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The MSP Fitness Index is a routine blog post we’ll be doing aimed at covering the extracurricular things both Michael and Taylor have been reading, listening to, processing, or just really digging at the present time. Inspired by Eric Cressey’s blog posts “Strength and Conditioning Suff You Should Read”, Michael and Taylor trust The Index will be insightful and transparent as they share glimpses of what’s going on between their ears.

Michael:

The Goldilocks Zone of Fitness:
Officially, the Goldilocks Zone is the region around a star possessing just the right conditions to find liquid water on a planet’s surface; and thus, the key ingredient for life. Carrying that principle over to fitness and training, it’s about ensuring that your training is just the right fit for your individual goals and abilities so you can thrive.

blogger-image-872981188I’m reminded of this principle as I reflect on some new Personal Training clients that I’ve had the recent fortune of working with. Many of them have very, very specific needs/limitations which heavily influence the direction of their training. In one instance, I’m working with an individual with some serious low back challenges. We are learning primal lifting/movement mechanics, that I like to simply call “Life Skills”. For them, it’s not about lifting for strengths sake, it’s about lifting for life. It’s about learning how to move their body and interface with the world so they have the knowledge, body awareness, and confidence to be safe and smart.

In the case of another client, finding that “Goldilocks Zone” is all about helping her progress back into fitness slowly and thoughtfully, working within her bodies abilities to do quality work but most importantly recover from that work. She sent me a note after our 2nd session (which she killed) saying: “I feel fabulous. I am not sore today! Woo Hoooo”.  

It made my day!

Taylor:

Extreme Ownership:
The book Extreme Ownership is written by two former Navy SEALs, Jocko Willink and Leif Babin. Each chapter, the authors share battlefield experiences, highlighting a main principle learned through that story and assign its application to life and business. The book is incredibly simple in its structure, thus making it easily digestible (always a plus for me if I’m honest). Aside from the principle for which the book derives its name, I especially enjoyed the concepts of “Keep plans simple, clear, and concise“, “Figure out your priorities, and then act on them one at a time“, and “Act decisively, even when things are chaotic“. A very clear read, one of the favorites of those I’ve read in 2016.

img_5150Homemade Tuna Salad:
For a quick lunch option, my wife and I have been making Tuna Salad for the last two weeks. Despite being a recovering carnivore, I’ve really enjoyed throwing it on top of mixed greens with a mustard vinaigrette. We’ve been whipping up the below recipe twice weekly, giving us an easy grab option when leftovers are sparse.

Taylor’s “Big Tuna” Salad 

• 2x 5oz cans of water-packed tuna
• 3-4Tbs of Mayonnaise (i.e. a big dollop) — currently spooning a tub of Avocado Mayo from Costco
• 1 rib celery, diced small (optional)
• 1/4 red or white onion, diced small
• 1Tbs of lemon juice
• 1-2Tbs of pickle relish (or dice up a big Kosher pickle real small and throw in some pickle juice)

Drain the water from the tuna, add the other ingredients and stir until combined. Add more mayo if you want it smoother, or if you’re like me, there’s never enough pickles. Eat immediately or store it in a covered container in the refrigerator for up to a week. Fast, quick, lunch!

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