Kettlebell WOD

Some days a workout done all alone is exactly what I need to clear my head. I went to my email archives and did a Relentless Trojan Challenge workout from 2011 this afternoon in my garage. I forgot how much of a doozie the chipper was until today. All you need is a kettlebell and about 25 minutes.

30 American swings
30 clean & press
30 snatch
30 Figure 8s
30 sumo deadlift high pull
30 windmills
30 lunge pass throughs
30 kettlebell crossover pushups
30 swing to high pull
30 burpees
200m walking lunge with KB held over head

3, 2, 1 GO. Post your times below. I used a 35lb kettlebell. After I was done working out, I remembered how much I love my life.

Relentless improves golf games

Laurie attends my MWF 8:30am Athletic Training class at Lake Pointe. She started class 2 years ago and since then has rehabbed a torn up knee, a broken toe, and had a surgery that put her down and out for 4 weeks. Clearly nothing stops this woman from being the Relentless athlete she encompasses every single day.

Laurie is an avid golfer and goes golfing weekly with her friends and husband. She writes...

CrossFit has been such a wonderful addition to my life! Not only am I stronger and more toned at almost 49 years old, it has pumped up my golf game! I consistently drive the ball 220-240 yards (about 20-30 yards further than before), and I'm no longer sore after playing 18 holes. I used to feel every single muscle after playing, but now I'm not sore at all. Feeling physically strong gives you a confidence you cannot feel any other way. Thanks, Megan, you're the best!!

I love stories like these.  A client joins class to get into better shape but in return ends up significantly improving hobbies outside of working out. Joining a Relentless Athletic Training class will not only get you in shape, but it will improve your sport.

How has CrossFit improved your physical activities outside of class?

London Labor

Edinburgh Castle

Michelle attends my Tu/Th 6:30am Athletic Training class at O.Henry Middle School. She traveled to London this past week for the Virgin London Marathon and wanted to stay on top of her workouts while out of the country. I pulled together body weight movement exercises for her to do over the course of the 7 days. Below is the compilation. Michelle said it best when describing the picture above...."The queen comes for a week or two in the summer. Pretty sure she doesn't do lunges!!"


LONDON LABOR

1000 walking lunges
900 situps (butterfly, regular, suitcase, or V-ups)
800 Knees to elbow (every side counts as a rep)
700 lateral jumps
600 squats
500 froggies
400 burpees
300 pushups
200 grasshoppers
100m sprint x 10 times

*All the reps need to be completed within the 7 days. Break up as needed over the week.

 Never use the excuse that you cannot workout while traveling. Where there is a will there is a way. All it takes is a little preparation and a fun attitude.

L-O-V-E my classes

This week marks our annual Spring Cleaning for our indoor and outdoor programs. I enjoy this time, because it gives me the opportunity to do a lot more relaxing, reading, sleeping,  and hanging with friends. I have been very present to how much I love my career.  I am privileged to coach some of the most successful, educated, and inspiring individuals in Austin, TX. It is only Tuesday of a full week of being off from coaching my Relentless Athletic Training classes, and I have been able to hang out with multiple athletes I coach.

Saturday evening I attended a baby shower for Ruthie who is in my Barton Hills class. The picture above is all the ladies in the class showin' out over Ruthie's soon-to-be new little baby boy. Later that evening I hung out with Sarah who has lost over a pant size in 4 weeks and is performing 50 pushups on her toes daily to get stronger---before/after pictures coming soon.

Interacting with my athletes outside of class allows me to learn how much we are a team; how important accountability is for success; and how much everyone is enrolled in a healthy lifestyle and achieving every fitness dream they can imagine.

Come find out what the camaraderie is like in one of the 4 classes I coach. I will comp the 1st class for you. View my coaching schedule HERE and email meganparsons@crossfitcentral.com to try out a class.

Team SHOWOUT

Saturday was the kick-off to the Relentless Event Series. I competed in the Adventure Race with Davianne who is a friend and also a client in my Tu/Th 6:30am Athletic Training class at O.Henry Middle School. We are Team Showout through the course of the event series.

We had a blast! Covered in mud, full of laughing, piggy-back rides, swinging kettlebells, and encouraging each other on the last home stretch. Team Showout placed 3rd in the Women's division. We are already gearing up for the next event!

Join in on the fun at the 5K Race on May 12th and/or Garage Gym Throwdown on June 2nd. Details here.

Inspire to Action

SISTERSSSSSSSSS

 "You have all you need within you to become the best version of yourself. Anything that inspires you is an outward reflection of the potential within you. Cultivate in your own life, in your own way, the qualities and greatness you see in others and pretty soon you will be living a life that is your personal version of greatness. Your work is to apply yourself everyday and don't look back."

