coop update

Hey guys

just an update on my coop,
learning lots of names and new faces in my community and continuing to build good rapport with members and supervisor. I am enjoying my placement simply because of the positive and motivated people i am surrounded by!

Also i am learning a lot of great tips and tricks in owning your own gym and some things it would entail. I've watched Anchor schedule events as a marketing tool to land more members and secure current members. I've seen them design logos and posters and tickets using different websites, technology and resources. And i have picked up on majority of their front desk system called pushpress where all the member info is held. It is great to get to know to become familiar with a system like this because it makes it easier to track stats like daily check ins and how well the gym is doing and also where things might need improvements. Also I have got to see how some other sites for budgets, income, member check ins and a bunch of statistics are displayed on graphs and shows possible trends and future expectations great tools to use for planning and growing a business. Overall i am learning a bunch of different aspects of the fitness field and what it will be like to run my own company or own my own facility.

Crunch N Brunch (Canada Day Event)

Canada day Crunch N Brunch was a success :)

Members of the gym were encouraged to sign up for a "house blend" class on Sat. July 1st for Canada day which was longer than a normal class for a full 45 min high intensity workout involving step ups, wall balls, burpees, plank and kettle bell swings as seen in the picture on the bottom. After this the class was re-organized and turned into a yoga studio where the music was softened and members were given a yoga mat where they were encouraged to unwind and relax they're muscles. While the yoga was taking place a few other trainers and myself were out in the lobby setting up a catered breakfast including eggs, bacon, turkey bacon, home fries, chocolate chip or blueberry pancakes and coffee too. Many of the members agreed it was a pleasant start to the Canada day weekend and also a good sweat and awesome breakfast following!

Having events such as a brunch and workout on a Saturday holiday morning is not only unique but very good for the business. It allows members to feel appreciated and also allows them to make friends with other members and build a friendship with their trainers and staff at anchor. I think this is a very rare thing to find in a gym but is a great opportunity to feel belonging and a sense of a community. Its a great marketing tool as well because it makes clients comfortable and excited in your facility also makes them enjoy their time there and want to return. In the process so far and on this day i met a ton of new names and chatted with some great people interested in building friendships and a healthy lifestyle for their future.    

DAY 1 @ placement

Hey everyone,

Just an update for you all on my placement.
Finally had my first day in classes where I did an hour yoga class followed by an hour crossfit class. I would say just about anybody can benefit from either of these classes and they really teach you how to be in tuned with yourself and the healthiest version you can achieve. I learned some new yoga poses and great ways to stretch my body especially hamstrings. The yoga class was very relaxing and i enjoyed the stretch, relaxing and warmup before the crossfit, In the crossfit class we were working on clean and jerks which is a precise olympic lift where you lift a barbell and "jerk" overhead. Although you are only pressing it over your head there are several tips and tricks to maximizing body locks, momentum, core stability and basic movement mechanics. Al these together along with some brute force is whats required for a clean and jerk. I was very pleased with the class and how fun they both were also the coaches and instructors i was working with are very motivating and helpful. excited to progress my lifts and carry on with my placement.

~till next time...

Coop experience

Hey everyone, I would like to give an update on my coop placement. I am helping out at a crossfit gym and am excited to be exposed to several new training styles. Over the course of my placement I will be assessing individuals fitness levels and helping to coach athletes and new comers to a healthier lifestyle and in the best shape of their lives. That being said I am also learning a lot about Olympic lifting technique and just how precise it has to be to execute. Also I am learning how hard and in control you must be to keep up to the yoga instructors of the "flow" class. Lastly I was to talk about METCON which is short for metabolic conditioning, if your looking to sweat and kick your body into overdrive this is a high intensity based class that is worth giving a shot. All these classes will challenge you in different ways all great for the body and helping to achieve a healthier lifestyle.

what is crossfit

Hey my name is Justin Doncaster. I am studying fitness and health and passionate about learning how  to make the body run optimally. In addition to my studies I will be starting a coop placement in a crossfit facility. The name of the crossfit gym is Anchor. For those who do not know, crossfit is a newer style of high demand training that involves using multiple body systems and encompasses majority of fitness components in one workout. A crossfit training session would likely include lots of body weight exercises, high reps, engaging balance, cardio fitness, high intensity exercise and barbells and olympic lifts. It is in many peoples eyes the best way of touching on all aspects of fitness withing a training session to ensure overall healthy lifestyle gains.

~ till next time...