Mike Tromello from Precision Crossfit has over 20 years of experience and accolades in sports and fitness. His ability to navigate through tough times and grow his business plays a huge role in his success.

While there are many box gyms closing, he adapts to the circumstances, plans ahead and takes care of his own community. He is one of the go to guys in the fitness industry and has found ways to evolve fitness for all ages and circumstances.

He says, “it’s not about avoiding failure, it’s about your ability to keep standing back up and rising through the hurdles.” The gym has over 30,000 members and has been a member of the world’s largest gym community for more than 20 years.

Always Be Prepared: How Far Can You Go?

“I don’t care what anyone says but you gotta treat 2021 like 2020.” says Mike. This means that we are going to have to be smart, stay grounded and stay prepared for whatever comes next.

In the game of business, it’s not very hard to start a box gym, the real challenge is getting out of the paycheck to paycheck cycle and making a successful plan. That’s exactly what Mike did.

Being a box gym owner, you’re pretty much on your own when it comes to building the business from the affiliate model by Crossfit LLC. It’s almost necessary to forecast what the year ahead and the following year following year means to you.

As for Mike, he played his cards right and kept three to six months of reserves for a time like this. “If you can plan ahead and think about the possibility of your gym not making any money for three months and still be open, that’s golden.”, he says.

While having to pay rent, bills and affiliation fees for his 5,000 square foot warehouse, he gets back in the game with a 2,100 square foot outdoor gym that allows 12-14 members per class. With an adaptable business plan that thrives, he also believes in doing above and beyond to show support to his peers.

Can You Succeed Without Support?

“Currently there’s no support in this game. With the new CEO in charge at Crossfit, I’m hopeful that there will be support in place for affiliates.” Mike comments on the current affiliate business model.

While you might be accustomed to the “eat or get eaten” mindset, you can’t deny that support is essential for success (whatever success means to you). Mike’s foresight allows him to stay true to his word and support his members through the hard times by offering discounts and delayed payments for their membership fees.

He adds, “People will remember those who helped them during tough times.”

Stay Practical and Grounded!!

While some coaches and gym owners can make it on IG, Youtube or even Tiktok, Mike shares this statement of pure cold truth – “In this industry, your business is only as good as your local economy.”

If you open up a gym in your community, you might want to be prepared to protect the members of that community. I couldn’t believe my ears when he says, “As a vital part of the community, sometimes you might have to go out of your way and find your members job opportunities.” This isn’t something your everyday coach will do even if you have a good relationship with him/her.

How Far Does Empathy Go In Business?

By providing support to his community, planning ahead and adapting to circumstances. It’s safe to say that Precision Crossfit is currently navigating through dark waters successfully.

Now, if you own a traditional gym, box-gym or martial arts academy, would you be able to take the information on this article and make it your own?

While the stay at home order is currently lifted, we still will not know how much the number of Covid-19 cases will increase or decrease in the following months.

We don’t even know exactly what could happen to America under the new President. These are clearly matters that are out of most of our control. However, know that you can still make business savvy moves, support your local economy, and look after your members.

As Jack Ma, owner of Alibaba corp, once said, “It’s important to focus on people. While machines are faster and more efficient, they can’t replace people because we have LQ. That is the intelligence of love.”

Now when someone helps you out with your struggle when they are struggling, that’s not help, that’s love. What other ways can you contribute to help your community?

The post The Cream Rises to the Top for CrossFit Boxes Post-COVID appeared first on Breaking Muscle.

When we think about fitness products paired with smartphone apps, the first thought that comes to mind is if this product will pair properly with the app on the smartphone. Thankfully, I can confidently say that SAGA fitness has done an excellent job designing its smart Blood Flow Restriction (BFR) cuffs.

If you’re preparing for competitions like the Crossfit Open, martial art tournaments, or would like to gain an edge in your training, this product is a must-try.

Let’s discuss the different components of this product and how it helped me improve my training efficiency.

Excellent Quality and User Feedback

The cuffs themselves are made of high-quality material. You can feel it as soon as you put it on your arms or legs.

