TPS is always in the media. See why we are the gym in the Boston area, and one of America's 20 Best according to Men's Health Magazine
2012 TPS Strongman Contest
Our event has been approved by the NAS Inc. home office and will be held here at TPS on August 25, 2012. The TPS Mass. State Strongman Championships is one of the longest running shows in the U.S.A., this is our 10th anniversary.
I will be teaming up with Nate Fitzgerald again to run the biggest and best contest in New England, maybe the U.S. (we hope). As usual we will need sponsors and volunteers to help us. If you are interested in helping out send me an email.
As usual we will be trying to raise some money for the Chelsea Soldiers Home. This is one of my favorite charities. The Soldiers Home is home to many U.S. military veterans that have no place else to go for medical care and a place to live. Sadly, the government does not give them the funding that they need to make life the most comfortable for these men that gave so much for us. Help us raise the biggest donation for them that we have ever had.
We will have applications available for download on the NAS website this week and sponsor packages will be going out soon.
The 2011 Mass. State Strongman/Police/Fire/Military Nationals is in the record books. We had a great day and the weather was AWESOME until the last 30 minutes or so. All of our athletes, floor staff, spectators and vendors deserve a round of applause for staying in the torrential downpours at the end.
We had athletes from all over the USA show up for one of the country's premiere Strongman contests held right here at TPS. The classes were stacked and we saw some outstanding competition in all the classes. The Middleweight open class in particular saw some tight competition as did the Heavyweight Open. To read all the results follow the links below.
I would like to thank all of our sponsors, staff and everyone involved in making this event a success. Without the help of everyone involved the TPS contest would not have grown to become one of the BEST events in the USA. Thanks to all.
To see Eric's pictures or to buy one of yourself competing, visit Eric's site. Stay tuned to our site for details on next year's event, coming soon.
We'd like to thank all of our sponsors listed below. Please consider purchasing their products and services in the future.
Support those who support us!
Bova's Bakery
George Ferullo, CPA
The 9th Annual Massachusetts Strongman / Woman Championships was a HUGE success!
On Saturday September 4, 2010, Hurricane Earl threatened to shut us down, but we were not hearing any of that. We hoped that the weather would be kind to us, and it was. It turned out to be a perfect day for Strongman at Bruce Rossmeyer's Boston Harley Davidson. Every class was stacked and it was a hard fought contest all the way to the end.
In the Lightweight Women's division Jen Bolduc was the only competitor but that did not stop her in giving it her all in every event. Jen chose to use the actual Harley sled on the medley and managed to move it for some distance.
The Heavyweight Women's division saw 4 of the best in New England battle it out all day. Gina Melnick decided to move up to the Heavyweights from the Middleweights and she did an outstanding job with a third place finish. Gina came very close to lapping the 240 lb Atlas stone! Amanda Alpert did an amazing 19 reps with a 170 lb Viking press to win that event. Christina Lafex showed true grit and flipped the 650 lb beast tire for an outstanding 40 feet for an event win. In one of the highlights of the day Christina Lafex loaded all 5 Atlas stones which ranged from 150 to 240 lbs in just over 32 seconds!
The Novice classes had some fierce competitors as well.
In the lightweights, Nathaniel Slater did a staggering 29 reps with 200 lb on the Viking press for a well earned event win. Devon Gibson took the 500 lb Conan's Wheel for almost 300 ft to win that event.
In the Heavyweight Novice class Patrick Lenaghan banged out 22 reps with a 250 lb Viking press to win that event. Craig Favara was the only competitor to finish the 100 ft course with the 650 lb beast tire. Craig also won the Atlas stones loading all 5 stones ranging from 200 to 300 lbs in an impressive 32:48 seconds.
The open Lightweight Men's division had 16 competitiors all of which battled it out right to the end. Eleizio Marchezi walked an incredible 337 ft with 600 lbs on the Conan's Wheel for a win in that event. Eleizio and Chris George were the only two competitors to finish the Tire Flip but it was Chris George with a time of 54:53 seconds who won the event. Many of the lightweights had some amazing times on the Atlas stones with Damon Curtis finishing all 5 in 20:18 and John Sullivan in 23:03, but it was Steve Ryan who blasted them up in 19:03 to win the stones.
The Men's Heavyweight open class had a very impressive line up as well. PJ Day pressed the 300 lb Viking press 21 times and Lou Peppe for 23, but it was Eric Dawson who pressed it 24 times to take the win in that event. I am not sure if anyone told Eric that 700 lb on the Conan's was heavy becuase he took it for a 366 foot stroll! Only Eric Dawson, Nick Fagone and Lou Peppe were able to finish the 100 ft course with the 800 lb tire but it was Lou Peppe's time of 51:13 seconds that took the win for that event. For the last event of the day Lou Peppe finished all 5 stones ranging from 240 to 335 lbs in 18:02 seconds but it was Eric Dawson again who edged him out for the win finishing all 5 in a time of 17:18.
Thanks to all of the athletes who came out and gave it their all. You made it such a competitive contest with some very stacked classes. It was amazing to watch! Also to the floor help and judges : Justin Warren, Dan Ford, Harley Davidson, Bob Toth and his daughter Olivia (kudo's to you for doing such a great job running the numbers) , Greg Robbins, Ralph Joseph, Danny Pare, Carlos Moran, Eddie Cincarelli, Matt Murphy, Jimmy Murphy, Rob Gregorio, Mike Occipante, Tony Mercadante, Luis Llamas, Ed Nee, Mary Southworth, Erica Linden, Lauren Cotter, Pam Bello , Colleen Reed, Eric Feigenson and Mary Finneran.
Collen Ryan did an amazing job singing the National Anthem. Collen used to sing for Cirque de Solei, check her out on YouTube. A special thanks goes out to scores Jane Stabile and Lauren Cohen. Another huge thanks goes out to Steve DiLello, Kevin Delaney and Erica Constanza for keeping the floor organized. Also a big thanks to Big Mike and Bruno form Boston Harley. All of you made the contest run smoothly and successfully!! Also a very special thanks to Nate's wife Shayna for all of her help through each and every contest and his son Seth. Seth filmed all day and will be editing the videos which will be uploaded to YouTube shortly.
A huge thank you to our amazing sponsors : Boston Harley Davidson for the great venue, United States Army for being our platinum sponsor, Kayem foods for not only donating a ton of food but they even came a grilled it! ,George Ferullo CPA, American Nutrition Center in Everett for the awesome goodie bags, Bova's Bakery, Chris Hug PC, Met-RX for all of the cases of product for each winner, Muscle Milk for their great products and also for handing out drinks to the spectators, One Body Nutrition for the samples and great swag, Powerlifter Movers, Results Fitness, Spud Inc, Velocity custom apparel for the awesome contest t-shirts and the Diesel Crew for their outstanding DVDs. If is businesses like these who keep our sport growing. Please support these businesses! Thank you so much!!
