Welcome to this week’s edition of Friday Thoughts - where I share what’s been on my mind this week. Let’s get into it.
Training Ramblings
I had a decent week of training! After taking 8 days off last week, I knew needed to both get back to it, and cut myself some slack after the extended break. All my sessions have been about 20-30 minutes long, which isn’t optimal, but it’s something - and something that works with my life right now.
October Challenge
It was actually the October Challenge last week that got me back in the game. I showed up to the gym on Friday morning and several people, including Luke, had just done the challenge. I had to give it a go.
GAIN OCT CHALLENGE
As Many Rounds and Reps as Possible in 12 minutes…
25 cal c2 bike
20 db bench press @ 50s/35s
15 cal rower
The sticking point of this is no doubt the high rep dumbbell bench press reps. Break early and often — if you need to. There will be some amongst us who crank through those reps like they’re toy weights. Generally, I love workouts that involves high rep pressing and cardio - it’s a great combination and excellent display of fitness.
I got through 4 complete rounds, but really had to work for the fourth round when all those reps caught up to me. I managed to hustle on the rower to get the cals done just in time. Jeff followed my attempt up by getting some cals on the bike at the start of the 5th round. I’m excited to see it play out this month!
Shout out to Hard nock’s
I love Hard Nock’s Gym in Amesbury, MA. Just before GAIN was opened, I was in a major workout funk. My back and shoulder hurt and I was training a lot of people but never working out myself. There were a lot of factors influencing it, but the biggest one was that I got a new personal training job and moved and didn’t have the access to my old gym and my old gym buddies.
I shared this with my cousin one day and he drove me to Hard Nock’s gym — Established in 1960! It’s an old school bodybuilding gym, and it’s one of a kind. I walked into the back office and met the owner Dave Nock, who must have been in his 70s then, and paid my $25 dues to join the gym. It reminded me why I wanted to open my own gym someday, and it got me out of my workout funk.
My favorite Hard Nock’s story involves Hannah. My friend Eric and I were hitting Hard Nock’s during the week. Hannah wanted to get a lift in there too, so we headed in on a Saturday morning. I set Hannah up to do trapbar deadlifts, as you do. She worked up to a heavy set of 3 at 225. Just as she started her set, Dave Nock walked into the gym and watched.
For a guest pass at Hard Nock’s, you needed to fill out a waiver, fold it in an envelop with your $10 and put it in a mail slot on the office door. Dave stopped to watch Hannah’s set. Then he walked past into the office and came back a minute later. He gave Hannah her envelope back and said she never needed to pay to lift like that here. It was really cool, and a moment we still talk about now.
Eric and I became regulars at 8am most days of the week, and ended up with the keys to the place. It was brief, just the summer of 2014, but nonetheless, Hard Nock’s has a special place in my heart.
Quite interesting to be underneath a bowling alley
Thanks for reading, see you in the gym!
—Justin Miner