Christian Pedersen

Sam Lloyd went to Nationals a few weeks ago and did extremely well. Make sure you ask him about it. After an “extended” break he is back in the gym talking sh… I mean motivating everybody again:) He is an absolute pleasure to have around the gym, he has a great attitude and he works hard when the timer starts.

I have been organizing T-shirts and Hoodies for everyone to buy. I have received some samples from Jonesy at Monogram house and they are looking fantastic. I will hang them up at the gym and all you guys can come in and try them on before you commit to size and style. There will be more info and advertisement coming up about all of this shortly.

Make sure to find a partner and sign up for our first in-house comp coming up on the 24/9/16. ($20 per Pair)

Christian

Wednesday 07/09/16

WOD: 4 Rounds for Time

50 Double Unders

10 Thrusters 60/40kg

15 Burpee over bar

(16 min Time Cap)

Finisher: Every 3 min for 9 min

Queens Garden Sprint

We have started week two and things are going extremely well. You have probably noticed all the changes at the gym. As we get more equipment we need to store it around the gym so thats where all the new shelves and racks have come in handy in keeping things clear of the floor and clean of dust and so on. And obviously the most noticeable thing happening is us aka Harlem building showers for all of our members. It will take time and we very much appreciate your patience and understanding while we work on setting them up. Harlem only has two hands and with me as the useless helper whose genuine enthusiasm and can-do attitude is epicly overshadowed by a general lack of skill in the building department, I’m mostly confined to doing the “small jobs” like painting, vacuuming, finding tools and doing coffee runs. But there is the DIY type and then there is the other type, you don’t want to be that type.

PARTNER COMPETITION

First official in-house comp is coming up.

Date: Saturday 24/09/16  –  Start Time: 10am  –

Cost: $20 per pair (only $10 per person), which will go towards cool prizes for top 3 (or more, if we get many sign-ups:)

It will be a mixed pair comp (1 male + 1 female) and it is your own responsibility to find your partner and get you both signed up at the gym. This is for members only so make sure you get your membership sorted out before the date. It will involve 3-4 workouts and last a couple of hours. The workouts will be all inclusive so don’t stress about that at all. Everyone will be able to participate hence the word inclusive:) If you want to participate but you can’t find a partner, let us know, and we can help you, but try to ask someone first. Make sure you block this date out so we can get the whole community involved and have a bit of fun.

Note: Last date to sign up is Monday 19/09/16 but don’t wait that long if you don’t have to:)

Christian

Tuesday 06/09/16

Strength: 2 Strict Press + 3 Push Press

Option 1: Build to a heavy weight in 15min

Option 2: Work on technique with this complex

WOD: 8 min AMRAP

12 Wall Balls 9/6kg

10 Box Jump over 24/20′ – 30/24RX+

8 KB Snatches (4 left arm – 4 right arm) 24/16kg

Finisher: 3 Rounds for quality

60sec Prone Hold

12 BB Good mornings

The purpose for todays post is to explain to our current members and to show to new potential members why the barbell is a great piece of equipment, and not a piece of torture apparatus that is just waiting to injure you at the drop of a hat.

There are many reasons why we use barbells. Here are the main 3

1. It is the best piece of equipment for strength training. This is because you can safely and sequrely fit  a challenging weight on the bar and use it for a variety of exercises. Specifically lifting, squatting, pressing and pulling exercises which are movements you often use in your daily life I.E. Food shopping, gardening, having a physical job and so on. This also means that if you are not comfortable with lifting heavy weights you can still use a barbell for light weights and get all the benefits from performing these functional movements with it in a safe way.
2. The shape and structure of a barbell allows anyone to lift a weight safely because you can get into a good lifting position, you can grip the bar securely and you can keep the weight close to your body and remain in control of it. Compare a weighted barbell with a couch of equal weight. The couch could be a lot harder to lift simply because of the reasons above, it can be harder to get into a good position, its hard to grip and hard to keep under control. Yes you don’t lift couches in the gym but all I want to show is that some peoples fears of using barbells are unjustified. It is actually very safe to use one
3. A barbell caters for all fitness levels. There are exercises for all people to utilize, from the least mobile and weakest person to the most mobile and strongest person. This is also where the magic of the barbell lies. There is always something to improve on with the barbell from perfecting technique for a certain movement to lifting more weight in a movement to learning a brand new movement.