The top three in each class were:
LW Women - 1. Jen Bolduc
HW Women - 1. Christina Lafex 2. Amanda Alpert (TPS Athlete) 3. Gina Melnik (TPS Athlete)
HW Novice - 1. Patrick Lenaghan 2. Craig Favara 3. Pat Murray
LW Men - 1. Chris George 2. John Sullivan 3. Steve Ryan
HW Men - 1. Eric Dawson (TPS Athlete) 2. Lou Peppe (TPS Athlete) 3. Justin Norton
Looking forward to next year!!
- Nate Fitzgerald and CJ Murphy
Last Updated ( Monday, 30 January 2012 17:27 )
The TPS What's New Page keeps you posted on all kinds of new happenings in the industry and at TPS.
February 2012:
NEW HIGH SCHOOL STRENGTH AND CONDITIONING CAMPS!
Go to our Upcoming Camps page for all the information on the Spring 2012 High School Strength and Conditioning Camps.
Early registration extended for the Juggernaut Seminar-it expires February 5th.
2012 TPS Strongman
Our event has been approved by the NAS Inc. home office and will be held here at TPS on August 25, 2012. The TPS Mass. State Strongman Championships is one of the longest running shows in the U.S.A.; this is our 10th anniversary.
I will be teaming up with Nate Fitzgerald again to run the biggest and best contest in New England, maybe the U.S. (we hope). As usual we will need sponsors and volunteers to help us. If you are interested in helping out, send me an email.
As usual, we will be trying to raise some money for the Chelsea Soldiers Home. This is one of my favorite charities. The Soldiers Home is home to many U.S. military veterans that have no place else to go for medical care and a place to live. Sadly, the government does not give them the funding that they need to make life the most comfortable for these men that gave so much for us. Help us raise the biggest donation for them that we have ever had.
For all the details on the event, go to our Contest Page. We will have applications available for download on the NAS website this week and sponsor packages will be going out soon.
New Column in the Advocate
TPS is teaming up with the Advocate newspapers for a bi-monthly column that I hope you will like. It is called “Weakness Is a Crime,” and is named after Murph’s blog.
The column will feature health, lifting and fitness tips for everyone, not just strength athletes. You can read it every other week in the Advocate, which is distributed FREE in Everett, Malden, Saugus, and Revere.
New Camps Starting Soon!
All new rounds of Fitcamps begin at the end of this month! Olympic Lifting, Total Transformation, Awesome Camp, and Women’s Fitcamp are going to be going again with all new programming for you to keep making progress. This is the ideal time for beginners to start a supervised and well-organized training program.
As you may know, personal training is simply the best way to achieve your fitness goals, but is out of the reach financially for many. Camp settings give you of the benefits of supervised personal training at a fraction of the cost. Joining our Fitcamps can bring the cost to as low as $12.50 per session. That is much less expensive than one-on-one personal training.
Are you tired of going to the gym and not getting results? Are you dying to get leaner, get stronger, to look better and feel better? A properly structured training plan is the FASTEST and SAFEST way to do all of these and more. Why wander around the gym not knowing what to do? Let out team of experts help you reach your full potential now.
We are also adding an Awesome Camp at night for guys only. This will begin February 28th at 7:30 pm. This has been requested and will fill up. If you don’t know about Awesome Camp, go to our Awesome page and see what it is all about.
Too lazy to click? Me too. Here are some brief details: Guys want to be jacked and strong, and they waste a lot of time trying to get there. Let our team of coaches get you jacked, strong and in-shape. We pick the best exercises for you, like squats, bench presses, deadlifts and the right assistance exercises, to give you strength, speed, size and more awesomeness. You will learn how to do all of them from coaches that know all the techniques and tricks to get you STRONG. The stronger you are, the more weight you can handle on assistance lifts. This is a simple formula to increase all things that make you more awesome.
If you want to get in shape fast but aren’t sure what to do, or if you just need a change, give one of our camps a try. It’s eight weeks of awesome.
Show us your gear.
Got TPS gear? Take a picture of you wearing it someplace and we’ll post it on our Facebook page. It could be working out, it could be at a bar, or it could be someplace we can’t even dream of.
January 2012:
What: Team Haycraft Muay Thai Seminar
When: Saturday, January 14, 2012 and Sunday January 15, 2012
Where: TPS Boxing Gym
Eric Haycraft is coming to TPS. Eric is a LEGENDARY Muay coach who has trained some of the best fighters in America, and the world, including Lindsay Scheer. Mr. Haycraft uses the Dutch style of Muay Thai, like Rob Kaman. This seminar will build off of the Kaman seminar we had last year.
We expect this to be a sellout even on short notice.
It’s January 1st and everyone on the planet is about to join a gym! Hopefully you will refer all of your friends and family to TPS (and get the FREE month for it too). They all want to make huge gains but don’t really know how, or don’t really have a plan. I write about this every year, and now is no different: setting attainable goals for the New Year.
In the gym business, we see lots of people come in guns blazing for the first month or two and then never see them again. There are 2 main reasons for why they come and why they leave:
Why they come:
1. They are unhappy with their bodies/health and want to change it.
2. They saw a news show or tv program talking about New Years’ resolutions, and fitness is ALWAYS a big one.
Why they don’t stay:
1. They set no goals or unrealistic goals.
2. They don’t know what to do, so they do too little, the wrong things, or they do too much and get REALLY sore and hate the way it feels so they leave.
These are things that can be fixed easily by coming to a place like TPS. We encourage setting small, attainable goals, and milestone goals. A small attainable goal for New Years’ is something like, “I will go the gym at least 2 times a week for the first month and take a class (like Gutts and Butts).” Or, “I will cut out regular soda from my diet for the first month of my fitness plan” These are 2 very easy to attain goals that are concrete and will produce results.
They will not drastically transform your body, but they are good goals that are easy to stick to that will produce a small change. Setting four or five short term goals with a long term goals, say 6 months or a year in the future will lead you done the road to success.
Long term goals are a little different, they are much bigger. A good long term goal is “I will lose 35 pounds of body fat by July 1st by getting on a good nutrition plan and exercising on a regular basis.” Or: “I will run a 10k by June 1st”. The goals that are set are entirely individual. You might have no interest in running a10k, but you might want to lose 4 dress sizes, or you might want to be the All Star this summer in your softball league. What your goal is does not matter to anyone else, it is yours. Write down short term attainable goals and long term milestone goals and attach dates to them. Setting dates for your goals places accountability on you. When you set your dates, make sure you set up a reward for attaining the goals and a punishment for not attaining it.
Rewards are easy, you know what you like. It could be a new outfit, or a new high tech smart phone. Punishments are not easy. They should not be too harsh. They should be something that will force you to stick to the plan. Maybe you don’t get the trip to Jamaica in March if you did not attain all of your short term goals. Another one that is good is a personal financial penalty. Make up a “jar”. Put a label on it that says something that will motivate you (this is given the fact that you can afford to do this). Every time you get to the gym, or stick to the plan, you put a certain dollar amount in it. Maybe you are going to quit smoking by cutting your cigarette smoking in half the first month. Take the difference between what you spent and what you would have spent and put it in the jar once a week. At the end of the time period you set for the small goals if you attained them you can spend the money on whatever you want. If you didn’t, the money stays in the jar until you hit the milestone.
