October’s NITTY GRITTY

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Craig Training

Happy​ ​October​ ​gang!

In​ ​an​ ​effort​ ​to​ ​keep​ ​you​ ​informed​ ​about​ ​upcoming​ ​events,​ ​this​ ​month​ ​we’re​ ​launching​ ​our​ ​first ever​ ​newsletter,​ ​“The​ ​Nitty​ ​Gritty”. Don’t​ ​worry,​ ​we​ ​plan​ ​on​ ​taking​ ​the​ ​same​ ​approach​ ​with​ ​our​ ​communication​ ​as​ ​we​ ​do​ ​with​ ​our workouts,​ ​no​ ​fluff​ ​or​ ​BS.​

​That’s​ ​right,​ ​we​ ​won’t​ ​drone​ ​on​ ​about​ ​nothing​ ​just​ ​to​ ​use​ ​keywords​ ​like gym,​ ​exercise,​ ​or​ ​fitness​ ​in​ ​order​ ​to​ ​bring​ ​us​ ​up​ ​in​ ​the​ ​Google​ ​rankings.​ ​​ ​We’ll​ ​cut​ ​the​ ​baloney and​ ​get​ ​to​ ​the​ ​brass​ ​tacks.​ ​No​ ​meaningless​ ​chatter​ ​or​ ​double​ ​talk​ ​here​ ​about​ ​nutrition,​ ​obstacle course​ ​racing​ ​and​ ​barbells​ ​to​ ​improve​ ​our​ ​search​ ​engine​ ​optimization.​ ​Just​ ​the​ ​bare​ ​bones,​ ​the facts,​ ​the​ ​nitty​ ​gritty​ ​if​ ​we​ ​may​ ​and​ ​we​ ​feel​ ​we​ ​have​ ​and​ ​most​ ​certainly​ ​will​ ​in​ ​the​ ​future.​ ​You​ ​can sleep​ ​well,​ ​while​ ​you​ ​rest​ ​and​ ​recover​ ​with​ ​the​ ​knowledge​ ​that​ ​we​ ​know​ ​you’re​ ​busy​ ​and​ ​we wouldn’t​ ​want​ ​to​ ​take​ ​up​ ​your​ ​valuable​ ​time​ ​just​ ​to​ ​say​ ​things​ ​like,​ ​pull​ ​ups,​ ​running​ ​and mobility…ehhemm!​ ​So​ ​without​ ​further​ ​adieu​ ​and​ ​very​ ​little​ ​about​ ​exercise,​ ​nutrition,​ ​rest,​ ​and mindfulness,​ ​let’s​ ​get​ ​down​ ​to​ ​The​ ​Nitty​ ​Gritty!

On​ ​Wednesday​ ​October​ ​18​ ​we’ll​ ​launch​ ​a​ ​brand​ ​new​ ​6:30pm​ ​class​ ​called​ ​Barbells​ ​&​ ​Beers.​ ​If you’re​ ​ready​ ​to​ ​get​ ​a​ ​little​ ​more​ ​serious​ ​about​ ​building​ ​strength​, this ​is​ ​a​ ​class​ ​you should​ ​attend.​ ​Join​ ​coach​es ​Craig​ ​&​ ​Christian​ ​as​ ​they​ ​walk​ ​you​ ​through​ ​the​ ​mobility​ ​and techniques​ ​required​ ​to​ ​lift​ ​heavy​ ​and​ ​get​ ​those​ ​strength​ ​gains.​ ​The​ ​class​ ​will​ ​focus​ ​on​ ​the​ ​three big​ ​lifts,​ ​bench,​ ​squat,​ ​and​ ​deadlift.

Just​ ​a​ ​heads​ ​up,​ ​this​ ​class​ ​will​ ​move​ ​at​ ​a​ ​much​ ​slower​ ​pace​ ​than​ ​most​ ​of​ ​our​ ​classes.​ ​When putting​ ​up​ ​big​ ​weights,​ ​our​ ​bodies​ ​need​ ​a​ ​little​ ​more​ ​recovery​ ​time,​ ​so​ ​taking​ ​a​ ​rest​ ​between sets​ ​is​ ​part​ ​of​ ​the​ ​program.

