enduraLAB

[enduralab]

Back to Basics

by Coach Lee

Most of our clients come to enduraLAB with their heads full of information. The ocean of health and fitness articles in magazine and newspapers, blogs, tips from their buddies and the ever-growing list of “reality” weight-loss television shows. Of course, having access to all of this information hasn’t necessary made them healthier, fitter or leaner. After all, knowledge doesn’t change behavior.

So why can’t we make any meaningful changes with all of this information at our fingertips? A few things usually happen,

We can’t apply the knowledge - Just knowing something is one of the most rudimentary levels of thought. Comprehension, application, analysis and evaluation are much more difficult. We like to call this the “behavior gap” between knowing what versus knowing how. “I don’t know why I can’t lose weight…I know what to do."

Knowledge overwhelms us - There is so much, and always more to know. Often, our clients have much of the information they need. And arguably, they have too much. They’re bathing in it. 

Media’s mixed messages - Should you do cardio for fat loss? Will lifting weights make me bulky? Is it ok to eat carbs? I heard meat was bad for you? Are supplements good or bad for me? It’s enough to make even professionals confused!

We seek more knowledge to avoid actually doing the work - Just one more book, one more blog, one more podcast, one more online workout on how to get ready for swimsuit season…then I’ll start. We end up knowing too much, understanding too little and way too scared of what we might be missing.

At enduraLAB, we know that we need to stay informed and current, understand whats going on in our field and keep up on the new research. But the most important thing is to be able to translate that information into concrete tasks and cues for our clients. For the Back to Basics blog series, we’re going to serve as your information filter to help you decide what is important and prioritize your energy!

One thing we hope this blog series brings to the forefront is the effectiveness of fundamentals. Nutrition, exercise, recovery…it doesn’t have to be covered in glitter and marketing to work. Too many people waste their time and valuable energy on nutrition and fitness fads that produce, if any, unsustainable results. The things that might make a 2-percent difference are distracting you from the real work that would make 80-percent of the difference!

"Success is neither magical nor mysterious. Success is the natural consequence of consistently applying the basic fundamentals."  -- Jim Rohn

It’s no secret that at enduraLAB, we believe in simplicity. You walk into the LAB and you’ll notice there are no mirrors on the wall, there is no bright color scheme or flashing lights. You won’t see us hopping on the latest fitness trend. What you will find is a space where education is at the forefront. You will learn proper movement. You will understand what you’re doing and why you’re doing it. You will get results. Fall in love with fitness, make meaningful change, and schedule your free 1-on-1 consultation below.

[enduralab]

Back to Basics

by Coach Lee

Most of our clients come to enduraLAB with their heads full of information. The ocean of health and fitness articles in magazine and newspapers, blogs, tips from their buddies and the ever-growing list of “reality” weight-loss television shows. Of course, having access to all of this information hasn’t necessary made them healthier, fitter or leaner. After all, knowledge doesn’t change behavior.

So why can’t we make any meaningful changes with all of this information at our fingertips? A few things usually happen,

We can’t apply the knowledge - Just knowing something is one of the most rudimentary levels of thought. Comprehension, application, analysis and evaluation are much more difficult. We like to call this the “behavior gap” between knowing what versus knowing how. “I don’t know why I can’t lose weight…I know what to do."

Knowledge overwhelms us - There is so much, and always more to know. Often, our clients have much of the information they need. And arguably, they have too much. They’re bathing in it. 

Media’s mixed messages - Should you do cardio for fat loss? Will lifting weights make me bulky? Is it ok to eat carbs? I heard meat was bad for you? Are supplements good or bad for me? It’s enough to make even professionals confused!

We seek more knowledge to avoid actually doing the work - Just one more book, one more blog, one more podcast, one more online workout on how to get ready for swimsuit season…then I’ll start. We end up knowing too much, understanding too little and way too scared of what we might be missing.

At enduraLAB, we know that we need to stay informed and current, understand whats going on in our field and keep up on the new research. But the most important thing is to be able to translate that information into concrete tasks and cues for our clients. For the Back to Basics blog series, we’re going to serve as your information filter to help you decide what is important and prioritize your energy!

One thing we hope this blog series brings to the forefront is the effectiveness of fundamentals. Nutrition, exercise, recovery…it doesn’t have to be covered in glitter and marketing to work. Too many people waste their time and valuable energy on nutrition and fitness fads that produce, if any, unsustainable results. The things that might make a 2-percent difference are distracting you from the real work that would make 80-percent of the difference!

