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!