The cuff inflates to match the settings you enter into the app, and you can hear it.

From a user experience point of view, it’s a great way to give the user feedback that the cuffs adapt to the athlete’s desired settings. I mean, the fact that you can feel the cuffs tighten around your limbs is one thing, but how else would you be able to tell if it has stopped inflating?

I tried using the cuffs while working on my pull-ups and bar muscle-ups. The results were phenomenal. I was able to increase my reps after ten days of training. However, please keep in mind that you should research BFR training before using them.

The app will give you recommendations by their suggested settings, but I’m sure you can agree that we should try to make every training session count. You should also check out the infographic below from Brad Schoenfeld, author of Science and Development of Muscle Hypertrophy. Great summary of what BFR can and can’t do for you (click image to go to source).

Easy-to-use App and an Intuitive User Interface

Designing an application takes a good amount of work.

But designing an intuitive and easy-to-use application takes work and attention to detail.

The design of the user interface is plain and minimalistic. This design allows the athlete/exerciser to accomplish tasks on the app intuitively.

When I received the shipment package, it came with only the cuffs, USB charger, and Erin’s note, the General Manager of SAGA fitness. There were no instructions.

However, please don’t let this deter you from ordering the product.

It shows just how easy and intuitive the whole product is.

It was a seamless process to download the app, set up a profile, and finally, use the cuffs in training. Having an instruction manual would not make it any easier.

If You Love Pushing Boundaries

This is a product I would recommend for serious exercisers and athletes.

If you love pushing the boundaries of your limits, you will most likely enjoy this product as much as I do.

Picture this; I went from doing one bar muscle up to doing five in a row in a matter of 10 days.

But, I am by no means saying that this is guaranteed to happen for everyone who decides to purchase a set of BFR cuffs from the SAGA fitness website.

What I will say is that you will see noticeable results if you train consistently, educate yourself on BFR training, and finally, introduce these BFR cuffs to your training.

After all, I’m sure we can all agree that a weapon or device is only as good as the individual who wields it.

The post Blood Flow Restriction (BFR) Cuffs for Boundary Pushers appeared first on Breaking Muscle.

Danny Kavadlo, with his brother Al Kavadlo, is an authority in calisthenics and fitness.

The key to effective fitness and training is to know yourself. Introspection’s power will allow you to develop a deep sense of understanding for everything you will learn on your journey.

Danny Kavadlo, with his brother Al Kavadlo, is an authority in calisthenics and fitness.

As he puts it, “It’s important to understand that even with a definitive program, you should always be prepared to improvise. No one who ever met you can make an exact program. There will always be a need for intuition in training.”

In other words, it’s up to you to step up and find out what works.

The Enthusiast and the Casual Exerciser

The world of fitness is an automatic filtering machine that separates enthusiasts from casual exercisers. This separation doesn’t mean to discriminate, but it’s just how it is.

The enthusiast and the casual exerciser don’t think the same, they don’t live the same, and most importantly, they don’t have the same beliefs.

Here’s an example, a casual exerciser will always look to their environment for motivation, but in Al and Danny’s case:

They say, “F**K motivation. ANYONE can workout when they’re motivated! It’s working out when you’re NOT motivated that leads to success. It’s the same thing career-wise.”

The game rules are pretty simple; you have to show up and put in your time. Another level of discipline and strength that perfectionists are in pursuit of is called true strength. Danny and Al describe true strength beyond the physical.

This statement doesn’t intend to discredit the people whose goal is to look good or do the bare minimum to be healthy.

However, in 2021, the real meaning behind the words strength and health has evolved into a raw and philosophical form.

If you don’t already feel inspired by reading this, here’s why you should be. As Danny describes physical strength, “To me, true physical strength is the ability to navigate freely in this world. It’s both pound-for-pound strength and absolute strength. A combination of power, balance, and mobility.”

While many of us may not include either balance or mobility in our training, these aspects are most certainly part of the equation when it comes to long-term fitness.

