| Revamped CrossFit Program |
| I'm excited to announce that our CrossFit program is experiencing tremendous growth. Due to this growth I made a decision to restructure the gym. The purchases have been made and you will see all the new equipment next week. We will have 1 more rowing machine, 1 GHD machine, An infinity rig which gives us 7 pull up bars, 2 dip stations, 2 ring stations, 4 wall ball targets, and 2 barbell rack stations. I also purchased more kettlebells and medicine balls. In time I'm going to buy a few more pieces of equipment, but these new additions will take our training to a whole new level.
Although you can still train barefoot, I'm going to encourage people to purchase a pair of barefoot technology shoes (vibram or inov) for Mushin only use. The rule for shoe use will be the same as it always has been. That is the only shoes you can use at Mushin are ones worn only here and no shoes on the black mat. My reason for allowing shoes is that I want use to incorporate running intervals on our woodway treadmill and also so people can get a little more aggressive with double unders and plyometrics. I'm going to move the lockers down by the restrooms and probably build some sort of cubby system for you to store your Mushin Shoes for $25 per month if you so desire.
Other changes to the program will be the introduction of basic barbell exercises. By the mid summer months I will probably do some technical olympic lifting sessions (avoiding heavy weights and dropping of weights) 2 times per week. All of these changes will make our CrossFit program continue to thrive. That will lead us to my goal of getting a new space by the end of the year, so we can have no restrictions in our program design and a full locker room area.
You will see new classes on our schedule starting next month. Our first new classes will be Wednesday and Friday noon sessions and Monday-Friday 6:30pm sessions. I'm loving the growth and I want to see more and more. I want to see everybody who walks thru these doors get fit and improve their lives. Spread the word and invite your friends and family to come in and change their lives forever by taking part of one of the best fitness programs in the world.
One love! |
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| Primal Blueprint Transformation Seminar |
| There will be a seminar on Tuesday May 1st at 6:30pm at the Hilton New York (1335 6th Ave). It will be 3 hours long and will cover the overall primal eating style promoted by Mark Sisson. I'm a big fan of Mark and his website www.marksdailyapple.com. The seminar costs $100 and they are offering anyone from our gym who attends a discount if you give them a promotional code. There are discounts for couples as well. I believe $20 off per person.
I'm a big fan of Paleo nutrition. I think it is the best diet to maximize your health and fitness. I doubt there is anything you will learn there that I can't explain to you here, but some people like condensed knowledge offered in this type of format, so I thought I would let everyone know about it.
One Love! |
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| Skill Development Sessions |
| This week we started doing some sessions that emphasize skill development. I want us to all be able to do all the skills on the WODs each day. Sometimes we don't take enough time in class to improve our individual weaknesses. I don't want anybody to think that the workouts will all be this way, nor that we won't still do our butt kicking circuit/complex style training. That will still be very much part of the training process here, I just want to work on the basic skills a few days per week. I encourage all of you to try to do all styles of training and work on improving your weak points instead of avoiding them. Remember your weaknesses give you the biggest margins for improvement and although it might not be enjoyable while working on your weak areas, the results you will earn will be well worth the effort. See you on the mats!
One Love! |
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| Early Morning CrossFit Classes |
| This morning we had a great turnout in our newly added 6:15am CrossFit class. We will be offering this class on Tuesday and Thursday mornings. 5 attendees were in here working hard. Today's workout was no joke. For those of you who have yet to experience the Box Jump Burpee you are in for a tough workout regardless of your fitness level. As the class builds I plan to add a 6:15am CrossFit also on Monday and Wednesday. Then if the demand arrives we may even add a 5:30am class. Bit by bit we are trying to accommodate needs and desires of our community. Be sure to let us know what you would like to see on the schedule and if we can get a group of 4 or more people to agree on a time and day we will try our best to make it happen.