It's a personal goal to run into someone I know every time I make a trip to the grocery store or if I am out and about around town. To me it shows that I am meeting new people, stepping out of my circle of friends, and expanding my horizons. Or, it could simply be the Woo in me. I can add a check to the box today for that one. I ran into an old friend from Baylor at HEB today and he asks if I was still coaching at CrossFit Central. I went on to explain what I was doing with Relentless, Pump & Shred, and my own training regime and he goes on to say--> "You're living the dream."


WOW. I think that quite a bit, but to have someone out of no where recognize the energy and passion for what I do out of a simple grocery store conversation speaks volumes. That is why the quote above is so powerful to me. Each day I wake up with the ability to be the best version of Showout Meg. All I have is now-->this is it & it's perfect. I Fight Mr. Resistance daily with an attitude of thankfulness. The more I give of myself; the more I am inspired to do even more!


What inspires you?

Fun run = PR

Mary attends the MWF 8:30am Relentless Athletic Training class in Lake Pointe. She's been training with us for over 4 years and consistently shows up ready to work and have fun. Last weekend Mary traveled to FL for a some friend time and a 1/2 marathon. Not only did she come back rejuvenated, but she ran 1:52 and finished 19th in her age division! That's my girl....way to go MARY!!!

 She writes...

First destination race with awesome friends!!  ...chose the Seaside Half Marathon, Santa Rosa Beach, FL. Went for fun and took 3 minutes off my 3M half marathon time from 5 weeks ago, and cut my average pace down to 8:36....15 sec per mile faster than 3M. Finished 19th in my age division finishing at 1:52:36.  Went for fun and had an awesome run!!  

 

Relentless near & far

Katie attends the 5:30am Tu/Th Athletic Training class O.Henry Middle School. She recently traveled to Mexico City and climbed to the top of the Pyramid of the Sun in Teotihuacan. She threw in her own flavor by reppin' the Double C's!

Katie is Relentless inside and outside of class.  What do you do when traveling? Do you hike, relax, workout, play, all the above?

SXSW Complimentary Workouts

MWF 8:30am Athletic Training at Lake Pointe

SXSW is right around the corner and Relentless Training Systems is offering complimentary workouts for the entire city--- visitors & Austinites! I love the energy that comes with SXSW and want in on every bit of the action.

Join us over the next 2 weeks for a 45 minute lunch time workout and take a break from the interactive, film, and media at SXSW. If you are a current Relentless client, please bring a friend to the workout. Anyone and everyone is welcomed.

WORKOUT DATES-

3/6, 3/8, 3/13, 3/15

@Luke's Locker (map)
12:00-12:45

RSVP here (scroll to the bottom)

Wedding Bells for Carrie

I had the joy of coaching Carrie over the past 2 months in preparation for her wedding day in March. Yesterday was her last day of class. The 6:30am Tu/Th O.Henry Athletic Training class is going to miss her. Within no time at all, Carrie became close friends with the athletes in class. If she was not in class working out with her crew, you would see her out and about around town with her fellow classmates getting in a workout. This past Tuesday, Carrie, Sarah, Kate, & Michelle (all from 6:30am Tu/Th O.Henry) put in a 2-a-day and worked out with me at our monthly FIT MOB. That is what Relentless Athletic Training is all about...it is more than show up for 1 hour to workout, but meeting new people, receiving accountability from individuals you sweat with each week, and developing friendships that go beyond the workout setting.

Carrie writes....

"I am going to miss your class like CRAZY. I've loved it so much, Megan. I cannot tell you how happy I've been to be a part of your group...and how sad I am to leave it. Honestly, I think it really made me (1) more fit and wedding ready (2) more motivated to join CrossFit (maybe endurance or indoor since there's no relentless-type that i know of...) in Tyler. It's amazing how quickly a community of friends forms! I'm gonna need that up there asap!!!! I'm pumped about this next chapter. Thanks for helping me get there. These few months have been big ones for me. :)"

Best of luck, Carrie!!! I am so proud of her, and I have no doubt she will rock it on her wedding day. I expect to see a picture of Carrie flexing her guns on wedding day.

I am Irresistible

Confidence does not come out of no where. It is a result of something-- hours and days and weeks and years-- of constant work and dedication. ~Roger Staubach

Relentless Training Systems kicked off their very 1st 6-week Boot Camp 2 weeks ago. All the athletes came to orientation the Saturday before classes to get body comps complete, an overview of nutrition, and to set expectations.

I am so fired up about this new avenue within Relentless. We had over 40 athletes sign up for our 1st session and every single one of them are brand new to anything CrossFit. Niki volunteered to be the athlete we will follow over the next 6 weeks to document her success. Check out her video above.