Butts are about $7.00 a pack. If you smoke a pack a day, that is almost $200.00 a month on smokes. If you cut it in half, you will have about $100.00 in the jar at the end of the first month. Your plan might have you off the butts in 4 months. This can add up to over $500.00 easily at the end of 4 months. That’s a nice reward that you can get for yourself. Of course, this can be applied to anything, not just smoking.
What about those of you that don’t know how to get to your fitness goals? That’s where we come on. TPS has a Team of EXPERTS on staff for whatever you want to do. We are here to help you get to your fitness goals. Talk to one of our training Team members about what to do, set up some personal training sessions sign up for one of our fitness camps. If that is not in your budget, take the classes that we offer. They are designed with you in mind. You don’t need to know anything, just show up and give 100% effort each and every time (at least twice week). You’ll be amazed at how much progress you make. Consistency is the key, make fitness a part of your routine.
Dr. Hatfield used to ask a question at his personal training seminars. He would ask all the students why people do not exercise regularly. The students would give out a variety of good answers but never his answer. His answer was that people do not exercise regularly because they do not know or FEAR the consequences of not doing it. He asked if everyone brushed their teeth daily, and for the most part everyone said yes. I was there when someone didn’t say yes, but that’s a whole ‘nother story.
He would go on to explain that the real reason we brushed out teeth was that we FEARED the CONSEQUENCES of not brushing our teeth. This was so simple that everyone had a light bulb go off in their heads, not the crappy fluorescent ones either, the good incandescent one. Exercise is the same thing. There are serious health consequences later in life, and as it is going now, earlier. Look at he juvenile obesity rate and the epidemic of diabetes in America today. These are CONSEQUENCES of an inactive and unhealthy sedentary lifestyle. There are many more.
You can address these consequences TODAY by getting off of the couch and using the gym membership that you bought. Just get up and get in here. Write down some REAL goals on paper and set up a realistic timeline and a plan to attain them. We will help you do it.
TPS is different than most gyms, we want to see our members in here achieving their goals and we want to hear about them. Tell us about your success so we can share it with the rest of the members to build a community that fosters success. Forward this email to your friends that you think might be interested or ones that go to gyms that care about their monthly dues instead of their success.
TPS wishes you the best year ever, now get in here.
TPS is adding a slew of AWESOME new classes to the already full schedule. We are adding in new 30 minute express classes too. No more saying that you don’t have time to work out!
We have TRX based classes, ladies only classes, advanced kettlebells and more.
For full details, go to our Free Group X page and read all the descriptions.
I’ve got confirmation from Chad Wesley Smith that he will be here on March 24/25, 2012 for a 2 day Juggernaut Training Systems seminar. Chad was here in November 2011
for the November Strength Seminar and we felt that he a key figure to bring in 2012 for our seminar series.
The Juggernaut Method is taking the training world by storm. Why? Because it works. Raw training is the best way to get strong. Even if you use powerlifting gear, raw training will make
your equipped lifts go up. This seminar is not just for powerlifters.
Trainers, coaches, athletes and novices to the weight room will all benefit from learning how to properly lift RAW.
For full details and to register at a huge discount click here.
Women's Basic Training
2012 also marks the return of the TPS seminar. For years we did in house educational seminars for personal trainers, coaches and novice lifters. We are bringing them back this year! Our first seminar, by popular demand is Basic Training for Women.
I get emails all the time from members and non-members alike asking for this. All of the emails say that they take the classes and love them. While they are getting RESULTS, they are not getting the maximum results. They want to take it to the next level. They also tell me that some of them are a little intimidated by the weight room, not just ours, all of them. A lot of people just don’t know what to do and they want to learn.
Got TPS gear? Take a picture of you wearing it someplace and we’ll post it on our Facebook page.
It could be working out, it could be at a bar, or it could be someplace we can’t even dream of.
December 2011:
ALL CAMPS AND PERSONAL TRAINING 10% Off!
TPS Gift Certificates
The holiday shopping season is upon us and what better gift is there than the gift of health and fitness? Maybe a big bag of money, but that’s probably out of the question for most of you. If you can’t give a big bag of money, how about a TPS gift certificate? They are available in any denomination and are good for all of the services that we offer at TPS. Best of all, they are on sale in December for 10% off.
If you have a friend or loved one who has expressed interest in joining a gym, is interested in personal training or whatever, give them a TPS gift certificate for the holidays. They only go on sale once a year, and now is the time to save.
We are finalizing he format of several new Group X classes for you, at no extra cost, for 2012. Look for a TRX-based class, a women-only class, and more coming soon.
As I always say, TPS is constantly striving to bring you the most value and service for your dollar and we will continue to do that. More classes means more chances for you to exercise in a fun and productive way. Best of all, they’re free with your membership.
Seminar News:
2012 will bring the return of the TPS seminar. We will not only host more great presenters, but we will run our own. We did this in the past for many years, and in the last few, things have been so busy, I haven’t had time to write quality seminar material. TPS will return to its roots and to one of the things that made us well-known and respected in the industry, in house seminars.
Over the years we have run basic through advanced strength-training seminars, strongman seminars, basic through advanced nutrition seminars and many more. In 2012, you can expect several lower priced, 4-hour seminars focusing on things that you can apply right away, like basic nutrition for fat loss and muscle gain, a basic strength training seminar, and we will take a survey of our members and see what they would like. We can do a women’s training seminar, MMA training or anything that our members desire in the fitness world.
You can also expect to see another Rhodes and Vincent traveling circus, and we are discussing things with Marc “Spud” Bartley of South Carolina Barbell. If his schedule allows, we will have him up to teach his own unique style of training.
Stay tuned to the Upcoming Seminars page and the newsletter for full details next month. New Classes:
We are finalizing he format of several new Group X classes for you, at no extra cost, for 2012. Look for a TRX-based class, a women-only class, and more coming soon.
As I always say, TPS is constantly striving to bring you the most value and service for your dollar and we will continue to do that. More classes means more chances for you to exercise in a fun and productive way. Best of all, they’re free with your membership.
Olympic Weightlifting at TPS
Our Olympic Weightlifting camp is up and running strong with Coach Nikita Durnev. In January we will be launching the first, full 8-week program. The 6-week intro program had more registrations than we expected so if you were thinking about attending, I strongly suggest that you pre-register for January. I know it sounds like a sales pitch with a call to action, but it will be filled up.
For full details on the program visit our Olympic Weightlifting Page.
Huge New Program at TPS-Learn the Clean and Jerk and the Snatch
Tuesday November 15, 2011 is the date of the new Olympic Weightlifting program at TPS. We will be running this training group twice a week at 7:00 p.m. on Tuesday and Thursday evenings.
