Written by, Coach Vanessa Panella

Hips Don't Lie

You've probably heard a lot about the deadlift. Maybe ever performed it a few times in the gym. And if you've ever gone to a class or worked with a coach before you definitely done this movement. Have you ever wondered why EVERY coach has taught you this move and had you do it before. Why are we so in love with the hip hinge?

First things first. Let's clarify that there are LOTs of ways to perform the deadlift. Lots of factors go into how coaches decide what too and what position we have you perform. Therefore, all the equipment that is used to perform the deadlift is valid; barbells, trap bar, kettlebells, and sandbags all fit this bill. But, after working for a commercial gym for years, I can tell you that this is the one movement that I got the most push back from clients from. 

"I can't do that. I have a bad back." 

"I've heard those are bad for you"

"I'm not trying to be a bodybuilder/powerlifter"

Well I'm here...

Nutrition. Perhaps one of the most foundational pieces within a person’s fitness journey. Some say that abs are made in the kitchen, but truthfully I wish it were that simple. 

When it comes to making the best choices, obviously it is apparent that you should eat your fruits and dark leafy greens and choose healthy, lean proteins to pair with your complex carbohydrates. But what happens when the cycle of these habits turns to be a bit toxic? Establishing a schedule and a habit of eating healthfully on the daily is not what becomes the problem, but when it becomes an obsession, this might be where one needs to step back and reevaluate your overall life satisfaction. 

For years, I succumbed to frugelant eating behaviors and falling into endless cycles of dieting. The desire to be so lean ultimately impaired my overall muscle mass, appearance, and overwhelmed me in my day-to-day living. The truth is, however, that many male and female athletes in their lifetime will...

Scheduling Your Week for Success

By, Vanesa Suazo

Do you like to win!? I love to win! Wouldn't it feel good to win everyday? You can set yourself up to win everyday by planning your week in advance. 

I'm sure you've heard the saying "Failing to plan is planning to fail," and that saying couldn't be anymore true.  Planning your days ahead is the best way to get all your important tasks done and keep your fitness, health and finances in top shape. Let me share with you how I schedule my week.

1. Block some time every week to set your goals for the week and schedule all your major tasks in your planner. I do this every Sunday morning for about an hour and do it on my planner that has hourly slots for me to plan my whole day. I always have a fitness/health goal, a personal development goal, and a career goal.

2. Make a list of tasks that need to be done and rate them from most important to least important (hint: the most important tasks should be...

Hard75

If you are any bit involved in the health and fitness industry whether as a client, coach or any measure of a fitness professional, you have probably at one point or another heard of the “Hard 75 Challenge”. 

If not, let me explain. 

The Hard 75 Challenge was a concept created by a man named Andy Frisella. He put together this challenge that is meant to go for a full 75 days. No stops. No rest. All in with no cheating. 

The Hard 75 Challenge Rules: 

1. 2 Workouts a day; 45’ inside, 45’ outside 
2. Follow a nutrition/ diet plan/ meal plan. 
3. No alcohol. 
4. No cheat meals. 
5. Read 10 physical pages a day (no audiobooks!) 
6. 1 progress picture a day. 
7. 1 gallon of water a day. 
8. Finally, there are no cheat days or cheat meals!

This sounds borderline psychotic and practically impossible to most. And that is exactly what I needed. Where I was at in my life, I knew I was about to endure a lot of change. I was about...

Spartan Race Gym Workout

Kick Your Spartan Race Training Into Gear

It doesn’t matter if this is your first Spartan Race or OCR or if you’ve competed in marathons before—we’re about to prepare you for your future race or races! In this post, we’ll show you how to get a great workout in at the gym (we’re hoping that it’s at Fitness On Fire!) or wherever your race training takes you.

Spartans know that race day is much more enjoyable when you’ve put in the work at the gym. The journey to a successful race begins with your training plan. Any obstacle race training requires preparation and Spartan Races are no different. If you want to enjoy race day and complete the course injury-free, training is mandatory. 