I am passionate about making a statement in Austin, TX. Every single coach on the Relentless staff is upping the ante. Personally, I am adding more value to my athlete's experience, sharing with everyone I meet about what I do, and letting the world know what I am up. As Staubach states above, do work day in and day out and the benefits will reap.

I AM IRRESISTIBLE. 

Are you irresistible? I challenge you to choose to chase confidently after your dreams and goals.

I am present to...

 Tu/Th 8am class at Barton Hills

I am very present today that I am living in a city and in a career that fits me perfectly. I got back late last night from a bachelorette party in Playa del Carmen and hit today running full speed ahead. As I was catching up from the weekend, I realized how great it felt to come back from a mini-vacation ready to rock and roll. No post-vacay sadness. I was excited to see all my athletes!

I remember coming back from trips in the past and being depressed about going back to work or returning to the city where I was living. Not this time. It felt great to be back in my own bed, and to wake up and be surrounded by fellow coaches who believe in me, support me, and have the same passion driving each of our steps.

Life is too short to go through the motions. What are you present to about your life?

Less Running BUT More PRs

A big CONGRATS to all my Relentless athletes who broke records and went out and ran the 3M half-marathon yesterday. I was smiling from ear to ear as I received emails, texts, and Facebook messages from everyone sharing their success.

Michelle's text- "1:53 3M half. Thank you CrossFit, little run training, bum foot but felt strong."

Becky's Facebook message- "Thanks to you Matt & I ran the 1/2 in under 1:40. Woohooo!"

Tina's email- "Hope you had a good weekend. Just wanted to let you know that I beat my 1/2 marathon goal -- my time was: 1:57 and 43 seconds -- woo hoo."

If you are still on the fence of how Relentless Athletic Training can prepare you for races with less distance training, then come to a class for FREE and see what it is all about. Send me an email at meganparsons@crossfitcentral.com to get on the list.

Congrats, Emily!

I  had the privilege of coaching Emily when she first joined our Athletic Training class at Little Stacy Park. She kicked off a new chapter in her life with attending class 2x/week and signing up for one of our 6-week challenges.

Fast forward over a year later and she has transformed from the inside, out. Emily has lost 14 pounds and gone from a size 14 to an 8! And to top it all off, she quit a smoking habit she had been battling for years. Read Emily's entire story HERE.

I am looking for the next Success Story for 2012. Will it be you?

Synergy

This week I am big on definitions....

Synergy is defined in two ways:
1. working together.
2. two or more things functioning together to produce a result not independently obtainable

Synergy is critical when growing a business and creating new products to reshape the face of outdoor fitness in Austin. Last month Jeremy and I discussed him coming back to coach with Relentless Training Systems for our new 6-week Boot Camps. I was thrilled with the request. Jeremy is the one who taught me everything I know with how to run our Athletic Training classes, grow a class, and gave me the opportunity to run the entire outdoor branch of his business.

Fast forward a month later and the synergy between him, our marketing branch, and myself has clicked. His energy, hustle, and excitement is a new spark for our coaching staff. Without synergy, my efforts are in vain. I am fired up to work in sync with Jeremy Thiel and Jess Clark this year as we take Relentless Training Systems to brand new heights with the best coaching staff around!

Small steps make a big difference

One of my 2012 goals is to write for a column in a fitness magazine--- Shape, Oxygen, and/or Fitness Rx for Women. This month I was featured in the "Fresh Start for a Fit 2012" article in Austin Woman thanks to our friends at My Fit List. Each article submission is one step closer to writing on a national scale.

I was proud to be the voice of Relentless Training Systems amongst other fitness experts in Austin. Check out the online version HERE.

I wrote...

TOP TIP: Balance, balance, balance. I approach everything with the outlook of work hard, play hard. I view my career, social life, family, and friends as my lifestyle, and it provides a completely different approach to life. Instead of compartmentalizing my health and wellness, I live it daily.

MOTIVATION: I started something new the day after Thanksgiving: 21 days of daily writing and exercising my dreaming muscles. This is not goal setting: it is dreaming, dreaming up new possibilities.

INSPIRATION: "Never forget that each new day is bringing you closer to your dreams."

Fight Mr. Resistance

Jeremy asked each of us coaches to come to our meeting tomorrow with our 2012 motto--a statement that triggers a response, motivates, pushes me into action. Over the past month I have been fortunate to start spending more time with my brother, Tyler, again since he is back in the Austin area. He is a unique individual with determination and a heart of fire. Tyler is someone you either love or hate...typically there is not an in between. However, that is what I admire and respect the most about him. What you see is what you get. No bullshit. Honesty.