Russian Master of Sport, Nikita Durnev will be your coach. As I have said before, Nikita is simply amazing. If you want to learn how to properly perform the Clean and Jerk and the Snatch as well as all the lifts that are used to assist them, you DO NOT WANT TO MISS THIS!
We will run this camp continuously in 8 week blocks, just like our other camps. The first camp will be 6 weeks long so we can start fresh with 8 week ones when the new year begins.
EFT pricing is available for those of you who want to save the most money. See the Front Desk for details.
Women’s FitCamp-Total Transformation camp Updates
TPS is offering a 4 week Mini Camp for our Total Transformation and Women’s Fitcamp members in December. Usually, we take a break from the camps during the holiday season. This year, by request, we are not. We have set up a special one month only rate for December and are changing the programming to keep your metabolism sky high during the busy holiday month. In December, the gym is a ghost town. People are busy and they don’t find the time to get to the gym and the holiday pounds pack on. Our current campers do not want this to happen and the asked if we could do this for them, so we did. Just so you know, we have set up the camps for 2012 with no interruptions. You’ll be training all year!
Camps will run on the usual days. The best part is the price. We have set up a discounted price for you for this special 4 week program.
Non-members with 4 week membership-Special-$159.00
Members-$129 special price
Camp Dates:
Total Transformation - 4 weeks – 8 sessions
Monday Dec. 5th 2011 – Wednesday Dec. 28th 2011
Women's Fit Camp – 4 weeks – 8 Sessions
Tuesday Dec. 6th 2011 – Thursday Dec. 29th 2011
Toys for Tots
As always, TPS is helping out the USMC again in their annual Toys for Tots Drive. TPS is an official drop off station for them. We have always had a tremendous response from our generous members with this charity drive.
If you can, please bring in a NEW, unwrapped toy and leave it in the box you will make a needy child very happy this Christmas. Everyone is not as fortunate as some of us. It is hard to believe that some children will not get anything at all this year and that SUCKS.
Let's all do out part to make this Christmas a little better for those not as well off as us.
As I write this, I think of how I would feel if I could not afford a gift for my son and it makes me very sad. If I were in that position, I know that words could never express how grateful I would feel for someone taking the time to think of him without ever having met him. Please take the time and think of a young, innocent child waiting for Santa to give them a gift. Make their day a happy one.
New faces at TPS
TPS is happy to welcome Greg Robin to our team of expert trainers. Greg already had quite a bit of experience working elsewhere and, like Eric Dawson, the opportunity to snap him up and get him here presented itself. We jumped on it and are proud to welcome Greg to our staff.
Greg is a certified Russian Kettlebell instructor (RKC), a certified personal trainer (NASM), a certified strength coach. He is also certified in TRX training. Greg has an extensive knowledge of injury assessment, corrective exercise and flexibility/mobility assessment/correction.
Greg is currently accepting clients. If you are interested in training with Greg, I highly suggest that you contact us immediately. It seems that whenever we add a new team member, they fill up very quickly. I suspect this will be the case with Greg. He will also be teaching the a.m. Gutts and Butts class as well as some new classes that we have in the works.
We are also training 2 new interns. Nikita Durnev and Jamie Smith are in our intern program now. Both have excellent resumes and are getting acclimated to our system.
Nikita is simply the best Olympic weightlifter that I have ever seen in person. He is from Russia and is a Master of Sport there. He will be learning our system of personal training and also teaching Olympic Weightlifting at TPS once his internship is completed.
We expect both of these two to be read to go very soon, as they already have a wealth of experience and knowledge.
Guys, It's Awesome Time!
Awesome Camp is starting in 2 days. There is still time to register.
Awesome Camp is all about packing on slabs of lean muscle, losing fat and getting STRONG. That is pretty awesome. Learn to bench, squat, deadlift and press the right way. Learn the secrets of getting STRONG from Dr. Awesome, King of the Bench Press, Steve. In only 8 weeks, you will be squatting, benching and deadlifting more—you will be stronger, bigger, faster and more awesome.
Awesome Camp meets on Tuesday and Thursday at 12:00 noon and begins on November 3rd. For full details, go to our Awesome Camp page.
All online Awesome Camp registrations receive a free e-copy of The Complete Guide to Using the Safety Squat Bar valued at $19.99. We are also curious to see if there is interest in an evening Awesome Camp. If you would be inclined to get more Awesome than you are now, shoot me an email and we will set it up.
Olympic Weightlifting at TPS
We are setting up a new semi-private training group for Olympic Weightlifting. This will be run by Nikita Durnev and will meet twice weekly. We are getting all the final pricing, programming and scheduling together now. If you want to learn the lifts, Nikita is the man to teach you. He is a Master of Sport in Russia and is currently beginning his training for the 2016 Olympics.
This is a huge opportunity to learn from a true master of his game. Don't let his young age fool you. The Russians take this VERY seriously and earning Master of Sport is their highest honor. Let Nikita take your training VERY seriously, too.
Class size will be limited, once we announce the dates and times I suggest that you register right away. This will be full.
New Services:
TPS is proud to announce that Specialized Training Consultants of New England will be teaching a variety of classes in out new classroom beginning this month.
STC is run by Martin Michelman who is a legendary law enforcement/military training consultant. Marty and his team will be teaching CPR, First Aid, Firearms Safety, Basic Self Defense and many more on site. In the future, STC will branch out to off site locations, with classes at TPS and will teach many basic and advanced shooting classes that will be available to law enforcement/public safety personnel as well as private citizens who meet very strict eligibility criteria.
The first course offered by STC is going to be the Basic Firearms Safety Course.
This course consists of lecture, video, demonstration, participant interaction, practice, written and proficiency evaluations
Attendees will receive a comprehensive written guide to the Massachusetts Firearms Laws and a certificate of completion.
Topics include:
the safe use, handling and storage of firearms
methods for securing and childproofing firearms
the applicable laws relating to the possession, transportation and storage of firearms
knowledge of operation, potential dangers and basic competency in the ownership and usage of firearms
Course fee is $110.00 and STC is offering a special rate of $95.00 to TPS members that meet the eligibility requirements.
To register, call STC at 617-828-9868. TPS does not handle the registrations for this course and is not affiliated with STC other than providing the classroom location for the classes. All questions on eligibility and content should be directed to STC.
The course will be offered on Saturday November 5th from 2:00-6:00 pm. We will be scheduling CPR and other classes soon.
Training Day:
Our next TPS Training Day is scheduled for November 19th. We'll be deadlifting by request. The deadlift is something that is frequently maligned as bad for you and dangerous. When done wrong, any lift is. When done right, it is a different story. Learn to pull the right way and get strong and jacked fast. If you are new to lifting, begin properly. If you are a seasoned lifter, let us tune up any issues that you might have.
Training Day is the cheapest and best way to train with a group of experienced lifters and coaches. Learning how to lift the right way from those who have proven themselves as coaches and competitors is a chance that you should not miss. You already know that Team TPS is exactly that, proven and experienced.