Challenge Your Strength

To us, building strength isn’t just about lifting heavy weights, running ultra-marathons, or scoring the most points. It’s about self-development and the desire to push yourself beyond your limits to see how far you can go.

It’s about embracing the challenge ahead and taking it in as a lesson. Hence, no one program can change your life. You have to tweak it to fit your own needs and situation.

Regular exercise or training is essential. It regulates your blood flow, gets rid of toxins in your body, and helps you clear your head. But if you’re willing to go deeper and immerse yourself in the mindset, you will learn so much more about yourself and develop more than just physical strength.

According to Danny, “I would also include mental fortitude, emotional wellness, compassion, and willingness to help others, in addition to being physically unyielding.”

Unfortunately, the future of the fitness industry may be uncertain at this point. Many people see it as a luxury when, in fact, it should be an essential business.

Danny Kavadlo says, “While I’m saddened at the devastation to the industry, I’m more saddened by the devastation to overall health that these mandates bring: kids not in school, depression, domestic violence, suicide, alcoholism, and drug abuse. People need to work out now more than ever, and ironically, it’s being discouraged in the name of health.”

If you’re reading this, I hope your next moves include signing up for the gym, spending an extra hour each day learning about your health, or getting creative with your regular programs to test yourself. You may not need a gym to do this.

Al Kavadlo adds, “We don’t discourage it! In fact, Danny and I have been talking about the virtues of working out gym-free for years! So anyone who thinks they can’t work out without a gym is crazy! You don’t need much—or any—gear to get in shape!”

Danny and Al Kavadlo’s book, Get Strong, focuses on explosive calisthenics. It’s an amazing guide to help you develop strength, agility, and combat-ready reflexes, using only your body weight.

If you’re already pretty fit and have no problem doing pull-ups, Danny suggests, “At least ten strict pull-ups before embarking on the muscle-up, but every case is different.”

Training my body to do the muscle-up has completely changed my perception of body mechanics and training regime. It has been gratifying, and I hope that you will get the same value or even more than I have gained.

Most importantly, remember to breathe.

Al says, “It is recommended to exhale when exerting and inhale on the negative phase of an exercise.”

Breathing exercises not only help you activate your core but also assist with recovery.

The post Effective Fitness Requires an Intuitive Mindset appeared first on Breaking Muscle.

John Du Cane is the author of Qigong Recharge, publisher, fitness guru, and accomplished businessman. I was lucky enough to talk to him recently. At first, I thought we would be steering the conversation towards all things kettlebell, and John’s pioneering work on seeding the fitness industry with quality kettlebell trainers, but something else caught my attention. And so, we talked about resilience and longevity.

John’s journey started in South Africa, where he spent his youth. At a young age, he sensed a connection between life and energy. I understood this as his awareness of the human body’s life force and the energy connection between humans.

John says, “I was constantly surrounded by nature, and it made me think about the world.”

John began his Qigong and Tai Chi practice in 1975 and has owned and run Dragon Door Publications since 1990 where he has embraced everything from martial arts to isometrics, beyond the popularization of hard style kettlebell training under the RKC banner.

Qigong and Resilience

As a qigong student, John Du Cane understands how our breath is a tool that we can use to develop physical and mental resilience.

Qigong is an art that originated in China and is taught to warriors to develop full self-awareness of their bodies and movements. I asked him if a specific qigong segment would help modern-day martial artists create this type of resiliency.

He suggested the iron shirt qigong.

If the breath is energy and energy is life, it will make sense why we would breathe in a way that flexes our core muscles as we engage in exercises like running, pull-ups, or lifting heavy weights in general.

Master Your Breathing

There have been many books and courses published on breathing techniques.

If you ever get intrigued enough to pick up a copy of John Du Cane’s qigong series on Amazon, I would also suggest picking up a copy of Breathing for Warriors by Belisa Vranich and Brian Sabin.

These books contain lots of information, tips, and tricks to get you started on your journey to mastering your breathing.