At​ ​the​ ​end​ ​of​ ​every​ ​class​ ​we’ll​ ​celebrate​ ​how​ ​strong​ ​we​ ​all​ ​feel​ ​by​ ​cracking​ ​an​ ​ice​ ​cold​ ​beer. This​ ​is​ ​optional​ ​and​ ​all​ ​athletes​ ​are​ ​responsible​ ​for​ ​bringing​ ​their​ ​own​ ​beer​ ​(singular),​ ​which​ ​we will​ ​be​ ​happy​ ​to​ ​keep​ ​cold​ ​while​ ​you​ ​sweat.

Speaking​ ​of​ ​celebrating​ ​and​ ​gains,​ ​in​ ​November,​ ​we’re​ ​going​ ​to​ ​turn​ ​things​ ​upside​ ​down​ ​with our​ ​“Happy​ ​Holigains”​ ​strength​ ​&​ ​nutrition​ ​program.

Holigains​ ​has​ ​a​ ​nice​ ​ring​ ​to​ ​it,​ ​doesn’t​ ​it?…​ ​We​ ​thought​ ​so.

As​ ​the​ ​name​ ​implies​ ​we’re​ ​going​ ​to​ ​focus​ ​on​ ​gaining​ ​through​ ​the​ ​Holidays.

Excuse​ ​me​ ​coach,​ ​did​ ​you​ ​just​ ​say​ ​you​ ​want​ ​me​ ​to​ ​gain​ ​weight​ ​during​ ​the​ ​Holidays?!​ ​That’s right.

Listen,​ ​we​ ​all​ ​know​ ​the​ ​drill.​ ​Every​ ​year​ ​we​ ​stress​ ​out​ ​because​ ​we’re​ ​surrounded​ ​by​ ​all​ ​kinds​ ​of delicious​ ​food​ ​at​ ​Thanksgiving​ ​and​ ​Christmas,​ ​we​ ​feel​ ​guilty​ ​when​ ​we​ ​over​ ​eat​ ​and​ ​then​ ​in January​ ​we​ ​make​ ​a​ ​resolution​ ​to​ ​lose​ ​the​ ​weight​ ​and​ ​go​ ​on​ ​a​ ​restrictive​ ​diet.​

​Do​ ​we​ ​need​ ​to​ ​talk about​ ​how​ ​stress​ ​affects​ ​weight​ ​gain​ ​and​ ​how​ ​lowering​ ​calorie​ ​intake​ ​too​ ​far​ ​can​ ​actually​ ​slow down​ ​your​ ​metabolism​ ​and​ ​put​ ​you​ ​in​ ​worse​ ​shape​ ​over​ ​the​ ​long​ ​haul?​ ​Well,​ ​we​ ​just​ ​did. This​ ​year​ ​let’s​ ​embrace​ ​those​ ​extra​ ​calories,​ ​use​ ​them​ ​to​ ​our​ ​advantage​ ​and​ ​feel​ ​good​ ​about​ ​it. The​ ​fact​ ​is,​ ​we​ ​can’t​ ​build​ ​muscle​ ​if​ ​we’re​ ​existing​ ​in​ ​a​ ​calorie​ ​deficit.​ ​So​ ​let’s​ ​find​ ​out​ ​together how​ ​many​ ​and​ ​what​ ​kind​ ​of​ ​calories​ ​we​ ​need​ ​and​ ​enjoy​ ​every​ ​bite​ ​of​ ​them.​ ​After​ ​8​ ​weeks​ ​of ample​ ​fuel​ ​and​ ​strength​ ​training,​ ​our​ ​metabolisms​ ​will​ ​be​ ​a​ ​raging​ ​furnace​ ​and​ ​we’ll​ ​be​ ​set​ ​up​ ​to make​ ​a​ ​modest​ ​calorie​ ​cut​ ​in​ ​January​ ​and​ ​February​ ​to​ ​reveal​ ​the​ ​awesome​ ​six​ ​pack​ ​we’ve​ ​been brewing.

We’ll​ ​give​ ​you​ ​more​ ​information​ ​about​ ​this​ ​program​ ​in​ ​the​ ​weeks​ ​to​ ​come.