Training Day is open to members and non-members alike. It is quickly becoming an event that is drawing people from all over the state and neighboring states. Don't miss out. You can register online now or on the day-of at the Front Desk.
Starting October 17th the Boxing/Muay Thai schedule will look like this:
Monday:
7:00 pm to 8:00 pm-Boxing
8:00-8:30-Intro to Boxing
Tuesday:
6:00 pm to 7:00 pm -Beginner/Intermediate Muay Thai
7:00-8:30-Intermediate/Advanced Muay Thai
Wednesday:
7:00 pm-8:00 pm-Boxing
8:00-8:30-Intro to Boxing
Thursday:
6:00 pm to 7:00 pm -Beginner/Intermediate Muay Thai
7:00-8:30-Intermediate/Advanced Muay Thai
Friday:
7:00 pm-8:00 pm-Boxing
Sunday:
11:00 am-12:00 pm-Advanced Boxing
If you have never attended Boxing/Muay Thai classes at TPS: Regardless of prior experience level, you must first go to an “Intro” class (Intro to Boxing or Beginner Muay Thai).
New days and times are above. You must attend this class at least once when starting the program, and you will be approved for the regular classes after 2 to 4 Intro classes, at the coach’s discretion.
If you are a current Boxing student: You will be notified if you are eligible to attend Advanced Boxing. All current students may attend the regular Boxing class.
If you are a current Muay Thai student: The instructor will let you know if you can train at the Intermediate or Advanced levels. Otherwise, you must attend Beginner/Intermediate classes.
New SpudInc. Products
We've just added 3 new SpudInc. products to the website. We've added a Swiss Bar and 2 sledgehammers.
The Swiss Bar is awesome. We've got a Swiss Bar here at TPS and it is in constant use. It fits in a rack or on a bench like a standard barbell, but it has different hand positions. The hand positions are neutral-grip like a strongman log. This gives you variety in your training and the neutral grip takes stress off of your shoulders.
Spud has made up 2 sledgehammers in his evil lab for you to bang away with and get in unreal shape. Sledgehammer training is becoming pretty mainstream and for good reason: it works. You can start banging away at an old tire and build unstoppable conditioning. It’s fun, too, you get to take out all of your aggression in a safe way. No killing your boss anymore!
There are 2 different models to choose from. One is 30 pounds of solid made in the USA steel, and the other is 38 pounds but is adjustable in weight. You can add sand, lead shot, or whatever you like to increase the weight as your fitness level progresses.
To see the new toys and to order them, got to our Strongman products page.
Camps are about to begin! Get FREE stuff too!
Has it been 8 weeks already? If you have no idea what I'm talking about, listen up: every 8 weeks TPS launches another round of our fitness camps (Total Transformation and Women's Fitcamp). If you are not familiar with these, here is the rundown:
Total Transformation Camp is a high energy, boot-camp style workout designed to melt body fat off of you in a very short time. It is designed so that beginners and advanced trainees can work together in small groups with a coach to get the most results possible in only 8 short weeks. We group people by fitness levels and program their workouts for their fitness levels. You will see that in the short time-span this camp covers, your fitness level and the way that you look in the mirror will improve beyond your expectations (if you do the work). You will look, feel and move better fast!
Total Transformation Camp begins on October 10th, and meets on Monday and Wednesday at 7:00 pm. For full details, go to our Total Transformation Camp page.
Women'sFitcamp is designed for the ladies only and is more like getting one-on-one personal training, only in a small group setting. Your workouts will consist of exercises designed to increase your strength, get you in great shape and get that stubborn body fat off of you quickly.
You will do this in a supportive training environment surrounded by like-minded women and the area's best coaches. Best of all, you will have fun while you are doing it.
Women's Fitcamp meets on Tuesday and Thursday evenings at 7:00 pm and begins on October 11. For more information go to our Women's Fitcamp page.
All online registrations for Fitcamp and Total Transformation Camp receive a FREE e-copy of Strength and Conditioning Interrogations valued at $39.99
Awesome Camp is just for the guys. Guys, let's admit it, no matter how awesome you are, you can always get more awesome right? Well this is for you. Let Steve DiLello, our Director of Awesome, get you jacked.
Awesome Camp is all about packing on slabs of lean muscle, losing fat and getting STRONG. That is pretty awesome. Learn to bench, squat, deadlift and press the right way. Learn the secrets of getting STRONG from Dr. Awesome, King of the Bench Press, Steve. In only 8 weeks, you will be squatting, benching and deadlifitng more, you will be stronger, bigger, faster and more awesome.
Awesome Camp meets on Tuesday and Thursday at 12:00 noon and begins on November 3rd. For full details, go to our Awesome Camp page.
All online Awesome Camp registrations receive a free e-copy of The Complete Guide to Using the Safety Squat Bar valued at $19.99.
Sept. 2011
-Somber Anniversary
I'd like to take a moment to reflect on the anniversary coming this month-it is the 10th anniversary of the September 11th attacks on our country. I will not go into politics, but on the 11th, let's all take a moment and remember the victims of the horrible attack on our country, remember their families, remember the sadness, remember the anger, remember the pride the nation felt after- that we were Americans. One country, united.
9-11. Never forget. Ever.
NEW SEMINAR!
Matt Rhodes and Vincent DiZenzo will be here again for another AWESOME strength training seminar!
-Strongman Saturdays now have a new format and are once a month. Go to the Strongman page for all the details.
-Media Assault
Grab the September issue of Men's Fitness for some bench press tips from Murph of TPS. There is also a ton of useful information from other top names in the training field too.
-Mix 1
The Mix 1 supplement company will be at TPS on September 29th from 5:30 p.m. until 8:30 p.m. giving our FREE samples of their all natural protein shakes. Stop by the lobby after your workout to try some out. If you like it, let us know and we'll get it in stock right away.
August 2011
The next round of TPS Fitness Camps are about to begin. Have you registered yet? If you haven't you are missing out on some of the hardest, but most fun and effective training sessions available anywhere. We offer three different camps right now, one for women only, one for men only and one for men and women.
First off is Women's Fitcamp. This is ladies only and meets Tuesday and Thursday at 4:30 p.m. or 7:00 p.m. Fitcamp is the best way to get top-quality personal training for a low price. Training in a group is less expensive than one-on-one and is just as effective. It is fun, too! You will train with a group of women who are all motivated and supportive. We will teach you how to perform a wide variety of exercises to get you lean, fit, strong and healthy. You will see and feel changes in yourself in just a few short weeks.
Women's Fitcamp begins on Tuesday, August 16th. Don't be left out.
Total Transformation Camp is for men and women and meets on Monday and Wednesday at 7:00 p.m. The next one begins on Monday, August 15th. Total Transformation Camp is all about losing body fat. Our campers routinely lose at least 4% body fat in only 8 weeks. Many of them only do the camps and no other exercise. Although this is not what we suggest, it is effective. If you exercise a few more times per week your results will much greater. Try taking Chuck's Gutts & Butts class, the kettlebell class, or boxing/kickboxing, too.