One Love! |
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| CrossFit Mushin |
| For those of you who have yet to experience our CrossFit classes here at Mushin, I encourage you to do so. We are different than a lot of the other boxes. Our classes are kept under 10 people. We focus a lot of attention on proper form. We use predominately bodyweight for our training tool. Some other tools we utilize are kettlebells, dumbbells, med balls, ropes, rings, bars, plyo boxes, a concept 2 rower, and an airdyne bike. We are going to do an expansion soon to our CrossFit area and we will add 2 more rowers, an infinity rig and 2 GHDs. One thing we don't do like a lot of CrossFit facilities are the power lifts and olympic lifts. I may add some basic barbell training to our program, but I'm in no rush to do so.
There are two reasons. Number one is that most people need to focus on establishing proper biomechanics with their own bodies and get their overall body strength up before they start overloading the system with large external loads. I am a huge fan of olympic lifting and we do olympic lifting like movements with the kettlebells, dumbbells, and medicine balls. My second reason for not doing barbell training is the structure of my facility. I can't allow constant dropping of the weights onto the floor. The building is wood floors with steel beams. I have tried olympic lifting and people can literally feel the floor vibrate 6 floors up from us. Now with a restaurant moving in below it is an impossibility. My plan is to take on a new facility by the end of this year. The new facility will have it all, and hopefully if the current crew continues to progress, each and every person will be ready to start learning the olympic lifts.
Another thing we don't do is run. I personally enjoy running, but for those of you familiar with Mushin and the Union Square area understand why. The area around Mushin is chaotic. Not a good spot to go for a run around the block. Then there is the issue with our space. We are on the 2nd floor and you have to be buzzed into the building. So we can't effectively do a WOD that has running with other things due to our space. Also we train barefoot only at Mushin. So between street chaos, putting our shoes on and off, and the elevator situation, we don't do running. I may add a day at the track or west side highway once per week and also some distance running around Washington Square Park, once per week or so.
For those of you who have yet to come because we don't do the WODs on the main site I encourage you to come and see what we do here. I find the workouts to be extremely effective and we are about to start a new type of WOD once or twice per week that incorporates the principles of CrossFit with MMA training. It will be the only class of it's kind in the world that I know of.
Essentially we are a mixed martial arts gym at our heart. All of our instructors are martial artist. However CrossFit was an easy addition since I feel CrossFit is the MMA of fitness training. It is all inclusive just like any good martial arts gym. It adapts to it's environment and always makes the most out of what's available. Anybody who has had the pleasure, and perhaps pain of training here knows that the workouts may look simple on paper but the affect they have on your body and well being are undeniable. Our plans are to grow the facility into one of the best CrossFit gyms in the world. We want all people who are serious about making progress to come and join us. Our community is strong and growing stronger. The progress being made here is amazing.
I invite everyone who reads this to come and become a part of the Mushin family.
One Love! |
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| For Those Without Access to Mushin MMA |
| Although all the members here at Mushin are welcome to purchase RushFit, I wrote this post for those without access to Mushin. I want to help as many people as I can get healthy and fit. This post is for all those who wish to train here but can't due to whatever their circumstances may be.
Whenever I explain to people that I created an at home exercise dvd, the first question I get is,"does it work?" I always respond with a matter of fact sounding, "yes it does." I knew from it's inception that it would work. Not only would it make Georges fatigue, it would make anybody fatigue. Fatigue wasn't my real goal though, since any activity can make anybody fatigue. My goal was to help people get results no matter what their starting point was. I knew that bodyweight combined with some light dumbbells would make dramatic changes in everyones health, performance, and appearance. I believe the transformations we have listed on facebook and the home page www.gsprushfit.com show people what is possible with only 8 weeks of committed training.
My reason for writing this post is for those you still haven't gotten into great shape. I'm giving you the honest truth about what it takes to get in shape and maintain it for the rest of your life. Some things that we don't cover in the dvd series are the inclusion of other workouts and more advanced dietary strategies. I own and operate a very successful gym here in NYC. Membership at my gym is $250-$400 per month. The cheapest private lessons are $120 and I charge $250. We have some very wealthy people who train here, along with professional and amateur fighters, Sports Illustrated cover models, Victoria's Secret angels, and a variety of people from all walks of life ranging from little kids andcollege students to a variety of younger and older professionals . Our clientele is very diverse, but a couple things are obvious.They want results and are willing to pay for it.
