AMNESIA

TCS is about to wrap up month #1 since our 2 month hiatus!!! The brick and mortar location is once again occupied with warm bodies, and it feels great to get back to some sort of normalcy and see all of your smiling faces!

I think it’s safe to assume that everyone that has chosen to make their re-entry is just as fired up as we are. The energy in the gym has been electric each and every session and it feels like everyone’s spirit just got a bit of a recharge.

Now, here comes a dose of reality. I don’t mean for this to rain on anyone’s parade, but your return to the gym may find you facing some frustrations. It is possible, in fact likely, that if you have not had access to heavier loads over the last 2 months, your strength may have decreased a bit. On the flip side, if you’ve been joining us for the ZOOM workouts, you may find that your conditioning is better than it was pre-lockdown. In any case, it’s important to realize that you are now entering into a new chapter of your training, and looking back to old workout journal or logged numbers may not be very helpful right now. In fact, it may be a risky dive into the past that I think we should just as well avoid by suddenly developing an acute case of amnesia.

Look. When you boil this shit down, we are simply putting in work (heavy, light, fast, moderate, slow, longer, shorter,etc.) as consistently as we can. We do this stuff so that we can look better, feel better and perform better in our lives, and be part of a kickass community. It does us no good to look back to 5-6 months ago and try to compare where we were then with where we are now. Sure, we can use that data to set goals and motivate our progress, but it’s very easy for that to spiral out of control and we find ourselves number-chasing, then getting frustrated and possibly even injured. Do not spend your valuable time and energy thinking about what you’ve lost. Rather, look at the the other aspects of our health that may have been gained. Did you get outside more? Were you more active with your family? Did you go on walks more often? Did you pull out that old bike and go for some rides? Were you able to take this time to focus on sleep and nutrition? Did your mobility improve?

Amnesia, my friends. Forget about your 250lb back squat from January. Forget about your 150lb strict press in early March. Forget it, because it’s just an old data point - not an indicator of some character flaw. You are not your strength numbers. Forget it and just put in the work today and each day going forward. You’ll be happy you did and you will enjoy the work that much more.

*What was I talking about?*  

EVERYONE NEEDS A HEAVY BAG OF SAND - HERE'S HOW TO MAKE YOUR OWN

By now, you likely know that we are huge fans of sandbags. We train with them constantly at TCS because they are incredibly versatile, awkward ( a good thing), durable and inexpensive. Suffice it to say that it’s difficult to think of a piece of equipment that has a bigger ROI than sandbags.

Now, we all know shit is kind of crazy right now. Covid-19 has changed nearly everything for the time being and let’s not even get started on the Murder Hornets. Fuck me. But with all of this craziness, we must stick to the things that keep us healthy and vital - both physically and mentally. And we know that training checks those boxes, right?!

The obstacle for some has been a lack of equipment. So, the video below is for you guys and gals especially, but really anyone that misses having a hundred pounds of sand squeezed against their ribcage.

Bueller?

Bueller?

It’s important to note that “heavy” is of course a relative term. The beauty here, though, is that you can follow the same basic procedure for any size, shape and weight sandbag that might tickle your fancy. I realize that a 180lb sandbag is not appropriate for everyone, but the steps will go nearly unchanged for a 60lb bag.

You may also consider making a set of 2-3 sandbags that then run the spectrum of usable weights for given tasks. For example, you may use a 40lb bag for pressing, lunging, getups, etc. But then when it comes to squat day, you may want to have a bag loaded at 100lbs for some heavy 5x8 gut squats.

The nice thing is that you can build a custom set that fits your needs perfectly for less than the price of JUST a barbell. Talk about bag for your buck! And you’ll probably find that the strength that you develop while using a bag of sand is strength that is far more useful and efficient in your day-to-day life. BONUS!

I hope you find this video helpful. If you still have some hangups, please reach out to me. I would love to answer any questions you might have and help you get what you need.

WHEN DID WE LOSE THE PUSH UP POWER? - by JEN SHAW

Most people are aware of what a push-up is and what it should look like. Upon actual execution of the movement comes the realization that bodyweight movements are harder than expected. 