When you come to Total Transformation camp, you will be moving through a series of exercises that are paired together to melt fat off of your body at an alarming rate. It has been proven time and time again that strength training is the fastest and best way to burn fat and build muscle. Why waste hours spinning your wheels on the cardio equipment and get no results?
Get yourself signed up today for Total Transformation Camp and transform your body into what you have always wanted it to be.
We also offer EFT options for camps that are very inexpensive. See the Front Desk for details.
July 2011
TEAM TPS Dominates in Strongman again!
Congratulations to everyone who competed at Art McDermott’s Fitness Revolution Strongman Challenge at his new facility in Tewksbury! The event was held on Saturday, June 25, 2011, and consisted of the Farmers Walk, Axle Clean & Press, Car Deadlift, Tire Flip/Sled Drag Medley, and Atlas Stones.
TPS winners were:
1st Place, Heavyweight Division: TPS Trainer ERIC DAWSON
1st Place, Lightweight Division: CHRIS BURKE
2nd Place, Lightweight Division: DAMON CURTIS
JON BALDWIN also came in at a fairly close 4th place in the Lightweight Division, a terrific achievement for his first contest and considering the top 3 were national-level competitors!
WAYNE McGUIRE, who is not a member but trains for Strongman at TPS occasionally, also took 2nd Place in the High School Division.
MURPH took on judging duties and a big thanks to Mary Southworth and Russ Smith for making the contest run smoothly.
TPS needs your help!
We have been nominated by Boston.com as one of the Best Gyms in Boston. We are up against the big box gyms that have memberships in the thousands. We want to WIN and we need your vote!
Matt Rhodes and Vincent DiZenzo of EliteFTS.com now have their own radio show! It's called "Just Big" and can be heard Monday nights at 8:00 p.m. EST on http://ftns.co internet radio. That's not a typo, it's .co, not .com.
The show is about being big, getting big, getting strong and listening to Rhodes and Vinny talk about all things awesome. The show is great. I listened to the first two broadcasts and was impressed. Apparently many others were too as they crashed the server for the site as a result of too many people logging in to listen. This was the first time that happened we have been told.
The show has featured many lifting greats like Dave Tate, Jim Wendler, Rob "TT" McCray and will have many more over the season. Murph (me) is scheduled to be a guest too.
Life is too short to be small so if you want to know how to get big, tune in.
New Strongman Contest
Saturday June 25th, Art McDermott is making his return to promoting Strongman contests after a layoff. Art is running the Fitness Revolution Strongman Challenge at his new facility, Fitness Revolution in Tewksbury. Art is a veteran competitor and promoter and always runs a great show. The TPS crew will be there to help out with the show too.
The Strongman Challenge will feature classic events like the tire flip, atlas stones, car deadlift and more. If you are looking for something great to do with the family, this is the event to go to. Bring the kids, watch some strongman and have a great time. I'll see you there
Strongman Saturdays
TPS is launching a new program-Strongman Saturdays. Eric Dawson will be running a Strongman training session every Saturday, except when we have a Training Day. We have had a lot of requests to do this and we are doing it!
The goal of these sessions is help you learn how to use strongman equipment safely and effectively. Whether you are new to training, a veteran who is looking for another tool to use in your arsenal, or an aspiring strongman looking to clean up your form you will take away valuable information from these sessions. Each week we will focus on one to two events (weather permitting we may change event days, we will post any changes on our Facebook page).
These sessions are open to TPS members and non-members too. These sessions are offered at an introductory price of only $10.00 per person for the first two months. They will go to $20.00 in August. If you are interested in learning Strongman this is the best $10.00 you will ever spend! We'll see you there at 12:00 Noon.
It's getting pretty busy upstairs at peak times and our landlord Ed has come to the rescue again. We will be adding in more HARDCORE training area downstairs soon. We are working on getting the space ready now.
The new space will be in the strongman shed outside next to the main building. We will be adding in another 500 square feet of training room. This area will be dedicated to Olympic lifting and strongman. We are adding a few platforms so you can clean, jerk, snatch and pull without the worry of being on the fourth floor. Note: there is no dropping of weights allowed upstairs, but downstairs is another story.
We are working out the logistics of the room now to see how we can set it up for maximum usage. The goal is to be able to have room to do barbell work and strongman in your own section. We are hoping to be able to get it set up so that tire flipping and farmer/yoke can be done indoors in all weather. Even snow! We are adding lights now, doing clean up and looking into heat for the space.
We hope to have this up and running right after you receive this newsletter.
New Muscle & Fitness
Grab the next issue of Muscle and Fitness to see a full story on your favorite gym-TPS. MF is featuring TPS in a huge spread! There are tons of pictures and hopefully a great story too.
Massage at TPS
Jen Noyer is now offering massage at TPS. For rates ot to book an appointment, see the front desk. Jen is an excellent massage therapist and will get those knots and stress out of you. She is filling up quickly so get booked soon.
May 2011
The next TPS Training Day is set for May 21st and this time it's on the Tire Flip. Cost is $20.00 for the day. Get here early and register and be ready to go!
New Seminar
TPS is taking it's show on the road to Seacoast Kettle bell for a strongman seminar. Click here for the details.
New Team TPS Member
Eric Dawson is now officially a member of Team TPS! We are proud to welcome him to our team. Eric is a very experienced trainer who brings quite a bit of specialized knowledge to TPS.
Eric is a long-time Strongman competitor, a former college football player, and is certified in just about everything from Battling Ropes to Kettlebells--he's done it and he can teach you how to do it too.
Eric is accepting clients on Mondays, Wednesdays, Fridays, and Saturdays. I know it sounds like a sales pitch, but he really is filling up very fast. If you are interested in personal training, don't wait, book your session now. Eric is accepting individual clients as well as small groups. Group training is the most cost-effective way for you to get all the attention you need and the results you want. Get a few friends together, save some money and lose some fat!
TPS at the IPA Europa
TPS will have a ton of lifters at the IPA /Battle of the Champions/ Europa meet in Connecticut on Saturday July 30th. The meet will be run by Gene Rychlak who always puts on a great show.
As of now we have Team Awesome consisting of Kevin Delaney, Steve Dilello. Team Douchebag will be led by Carlos Moran and will consist of the following non-douchebags: Steve Amanti, Devon Draper , and Ben Puccio. Russ Smith will be heading up Team Moustache. Tracy DeJesus will probably be a part of Team Awesome. We haven't figured this out yet. She is pretty awesome, Steve will have to make a ruling on this. Rich Malloy should be on Team Douchebag, but as of now is not.
We expect great lifting from our crew. Matt and Vincent will be there too. It is looking like it's going to be an awesome Saturday.