"Success is neither magical nor mysterious. Success is the natural consequence of consistently apply the basic fundamentals."  -- Jim Rohn

It’s no secret that at enduraLAB, we believe in simplicity. You walk into the LAB and you’ll notice there are no mirrors on the wall, there is no bright color scheme or flashing lights. You won’t see us hopping on the latest fitness trend. What you will find is a space where education is at the forefront. You will learn proper movement. You will understand what you’re doing and why you’re doing it. You will get results. Fall in love with fitness, make meaningful change, and schedule your free 1-on-1 consultation below.

[enduralab]

Back to Basics

by Coach Lee

Most of our clients come to enduraLAB with their heads full of information. The ocean of health and fitness articles in magazine and newspapers, blogs, tips from their buddies and the ever-growing list of “reality” weight-loss television shows. Of course, having access to all of this information hasn’t necessary made them healthier, fitter or leaner. After all, knowledge doesn’t change behavior.

So why can’t we make any meaningful changes with all of this information at our fingertips? A few things usually happen,

We can’t apply the knowledge - Just knowing something is one of the most rudimentary levels of thought. Comprehension, application, analysis and evaluation are much more difficult. We like to call this the “behavior gap” between knowing what versus knowing how. “I don’t know why I can’t lose weight…I know what to do."

Knowledge overwhelms us - There is so much, and always more to know. Often, our clients have much of the information they need. And arguably, they have too much. They’re bathing in it. we know too much, understand too little and we are way too scared of what we might be missing.

Media’s mixed messages - Should you do cardio for fat loss? Will lifting weights make me bulky? Is it ok to eat carbs? I heard meat was bad for you? Are supplements good or bad for me? It’s enough to make even professionals confused!

We seek more knowledge to avoid actually doing the work - Just one more book, one more blog, one more podcast, one more online workout on how to get ready for swimsuit season…then I’ll start. We end up knowing too much, understanding too little and way too scared of what we might be missing.

At enduraLAB, we know that we need to stay informed and current, understand whats going on in our field and keep up on the new research. But the most important thing is to be able to translate that information into concrete tasks and cues for our clients. For the Back to Basics blog series, we’re going to serve as your information filter to help you decide what is important and prioritize your energy!

One thing we hope this blog series brings to the forefront is the effectiveness of fundamentals. Nutrition, exercise, recovery…it doesn’t have to be covered in glitter and marketing to work. Too many people waste their time and valuable energy on nutrition and fitness fads that produce, if any, unsustainable results. The things that might make a 2-percent difference are distracting you from the real work that would make 80-percent of the difference!

"Success is neither magical nor mysterious. Success is the natural consequence of consistently apply the basic fundamentals."  -- Jim Rohn

It’s no secret that at enduraLAB, we believe in simplicity. You walk into the LAB and you’ll notice there are no mirrors on the wall, there is no bright color scheme or flashing lights. You won’t see us hopping on the latest fitness trend. What you will find is a space where education is at the forefront. You will learn proper movement. You will understand what you’re doing and why you’re doing it. You will get results. Fall in love with fitness, make meaningful change, and schedule your free 1-on-1 consultation below.

[enduralab]

Back to Basics

by Coach Lee

Most of our clients come to enduraLAB with their heads full of information. The ocean of health and fitness articles in magazine and newspapers, blogs, tips from their buddies and the ever-growing list of “reality” weight-loss television shows. Of course, having access to all of this information hasn’t necessary made them healthier, fitter or leaner. After all, knowledge doesn’t change behavior.

So why can’t we make any meaningful changes with all of this information at our fingertips? A few things usually happen,

We can’t apply the knowledge - Just knowing something is one of the most rudimentary levels of thought. Comprehension, application, analysis and evaluation are much more difficult. We like to call this the “behavior gap” between knowing what versus knowing how. “I don’t know why I can’t lose weight…I know what to do."

Knowledge overwhelms us - There is so much, and always more to know. Often, our clients have much of the information they need. And arguably, they have too much. They’re bathing in it. we know too much, understand too little and we are way too scared of what we might be missing.

Media’s mixed messages - Should you do cardio for fat loss? Will lifting weights make me bulky? Is it ok to eat carbs? I heard meat was bad for you? Are supplements good or bad for me? It’s enough to make even professionals confused!

We seek more knowledge to avoid actually doing the work - Just one more book, one more blog, one more podcast, one more online workout on how to get ready for swimsuit season…then I’ll start. We end up knowing too much, understanding too little and way too scared of what we might be missing.

At enduraLAB, we know that we need to stay informed and current, understand whats going on in our field and keep up on the new research. But the most important thing is to be able to translate that information into concrete tasks and cues for our clients. For the Back to Basics blog series, we’re going to serve as your information filter to help you decide what is important and prioritize your energy!