In this article, we’ll discuss how to kickstart your training plan so you can reach your fitness goals, become stronger and more resilient, and prove to yourself that you can do anything you put your mind to. Without...

By, Kate Durham

As we enter 2021, we look back on a year full of unexpected challenges. Simultaneously, it’s been empty of many of the athletic events we’ve grown to expect to reminisce on in a year-end retrospect.  In our fitness-focused world, we’ve missed countless external finish lines this year, and we don’t know when they will return.  The pandemic has left us in a state of “Now What?”  How do we change our goal-setting perspectives to better prepare us for “Now What?” moments in life? 

To prepare for 2021 and beyond, we want to distinguish between an external finish line and an internal finish line.  So what is the difference?  An external finish line can be a literal finish line, or another physical achievement, such as climbing the rope for the first time or deadlifting 300 lbs.  An internal finish line is a goal that is met from within, such as learning to...

Meet Suzie Payne

By, Kate Durham

Suzie is one of our fantastic members here at FOF.  She is a three-time survivor of cancer, a triathlete, a marathoner, and a cheerleader to everyone she comes in contact with. We’ve asked her some questions. 

When and Why Did You Join FOF? 

Coach Mark was my coach at another gym last year.  When it closed in December, he programmed for me and I would work out at CSULB or Crunch.  He was looking for a new gym and I told him when found one to let me know, because I would follow him.  He tried a few and had me check them out but nothing fit.  In August, when he started at FOF, he told me to check it out, that he thought it would work for me as well.  When I met Jenny and saw your facility, I knew I had found a home. 

What Does the Term “Athlete” Mean to You? 

Having the physical ability to do what makes you happy. 

I love skiing and I want to be...

The past 7 months have been some of the craziest month’s of our lives! You would think I would have learned to create a “Go Bag” by now incase of an emergency, but it really took these recent fires and Irvine evacuations for me to really open my eyes. We luckily did not have to be evacuated in our area, but if we did, we would HAVE NOT been ready at all.

What is a “Go Bag?” A “Go Bag” is a bag that is by your door or in your car that includes everything you need to survive for 3-7 days. There are plenty of resources out there to help you create an emergency pack and I’ve compiled everything we’ve learned based on these findings. REI also hosts classes (currently virtual) that teaches you these different principles as well. They have some PRETTY DOPE classes too. 10/10 would recommend!

Below is what we have in our packs. Josh and I each have a Go Bag and don’t forget about your children and fur babies!

...

Written by, Coach Noah Grime

Many struggle to determine what the perfect breakfast really is. What makes it right? Does a piece of fruit make sense? Bacon and eggs? What about skipping it all together?

Many philosophies will be determined on what we are used to doing and the way it makes us feel. Some will say they eat before heading out of the door for energy and to avoid a crash, while others make lunch their first meal. Who is doing it the right way? 

My philosophy about the first meal of the day is simple. Your first meal should be healthy, taste good, and easy to make. This rules out a donut or pastry from being the ideal situation. In the morning, we generally rush around to try and get our day started. This is when “grabbing something quick” might not be the best solution. Maybe it’s time to consider skipping that sugary cereal or meal bar and go for water and a simple coffee.

Sugar and a calorie overload is the opposite of...

PLAYING TO WIN

By, Gabriell Smith

When it comes to obstacles that you face in life, are you playing to win or playing to not lose? When I first heard that question, I laughed a little because I thought that they were the same. However, when I examined it on a deeper level, I learned that I was wrong! I discovered a red flag. I was living my life with a “playing not to lose” mindset.

What’s the difference between the two? Someone that is playing to win has their focus on doing their best. They work vigorously to achieve whatever goals they have placed in front of themselves. They come from a place of growth. They are constantly in search of ways that they can improve or better themselves. Challenges excite them. They are full of optimism, working to always find the silver lining of difficult situations. On the other hand, people that are playing to not lose have already taken themselves out of the game. They fear change. The idea of failing makes them freeze,...