April 2011
Training Day: Saturday April 23rd at 12:00 pm
The Squat is up next at TPS Training Day. This has grown into the best weekend strength event around. We have had 100's of lifters and non-lifters alike show up since we began these last year. Come in to TPS and learn how to squat, fix some issues you might have with your squat or learn how to use your lifting gear to maximize your results at your next meet.
Training Day is the best environment for you to get better at lifting, especially if you don't train here. If you train alone or in a big box gym, chances are you are not doing things 100% right and it's not your fault. Get in here and we will show you how do things properly. We don't care how much you know or how much you lift. Don't be intimidated if you can't squat lot. Training Day s set up just for you, learn to do it right and then add pounds to your lifts. It's the best way to improve.
Cost is $20.00 for the day. Get here early and register and be ready to go!
New Team TPS Member
We are proud to be welcoming Eric Dawson to the training staff at TPS. Eric has been a long time member and client at Total Performance Sports, as well as a highly successful trainer at other facilities. Eric is a veteran Strongman competitor and a Battling Ropes Certified instructor too.
Eric will be accepting clients as of May 1st. Eric has been training clients in all facets of fitness for many years. He also specializes in Strongman and his own unique blend of strength training. Eric is going to be forming a new camp featuring his unique training protocols, blending Strongman, powerlifting, kettlebells, Battling Ropes and more into a unique method of training that will be get you jacked and in the best shape of your life.
Russtache Update!
We are proud to announce the TPS's own Russ "Russtache " Smith, owner of the World's Strongest Mustache is now officially certified by Louie Simmons in the Westside Barbell Certification.
Stache trucked himself and his mustache out to Ohio last month for a weekend of hijinks , lifting an learning at the world famous Westside Barbell. Russ is now the area's ONLY certified Westside coach.
Congratulations to you and your stache.
Sauna is open!
The sauna in the women's locker room is now available for use. Be sure to read all the safety instructions before using the sauna. If you have any questions, ask at the front desk.
New Round of camps starting soon!
Total Transformation is starting again on April 25th and Women's Fitcamp on April 26th! What are you waiting for? Summer will be here before you know it, do you look and feel your best? Our camps WILL get you looking and feeling your best in short order. Stop wasting your time on the cardio equipment. If you have read my articles, you now know that you must strength train to achieve maximum results.
If you are going to strength train you need a plan. A great plan is probably your best option for success. Of course, TPS is the home of the great plan. As with any plan, how it is implemented is also very important. We are the kings of great plan implementation, so you are pretty much all set when you sign up for a TPS camp. All you need to do is show up and give 100%, we'll handle the rest.
TPS's own Tomasso Whitney aka Tomasso Ciampa is making his television wrestling debut Monday March 14 on HDnet (783 on Comcast) on the Ring of Honor show.
Friday, April 1st and Saturday, April 2nd - he will be performing on two IPPVs (internet pay per views) for Ring of Honor. This will be his first ever opportunity on a live internet streamed pay per view event.
The shows will be streamed on www.gofightlive.com . Also, the shows will be taking place in Atlanta (the city hosting Wrestlemania this year) and the shows take place on the same weekend as Wrestlemania - This is major because Wrestlemania weekend draws the largest gathering of wrestling fans of the entire year
We have a new shipment of t-shirts and hoodies in stock now! It's time for the limited edition TPS St. Paddy's day shirts. Like the Shamrock shake, they are only here in March. While supplies last only. Grab the while you can.
Late news:
On June 12, 2010, at the AAU New England and Massachusetts State Championship, TPS's own Steve Brown was honored as the Overall Best Male Lifter. The meet was held in Scituate, MA, and competition for the best overall title was incredibly close. Congratulations, Steve!
Steve Cardillo of Cardillo belts and American Nutrition Center has written a book on training young athletes, How a Champion is Made.
Steve has been a professional strength coach to many champion athletes and he knows what it takes to make a champion.
If you've got kids, nieces, or nephews or you are a youth coach, you will be well served by reading this book. The book is available at ANC in Everett. Stop in and tell him we sent you.
February 2011
SUNDAY MARCH 6TH 2011 TPS IS HOSTING MUAY THAI LEGEND ROB "THE DUTCHMAN" KAMAN!
Muay Thai legend Rob Kaman will be at TPS on Sunday March 6th for a two hour Muay Thai seminar. You younger folks might not know who he is, but those who have been around a while will.
Kaman was a one man wrecking crew in the Muay Thai world in his day. We are honored to have him as a seminar presenter here at TPS.
When I (Murph) was running our kick boxing program, the TPS system was based on his methods. He is one of my all time favorite sports heroes.The Kaman system is a brutally effective. Rob is known for his unreal knockout power and surgical strikes.
We STRONGLY urge all of our Muay Thai students to attend this seminar. If you've never been to a TPS seminar this is a great first one to attend! Your Muay Thai skills will improve quickly from tips form The Dutchman.
Rob Kaman spent the better part of the last 15 years developing his own take on Dutch Kickboxing. Kaman 101 develops skills and reactions by building offensive and defensive counters off single attacks and counter building to multiple attacks and counters.
Emphasis is placed on using hands to set up kicks and vice-versa. Defensive countering is the primary focus as for so many years Muay Thai has been presented to America as “how to kick hard and how to knee hard.”
Rob has found very few people that understand how to effectively make solid defenses that leave the fighter balanced and prepared to make effective counter attacks.
This is the foundation of Kaman 101.
We expect this to be a sellout! Don't wait to register!
Cost is $89.00 per person and you do not need to be a member to attend.
TPS pulled it off again, and with short notice, too. With less than a month to get it done, we are now in our third location! This move went fast and could not have been done without the untiring help of my team, our members and friends, and our new landlord, Ed.
As you may know, TPS started in a very small location in 1999. We grew into our second location almost four years ago, and we are now in our third at 68 Vine Street in Everett!
The new location is four times the size of our Victoria Street location and is going to be known as the best gym (not health club, gym) in New England. The all-new TPS will continue to offer you everything that we are known for and more, so don't worry-we are not turning into the competition. We are adding more of the same equipment from EliteFTS (racks, benches, glute hams, etc.) , more dumbbells, TRX's, more platforms, indoor and outdoor Strongman equipment and much more. There is actually too much to list here! The new location also has full locker rooms with showers (the lockers are being shipped as we speak but are not here yet). We've even got an indoor Turf Area for pushing prowlers and dragging sleds as well as holding Group X classes.
I said above that this move happened in under a month and that is something to think about. This really should have taken at least three months or more to get done. The opportunity arose and needed to be acted upon or it would have gone away. So we did.
The one small catch is that the gym will look a little sparse at first. Getting new gym equipment and setting it up takes time. The lead-time on strength equipment is usually a month or more. Our vendors are coming through for us as fast as they can, but it's not all here yet. We will have new equipment arriving weekly, so don't despair when you come in. The gym will be fully stocked soon.
We began moving all of the gear out of Victoria Street on the 27th. It will all be in place and set up before next week is out. Once that is done, the new stuff will begin arriving. Anyone who has trained at TPS knows we like to rearrange the gym once we are in and get a feel for the floor plan. Don't be surprised if we make a few changes over the first few months.