One thing we hope this blog series brings to the forefront is the effectiveness of fundamentals. Nutrition, exercise, recovery…it doesn’t have to be covered in glitter and marketing to work. Too many people waste their time and valuable energy on nutrition and fitness fads that produce, if any, unsustainable results. The things that might make a 2-percent difference are distracting you from the real work that would make 80-percent of the difference!

"Success is neither magical nor mysterious. Success is the natural consequence of consistently apply the basic fundamentals."  -- Jim Rohn

It’s no secret that at enduraLAB, we believe in simplicity. You walk into the LAB and you’ll notice there are no mirrors on the wall, there is no bright color scheme or flashing lights. You won’t see us hopping on the latest fitness trend. What you will find is a space where education is at the forefront. You will learn proper movement. You will understand what you’re doing and why you’re doing it. You will get results. Fall in love with fitness, make meaningful change, and schedule your free 1-on-1 consultation below.

[enduralab]

Time to Prepare - The Importance of the Warm Up

By Coach Tori

Think of the warm-up as your body’s alarm clock. Maybe you’re coming straight from work at 5:30pm or maybe you are walking in the gym at 5:00am still trying to wake up. Either way, your body has a routine and when you come through the door, you are in “rest” mode. In science-y terms, your body is predominantly being controlled by the parasympathetic nervous system (PSNS). According to my freshman anatomy teacher, this is the “rest and digest” system. Your body can maintain this level of work for extended periods of time. Contrarily, there is also the sympathetic nervous system (SNS). This neural system of control is easily identified as “fight or flight”. This is the system that responds to stress, whether it be physical, mental, or emotional. When this system is in control for extended periods of time, your body begins to break down. However for short periods of time, like during a workout, “stressing” this system results in physiological benefits that ultimately lead to improved health, brain function, and all the health benefits that exercise can and will bring to you.

The warm up is how you separate the gym and your workout from the rest of the world. This is how your body gets ready to work. The reason for this is to trigger the SNS to prepare for fight or flight. Now, unless the world turns into the Hunger Games overnight, we’re talking about fighting through those tough workouts. Your warm-up is what wakes you up. It prepares you for the fight. Work, relationship stress, money, family issues, or whatever else could be bothering you melts away during the warm-up so you can focus on the task at hand.

There are typically two parts to any warm-up in the workouts at the LAB: the general warm-up and the specific warm-up. The general warm-up is what gets you moving, gets your heart rate up, and quite literally starts to warm your body. This is the building loop, five minute row, bike, ski, jump rope, or any other cardiovascular and repetitive movement. The specific warm-up is where you traditionally see your shoulder dislocates, good mornings, wall squats, lunges, kettlebell swings, and the list goes on. This is because the specific warm-up is tailored to each particular work out.

The specific warm-up “zooms in”, per se, on movements that your body needs primed and ready to go to successfully perform during the workout. For example, let’s say we have a benchmark workout. The workout calls for back squat 1RM, so you will probably see some combination of wall squats, air squats, or jump squats in the specific warm-up. Then, we typically prelude the 1RM or any high percentage lift with a “build to heavy”. This is key to waking up those neuromuscular pathways that are involved with that specific lift. If my squat 1RM was 180#, I would not immediately start with 180# and then work up from there. The goal is not to wake up those neuromuscular pathways with a bucket of ice water, it is to wake them up slowly. I would start with just the bar and focus specifically on form (form is key to anything you do in the gym). Then, I would begin to add weight and perform enough reps that I am triggering the SNS but not taxing the system so much that I can’t perform the lift at a high intensity. This is different for each person, but typically it should take about 10-12 reps to get there. After those 10-12 reps, I’m ready to go. I’m close to 180# and I’m taking a few minutes between each squat to properly recover and mentally prep for the next one. If I didn’t take the time to do that, I would not be physically or mentally prepared and most likely, wouldn’t see the results I desire (which in this case is a back squat PR).

That is a long winded example, but it rings true in every workout, benchmark or not. If you rush through the motions and are not mentally present during the warm-up, you will not live up to your potential during the workout. If you are short changing yourself during the workout, then you won’t receive all the benefits. Without the benefits, what’s the point? The warm-up is crucial. A good warm-up means a good workout. A bad warm-up means a bad workout. I cannot express the importance of the warm-up enough. Yet the warm-up is often the time used to catch up with friends, to walk in late, and to screw around. My intent is not to scold anyone for any of those actions. I’m usually always running late for something and I always talk to people while I warm-up or I’m making my preworkout or I’m writing an email to a professor or stressing about whatever is on my mind. What I’m trying to stress is the importance of doing the warm-up with a purpose. Don’t sacrifice your wall squats to talk to Betty Sue about her lunch plans. You come to the gym for a reason: you know that you deserve to give yourself that hour. That hour is for you. I don’t want you to undermine it for the social aspect that so many people love, including and especially me, about the LAB. The warm-up is your time to focus. It’s your time to zoom in on you. It’s your time to wake up. It’s your time to prepare for the fight.