Tyler and I have been watching quite a few videos from the Ultimate Warrior.  Every time I watch the video above I get fired up and ready to take on the world. I used to watch the Ultimate Warrior fight back in the day when my Dad would watch wrestling. This guy is hilarious and straight forward. One of his sayings is Fight Mr. Resistance. The statement hit a cord with me the 1st time I heard it.

What exactly does Fight Mr. Resistance mean?

• When it's 20-degrees outside and your clients are depending on you to show up and bring 100% and all you want to do is sleep, Fight Mr. Resistance. 
• When you get push back from family and peers regarding your dreams and goals, Fight Mr. Resistance. 
• When you have averaged 4 hours of sleep multiple nights due to deadlines and life, Fight Mr. Resistance. 
• When the daily grind seems unbearable and you want to quit, Fight Mr. Resistance. 
• When your training your ass off for the big end goal and you just want to rest,  Fight Mr. Resistance. 
• When you want to make excuses for why you don't have what you have, Fight Mr. Resistance. 

You get the point.  This statement is now written across my mirror for me to read multiple times a day. 2012 is a year to be reckon.

Fight Mr. Resistance.

What do you want?

"The indispensable first step to getting things you want out of life is this: decide what you want." -Ben Stein

This time of year is when I reflect on what I have accomplished over the past year, and where I want to go in the new year. A trend I follow year after year is laser focus on my career goals and very little time dreaming in the spiritual realm and focusing on personal goals. In 2012 I will have balance between the two. Both are extremely important to me; however, one should not take precedent over the other.

I think it's easier for me to get fired up about career aspirations because a team is involved. In 2012, Relentless Training Systems is launching our new 6-week Boot Camps along with streamlined programming across all Athletic Training classes. My goal is to have 375 athletes in Relentless by the start of the round 2 of Boot Camp on April 2nd.

A new adventure for me this upcoming year is I will be competing in a figure show on July 21st. I have never done anything like this before, and I am super excited to take on this  journey with Clarkie. The extra nudge from her is what convinced me to take a leap of faith to train and compete in something new. Mark it down...I will win.

I am enjoying every bit of my 2 week break from coaching Athletic Training classes and catching up on some much needed sleep. I am also enjoying this time of clarity and deciding exactly what I want just as Stein states above.

What do you want out of 2012?

Holiday Fun

(Me & tinyFIT at our end-of-year Staff Banquet)

Relentless Training Systems are off for the next 2 weeks. It is a nice break for us coaches, but I do know our athletes still want to get in some workouts. Personally, this time of year is full of going out with my friends (see pic above), but also making time to get in workouts. Work hard. Play hard.

Below are a few workout suggestions that require minimal equipment.

Workout #1- Compliments of up and coming coach, Adam Martin
100 air squats
90 russian twist with a kettlebell
80 grasshoppers
70 russian swings
600m run
50 american swings
40 KB sumo deadlift high pull
30 KB wall balls
20 pushups
10 wall walks

After many visits to Dave and Sam at Next Level, I learned I need to work the glute max and medius. If you have a Perform Better band then I recommend the following right before a workout:
20 lateral band walks (10 on each side)
90 seconds of static bridge holds (place 1 to 2 bands above knees)
Jane Fondas (minimum of 60 seconds on each side)

Workout #2- I did this workout with my sister yesterday.

Wheelbarrow- She held my feet 1 direction and then we switched. Followed by 10 ring rows while the other partner did as many plyo pushups as possible until the partner was done with the ring rows. 4 rounds.

Next we did the following KB complex:
Power clean
Front rack squat
Swing & clean
Snatch
Thruster
 *equals 1 rep. Perform 3 on right, 3 on left, followed by 10 V-ups. 4 rounds

I challenge you to get creative over the holiday. Use ledges for box jumps, dips, decline/incline pushups. Find a tree to do pullups or visit the closest track. Find a way to workout with family members. I always love when my sister and I workout together. Most importantly, HAVE FUN! It's all about balance.

reactive to PROACTIVE

Excitement must lead to immediate action or you will lose power of momentum. More dreams die because we fail to seize the moment. Do it NOW!!!- Tony Robbins

What are you doing NOW to best prepare yourself for 2012? I challenged the Relentless coaching staff and myself to shift our actions from reactive to proactive. To stay at least 1 step ahead of our client's needs and our future growth. To live in the realm of self-initiation. To get our hands dirty and straight up do work.

The quote above from Tony Robbins is my mindset. I am fired up with all the new changes for Relentless Training Systems in 2012, my new journey to compete and win a Figure competition in July, and the development of a national brand . The excitement of the new and unknown is a huge driving force for me right now. I am absolutely capitalizing on my excitement and the excitement of our team to build momentum and start the new year with a bang!