In my ten years of coaching women, I have had a small handful of clients come in and know how to properly do one perfect push-up. If I ventured a guess, I’d say that three of my now 80 clients arrived with a push-up that I had nothing to change about their form. That is an extremely small number for as many women that have come through my doors. Why is this? Why do men walk in and have enough strength to put themselves on the floor and then effortlessly push back up? I believe two things are at fault: natural strength and societies’ view on what happens during athletics in school. 

For our whole lady lives we have heard that men have more upper body strength and I am not going to argue with that. However, I do call bullshit on the physical education system for making P.E. a cake walk that leaves females behind. When the D.A.R.E program took funding away from physical education departments, childhood obesity rose 20% and gender-based tests like modified “girl push-ups” came to be. If you want to argue about these facts, look up Laurie Pospisil-Gotcher. She wrote Texas state curriculum and has been touring school districts for the past three years trying to roll a giant concrete ball up a mountain to change this exact issue. More details are on the FUSEMOVE instagram account. 

This seemingly small shift in physical education departments during the 80’s and early 90’s has created a monumental shift in women’s health as adults. Now it's 2020 and grown women are walking into my program without the strength to do one proper push-up. 

To learn proper form, there are a variety of options to scale. One that I do not allow in my gym is the knee push-up. There is a time and place for knee push-ups like a burnout session. For example, one minute max effort push-ups then one minute max effort knee pushups. You are welcome! 

The inappropriate time to use knee push-ups is when you cannot perform an actual push-up.  Knee push-ups do not require you to hold your body up using your shoulders, back, arms, legs, and they also don’t utilize trunk strength. When scaling, elevating to a box is the best option. Once this movement can be done properly, move to a lower box. Keep using smaller boxes until push-ups can be done on the floor with a band supporting the hips like the video below. Once the band is no longer needed, you will be able to knock out this movement using the right parts at the right times. Knee push-ups will NOT get you there.

The only “girl push-ups” that exist are when girls are doing push-ups.

REMEMBER RECESS?

Think back to your grade-school years. Do you remember the pure joy that came over you when you realized that recess was about to happen? You could be having the worst math class of your life and it would all be whisked away by 30mins of running around outside. It was magical.

Feeling the sun on your skin. Feeling the wind blow by as you ran from other kids trying to tag you. Feeling your heart beat and lungs sting as you played soccer with your friends. Man! Looking back, there was nothing better.

Do you remember the feeling of having to line back up to go back inside? Ugh. Terrible. Almost physically painful. I never wanted to step back inside to sit under the florescent lighting, but it was inevitable and necessary. But, the beauty of it all was that you could now address the next part of your day with a renewed energy and focus.

Adults and grade-schoolers are not all that different - some are more similar than others. We are all animals that require movement to remain vital. Stop moving and you start dying. That may seem extreme, but it is that simple.

Wingo living her best life while on her recess.

So I urge you (now an adult) to find your daily recess. Go for a walk. Join a cycling studio. Do yoga in a park. Take lunch and go to your martial arts class. Join a badass gym and move heavy things in useful ways. Whatever.

Find and take your recesses daily and notice the positive changes that are sure to follow.

A New Face and a Secret Weapon

So, here’s the deal. TCS is growing and we need more able-bodied, smart, passionate, hard-working coaches to help handle the new demands. Luckily, Sean just happened to fall in our lap about a month ago and showed a great deal of interest in coaching at TCS, so we gave him our requirements and he has been checking the boxes like a man on a mission. He is currently navigating the TCS Internship process and if he keeps crushing things like he has been, Sean will be one of the TCS Coaches bringing the good stuff to y’all.

Sean is a great guy and very easy to talk with. If you see him around the gym, introduce yourself and get to know him a bit. You’ll immediately notice his excitement with just being in the TCS environment and, really, just his passion for living a strong fulfilling life. Is energy is infectious in the very best way.

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Now, one of our goals is to bring more content your way. This will be both in the form of blogs and videos (vlogs). The video below is the very first offering. As you’ll see, we discuss the benefits and value of investing in kegs for the use of training - whether on your own in your garage, at a park or at your gym that may need some persuading.

Kegs offer the following:

• They are relatively inexpensive

• Extremely versatile

• They are durable and easy to replace IF they break

• You can easily collect several kegs that then offer differing weights and, therefore, even more versatility

• Are a great substitute for sandbags and atlas stones

• All the benefits of training with an odd object

  • Realistic strength requirements

  • Problem solving

  • Generally more challenging to manipulate

  • Improved mobility

In this first video we will also cover the proper way to perform a front-loaded keg carry. Carrying heavy stuff is as basic as it gets, but the ROI on this stuff is massive. After watching this short demo, you’ll be able to immediately perform carries with more proficiency and, in turn, get more bang for your buck.