[enduralab]

Memorial Day Murph 2016

All regularly scheduled classes will be cancelled on Memorial Day, Monday May 30th. We’ll be running the workout “Murph” at 10AM in remembrance of military personnel who have died in service.

“Murph”

For time:

1 mile Run

100 Pull-ups

200 Push-ups

300 Squats

1 mile Run

Partition the pull-ups, push-ups, and squats as needed. Start and finish with a mile run. If you’ve got a twenty pound vest or body armor, wear it. We'll also have a modified version for anyone who might not be up for the challenge...this year.

A cookout will follow the workout so we hope you stay around to have a burger, brat or beer!

There is no fee for this event but we encourage participants to register at http://themurphchallenge.com/

This workout was created in memory of Navy Lieutenant Michael Murphy, 29, of Patchogue, N.Y., who was killed in Afghanistan June 28th, 2005.

This workout was one of Mike’s favorites and he’d named it “Body Armor”. From here on it will be referred to as “Murph” in honor of the focused warrior and great American who wanted nothing more in life than to serve this great country and the beautiful people who make it what it is.

[enduralab]

enduraLAB Tee - 5-Year Anniversary

2016 enduraLAB 5-Year Anniversary Tee printed on the modern fit, super-soft triblend tee. 

Color: Black

[enduralab]

The enduraLAB Boot Camp: A Coach's Perspective

By Coach Staci

Boot camp: a short but rigorous course of training at enduraLAB.

Each week, your mind will question: who will make it though the first workout, whether they'll show up to the second, and who will make it all 6 weeks. My name is Staci Hankins, and I am one of your boot camp coaches here at enduraLAB. In my time working with our clients, I have been witness to greatness in the ability, skill and drive of our clients. Our clients' commitment is inspiring because they know it will not be easy. Waking up and being at the gym biweekly at 5:30am, early Saturday mornings, and being sore from head to toe and coming back again.  But what it will be is-worth it, and every single minute you are here moves you a little closer to better health and fitness! 

Boot camp isn't supposed to be easy. Boot camp is built to push you out of your comfort zone and help you make a lifestyle change. It is with much pride that I can say our boot camp clients are doing just that. Our clients push through the discomfort and never quit. I will not let you quit! I am here to help you reach the same drive I reach when I participate in the workouts; the drive for change!

Our clients willingness to put trust in our knowledge and ability is incredible! Our clients lose all skepticism and trust that if they give me all their effort from Day 1, it will without-a-doubt, be worth it! It all starts with realizing it can't be done in just a day; it will take changing the smallest of (bad) habits week by week to work towards that overall change. That change is what we all can't wait to see and we can do it together here at the enduraLAB Boot Camp!

[enduralab]

Recipe: Beef, Bacon and Plantain Casserole

By Coach Isis

I come from a Puerto Rican family and the food I ate from my grandmother's kitchen was  crazy delicious. That’s the thing with cleaning up your eating… you think you have to sacrifice all the flavor, but that is far from the truth. The power of simple spices and fresh ingredients can liven up any protein or vegetable.

If you are looking for recipe ideas, I highly suggest you follow Paleo OMG. Juli Bauer finds ways to make your favorite foods way healthier. I’ve made this Puerto Rican inspired recipe that I found on her blog and it was approved by Coach Lee and Coach Jack. :) I will warn that it is a little labor intensive but it makes a big casserole and it’s SO WORTH IT!

Recipe (Serves 3-4):

INGREDIENTS:

6 strips of bacon

3 yellow plantains (you want them to be slightly brown, but not green)

1 garlic clove, minced

1 pound ground beef

1 yellow onion, diced

salt and pepper, to taste

INSTRUCTIONS:

Preheat oven to 350 degrees.

In a large pan over medium heat, cook bacon until slightly crispy. Set aside.

Drain excess bacon fat, leaving behind about 1-2 tablespoons.

Cut off the ends of the plantains and remove the peel. Thinly slice the plantain lengthwise into 3 slices. Repeat with other 2 plantains.

Add plantain slices to bacon fat pan and cook about both sides for about 2-3 minutes until they are slightly browned. Set aside.

In the same pan, add minced garlic clove, ground beef, onion and salt and pepper. Cook until meat has broken down and completely cooked through.

Now for the stacking of the casserole, you can do this any way you'd like.

Place 3 plantain slices on the bottom, then 2 slices of bacon on top, then a couple spoonfuls of the ground beef mixture. Repeat two more times on top of the ground beef mixture.