So, when you see a barbell movement programmed, make a point of turning up to that class because you can be sure you will learn something new. And, after reading this you know that the barbell is not out to get you. You will still get a good hard workout and you will be completely safe while using it.

Monday 05/09/16

Strength: Power Clean & Push Jerk (10 min Time Cap)

Option 1: Build to a heavy single

Option 2: Work on technique

Barbell Cycling: 5 min AMRAP

5 TnG Clean & jerks 1:1 w/partner

WOD: For Time

64 pull ups

600m Run

Scale as needed

Christian

Remember we also offer GPP at 6.30pm for a great workout to introduce you to Southern Peak Fitness

Conrad Frew and Stu Kemp (Big Dog, who just turned 56) are going up north to compete at a masters competition at CrossFit Waitakere. Good Luck to them from Dunedin and hope they can teach these north island boys how to fitness:) Connie is sporting our new hoodie from AS Colour, which you can order through the gym. Wear it proudly my man.

Its fantastic to see our members commit to competitions to really test how fit they have become. Because in the end, functional fitness is a sport to many. If you think of it as just a fitness program for you to be healthier and more able in your daily life, and you are happy with that, that is completely fine. The most important thing is you are moving and you are happy, but for those who think of it as a sport would obviously like to compete as well as train. You wouldn’t see many people at rugby clubs just turn up to training every week but not lace-up in the weekend. Its just another way to think about what we do.

If competing is something you might be interested in, make sure you come and see Jack or I and we can give you some guidance and point you in the right direction.

A great place to start, is joining in on less serious ones, like in-house competitions. I am already organizing our first one which is all about bringing all of you guys together. The coolest thing about these comps is that normally you tend to stick to a sustain class-time and this way, morning and afternoon members get to meet each other, which is great for our community.

There will be plenty of info coming out early next week so you can plan around it. Yes it will be very inclusive as my main goal is to get as many of you guys involved as possible. The bigger the group the more fun we will have. Enjoy your weekend

Christian

Saturday 03/09/16

WOD: 5 Rounds For time

Block Lap Run

30 Burpees

30 Walking Lunges

30 Russian Swings 24/16kg

100m KB carry

There will be scaling options available for new members

Program Note:

Sunday 10am is GPP, bring a friend for free and come enjoy a circuit style workout

As soon as this guy heard I was opening a gym he was on to me. No hesitation, and what a great guy to have as part of our community. Pete Ryder was instrumental in the success of CrossFit Dunedin under Welshie & Speedy and I was super pleased that he thought of our little gym as a natural progression to continue his training. He is one of the nicest guys you will meet and he is always positive and I am sure his positive outlook on life will rub off on many of our members. On the other hand he hates when people make a big deal about him so he might not like all these compliments, but tough..- they are on the web now for everyone to read:) Make sure to introduce yourself when you see him.

We have had an amazing response in the first week, we are closing in on 40 members which is a lot more than we could have hoped for. It warms my heart to see guys and girls of all ages working out together and really showing everybody it doesn’t matter what level of fitness you are at. Coach Greg Glassman said years ago “our needs don’t vary by kind, only by degree” and looking around the gym that still holds true today.

Christian

Friday 02/09/16

Strength: Back Squat

Option 1: Build to a 6RM

Option 2: Work on technique in sets of 6 reps

WOD: 12 min AMRAP

10 Front Squats 70/45kg

5 STOH

200m Run

Time table Note:

I would love to see a little boost in numbers on our Monday-Thursday 6.30pm GPP classes. Otherwise we will make it a normal Metcon class for those people who still would like to follow the daily program but can’t make it at 5.30pm. Lets get the gym pumping at 6.30pm. GPP is a great class to bring a friend to or for new members to try out. It would be great to get some feedback on that one, so we can continue to deliver the best possible time table for all of our members.

If there is one guy who ‘walks the walk’ every day it will be this guy. Jack practically lives at the gym. Walking through Mitre 10 Mega I was going to ask if they had any bunk beds for jack and his BSN supplements:)  It will only be coffee he drinks more of than AminoX.

It must have been a bit like Christmas for him when we finally organized him to coach and train at the gym. We have had to tone down the shit talk a little bit during our own mid-morning training sessions after shifting from north Dunedin to Vogel st. It has made us more witty about what we say rather than just straight abusive, or at least we would like to think so lol

Even though Jack is following a training program geared for CrossFit competitors, he still finds time to join in with a class WOD here and there which is pretty cool for the rest of the community as they get to train with a great athlete and friend. As I have said before, a member will listen to another member who trains before they will listen to a coach who doesn’t train so the most important thing is do what jack does ‘walk the walk’.