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And remember, we will be bringing you a lot more (hopefully) useful content going forward, so stay tuned for that! If you have topics that you’d like us to cover, don’t hesitate to contact us via email or instagram. We would love to help you with some of the things you’re interested in learning more about.

Email: travis@traviscountystrength.com
Instagram: @traviscountystrength

I LOVE THIS SHIT!!!

Photo by: Dave Re

I love being a coach. I love being there when people break through barriers. I love being a part of someone’s life as they work towards growth.
All of those things are magnified when I’m teaching Strongman. Why? I believe in it. I believe it serves my people in a way that nothing else can touch. In my opinion, there is no better way to help someone build true, functional ability in there own life than teaching that person the methods of Strongman.
Although intimidating at first, people quickly realize that they can do it, and even better - they have FUN with Strongman movements. As a coach, I hold Strongman on a pedestal because it fucking delivers the goods - always - and does so in a fraction of the time of other modes. The ROI is massive for coaches, athletes and a gym owners.
If you’re a coach or athlete interested in learning more about Strongman and how to appropriately apply it, reach out to us or follow the link below.

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HYBRID ATHLETICS STRONGMAN COURSE

10/19/19 @ Travis County Strength

Austin, TX

ROWS ≠ SCALED MOVEMENT

How many of you out there have a strict pull-up without the use of assistance bands? I would imagine that the majority of you don’t, and that’s ok. Strict pull-ups take time to develop, but during that process, it’s likely that your coach told you that “we are going to scale the pull-up to a ring row or inverted barbell row”, right? This is common practice and a good modification, but it plants the seed that these row variations are scaled modifications and not on the same level as the pull-up.

THIS IS WRONG.

Rows, when done well, are just as valuable (maybe more, actually.) as pull-ups or chin-ups and should be done often regardless of whether you have a beautiful strict pull-up or not.

There are tons of variations of rows. In fact, I am now going to share my best impression of Bubba from Forrest Gump if he were to discuss the plethora of row varients:

KB Bent-Over Row
DB Bent-Over Row
BB Bent-Over Row
BB Seal Row
DB Seal Row
DB/KB Single-Arm Bent-Over w/Support
Ring Row
Inverted Barbell Row
Seated Band Row
Seated Cable Row
Landmine Bent-Over Row
T-Bar Row
Chinese DB Bent-Over Row
Pendlay Row
AND MORE!

I hope you get the idea because now I am exhausted and need to take a nap before continuing…

Ok, I’m back and reinvigorated.

Now, the entire row family is extremely valuable, but it’s important to mix it up with different variations, and often. Why? If we stick with one version, two things are most likely going to occur:

1. You’ll become strong in one and only that one movement pattern - to a certain extent before #2 occurs…

2. Overuse issues will begin to arise due to the monotonous reps on that specific joint and involved muscle(s) and connective tissue.

In fact, it is my opinion that the reason that there are so many variations is due to the fact that old-school iron movers HAD to continue performing row reps to build big, strong backs, but had to find a way to limit the injuries and downtime away from the weights. So, if we go back up to our list of row options, you’ll notice that a lot of these make a ton of sense. Especially the versions that incorporate a de-loaded spine/supported torso position.

Think about it. You have literally thousands of different variations of strength movements, but we KNOW that the big ones are the deadlift, squat and bench press. Of those 3, 2 are extremely demanding on the low back - even when done well. Now, if we are doing those lifts AND a ton of heavy bent-over barbell rows, how long do you think you’ll see returns before something happens to that low back?

This is simple stuff, but is often overlooked by coaches and athletes because we all like to do the big weight and the cool shit, but that’s an immature, unwise choice. Mix it up and watch the strength AND durability of your athletes spike.

And, Coaches, one more thing. We’ve GOT to stop framing the Ring Row or Inverted BB Row in the context of a scaled pull-up. It is soooo much more valuable than a movement we throw at folks that are not strong enough for strict pull-ups. That’s some bullshit.