According to John, learning to master your energy through qigong can take many years. It takes a long time to develop because it goes beyond the physical aspects of our being. It helps us develop mental fortitude that will go on to sharpening our intuitive mind.

Train Your Inner Self

This ability can help us navigate through life by making decisions that make sense. I have made some choices in life that were logically sound but didn’t exactly feel right. Ultimately, those decisions led me to square one because I chose to ignore this sense of inner knowing.

That sense of inner knowing is your intuition, and if you choose to cultivate it through qigong, everything that happens to you starts happening for you.

It’s a shift in perspective—a deeper understanding of your purpose on this planet.

Teamwork makes the dream work. John began his friendship and working relationship with Pavel Tsatsouline when he enrolled in Pavel’s classes. Pavel’s technique, charm, and articulation skills made John approach Pavel to publish his programs.

In an interview with John, I asked him, “Was it because of all those decades of cultivating and training your intuition that you had an inner knowing that this partnership was going to be a success?”

John Du Cane replied that it might be challenging to comprehend what was going on in his universe, but it makes sense that he derives his strong self-knowing from training his inner self.

Kettlebell Movement

At that time, kettlebells were neither a trend nor incorporated in mainstream training programs. Even Pavel stated that it was probably a very niche market where he could reach out to elite strongman lifters and other interested professional athletes.

Little did they know, the kettlebell movement would become a worldwide phenomenon.

The kettlebell challenge provided a platform for people to develop their strength, breathing, and resilience all-in-one. At this point, it’s probably safe to say that as long as we are alive and enthusiastic about life, we will always want to push the limits.

We push boundaries to find the answer to the question that we’ve all been asking—Is there more to life than just our daily routines and duties?

A training program emerged called the Russian Kettlebell Challenge (RKC) and led to millions of people worldwide having the initials RKC tattooed on their bodies. It’s safe to say that there is more to life for anyone who decides to challenge themselves by enrolling in this rigorous program.

Like Pavel says, “I’m going to show you how to be a better man. If you don’t know, I’ll show you. If you don’t want to, I’ll make you.”

Kettlebell Mechanics

I am a reflective learner who takes knowledge from the external world to make it my own internally. My experience with kettlebell workouts has been amazing.

But to do it well, it will take even more years of training because the pursuit of perfection is the journey of a lifetime.

My initial encounter with the kettlebell helped me expose my bad habits with posture, breathing, and timing. I was a strong young man in my late teens and always found ways to add to my training program.

The first thing I noticed was that you could easily hurt yourself with bad form.

More specifically, it’s not advisable to curve your back when you are on the down-swing. It also means that I was using my arm strength and hip strength without utilizing my core strength’s full potential.

Having abs is cool but having the ability to flex and relax your core at the exact timing you want is the next level.

The repetitive movement of tension and release that we use to perform the kettlebell swings can apply to other fitness forms such as martial arts and rugby.

It’s a lot to take in, but the good news is, if you have a kettlebell sitting in your room or office like I do, you can get more training time to perfect your form and breathing. It only takes about 10-20 mins for a real workout which means it’s less invasive on your time.

As UFC multiple weight-class champion Connor Mcgregor once said, “Accuracy beats strength, and timing beats speed.”

I hope you have embarked on your journey to finding your form of perfection. If that journey is in fitness, I would highly recommend you pick up a copy of John Du Cane’s Qigong Recharge and Pavel’s Fast and Loose- Secrets of Russian Champions.

The post Longevity in Fitness appeared first on Breaking Muscle.

Overall, I would recommend these straps for training days instead of strongman competitions.

At first glance, you will notice that the Gymreapers lifting straps have some extra padding on the wrists for comfort. It’s a great pair of straps for the deadlift unless you’re planning on lifting over 400 lbs or 181 kg.

Overall, I would recommend these straps for training days instead of strongman competitions.

Stiff Weightlifting Wrist Wraps

It’s almost second nature to adjust your wrist wraps after every set when you’ve become accustomed to training.

