It gives me great pleasure to announce the winners of the 2018 Summer performance challenge:

Most improved male:

Shaun - 25lb improvement (155->180lbs); 20,800lbs lifted

Most improved female:

A tie!

Ursula - 20lb improvement (125->145lbs); 16,710lbs lifted

Katie - 20lb improvement (105->125lbs); 20,425lbs lifted

Top weight moved:

Preston - 79,925lbs lifted

People all around the globe go to the gym or participate in fitness for one reason or another. One peculiar thing to note is that not many people can tell you what the exact reason is. Regardless of the reason or lack thereof, the fitness industry has made an absolute killing on the promise of “results.” In our gym, we believe in simple metrics that let allow us to identify forward progress. In fitness speak, I’m talking about “results.”

Just 6 short weeks ago, 20+ students decided to make a commitment to getting some “results.” It required a financial commitment and a commitment of effort. The financial commitment was small, but represented some skin in the game. The physical effort held the most significance. We developed this challenge, the Stone Cold Challenge, based on the desire for improvement within a specific metric. We had a few goals with this effort. One goal was to improve an individual's ability to move a loaded barbell from the ground to the shoulder in one lift, otherwise known as a power clean. Second, we wanted to accomplish this without any additional barbell training -- we opted for the atlas stone as our implement. Third, we wanted to make the effort economical with regard to time. Lastly we wanted to make sure everyone was able to participate.

Guess what?

We nailed it. The participants varied in physical strength and capability. No one hammered a strict power clean training program. However, our team of students moved over 400,000 pounds in just five short weeks. They did this by lifting atlas stones, in as many ways as you can think of, at any hour of the day, as many times as they wished, and without the need for physical warm-up or preparation. They did this stone cold -- just show up and move some concrete. In mechanics, strength, or both, every single student made an improvement.

Congratulations to you all for committing to the process and accomplishing such a great feat. You definitely earned your “results.” Our challenge winners were able to improve their baseline scores by more than twenty pounds each. Since it pays to be a winner, each of our winners will be awarded with cash prize as well as their “results.” A special congratulations go out to Shaun, Katie, Ursula and Preston; you definitely earned it.

Results aren’t just delivered. They must be earned.

- JI

9/21/18

• 200m run time trial

Then...

• For time:

• 5 x 200m run

• *must complete each run in under (:40/:50) seconds

• *runs not completed under the designated time must be redone

• *rest as needed between attempts