When I say that Rushfit is the deal of a lifetime, I'm not exaggerating. To train somebody with all of those workouts and to establish good technique. I would need at least a dozen sessions and perhaps up to 30 or more. Even if you were to do classes at my gym It would cost you over $300 if you were a quick learner. If you did private lessons, it would cost you thousands of dollars.
There are a few things that I didn't include in the Rushfit program due to our barebones approach. One thing that I recommend to everybody is to get a door mounted pull up bar or go out to a park a couple times per week. You could also get rings or just use scaffolding, but I think pull-ups and all their great variations are excellent exercises for everybody to include. For the cardio days I think running is great. I think running is almost infinite in variety and you should look to incorporate long distance, mid distance, sprints, killers, gassers, agility drills, hills, stairs, and trail running. Get creative and have fun. Something else that I recommend to all my clients is a paleolithic diet. It is definitely not a requirement to succeeding on the program, but I find all of my clients who adapt a Paleo diet make amazing progress beyond any other diet style. The last thing I will leave you with is that I think people don't even need to do the full routine each time. It is great if you have the full 45 minutes. However the warm up with only 2 rounds can be an extremely effective workout. Most training sessions I put my clients through are only 30-45 minutes and 15 minutes of that is warming up and stretching after.
My reason writing this post is simple. I want everybody to experience the life changing results that Rushfit offers. Rushfit isn't just an at home exercise dvd project. It is the base system for a fitness based lifestyle that will allow anybody to obtain superior health and fitness. This was my real objective more than any other. I wanted to get as many people as possible as fit as possible by providing them with the proper knowledge on how to do it with a minimal amount of equipment, a minimal amount of time, and for a low price that when considered is essentially priceless information. I always tell my clients, "pay the trainer and the farmer or pay your therapist and your doctor, but either way you are going to be paying." I hope you make the choice to improve yourselves and take the Rushfit Challenge if you haven't already. It can only help you.
One Love!
Erik Owings
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| Real Secrets To Successful Transformations |
| Here are some of the things I have learnt from not only creating Mushin Mixed Martial Arts, but also the creation of the RushFit DVD series and our Partnership with Project Re-Direct. All of these ventures involve human beings becoming better versions of themselves. I have been really blessed to be training people since I was a 15 year old teenager in Kentucky. I have seen a lot of amazing transformations. Some resulting in tragic outcomes and some resulting in amazing success. Some people may find it strange but success and failure usually require many of the same mental characteristics. Sadly people can't seem to recognize the underlying mechanism and get to stuck on the surface level behavior. I'm going to share the 2most important things I have noticed in all of those who change for the better or worse.
1.) Awareness
I think that nothing is more important in the world than awareness. All the greats of any endeavor have this attribute highly developed. It is the way to achieve everything you desire. I'm sure there are plenty of people who have a large amount of material goods who are completely oblivious and unaware, but I don't really consider that success. I don't think anybody who is really great at anything is really functioning unaware. I think some people may act like they are unaware just to blend in, but overall every successful person I meet is wide awake and intelligent. That is objective of Mushin. Arrive at the point where you are aware and your ever present human intelligence is functioning at it's natural potential. We are all infinitely intelligent and all capable of amazing feats. However we cover our intelligence with a variety of things ranging from delusions to over collection and analyses of "knowledge and facts." Nothing is more amazing than an aware human being doing what each and every moment requires. This will allow you to learn faster and progress quicker than any other change you can ever make in your life. The moment you are ready to make a change and really look at yourself and the world around you the way it is, all the unnecessary and unwanted behaviors and distractions will fade away. For some people this can be a very intense and at first frightening experience, but if you embrace it and believe in it, this alone will give you the mindset to find all the information you will ever need to become the person you wish to become.
