Team Grappler's Guild Shines in Recent Tournies

Our local Brazilian Jiu Jitsu Team has been tearing up the local and regional tournament scene during the month of August.

Our first tournament, the "River City Submission Classic" took place in Post Falls, Idaho and includes team from Spokane, Coeur d' Alene, and Post Falls. In the youth division, Grapplers Guild standout student Dylan Bankson (aka Spiderman) won a stacked bracket that had over 8 competitors. Out of 5 adult divisions, Team Grapplers Guild took home the gold in 4. Here are the exact stats for the tournament:

Cord Rink, 1st novice under 150lbs.

Caleb Fleck, 1st intermediate under 150 lbs.

Dakota Blaese, 3rd intermediate under 150 lbs.

Grant Simmons, 2nd intermediate 150 - 170 lbs.

Mike McCray, 1st 170 - 190 lbs.

Danny Clark, 1st 200lbs. and above

Tanner Weisgram, 2nd 200lbs. and above

Our second tournament was the biggest one in the Northwest..."The Revolution" in Seattle. A smaller crew represented our team, but the results were equally impressive considering the size of the competition:

Tanner Weisgram, 2nd white belt division (202- 221 lbs.)

Danny Clark, 1st Advanced No-Gi (grappling) division (202 and above)

Congratulations to all of our competitors...we are proud of your accomplishments and representation of our gym!

Scotchman's Peak Hike

On Sunday, August 7th. 10 adventerous Integrative Athlete's climbed to the top of Scothman's Peak. Some of our teammates have dreamt of this for years, while others are die hard Scothman Peak fans and have even snowshoed the trail in past winters.

We had a great time and could not of asked for better weather. The view at the top was breath taking and simply glorious. We saw a family of mountain goats just hanging out on the cliff sides while we rested at the top. There was also a survial kit at the top that we found with a journal inside and we all signed it

We are so proud to be apart of a team and family that repsects, appreciates, and enjoys the outdoors. So when and where is the next one? We do plan on another team hike before the snowfalls! We will keep you posted.

Thank you Laurie for hosting an awesome pot luck bbq following the hike!

Congrats and a big thanks to Curtis and Matt Mickelson, Suzie Coffman, Abby and Danny Clark, Abby's brother ( a city slicker too!) Zack Corriveau, Fran Mason, Laurie Huston, Tawny Macdonald, and Shawn Hitherman. It was a great adventure with great friends!

Technique Vs. Intensity

Can technique and intensity co-exist in a workout? In short the answer is yes, but if you watch "experts" on resources like youtube and have any concept of proper body mechanics you will find yourself cringing as they attack both simple and highly technical lifts with reckless abandonment of form in the name of smoking themselves. This is just asking for an injury. Smoking your body is easy...mastering your movement patterns is very difficult. On the other hand, you have trainers who fixate on technique to the point where they seem to be afraid to let experienced, capable people reach the intensity levels they need to accelerate their fitness to the next level. These same people end up quitting because they never see real results.

This is where a good coach is so essential to get the most out of your workouts. A good coach will teach you proper form and add in the right amount of intensity to advance your fitness level and technical proficiency. A good coach will also refuse to let you continue if fatigue sets in and your technique falls apart. You should always be challenged, but never beyond your capabilities. What good is that last sloppy rep when you have to sit out for a week from training because you killed your back? This is why learning from a qualified coach is far superior than trying to learn from a magazine or online video. Never let anyone teach you technique that has never mastered it themselves under the guidance of a true expert.

The marriage of technique and intensity is a fine art in my opinion, especially as one teaches more complicated movements such as kettlebell exercises and olympic style lifting. The skilled athlete makes their technique look effortless because not only have they practiced, but they have practiced perfectly by constantly refining their movements with precision and intensity in a perfect balance. I have been fortunate to have learned from incredible and inspiring coaches. My humblest respect goes out to these individuals who do it right. Make sure you learn the art of true fitness from someone who truly knows what they are doing and has your best interests and an individual in mind.

-Danny

Abby's New Blog

Follow Abby's progress in her new blog here. Due to high viewer interest, she has devoted a separate blog that is exclusive to her competitions and training.

Burned Muscle; What To Do Now?

I burned over a pound of muscle last week by adding my cardio...not good. However I emailed Tanji updated pics and she said I was right on target and looked great. She recommended doing no more than 3 30 minute cardio sessions...NO Intensity. I will also up my protein by 1 oz per meal and then reassess on Saturday. I really need to maintain the muscle I have gained and tighten up a little bit more. I am only 2 weeks out now so I don't have a ton of time to switch things up too much. On another note, I got my wedding dress yesterday! It's perfect and I am so excited. Danny and I are getting married in Hawaii in May. My goal after all my shows will be to maintain that hot bikini body for Hawaii! Yippee!
xoxo,
Abby

3 Weeks Out

Last week I met with Tanji and she was pleased with my progression. I am down to 12.37% body fat and 126 pounds. As of now its not so much about the % but more about how my body looks. Every body carries their body fat differently. The goal is to look tight, lean (especially the butt) and have shape. I could go on stage at 11% or 12%. It doesn't matter, what does matter is how I do look. Therefore I am increasing my cardio to 4 sessions per week in addition to my 5 days of strength training. My focus is to cut and to maintain my current muscle mass. The best scenario would be a decrease of fat and a little increase of muscle.
My other focus is to practice posing. Tanji gave me a set of poses that flatter my physique so now I have to get comfortable with them and the transitions.
Stay tuned for more information about my upcoming shows.
Love,
Abby

Game Plan after meeting w/Tanji

Today is my 26th birthday! I will not be getting smashed your stuffing my face with my favorite...cheesecake. Instead I am up early blogging then working out. I am getting a massage later though! Danny got me presents that I have yet to open. He always gets me such thoughtful and awesome gifts so I can't wait! We decided to take the day off today and just spend it together. Tomorrow we are heading to Under The Sun in Bonners Ferry. Its a cute little shop with a great cafe. We did it last year so its kinda tradition.
Okay so Tanji was pleased with my physique. I need to focus on cutting. So that means not changing my diet and increasing cardio 3-4 days per week. I need to drop about 1-2% more body fat. I need to continue to practice posing fiercely! Everyday!
Love,
Abby