Put in oven and cook for 12-15 minutes. Let sit for about 5 minutes.

Scoop out and serve.

[enduralab]

Bulletproof Your Shoulder - Kettlebell Press 101

By Coach Matt

Over the past year and half I’ve spent some time with my kettlebell, and without a doubt have seen some changes, both to my strength and my physique. I’ve learned many different skills, but always return to one that, just put simply, keeps me happy.

To me, pure happiness can be expressed through a well executed kettlebell press. The kettlebell press is an exercise all it’s own, requiring total tension through the body and more muscle engagement through the entire shoulder than I’ve seen. Over the past year, I’ve been able to take my press from 44 pounds to 106 pounds. That’s an increase of 240%! Something that just doesn’t make any sense, and I’ve been fortunate to see the carryover into my barbell movements, especially my standing military press.

Racking the Kettlebell:

The kettlebell press is unlike any. To start, you must get comfortable holding a bell in the rack position. Using both hands, you may place the bell into the rack. When there, the bell rests primarily against the forearm, resting parallel to the callouses in the hand. The hand is about clavicle height, and the arm is against your ribcage, instead of flaring out.

From here, you press the bell. While this seems simple, there are a couple of things to keep in mind before the bell even moves.

Tension:

Your body should be in a virtual plank the entirety of the press. This means many different things, and we’ll start at the bottom and work our way up. You should imagine that you are pulling your knee caps up into your hips, squeezing hard in the quads. Tense your glutes to the point that you could crack a walnut between the cheeks. Brace the abs as though ready to take a punch and protect yourself. The lats must stay tight and keeping the shoulders down. Your shoulders are ear poison, and should stay away from, packed into the joint. The hand that has the bell is white knuckle gripping the bell with all it can. The opposite hand is tensed, more than likely into a fist, aiding in the tension.

Breath:

Before you press, you’ll need some air inside. When you clean the bell, with one hand or two, sniff some air during the hike. Keep the air inside before a press. As you initiate the press, you’ll want to exhale slightly through your sticking point. When the press stalls a little, that is the time to use the breath! Press the tongue against the roof of the mouth to hiss, like sticking your thumb over the nozzle of a hose, increasing the pressure you have inside. As you pull the bell down to the body, you inhale in, ready for the next press.

Now the body is solid and ready to stand as our foundation for the press. The press is one that is a slow grind, not something explosive. That tightly cramped lat becomes our shelf, where we press from. Drive the weight overhead, controlling the bell slightly. Don’t let the bell roll to the inside, as this disconnects our shoulder, losing our strength, and becoming dangerous to the shoulder joint itself. The weight ends up almost behind us, slightly to the side still at the top, shoulder still packed, and body still tight. To bring the bell back down, we actively pull it down. The closest movement related to this is a one arm pull up. Do not allow the bell to control you and do what it wants, you keep control through the entirety of the movement.

Learn even more about the KETTLEBELL press with Coach Matt through the PressALot group coming april 2nd as you explore that meaning of happiness, getting some heavy shit overhead!

[enduralab]

Bulletproof Your Shoulder - Kettlebell Press 101

By Coach Matt

Over the past year and half I’ve spent some time with my kettlebell, and without a doubt have seen some changes, both to my strength and my physique. I’ve learned many different skills, but always return to one that, just put simply, keeps me happy.

To me, pure happiness can be expressed through a well executed kettlebell press. The kettlebell press is an exercise all it’s own, requiring total tension through the body and more muscle engagement through the entire shoulder than I’ve seen. Over the past year, I’ve been able to take my press from 44 pounds to 106 pounds. That’s an increase of 240%! Something that just doesn’t make any sense, and I’ve been fortunate to see the carryover into my barbell movements, especially my standing military press.

Racking the Kettlebell:

The kettlebell press is unlike any. To start, you must get comfortable holding a bell in the rack position. Using both hands, you may place the bell into the rack. When there, the bell rests primarily against the forearm, resting parallel to the callouses in the hand. The hand is about clavicle height, and the arm is against your ribcage, instead of flaring out.

From here, you press the bell. While this seems simple, there are a couple of things to keep in mind before the bell even moves.

Tension:

Your body should be in a virtual plank the entirety of the press. This means many different things, and we’ll start at the bottom and work our way up. You should imagine that you are pulling your knee caps up into your hips, squeezing hard in the quads. Tense your glutes to the point that you could crack a walnut between the cheeks. Brace the abs as though ready to take a punch and protect yourself. The lats must stay tight and keeping the shoulders down. Your shoulders are ear poison, and should stay away from, packed into the joint. The hand that has the bell is white knuckle gripping the bell with all it can. The opposite hand is tensed, more than likely into a fist, aiding in the tension.

