by Coach Tommy “I’m too old for functional fitness.” “I’m too old to lift weights.” I can’t tell you how often I hear these words come out of some more seasoned members. Again, I completely understand why this misconception exists.  When you are constantly seeing insane feats of strength by some of the elite-level competitors in the sport of fitness and believe that “is the norm,” these are precisely the types of statements I expect to hear.  Here is the truth! With age comes changes in our bodies. We have more miles on our joints. More years of sitting in unnatural positions (i.e., office chairs) make us stiffer.  There needs to be additional caution taken when lifting weights and moving through full ranges of motion as we age.  But……it doesn’t mean that we are unable to see progress with our health and wellness. Just because you are getting older doesn’t...Read more

Coach Tommy One of the most common things that I hear from our female clients is that they are fear “lifting weights will make them look bulky.” And just like yesterday, I completely understand where this misconception is coming from. Although we are no longer affiliated with CrossFit, most people still associate it with District H. Some of the women that are highlighted in the sport of CrossFit look incredibly muscular. So I see where you could connect the dots of “lifting weights = bulky physique.” But that correlation doesn’t represent 99.9% of the general population. I am going to try and keep this very simple. When you lift weights, muscle tissue is broken down and rebuilt. When it is rebuilt, there is an increase in what are called myofibril filaments. These filaments are what allow you to produce more force (i.e., build strength) over time.  As you produce more myofibril filaments, your muscle starts to look...Read more

by Coach Tommy t’s Momentum Monday. Let’s get started on the right foot. One of the biggest misconceptions I often hear about functional fitness, whether it’s CrossFit or not, is dangerous.  There are enough viral YouTube videos to go around showing individuals performing powerlifting movements, weightlifting movements, or gymnastics and getting hurt or just lifting with incredibly bad form. From larger organizations like CrossFit Headquarters, you see some of the top athletes in the world performing amazing feats of strength. While some appreciate it, others can be turned off by it. “That looks insane!” “I would never be able to do that!” “They are going to be in pain later on in life.” In reality, functional fitness is meant to be a routine that helps you build strength and stamina to perform activities of daily living.  Being able to stand up with good balance and strength can be developed with a...Read more

by Coach Tommy Happy Sunday! It’s a brand-new week.  Let’s discuss some of the common misconceptions that most people have about starting at District H.  The “Big Five” that come to mind are: Functional fitness is too dangerousI need to be in better shape before I startI’m too old to be lifting weightsLifting weights will make me look bulkyDieting is unrealistic over the long term I get it! I had some of these misconceptions myself when I first walked into my first functional fitness gym in 2014.  It also doesn’t help that most of the stuff that goes “viral” on social media are the absolute worst offenders of these common misconceptions.  It has to be to get clicks. Tomorrow, I will go over the misconception around danger and functional fitness. Cheers, TommyRead more

by Coach Tommy Happy Friday! This week we’ve focused on the benefits of personalizing your workout routine. Contrary to where the industry has shifted over the last 5 years, I’ve stated my position as individuals needing more personalization around their fitness to help them truly achieve their health and wellness goals. Everything else, in my humble opinion, is merely a distraction. The same arguments that have been made about why Peloton, Tonal, or Mirror are the “next best thing” remind me of when BowFlex came out in the late 90’s early 2000s….just a little fancier. Repackaging high-intensity interval training, adding some heart rate monitors, red lights, and a DJ is all about making an “experience” out of your fitness but not help you truly achieve long-term results. Here is the truth! Americans need to move more. That is without a doubt. Making it “fun” is essential. How many of us...Read more