You have spoken.  I have listened.

Thank you to those of you who completed the recent Client Survey.  Your honest feedback regarding your experiences here at Steelworks Strength Systems gave me much to reflect upon over the last two weeks.

My number one goal is, and always has been, to provide a training experience that helps people achieve their fitness goals safely and to be able to maintain that new level of fitness over the long term.

To meet that goal, I have traveled to countless seminars, learned from some of the best coaches in the country, and continually devour as many books, journal articles, videos, and podcasts as possible.

Our programming reflects this journey.

As in all journeys, however, there are times where it is important to stop, look around, and take stock of how we are traveling.

Are we heading in the right direction towards our final destination?

Are we enjoying the trip?

Do we have all of the tools to help us get there safely?

And with that, I’m excited to announce a number of changes here at Steelworks.

New Programming
The first noticeable change will be to our White and Gray programming tracks.  There will no longer be two tracks of programming.  White and Gray will now be combined into one track. A higher demand existed for lifting weights, breathing heavy, and breaking a sweat.

Moving forward, the new “Strength and Conditioning” programming will feature a barbell lift everyday, in some shape or another.  Every training session will conclude with a conditioning piece focused on cardiovascular endurance and muscular stamina.

To add more variety to our programs, we will be offering 3 specialty courses throughout the week.  These courses will start in February.

  1.  Speed / Power (60 minutes)
    1. Become faster and more explosive.
    2. Develop the skills of acceleration, top speed running, and changing direction.
    3. Perfect for the rec league warrior or the serious athlete looking to become fast and quick on the court or field.
  2. Weightlifting Tech (45 minutes)
    1. Learn how the snatch, clean, and jerk build incredible power, mobility, and core strength.
    2. Perfect for the novice or the more experienced lifter looking to iron out his or her technical errors. *Not to be confused with our current weightlifting program which is a standalone program preparing athletes for competition in the sport of Olympic Weightlifting.
  3. The Body Shop (45 minutes)
    1. Using a variety of bodyweight movements and static holds, develop coordination and the ultimate toned body without the bulk .
    2. Handstand pushups, ring dips, chin-ups, jumping rope are but a few of the tools we use in this course.
    3. While a strength dominant class, short conditioning sessions will be featured.

Class Schedule
Another common piece of feedback addressed the block nature of our programming.  A lot of you noted how if you could not make Mondays all month, for example, you would miss out on “x” exercise; you could go a whole month without back squatting/pressing/pullups/etc.

I will still be programming on four week blocks and we will still alternate between “static”(same weight each set) and “ramping” (increase weight each set) loading patterns.  To address the aforementioned scheduling pitfall, we will be rotating each day’s workout across 4 weeks.  See below:

Week 1

Week 2

Week 3

Week 4

I will also be adding 7 am group classes back to the schedule.  Many of you asked for this class to return.  However, please know that I have added this class back to the schedule a few times and each time people ask for it, people seldom take advantage of that class time.  I will be monitoring attendance and should it be poorly attended, I will be removing it from the schedule.

Sundays will also feature an Open Gym from 10 am – 12 pm.  Again, many of you asked for this addition to the schedule.  I noticed a similar situation with the 7 am:  many people requesting a Sunday Open Gym slot and then either it is poorly attended or not attended at all.  As with the 7 am class, I will be monitoring attendance and should it be poorly attended, I will be removing it from the schedule.

Equipment Purchases
I’ve added three new battle ropes and a host of lighter weight dumbbells.  Finally fixed the battery issue with the two rowers without cases, too.  I’ll be looking to add more moderate weight dumbbells and kettlebells soon.

Space Upgrades
I’ve contacted my landlords to either fix or replace the stairs to the basement. I’ve brought the coat rack up from downstairs so that people have an organized location to store their outerwear and not have to go downstairs.  This also helps keep the jerk blocks free and clean.

Coaching Updates
I will be holding coaches meetings every other weekend for the foreseeable future.  We will be reviewing the programming, standardizing coaching cues, and exploring new content (anatomy, pain and injury management).

I have also expanded our coaching staff.  I am really excited to be adding Brynna Labik to our team.

With a degree in Exercise Science and over three years of previous coaching, she is a wonderful addition to Steelworks.  Look for her to be completing her internship in February.

Community Events
Keep your eyes peeled for these upcoming community/social events.  (I’m open to requests, too!)

Here’s what we got on tap:

Sunday February 9  – The Gun Range
Join us for a day of firearms training.  $65 per person gets you the safety instruction, ear and eye protection, one gun rental and 50 rounds of ammunition.   You can bring payment to the gym in cash or check or Venmo me at “[email protected]”.

Saturday April 4 – In House Competition
See where you stack up against your teammates in three challenging tests of fitness.  More to come in the following weeks.

Saturday May 9 – Spring BBQ and Kickball
Eat, drink, and play kickball.

Thank you again for all of your feedback and thank you for choosing Steelworks Strength Systems!