Enter the Gymreapers wrist wraps. Aside from the cool logo they have designed, the loop around the thumb makes it easier for adjustment, and you can find them on Amazon at a great value.

Strength Wrist wraps

If you’re looking for good wrist support for doing overhead snatches, the Gymreapers wrist wraps will provide you substantial support for your wrists.

Again it has a pretty cool logo that will make you look badass while you perform 200+ lbs overhead snatches, pull-ups, or toes to the bar.

However, I would refrain from putting these on if you’re working on handstand walks or handstand pushups. While they provide excellent support for your wrists, they don’t exactly offer sufficient room for flexibility.

The post Choose Lift Straps and Wrist Wraps Based on Function appeared first on Breaking Muscle.

That being the case, I had to find another sport that instilled the same discipline while putting myself outside of my comfort zone.

Being a jiu-jitsu practitioner for the last ten years, I have naturally adopted the mindset to stay calm and leverage opportunities. However, it’s tough to practice the art as regularly as you would like because you start to lose muscle memory, rhythm, and accuracy.

That being the case, I had to find another sport that instilled the same discipline while putting myself outside of my comfort zone.

Enter CrossFit Firefly, a box gym I found on Facebook with no website, no significant presence, and no Yelp account. This was going to be interesting.

Good Coaching Cues Fire Up Neurons

Ferdinand Thieriot taught my first session with a glass-blower turned trainer and co-owner of Crossfit Firefly. While calling me out on my bad form, he eloquently elaborated on the little details that fixed my curved back and form throughout the AMRAP exercises.

It’s not exactly what he said, but how he said it that made it all click.

It was like engaging with an eccentric fitness guru that dedicates his time and effort to perfect the art of training another individual.

His few words opened up a new point of view that resonated with me.

My neurons and nerves were firing as I reinforced the habit of redistributing the weight across my feet rather than just the ball of my feet. And within three weeks, I did a set of cleans with perfect form during the AMRAP WODS.

Building a CrossFit Community

Ferdinand runs and co-owns CrossFit Firefly, established in 2015, with his wife, Tracy Thieriot. They are avid Breaking Muscle readers and credit Chris Holder’s kettlebell instructionals as one of their best resources for form and movement.

While Ferdinand built his career in the fitness industry through strong attention to detail, intense self-awareness, and a specific sense of direction, Tracy relied on her fiery creativity and sense of adventure as a dance communication and ethnic studies major who believes that entropy is her default state. Her modern dance and contact improvisation background led her to find CrossFit and explore other arts like Capoeira and Brazilian jiu-jitsu.

We instantly connected through sharing our experiences in dance and mobility. Tracy says that doing WODS helps her develop a better sense of managing her center of gravity while exploring mobility and movement through her craft.

As a competitive athlete at 5’11″ with an ectomorph body type, that conversation hit home.

CrossFit is an excellent form of training to get in shape and condition your body if you’re a practitioner specializing in another art form.

The Circle Concept of Energy Transference

If you’ve read this far, then you might realize that Tracy and Ferd are purists who believe in the healing effects of exercise and the impact it has on the community.

They talk about this concept of circle technology—specifically the transference of energy through support, suffering, cheering, and abandoning all pretenses.

It’s raw, and it’s real.

We’ve all seen the best and worst of each other, so we might as well put in the real work.

You can say that the stars have been aligned for the CrossFit couple to serve the community through their box gym.

When you have all your members asking you to stay open throughout the lockdown, how can you not be motivated to fight for the right to keep your doors open?

The post How I Found CrossFit and Community During Lockdown appeared first on Breaking Muscle.

If the spread of covid-19 has motivated you to pay extra attention to your health, the keto diet is something you might want to research.

Is it a good time to start a keto diet routine? Fat Snax may help.

If the spread of covid-19 has motivated you to pay extra attention to your health, the keto diet is something you might want to research.

We can tell you that the keto diet will help you reduce inflammation and induce a metabolic correction to strengthen your immune system. Still, if you want more specific information, you can find it at the US National Library of Medicine.