2.) Commitment
Commitment is a strange thing. When we say commitment we usually think of a committed spouse or somebody committed to success at all costs. Those two examples seem noble indeed but what about those people committed to smoking cigarettes or binge drinking every weekend. There are people who are committed to working out 5 days per week and there are others who are committed to drinks after work everyday. I think you get my point. Commitment isn't enough to create success. You must be sure that your commitment is to behaviors that give you the means to reach your goals. Most people don't want to wake up and really look at their situation and realize that they are spending energy every day whether they like it or not. What determines whether or not their reality is coming in line with their vision of what they want their reality to be, comes down to where they commit their focus and energy. All of this leads us back to our first trait of success, Awareness. If you are aware then commitment to successful behavior patterns comes about naturally. I'm not saying that you will be perfect. We all get off track and the reality is, this is all part of the path. I am saying that awareness combined with commitment will lead to consistency of behaviors and actions that will allow you to create the reality you desire.
I think successfully achieving your goals and desires lies in these two principles. I hope everybody will take the time the consider what I have written and I hope everybody can apply these principles to your life and make an immediate impact and change for the better. Remember change is either now or never. The future is a serious form of delusion that many people stay stuck in. Your future will be made from the actions you take each and every moment.
One Love!
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| Yoga Workshop 4/21/12 |
| I'm excited to announce that we are going to host an amazing workshop for improving functional flexibility with yoga instructor, Jodi Carey, here at Mushin MMA on Saturday April 21st at 1:30pm.
The class will be 2 hours long and available to members and non members alike. Cost is $80 and the workshop will be limited to 15 people.
I had the privilege to do a group training session and a private session with Jodi months back in Miami and I was blown away by her attention to detail and quick recognition of where my body's problems were. I had an immediate improvement in my posture and flexibility due to minor adjustments that I wasn't aware of without her instructions. I am very happy that she is coming here to share her knowledge and expertise. I highly encourage everyone to sign up and participate. I will most definitely be paying the $80 and doing the class. I hope all of you reading do the same. Remember I'm going to limit the enrollment to just 15 people, so don't wait to sign up.
For more info on the session here is a write up Jodi did for the workshop. Check her out at www.jodicareyyoga.com
Part I: Align and Refine: Yoga for Functional Strength & Flexibility
This workshop will take you through various slow flowing sequences with a strong focus on increasing range of motion in hips, shoulders, and spine. Jodi Carey's smart and dynamic sequencing will emphasize breathing and bio-mechanical principles to appropriately align the body-mind for a challenging, yet restorative yoga experience. Expect a shift in perspective, accessible tools to take with you, and a renewed approach to your daily life.
One Love! |
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| Friday 3/16/12 Class Cancellation |
| Our 7:30pm Striking Class will be canceled this Friday 3/16/12. We will be shutting down early Friday to go out and support our instructors Sean Hinds and Joe Hernandez who are going to be fighting at Madison Square Garden. If you haven't gotten your tickets yet, we encourage you to do so. |
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| Sunday's Randori Temporary Cancellation |
| Hi Everyone,
For those of you who have been coming in for the Sunday Morning Randori class, I wanted to inform you that the class will be canceled for the next couple of weeks. Rich had to get surgery today and he is the one who runs that class. Most of the guys take Sundays off. If you want to do some private training Sundays talk to the instructors and see if they can schedule a session with you. Remember Semi Privates work out to be much cheaper for the individual.
The class will be back up on schedule as soon as Rich is able to get back into the gym and run the clock.
Have a great weekend!
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| Parent Assistance Please |
| As I'm sure many of you know, I'm wanting to start a serious kids martial arts program. I would like for all the parents who train at the gym to fill me in on whatever advice you have pertaining to school hours, after school programs, local schools and community centers where I can find potential students. I would love to have an after school program by March 15th and a program for when the kids are on summer break. Any advice is very much appreciated!
Thanks
Erik |
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| Late Evening CrossFit Class Canceled |
| Since changing the evening class schedule we have been having record attendance. I'm very happy with the turn out and I want to see it keep improving. I noticed that since switching the late evening CrossFit class from 8pm to 8:30pm that nobody has been showing up. I'm going to work on finding the right time to offer the second class in the evening. I would like some feedback from everyone on this. Is the best time 7:30pm or 8:00pm?
For now, I'm canceling the 8:30pm class till we find the right time so we can fill it. Be sure to leave your suggestions with Maria and Vanessa.
One Love!
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