts with respect, training plateaus and injuries are sure to follow.

The best way to ensure your success and training longevity with us is by starting slowly and developing a rock-solid technical base. In fact, the first few months you start PDXstrength, intensity should not be a significant concern. The movements are potent enough that just consistently performing them will create a favorable adaptation. After you feel really comfortable with most of our exercises and have a working knowledge of your weights, only then should you start ramping up the intensity.

Training with a lifelong perspective is incredibly important. Remember that you’re here to build yourself up, not break yourself down. Scaling workouts properly, listening to your body and checking your ego at the door will allow you to work out successfully for years to come. Most importantly, have fun with this stuff and enjoy the process.

Jossy and the PDXstrength crew

***Please be on the lookout for some schedule changes in September. We will be adding a new bootcamp class Friday afternoons at 4:30 pm. Kettle bell club will be held Wednesday evenings instead of Tuesdays. ***

• Our seasonal Free Running Club meets every Sunday at 9:30 am! At PDXstrenth Run Club sessions, you’ll find encouragement, guidance, and a local crew of runners that’s main purpose is to socialize, get a little sweaty, and enjoy 2-4 miles at a comfortable pace. We’re not out to race, we just really like running with great people. All you’ll need to get going is a good pair shoes,a smile, and a signed waiver. There is no cost to join, just sign up so our coaches know who is coming! This is for PDXstrength members and nonmembers.“I’ve really noticed a difference in my recovery and how much easier running is in workouts from participating in run club. It’s also been great to explore new areas that I normally wouldn’t have by myself.”Sign up for sessions here: Run Club