If you’re used to snacking throughout the day, it’s not easy sticking to a strict diet, especially when you start experiencing side effects like the keto-flu or just feeling tired.

Hopefully, this article’s information will help you combat fatigue, enjoy delicious snacking alternatives, and try this recommendation.

Craving Carbs On Keto?

Fat Snax, a keto-friendly snack that I think tastes like Cheezits and Sun Chips.

Personally, I think that the Fat Snax almond flour crackers are the bomb!

Not only were they able to keep the carb count down to 3g, but they were also able to replicate the taste of the snacks that most of us ate growing up.

Still, if you’re wondering how legit these crackers are, here’s a summary of how awesome they were when I snacked on three packs in one sitting.

• They didn’t fall apart and create a huge mess on my work desk. I don’t know about you, but I like to keep a clean desk. I prefer not to deal with stains, especially when it comes to my keyboard and the pages of any books that I’ve opened.
• These crackers have loads of flavor. I tried all three flavors in one sitting, and not one of them is tasteless.
• I dipped them into sauces, and they didn’t break. If you enjoy a side of salsa or guacamole with your chips and crackers, this is the one to try. They won’t turn soggy on you.

Overall, I would give it an 8 out of 10 for taste, concept, and usability. Just remember to seal the bag if you decide to save the rest for later.

The post How to Snack Fat appeared first on Breaking Muscle.

That is after you finish a 0.35 oz pack all by yourself. But it isn’t just the slight saltiness or spiciness that makes the experience; it’s also the texture.

If you are vegan, or just looking for healthy, nutritious snacks, you might want to try gimMe Organic’s Premium Roasted Seaweed. The first thing that stood out to me was the variety of flavors. The sesame and olive oil-flavored seaweed snacks are mild, but the wasabi seaweed will give you a good kick and clear your sinuses.

That is after you finish a 0.35 oz pack all by yourself. But it isn’t just the slight saltiness or spiciness that makes the experience; it’s also the texture.

The Nutritional Benefits of Seaweed

Let’s talk about this superfood called seaweed—more specifically, seaweed by gimMe:

• Certified organic
• Certified gluten-free
• Non-GMO
• Contains Omega 3
• Source of iodine

This delicious snack works with Keto, Paleo, low-carb, vegetarian, vegan, and gluten-free diets.

Additionally, seaweed contains small amounts of vitamins A, C, E, and K, along with folate, zinc, sodium, calcium, and magnesium.

Seaweed is also an excellent source of fiber, promoting gut health and gut bacteria, which plays an enormous role in your health. The fiber in seaweed may slow stomach emptying, too. This helps you feel fuller for longer and can delay hunger pangs resulting in anti-obesity effects.

Last but not least, seaweed may help reduce your blood cholesterol levels, which decreases the chances of heart disease.

Melt In Your Mouth Seaweed

Depending on which kind of seaweed you purchase, you’re going to experience different types of texture.

In the 0.34 oz and 0.16 oz packs (I call them snack packs), the seaweed feels like it melts in your mouth. It’s thin, salty, and crispy.

With the bigger sheets, the seaweed is less crispy and more like a thin piece of paper. However, the upside is you can get creative with it. I made sushi hand-rolls with quinoa, avocado, and mushrooms. This time, the seaweed was less crispy, so don’t expect a clean slice unless you pack it with sushi rice.

Plastic Use

To get the best bang for your buck, you want to pay attention to the description label and the description on Amazon. There are three different types of packages:

1. A six-pack, which is 0.16 oz (4.5 gm) each
2. A single pack that is 0.34 oz (10 gm) each
3. A large pack of sheets at 0.92 oz (26 gm) each

However, the flipside to the whole experience is the packaging.

I mean, there’s nothing too serious about it unless you’re an environmentally-conscious millennial who religiously avoids plastic—gimMe uses quite a bit of it in their packaging process.

Overall, I think this seaweed snack tastes delicious, and it makes a nutritious snack.

The post A Crispy Seaweed Treat for Vegan Athletes appeared first on Breaking Muscle.