Easy choices, hard life.
Hard choices, easy life
– Jerzy Gregorak
What’s the hardest thing you’ve chosen to do in the last week?
Not something you were forced to do, but CHOSE to do?
Maybe it was the workout from last Friday? 🙂
When you’re in the middle of a really tough workout and your heart is pounding, your breathing is heavy, and your legs hurt…
You start to wonder
“Why am I doing this to myself?”
You could have stayed home and watched “The Good Place” on Netflix!
Or just went for a nice, leisurely walk instead.
But instead you came in and did an insanely tough workout that made you want to quit.
Why?
Secretly, you know why.
Even with all the weirdness going on right now….
You have to admit, you have a relatively comfortable life.
Of course you still have struggles, tragedy, and problems….
But you still have food, water, electricity, internet.
(For now, at least)
But what happens if you settle into that comfort?
Remember the time you got “comfortable” with your diet and put on 15 lbs?
Or that friend who was comfortable at work until the moment they got laid off?
Comfort is dangerous.
You don’t want comfort.
As painful as it sounds, you WANT to be uncomfortable.
You NEED it.
Humans are wired for struggle.
You are going to spend your energy fighting for or against something for your entire life.
But not all humans know an important secret…
You can CHOOSE your struggles!
Not all of them, of course.
Life is going to throw some struggles at you on its own.
They’re going to make life harder, more uncomfortable, and sometimes just sucky.
If you stand still, life can beat the hell out of you with a never-ending supply of struggle.
But when you choose your own things to struggle against…
And you make those things hard as f***.
You build your mind and body to handle the unexpected stuff life throws at you.
The sucky times are a little less sucky.
“Big” problems don’t seem quite so big.
And the problems other people think are “hard” seem easy to you.
Cause you know how to handle discomfort.
By doing hard shit day after day
Week after week.
Hard choices, easy life
Go do some hard shit this week.
Coach Jay
PS – Want to get strong and lose weight? It starts with our 40 days to fit class coming up this Wednesday July 29th. There are 2 spots left in this session, so email me at [email protected] and say “I’m in” if you want a spot.
PPS – Starting Monday, the online 5:45am class will be moved to 9:30am on MWF. For updates on this and all the other changes (including our one price model), go check out the post here – Hitting Reset on Hale
PPPS – Check out our workouts for this week below
Note: This will be the last week we publish the workouts on the blog. To access the workouts for the whole week, you must download SugarWOD and follow Hale Fitness.
Announcements
Outdoor Workout–Saturday, 8/1, 7:55am
Meet at Cougar Field (Albany Middle School) at 7:55am (or a few minutes early). Bring one pair of moderate weight DBs, a yoga mat or towel, and wear layers. Guests welcome. We’ll adjust for whatever equipment you have (or even if you don’t!)
Online workout schedule change
We’re moving our 5:45 live stream to 9:30am on MWF starting July 27th. We will record this stream so you can watch the replays. Attendance at 5:45am was low, but plenty of you were watching the replays.
This means you’ll have live streaming classes daily at 7am and 4pm, and MWF at 9:30am.
The full online schedule and replays will be updated here – /haleathome/
New Policies in Effect: August 1st:
- Click here for all the changes.
40 Days to Fit
Ready to get started? Our next 40 Days to Fit program starts Wednesday July 29 (Wednesday) at 7pm. These small group classes will introduce you to common movements we use in our classes and set you up with coaching to crush your goals. Email [email protected] for more info.
Workouts for the Week
Monday
Strength & Conditioning
Warm Up:
WARM UP:
3 ROUNDS:
2/side perfect stretch
5 Yoga Push Ups
10 Bootstrap stretch
Then..
3 ROUNDS:
250m row
10 T-Push ups
10 Reverse lunges
10 hollow rocks
Strength:
Pausing Push Press:
3-3-3-3-3-3-3
Pause 1 second at bottom of dip. Build to no more than 70% of max Push Press (or approximately heaviest set of 3 strict presses)
This is the first week of a cycle working on DYNAMIC upper body strength. Working on your dip position will keep your bar going STRAIGHT UP, which will give you more power, and thus, let you lift more weight, easier.