Breath:

Before you press, you’ll need some air inside. When you clean the bell, with one hand or two, sniff some air during the hike. Keep the air inside before a press. As you initiate the press, you’ll want to exhale slightly through your sticking point. When the press stalls a little, that is the time to use the breath! Press the tongue against the roof of the mouth to hiss, like sticking your thumb over the nozzle of a hose, increasing the pressure you have inside. As you pull the bell down to the body, you inhale in, ready for the next press.

Now the body is solid and ready to stand as our foundation for the press. The press is one that is a slow grind, not something explosive. That tightly cramped lat becomes our shelf, where we press from. Drive the weight overhead, controlling the bell slightly. Don’t let the bell roll to the inside, as this disconnects our shoulder, losing our strength, and becoming dangerous to the shoulder joint itself. The weight ends up almost behind us, slightly to the side still at the top, shoulder still packed, and body still tight. To bring the bell back down, we actively pull it down. The closest movement related to this is a one arm pull up. Do not allow the bell to control you and do what it wants, you keep control through the entirety of the movement.

Learn even more about the KETTLEBELL press with Coach Matt through the PressALot group coming april 2nd as you explore that meaning of happiness, getting some heavy shit overhead!

[enduralab]

I Love Race Day

By Coach Lee

I love race day. The nervous energy. Athletes readying themselves to push their limits. But selfishly I love watching our enduraLAB athletes reach new heights.

As a coach, race day can be as nerve-racking as actually running a race. So many variables go into a successful race and you have to ensure you have prepared your athlete for all of them. While there is nothing sweeter than sharing success, you also have to prepare to pick the athlete up if there is failure. Most do not know that I originally started enduraLAB to be an online resource for athletes. I had a panel of local experts lined up to write about anatomy, nutrition, strength, recovery, mental health, women's health and all things endurance. It had one underlying motive, to help. Help uncover training dogmas, shed new light on how to eat, show better ways to train and create a health-conscious community. I had no intention in starting a gym, until I started a simple little run group. It was then I realized how impactful the face-to-face setting was to create real change. Being able to take the ideas and shape them to fit each individual person. There was no going back and enduraLAB's future was changed...for the better. This year's Cowtown Marathon was completely different for me. I was not running any of the races, we had no enduraLAB booth at the expo, I was just there to support our runners...and we had more than ever. As each of our current and past runners passed by, the one thing I noticed was how happy they were. Almost as if they knew something everyone else didn't. Every one of them, even with the mile 9 hill in their face, were smiling. They were strong. They were conditioned. They were prepared. enduraLAB had created positive change. Watching them succeed, hearing their stories, seeing their happiness...it validates what we've been building at enduraLAB. I could sit here and be content, with our runners having a very successful day. The problem is I can't. I know that we can make improvements and that our runners are already planning their next race . We will celebrate today's victories but I want to make sure we're prepared to create tomorrow's. enduraLAB has arrived, and we're here to help!

[enduralab]

Our Coaches Favorite Healthy Spots to Eat in Fort Worth

COACH ISIS: MCKINLEY'S - 1616 SOUTH UNIVERSITY DRIVE

McKinley’s is one of those “please everyone” kind of establishments. It’s easy to make a “healthier” choice and just as easy for your friend or family member to indulge. My favorite meal of the day is breakfast and McKinley’s definitely delivers. In the morning it’s super quiet, the staff is all smiles and their Paleo Plate is perfection. You get a huge serving of scrambled eggs, bacon, a side of salsa, avocado and fresh berries. Pair that with a fresh, steaming cup of local Avoca Coffee and you have yourself a healthy and filling start to the day. They just changed their hours to open at 7am, so you can hop in before work! It’s a casual, fun and delicious restaurant tucked in the hubbub of University Park Village.

COACH CHEN: CENTRAL MARKET - 4651 WEST FREEWAY

Need a quick healthy bite, you and your significant other can’t agree on a certain type of cuisine, need a cheap date option? The answer to all you problems is at Central Market. My go to for quick healthy bite and an easy dinner date with my wife on their large patio and live music on weekend evenings. From a large soup and salad bar, BBQ, sandwiches, pizza, sushi, and other prepared dishes, you have a plethora of freshly prepared options from whole foods that is sure to satisfy anyone’s palate. And if the reason youre going out for a meal is because your fridge is empty at home…you’re at the right place! Load up on the some of the freshest groceries (esp fruits and veggies) Fort Worth has to offer after you grab a bite to eat. PS don’t tell people at gym, but if its time for well deserve cheat meal, Central Market also has a huge selection of crafts beers (on tap too), wine, and handmade desserts to savor over…wink*

COACH MATT: RODEO GOAT - 2836 BLEDSOE STREET

While it's easy to look at restaurants in our area where a person can indulge, the main issue in eating healthier is moderation. Sure, a person can go to Rodeo Goat and have their cheese fries... That same person can opt for a healthier option, with their steak salad or even getting a side salad and adding a burger patty. Fresh real ingredients help to round out the healthy option here!

