Summer is coming to an end, which means a few things in an order of importance… It’s almost football season. Jeans will soon be worn without massive amounts of sweat accumulation. Last travels of the season are upon us. With this being said, make your travel a way to change things up in your workout routine. No gym access, no problem! Here are a few workouts to dive into on your next trip:   100 Burpees For Time: This is an oldie, but goodie and can be done anywhere at anytime. Make this one as hard or as easy as you wish – going all out or taking an easy pace – just get it done. Find a 5k: There is ALWAYS a local 5k going on where ever you are. Do a little recon and find out if there is a 5k you can jump in, get a good...Read more

It is human nature to “dislike” or “disapprove” of things that aren’t familiar to us or that we don’t understand. This was TOTALLY me when I first became a Personal Trainer, and to be honest, CrossFit was not deemed “safe” in my bubble so I vocally “hated on it”. CrossFit is not perfect and it is not for everyone BUT I will tell you this: You really don’t know until you try. WHY I WAS A HATER: I believed that some of the movements were dangerous and not for everyone. If one CrossFit gym is BAD then they ALL must be. The ridiculous CrossFit Bros that couldn’t stop talking about everything they do at the gym made me want to VOM. Some CrossFits are extremely cliquey and unwelcoming. Speed and Weight are King, leaving Form as an afterthought. WHY I WAS WRONG: EVERYTHING exercise is scalable (up or down) and...Read more

As you may have heard, I made a change in my nutrition towards the end of last year. The physical results were immediately apparent: lower body fat, improved overall strength/fitness, and increased muscle. However, I think the most important part of this process was the knowledge I gained. Here are some tips I learned along the way. Long-Term Goal: Find what works for you. We say it a lot: you have to find out what works for you. We are all individuals, and unfortunately there is no one size fits all solution. The problem I found, most people don’t know where to start to find out what works for them. So let’s start on Step 1… Step 1: Establish your goals, and understand what it takes to get there. Before you start anything, ask yourself “what does success look like?” This doesn’t have to be a concrete goal, but you...Read more

My progress is slowing. I can’t seem to lose enough body fat to reach my goals. I haven’t hit a PR in over 3-months. IF you know everything there is about how to stay motivated during times full of distractions, you can stop reading. IF you’ve ever encountered any or all of the mentioned statements above, keep reading. It’s summertime and distractions are at their peak when it comes to our fitness. We’ve all been there – myself included! Whether it’s travel, street festivals, or just the ability to lay on the beach with a nice cold one – extra effort has to be taken to stay on track with our health & fitness goals. I’m not saying don’t travel or don’t have fun. What I am saying is have fun within reason and build a healthy lifestyle into your extracurricular activities. Over my time in the fitness industry, I’ve...Read more

Continual learning is at the core of Bluprint’s coaching staff. Whether it’s reading studies, articles, or attending seminars; learning allows us to create an environment where athletes crush their goals! I got the chance to go to the CrossFit Powerlifting Certificaiton at CrossFit Chicago last weekend and wanted to share my “TOP-10 Takeaways”. Check em out below. Note: these are in no particular order of importance. Speed Strength is essential for ALL sports. The body adapts to heaviest stress placed upon it. Get strong as f*ck to make metcon weights a low percentage of your 1RM. By doing so your stabilizer muscles will fatigue at a much slower rate. Build a strong back! Miss lifts rarely: This teaches a successful mindset, means you are lifting at an appropriate weight, and decreases recovery time. The best OH pressers have a strong bench press. Train grip in two ways: 1) strength endurance...Read more