Conditioning:
Strict Baseline Retest
For Time:
500m Row
40 Air Squats
30 Sit-Ups
20 Push Ups
10 Strict Pull-ups (or Ring Rows)
12 min Time Cap
At home scaling:
instead of 10 strict pull ups/ring rows, perform 20 plank rows (10/side) with dumbbell.
This is a re-test! Go hard! See if you can go all movements unbroken and fast! I bet you can!
MetCon
Warm Up:
Alternating Tabata:
High Skips + Arm Haulers
Then, 3 rounds:
5 arm circles
2 perfect stretch
2 Turkish Get Ups with a PAUSE & breath in each position
MetCon:
15 minutes, as many rounds & reps as possible:
4 Turkish Get Ups (2/side)
20 Plank Reach Throughs (10/side)
20 DB Hang Snatch (10/side)
Rx+ KB snatch
Cool Down:
2 mins/side trap smash
Lots of balance, rotation, and single arm work today. “Winning” means your weak arm lock out feels better at the end than the beginning–as you get warmer, you should feel more stable, too.
Tuesday
Strength & Conditioning
Same as Monday
MetCon
Warm Up:
6 min AMRAP:
200m jog/20 up downs
3 inchworm + push up
10 goblet squats
MetCon:
8 Rounds:
90s on/90s off
100m Run
10 “Ditch of Doom” Push Ups
Max DB Squat Cleans in Rem Time
Set yourself up with two objects roughly the size and height of 45# plates. Or, go higher if you’re confident in your toe push ups!
Score is your best and worst round score of squat cleans
Cool Down:
2 mins/side calf bone saw
Nail the run! Hit some BEST QUALITY push ups (yes, you can do these from your knees, too), then grunt through the last few reps. “Ditch of Doom” means: hands/chest on one plate, knees or toes on the other–there will be NO SAGGY BUTTS OR TUMMIES! Keep your belly out of the ditch of doom and focus on a good position! Hand release is fine, but remember to stay tight!
Wednesday
Strength & Conditioning
Warm Up:
2 rounds:
With PVC
3 Sumo inchworm in place
10 Kang squats
10 sumo good mornings
10 PVC back squats
30 sec pigeon stretch/side
Then(outside)
6 minutes, every minute on the minute
Min 1: 15 Medicine ball goblet squats
Min 2: 12 Step Ups–>Box Jumps
Strength:
Back Squat Drop Sets
3-5-5-5
Perform 1 set of 3 reps at 80-85% of 1RM
-weight should be at or near your heaviest set of 6 from 7/13
then drop weight and perform 3 sets of 5 at 70-75% of 1RM
-goal is to be explosive with the lighter weight
Record top set and drop set weight
Get your CNS lit with that top set and grind through a bit more volume at a slightly lower weight. These should all feel like WORKING SETS.
Conditioning
For Time:
40 Med Ball Tosses
20 Burpee Box Jumps
30 Med Ball Tosses
15 Burpee Box Jumps
20 Med Ball Tosses
10 Burpee Box Jumps
10 Med Ball Tosses
5 Burpee Box Jumps
13 Minute Time Cap
Be efficient with your movement–if you nail your tosses and landings, you’ll save some energy! With only two movements and decreasing reps, you should be able to hold on to your 80% pace throughout. If you have gas left as you hit the back half of the workout, step on it!
MetCon
Warm Up:
Roxanne
Then 3x:
10 cossack squats w/1s pause in bottom
10 plank shin taps
20s hang (toenail hang from doorway ok, too!)