COACH HANKINS: THE LIVE OAK - 1311 LIPSCOMB STREET

I am a total sucker for live music and with live music comes a lot of bar food. Fortunately, one of my favorite music venues in Fort Worth, The Live Oak, has an Ahi Tuna Salad that is amazing! It’s not just your normal salad with lettuce and tomatoes. The Ahi Tuna steak is laid over a bed of diced cucumber, jicama, red onion, tomato, jalapenos and avocado. It comes with a chili lime vinaigrette that makes the salad complete. Another reason Live Oak is a great place to hangout is its roof top patio! The patio has a great view of downtown Fort Worth and has live acoustic music every day of the week. It also has local craft beers and great cheat meals too!

COACH MILLER: TEXAS ROADHOUSE - MULTIPLE LOCATIONS

If you're from Texas, chances are you're a big red meat eater... but with a steak house comes large sides, free bread, desserts and lots of cocktails. My favorite place to go is Texas Roadhouse and these few steps can help you make healthier decisions. As you walk in, the number one best choice you can do is ask the hostess to not grab any of that (delicious, buttered, and fluffy) bread to bring to your table. Step two is choose your sides wisely. They have the option for a plain potato, a plain sweet potato, fresh vegetables, or green beans. You can also get a house salad with oil and vinegar. Pair your two options with a 6oz tenderloin all for $9.99 If you're looking for one side you can even get the Ranger meal (6oz steak with 1 side) for 6.99 You just can't go wrong at Texas Roadhouse. Healthy eating on an extremely do able budget. It's the perfect balance for my super unhealthy family and me.

COACH TORI: ZOE'S KITCHEN - 1601 SOUTH UNIVERSITY DRIVE

One of my favorite places to eat healthy on the go is Zoe's Kitchen. As a student, working part time, and a puppy in the house, it's very difficult to make time to cook at the end of the week when my meal prep is running out. I go to Zoe's because I love Mediterranean food, but I go back because of the convenience. You can order with call ahead or the app for your phone, and it's super quick to pick up because they have it ready in the time it takes you to drive there.

As far as the menu goes, there's several types of lean proteins with a multitude of sides. My go to is any kind of kabob. The chicken, salmon and steak options all come with different sides but I always sub a side Greek salad and the roasted veggies to get the meal exactly how I want it. They're really easy about substitutions, so don't feel like you are limited to the menu exactly how it is. These meals are easy to split with a friend or a spouse, or save half for later, because like any other restaurant they serve more than one portion size. The menu is reasonably priced for the amount of food you get, especially if you portion it out to two meals. And for all my fellow frogs out there, they take frog bucks!

COACH LEE: DEL FRISCO'S GRILLE - 154 E 3RD STREET

If I'm going to go out for a meal, I want to make sure it's a good one. My go-to for a healthy option is usually a steak house. They make it pretty easy to find a healthy combination of protein, veggies and a good fat. Lately my choice for steak has been at Del Frisco's Grille. They are currently serving a mouth-watering grass fed hanger steak. Start off with a salad and pair the steak with their roasted asparagus, shaved brussels or sweet potato frites and you have a pretty solid meal.  If you want to have a little fun, DFG's lemon cake is hard to beat for dessert...

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5 Reasons You'll Want To Do a Boot Camp at enduraLAB

Not all boot camps are created equal. With New Year resolutions being made and the rising popularity of HIIT bodyweight training, more and more boot camps are popping up. We stand behind our boot camp and believe that our product stands out in the growing fitness arena of Fort Worth. Here are five reasons we think your next boot camp should be at enduraLAB. 

NO HIDDEN EXPENSES: We provide everything that you need for the change you're desiring. All YOU have to do is show up in workout gear and shoes. It's that simple. Plus, you'll get way more than just a workout. You'll get before and after body composition measurements, a simple nutrition plan to compliment the workouts and personalized attention from our highly-skilled and inspiring coaches!

FACILITY: enduraLAB is located in the heart of Fort Worth's West 7th area in a 4200 sqft, environmental controlled gym. That means while everyone else is freezing in the park or soaked from the rain, you'll still be focused on achieving your goals inside a clean and comfortable gym. And with two shower rooms available, you'll be able to get ready for work or a night out on the town right from the LAB.