We provide these versions of row because they have a massive ROI. They take little, to no time, to teach and provide a profound strength stimulus. Start framing these rows as the foundational movements to building a strong back and pull. That’s what it is! Not a scale.

Now go do some rows and enjoy that shit.

NEW ADDITIONS

We’re always working to make TCS the very best place to train. A big part of that is the energy of the space. You may not know what it is when you first walk in to TCS, but I suspect that what you’re picking up on is a strong vibe of people that know how to work hard AND have fun. I also suspect that you dig it.

Look, I know these little lightbulbs don’t help you lift more weight, build more muscle or improve your work capacity. However, these do play a small role in the bigger picture - and all those little things matter. Why? Because these small touches show your community that you really do give a shit about the experience they have, and that is everything.

SLEDS AGAIN?! YES!!!

TCS Athlete, Todd Burnside, getting real serious about that return trip. Photo by: Dave Re

At TCS, we’re super serious about pushing sleds and we do it often. Why? Sleds are quite possibly the most effective tool for getting people - at any fitness level, but especially beginners - to the next level. Here are just some of the many benefits that sleds offer:

• They require 0.0 skill

• Load it up for a strength stimulus

• Keep it light and get a sprint stimulus

• Tax the legs w/o loading the spine (think: pre/rehab)

• With smart adjustments, everyone can play the same game & get the same desired stimulus

• Push, pull, drag, row, arms-only push, etc. It’s all possible.

• They SUCK! But they’re also kinda FUN!

So, the next time you see sleds programmed in the workout, get EXCITED! Who knows what you’ll be doing with them?!

LIFT Camp for Girls

GIRLS-ONLY Summer Camp!

This is BIG, y’all!

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Just imagine this:

What if you had started making health, fitness and strength a priority at age 12 instead of age 35? Can you imagine how surrounding yourself with others that value these same things as well as communication, teamwork, confidence and support could have had a massive impact on your life?

I’m sure it’s safe to say that no matter how good you had it, this type of early introduction to an environment like the one described would have only made it better, right?

This is exactly why we would like to invite you to help us spread the word about our upcoming Girls-Only LIFT Summer Camp.

Coach Kevyn will be running a 90 minute fitness camp for girls July 22nd-25th at Travis County Strength. This is for any girls age 10-16 who want to learn the basics of proper technique, build quality movement patterns, improve overall strength and fitness and have a blast doing it with a group of cool chicks.

It is also very likely that participants find a massive boost in confidence and self-esteem through strength training work, making new friends and working together as a team throughout the camp.

All fitness levels and backgrounds are welcome.

WHEN: July 22nd-25th, 1030am to Noon each day.
*Girls need to bring a water bottle and a snack!*

COST: $100

REGISTER HERE

GOT BIG STONES? HERE'S HOW TO MOVE'M

I think it's fair to say that Strongman is becoming more and more popular thanks to increased exposure at events like The Arnold Classic, The CrossFit Games and hell, even NetFlix docs and TV commercials!

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But like with most things that gain popularity in a relatively short period of time, there will be those out there that jump on the bandwagon because some IG influencer picked up an atlas stone and made it look cool. This is fine and all, and we do want the strongman movement to grow and flourish, but it's important to note that Strongman has literally been around since the dawn of time.

IT IS THE WAY WE ARE PROGRAMMED TO MOVE AND INTERACT WITH OUR ENVIRONMENT.

If something heavy was in our way, we moved it the best possible way we could while limiting the possibility of injury. This is called self-preservation, BTW, and it's one of the many beautiful inherent characteristics of strongman movements. But I digress.

Look, the point is that just because it's becoming cool to do strongman doesn't mean that you should simply jump right in to it. It's true, learning this stuff, or rather, remembering it doesn't take much time at all. Becoming competent at properly loading an atlas stone is literally a matter of seconds. But, as is the case with all things - there is a right way and a wrong way to do it. And in the case of strongman, it really boils down to "right" being efficient and safe, and "wrong" being inefficient and high-risk.

At TCS we do implement strongman....A LOT! It's kind of our bread and butter and what sets us apart from the vast majority of gyms. And in our time utilizing strongman movements we've seen millions of reps performed and know what the most common faults are in each movement. In the video I have posted below, I'll share a couple common mistakes that you'll probably make or see someone make and how to easily address and correct those faults. Check it out. I hope it helps y'all move those big stones!  

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