Finally,​ ​on​ ​Saturday​ ​November​ ​4th​ ​we’ll​ ​be​ ​holding​ ​our​ ​first​ ​ever​ ​“Fall​ ​Tough​ ​Out​ ​Series”.​ ​As​ ​of right​ ​now,​ ​this​ ​will​ ​be​ ​an​ ​in​ ​house​ ​fitness​ ​competition​ ​that​ ​will​ ​take​ ​place​ ​on​ ​the​ ​GRIT​ ​LIFE grounds.​ ​Depending​ ​on​ ​interest,​ ​we​ ​may​ ​open​ ​it​ ​to​ ​some​ ​of​ ​our​ ​friends​ ​in​ ​Muskegon​ ​and Holland.​ ​It​ ​will​ ​focus​ ​on​ ​functional​ ​movements​ ​such​ ​as​ ​climbing,​ ​crawling,​ ​lifting,​ ​carrying,​ ​and running.​ ​You​ ​may​ ​be​ ​a​ ​stronger​ ​runner​ ​than​ ​lifter,​ ​or​ ​vice​ ​versa.​ ​Either​ ​way,​ ​there​ ​will​ ​be​ ​events you’re​ ​good​ ​at.​ ​When​ ​the​ ​competition​ ​is​ ​finished​ ​we’ll​ ​tally​ ​the​ ​totals​ ​from​ ​each​ ​event​ ​and​ ​crown the​ ​top​ ​three​ ​male​ ​and​ ​female​ ​athletes.​ ​All​ ​competitors​ ​will​ ​receive​ ​a​ ​competition​ ​T​ ​shirt​ ​and​ ​top competitors​ ​will​ ​receive​ ​a​ ​gift​ ​bag​ ​from​ ​our​ ​sponsors.

We​ ​strongly​ ​encourage​ ​everyone​ ​to​ ​participate,​ ​however,​ ​If​ ​you’re​ ​not​ ​interested​ ​in​ ​competing we​ ​will​ ​need​ ​help​ ​judging​ ​and​ ​setting​ ​up​ ​the​ ​competition.​ ​All​ ​volunteers​ ​will​ ​receive​ ​a​ ​volunteer T​ ​shirt​ ​and​ ​our​ ​unending​ ​gratitude.

This​ ​will​ ​be​ ​a​ ​fun​ ​way​ ​to​ ​test​ ​your​ ​fitness​ ​level​ ​and​ ​participate​ ​in​ ​an​ ​event​ ​that​ ​may​ ​be​ ​outside​ ​of your​ ​norm.​ ​Keep​ ​your​ ​eyes​ ​peeled​ ​for​ ​details​ ​in​ ​the​ ​next​ ​few​ ​weeks.​ ​We​ ​hope​ ​you’ll​ ​join​ ​us!

That’s​ ​The​ ​Nitty​ ​Gritty​ ​for​ ​the​ ​month.​ ​Stay​ ​tuned​ ​to​ ​the​ ​GRIT​ ​LIFE​ ​Facebook​ ​page​ ​for​ ​updates and​ ​additional​ ​information. Until​ ​next​ ​time,​ ​train,​ ​fuel,​ ​recover,​ ​and​ ​reflect!

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Introducing TRUE GRIT

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Craig Duncan Training

Hi friends and GRITTY people! Now that we’ve had a few months to catch our breath after an amazing grand opening, we’re getting down to business and adding a little inspiration, motivation and community building right here on our website. Welcome to TRUE GRIT. Here you’ll find weekly thoughts, built around one of our four core pillars:

  • TRAIN
  • FUEL
  • RECOVER
  • REFLECT

Each month we’ll have a focus pillar and provide content related to the theme it represents.

When we can we’ll share a workout of the week, a member shoutout, promotions and the latest news about what’s happening here at the gym. Keep us bookmarked and follow our Facebook page for news about when we update TRUE GRIT. Soon, you’ll be able to subscribe for to our monthly TRUE GRIT email newsletter for a synopsis of what we’re covering here week after week. This blog is meant to be an extension of GRIT LIFE’s supportive and friendly community. It’s just one way we plan to evangelize our values to others who might just need to take that first step.

Every post you’ll see here will always be reviewed and approved by GRIT LIFE’s Craig Duncan, but may not necessarily be written by him. TRUE GRIT is a collaborative effort between Craig and some of the passionate members of the GRIT Life community.

We are sincerely overwhelmed with the response we’ve had since our grand opening and can’t wait to continue to build this amazing community of warriors. Stay tuned friends, we have so much more to share with you.

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