PERSONALIZED ATTENTION: We limit the amount of bootcamp registrations to ensure you get the individual attention you deserve. No more being lost in a sea of athletes trying to figure out how to perform a "flying burpee". The smaller classes allow our coaches to offer timely tips and corrections to ensure you are safe and you get the most out of every session. 

COMMUNITY: The enduraLAB Boot Camp is a great way to get fit while having fun in a supportive atmosphere. Being surrounded by like-minded, motivated people makes all the difference in staying consistent with training, which leads to real and sustainable results.

OPPORTUNITIES TO ADVANCE YOUR TRAINING: We are not JUST a boot Camp. Whether you want to run your first half marathon or advance your strength training, we have additional programs at enduraLAB to help reach your goals. After completing the bootcamp you'll have a chance to sit down with your coach to discuss your goals and decide what programs are best for you.

OUR NEXT BOOT CAMP STARTS ON JANUARY 12TH. IT’S TIME FOR A CHANGE…  CLICK HERE NOW TO SIGN UP!

[enduralab]

5 Reasons You'll Want To Do a Bootcamp at enduraLAB

Not all boot camps are created equal. With New Year resolutions being made and the rising popularity of HIIT bodyweight training, more and more boot camps are popping up. We stand behind our boot camp and believe that our product stands out in the growing fitness arena of Fort Worth. Here are five reasons we think your next boot camp should be at enduraLAB. 

NO HIDDEN EXPENSES: We provide everything that you need for the change you're desiring. All YOU have to do is show up in workout gear and shoes. It's that simple. Plus, you'll get way more than just a workout. You'll get before and after body composition measurements, a simple nutrition plan to compliment the workouts and personalized attention from our highly-skilled and inspiring coaches!

FACILITY: enduraLAB is located in the heart of Fort Worth's West 7th area in a 4200 sqft, environmental controlled gym. That means while everyone else is freezing in the park or soaked from the rain, you'll still be focused on achieving your goals inside a clean and comfortable gym. And with two shower rooms available, you'll be able to get ready for work or a night out on the town right from the LAB.

PERSONALIZED ATTENTION: We limit the amount of bootcamp registrations to ensure you get the individual attention you deserve. No more being lost in a sea of athletes trying to figure out how to perform a "flying burpee". The smaller classes allow our coaches to offer timely tips and corrections to ensure you are safe and you get the most out of every session. 

COMMUNITY: The enduraLAB Bootcamp is a great way to get fit while having fun in a supportive atmosphere. Being surrounded by like-minded, motivated people makes all the difference in staying consistent with training, which leads to real and sustainable results.

OPPORTUNITIES TO ADVANCE YOUR TRAINING: We are not JUST a bootcamp. Whether you want to run your first half marathon or advance your strength training, we have additional programs at enduraLAB to help reach your goals. After completing the bootcamp you'll have a chance to sit down with your coach to discuss your goals and decide what programs are best for you.

OUR NEXT BOOT CAMP STARTS ON JANUARY 12TH. IT’S TIME FOR A CHANGE…  CLICK HERE NOW TO SIGN UP!

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Today's Strength+Conditioning Prescription at the LAB (at EnduraLAB)

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Holiday Survival Guide: 3 Tips To a Healthier Thanksgiving

Happy Thanksgiving from us to you! We hope that everyone is spending time with their loved ones and are chowing down on some amazing food. We know how committed you all are to your fitness and want to show you we are equally committed. Here are three tips to help you avoid taking too many steps back and ensure a quick recovery into your fitness routine.

Top 3 Thanksgiving Survival Tips:

Don’t forget to move. Schedule an activity that involves at least 30 minutes of movement on Thanksgiving. Whether is this your local Turkey Trot or a family workout in your living room, you must get your body moving on the day of feasting. *If you are in Fort Worth, enduraLAB has a post turkey day workout on Friday at 9:30am. Join us! 

Be your own chef. Make and bring a few “healthy dishes” as a go-to for your big meal. There are lots of yummy things that don’t need a lot of unhealthy ingredients to be great. For example, just add grass-fed butter, salt and pepper to sweet potatoes, brussels sprouts, or roasted root vegetables and you are golden! *During the big meal, eat slow and fill up on veggies and protein before heading to the sweets!

Up your fluids. Increase your fluid intake during the day. We like our athletes to aim for 75-100% of your bodyweight in ounces. You won’t stuff yourself as much if you have a belly full of water. *For an extra kick, sip on green tea before you sit down and eat. Not only will you get credit for fluid intake but it also acts as an appetite suppressant.

Again, we want you to enjoy your holiday and don’t want to take the fun out of it by any means. Let’s just tweak a few things and shift the holiday tradition to something more than eating. If you have any ideas or suggestions, please share!