MetCon:
5 Rounds: (1 minute per movement/position)
min 1: 10 DB Press/hold OH remainder of minute
min 2: 20 Elbow Plank Toe Taps/plank hold remainder of minute
min 3: 15 DB Good Mornings/squat hold remainder of minute
1 min rest
Cool Down:
2 mins/side glute smash
This one will burn. Try to find a strong position and breathe through each hold. If possible, hit good mornings with one DB behind your neck and hold a back squat position–chest up, eyes up, elbows up, weight in the heels!
Thursday
Strength & Conditioning
Same as Wednesday
MetCon
Warm Up:
2 Rounds:
20 plank shoulder taps
20 Tae Bo twist punches (in baby squat)
2 Rounds:
2 wall walks
10 candlestick rolls
MetCon:
6 Rounds for Time:
8 Sit Stands w/Object or Reverse Burpees*
15 Vee Ups
200m run
*Candlestick roll wot HS kick up OR choose a heavy-ish, definitely awkward object and complete sit stands while holding it.
18 minute hard cap. Aim to go sub 15
Cool Down:
2 mins/side delt smash
I want you rolling around in awkward positions and figuring out how to solve the puzzle of getting up! These reverse burpees or sit stands will slow down the pace of the workout enough that you should hit the V-Ups in 1-2 sets, then SMASH THE RUN! Play time! And, if you’re counting, this is nearly 50 chances to get a cool handstand kick up. Aim to finish under 15 minutes.
Friday
Strength & Conditioning
Warm Up:
3 Rounds:
3/side samson stretch
15 glute bridges
20 Deadbugs (in hollow position, feet & shoulder off the ground. Fully extend legs
and arms)
Then..
1000m Row ( MOD pace)
Strength:
Every Minute on the Minute for 10 Minutes:
3 Hang Power Cleans
-Build as needed
Work up to a heavy-ish but super cute set of 3. You’re aiming for a great hang position and a SOLID landing with feet where you would normally squat. No weird starfish BS today!
Conditioning:
5 Rounds Going Every 3 Minutes Perform:
15/12 Cal Row
12 Deadlifts
9 Hang Power Clean
6 Shoulder to Overhead
Score is Emoji that reflects how the workout made you feel
This one is an excellent training opportunity– It’s a great chance to cycle a heavyish barbell and transition between movements under fatigue. You are not bound by time, per se, but the weight should be something you can hit unbroken for the shoulder to overhead, for sure. Strategy and grip play a part today, too. You should have at least 1:00 rest to start. If you don’t, scale back so you do.
MetCon
Warm Up:
200m Run
+ dynamic warm up drills:
over/under fence
knee to chest/ankle to hips
low side shuffle
woodpeckers
groiners
high knees/butt kickers
MetCon:
In 5:00
800m Run, then AMRAP:
20 Hollow Rocks
15 Jumping Squats
2:00 Rest
In 5:00
400m Run, then AMRAP:
15 Hollow Rocks
12 Jumping Squats
2:00 Rest
In 5:00
200m Run, then AMRAP
10 Hollow Rocks
9 Jumping Squats
Cool Down:
2 mins/side quad smash
This is a bodyweight remix of that row workout a few weeks back. Your goal: take the bait and come out at a hot pace for the run. Once you get back, figure out the rest! This one should be a tough running workout with some abs and quads thrown in.
Saturday
Strength & Conditioning
Meet at Albany Middle School at 7:55am. Bring one heavy DB or a pair of medium weight ones. Whatever you have, we’ll work with!
Warm Up:
100m walk
Straight into
300m run
then..
9 minutes, every minute on the minute:
MIN 1: 50 Sec MAX high knees
MIN 2: 50 Sec MAX cherry pickers
MIN 3: 50 Sec MAX shuttle runs
MetCon:
n 25 Minutes As Many Rounds and Reps as Possible
10 Synchronized Burpees
40 Swing to Goblet Squat “You Go, I Go”
10 Synchronized Burpees
40 Coach’s Choice
10 Synchronized Burpees
400m Run Together
Sunday
Hale Mobility!
Attend in person or online at 9:30am