Christian

Thursday 01/09/16

For Time:

50 KB Swings 24/16kg

40 Box Jumps 24/20′

30 Handstand Push ups

40 KB Swings

30 Box Jumps

20 Handstand Push ups

30 KB Swings

20 Box Jumps

10 Handstand Push ups

This was Harlem’s reaction when I told him he was allowed to help with building the gym. Hands up in the air, happy as Larry, like

Its rare to find people who will go as far as Harlem has to help someone. We pulled some long nights at the gym setting things up and we could trust that harlem would be there on the tools every time. Im sure his main drive was just to be able to see the end result.

Its fair to say he was the specialist in the room when it came to setting up the pull up rig or building walls for showers. At times it did go to his head a little especially when he thought he was still the foreman on a building site and started bossing everybody around. Its good when people remind you what hard work looks like, it makes everyone else do a little more.

Anyway, I’m sure Harlem will be happy for some time to come because there is still bucket loads to do until the place is finished, in a way I guess it never will be completely. There will always be new things to buy, things to fix or change around or whatever else we can do to the place.

One thing I’m sure of is, when we decide to do something new with the place Harlem will be there with his tool belt on..- unless its painting:)

Christian

Wednesday 31/08/16

Strength:

Strict Press

Option 1: Build to a 6RM

Option 2: Work on technique in sets of 6 reps

WOD: 10 Rounds for time:

15 Wall Balls 9/6kg

3 Power Snatches 60/40kg

It seems like ages ago since I first talked to Tony about my plans. He has trained with me for a long time and it took almost no convincing to get him onboard. Not sure why, it cant have been because of all my good chat:) anyway…The fact that he believed in my idea straight away, made the whole process very easy. One day over a coffee with Mike we told him about our possible business plans and he seemed intrigued by the prospect of helping out with all the steel work. Even though it took us a little time to sell Mike on the idea, luckily for us he was all for it. From then on things began to move fast. With in a matter of only a few weeks we had secured a location and Mike was working on an absolute masterpiece of a pull up rig. It wasn’t all smooth sailing but we have been very fortunate with the way things have turned out.

Even if you don’t see Tony or Mike at the gym, you can be sure they are helping me behind the scenes. I am truly thankful for all the help they have given me in my pursuit in succeeding as business owner.

Christian

Tuesday 30/08/16

WOD: 24 Min EMOM (8 Rounds)

1st min: 3 Squat Cleans (AHAP)

2nd min: 8-12 TTB

3rd min: 30 Double Unders + 10 Push ups

Note there will be scaling options to cater for all fitness levels. We will make sure everyone gets a good workout.

I am absolutely pumped to be starting up this week. We have waited a long time for this to come together. On more than one occasion it looked like it was never going to happen. The few people I have been talking to over the last year can contest to that. I had a lot of different ideas flying around on how I could make this work, some were better than others, which the people I confided in can contest to. There are many people who will need a special mention but they all deserve their own post so you will have to stay tuned for them:) I have been blown away by the positive feedback from the free week classes and all the people who turned up ready to train and join in on the banter.

As for the classes we will be offering: We have our normal program which will be called Metcon for obvious reasons, but don’t worry affiliation is being worked on:)

The other program is called GPP and is more of a general circuit class very inclusive and great for new people.

Metcon classes:

Monday-Friday 6-7am , 12.10-12.50pm , 5.30-6.30pm

Saturday 8-9am , 9-10am

GPP classes:

Monday-Thursday 6.30-7.30pm

Sunday 10am

I hope all this makes sense and if you have any questions you know I’m always happy to listen. The website will have all info for you www.southernpeakfitness.co.nz and you can email me at:  [email protected]

I will finish with an insignificant but very genuine Thank you which satisfies no one but says everything. it has been incredible seeing you all helping out getting this place up and running and i am truly grateful.

Christian

WOD 29/08/16

Strength: 6RM Deadlift

For Time:

400m Run

15 CTB Pull ups

15 Burpees

400m Run

12 CTB Pull ups

12 Burpees

400m Run

6 CTB Pull ups

6 Burpees

400m Run

3 CTB Pull ups

3 Burpees

There will be scaling options for everyone who need it