We will also be updating the gym over the first few months, too. The previous tenant let it fall into a serious state of disrepair. We fixed as much as we could to make it safe and presentable in a short time. As we are not the previous tenant, we will continue to paint, fix things and make it better for you. We expect all the sprucing up to be done by the end of January.
I would like to take a second to thank everyone who helped out in the process. We had a core group of people who helped out on a daily basis: Russ, Steve-Director of Awesome, Tarik, Jane, Hollywood, Erica, Duane, Kevin, Drew, Linden, Trevor and Eddie were all there getting it done. We also had help from a bunch of other people as much as they could. Everyone who helped took time out of their hectic schedules during one of the busiest times of the year. I can't thank each and every one of you enough for all of your help. Without you this would not be a reality.
The only thing that is left is to get back to working out and continuing to be One of America's Twenty Best Gyms.
TPS Training Day
All right, the very first Training Day of 2011 and the very first one in the new gym is here-January 15th.
If you have never heard of Training Day or have not been to one, here's the scoop: This is an opportunity for you to train with a World Class group. The team of coaches at TPS all train together and once a month we open our group up to you.
This IS NOT A SEMINAR, it is a training session. Don't expect to get your ego coddled here, or get one on one attention. You will get a group of STRONG and EXPERIENCED coaches working out right Along with you, and you will benefit from having them spot you and give tips. You will also spot, load plates and lift too.
This is unquestionably one of the best was you will ever spend $20.00 on training. If you use powerlifting gear, lift RAW or even if you don't compete, this is the chance to learn how to perfect your form.
We will be squatting this time. We don't care if you squat an empty bar or 1100 pounds. All are welcome. Bring a great attitude and a willingness to lift and learn.
Lifting starts at 12:15, be ready and warmed up. No need to register, just tell the Front Desk you are here for Training Day and they'll get you going that day. See you there.
TPS at the Everett Rec Center
TPS is proud to announce our new satellite location at the Everett Rec Center. We will begin the Northshore Fitcamp there on January 4th at 6:00 a.m. The first offering will be a Beginners’ Bootcamp with Jen Noyer of TPS running the show.
Beginners’ Bootcamp is ideal for those looking to get into shape after the holidays. It will be primarily focused on getting you more flexible and mobile. Jen will work on a series of exercise progressions using the foam roller, tennis balls and your body to get you moving freely, feeling better and losing pounds and inches.
We will also be offering a regular Bootcamp once the first beginners' camp is finished. The regular Bootcamp will be a much higher level of intensity! You WILL get in shape fast. These camps are very affordably priced and great for all fitness levels. Stay tuned to the Northshore Fitcamp page on the TPS site for all the details.
TPS is preparing two all-new seminars for 2011 right now and we are working on more!
As of right now we are working with the IKFF on a Body Weight Training seminar and certification through the prestigious IKFF. We are also finalizing the details on having John Brookfield, creator of the infamous "Battling Ropes" system come out the same weekend. This will make for an unbelievable two-day seminar.
I have also been speaking with our great friend, Vincent DiZenzo, and he will be coming back to TPS in 2011 for another seminar. This will most likely have Matt and Juliet as well. You never know, maybe we can talk Wendler into coming back up.
Once we have all the finer points ironed out, we will post the information on the "Upcoming Seminars" page. You will have the option of attending one or both of these exciting offerings. Of course there will be an early registration price and a discount for attending both. I say it all the time, but this one will be jammed full of people so register early. We will have to limit seating at these as we expect a very high turnout.
I expect to have all the details worked out in time for the February newsletter. Stay tuned!
Great New Book:
Rachel Cosgrove just wrote a new book on training women, The Fitness Professional’s Action guide to The Female Body Breakthrough. Rachel is known nationally as one of the country's premiere trainers of females. She has decided to share her incredible knowledge and insight with all of you.
Rachel and her husband Alwyn sent me an advance copy of the book and I was blown away. I was so impressed that it was immediately added to the required reading list for the TPS Intern program.
If you are a fitness professional, chances are that you train women. There is a pretty good chance too that you are a guy. This book will help you to learn how to communicate better with your female clientele. If you are a female trainer, you will get a TON of first class information from this book too. What if you are not a trainer, but a woman who is serious about working out? Get the book. It is full of proven training templates to help you achieve your goals.
To get the book, go to http://www.rachelcosgrove.com/store/
You won't be disappointed.
BIG MOVE UPDATE!
Here's the deal, things are coming along very nice over at Vine St.
We will be closed at the Victoria St. location PERMANENTLY on Dec. 23, 2010.
TPS will be closed Dec. 24, 25, 26 and will reopen at 68 Vine St. On Dec. 27 at 5:30 a.m.
The new gym hours will be:
Monday-Friday 5:30 a.m.-10:00 p.m
Saturday and Sunday 7:00 a.m.-6:00 p.m.
We will have a limited amount of equipment at Vine Street from the 27th-Jan. 1st. We will be moving all the equipment from Victoria St. on the 27th, so you'll be in good shape with plenty of stuff to get sweaty with by mid week.
We will have equipment coming in through mid January from a host of different vendors including EliteFTS, SpudInc., Perform Better, Pendlay, BFS, as well as 30 pieces of cardio equiment from a few different manufacturers.
As I have said before, please bear with us during the move. We will do our best to get all the equipment in as fast as possible, but it takes time to get it from the vendors. This move was done VERY fast and a lot of people say we can't get it done in time.
We can. We have a lot of help from our Team and our members. I can't think of too many businesses where the customers help them paint, clean and move. I would like to take a moment to THANK everyone who has helped us out so far. This would not be possible without you all.
TPS truly has the best members of any gym I have ever seen. They always come through!
Anyone who would like to help us out this weekend (Dec. 18&19) is welcome. We will be at Vine St. this Saturday and Sunday cleaning, painting, installing flooring, building walls and moving stuff around.
If you can help, email
This e-mail address is being protected from spambots. You need JavaScript enabled to view it
and let him know.
You are not going to believe this, but it's for real. TPS is moving again!
We were just presented with an opportunity too good to pass up. We will be relocating right around the corner to 68 Vine Street in Everett at the end of the month.
This is the old Gold's/365/Rio location that is on Revere Beach Parkway. The actual entrance is 68 Vine Street, but you all know it as the gym on the parkway, right near the Harley Davidson dealer.
What does this mean for you our members?
It means that you will now have a 27,000 square foot gym with two floors, full locker rooms with showers, more equipment, more parking, more classes, more room to move around without feeling cramped, more options for personal training at a more affordable price (we will be offering semi-private group training now that we have the space), more cardio if that is what you want and more all at the SAME price!
This is a move we are not taking lightly and we will do it with as little interruption to your training as possible. Our goal is to be closed for a few days around Christmas when the gym is slow and then to open in the new location without a hitch. Of course there will be growing pains as we work out new systems to keep things running smoothly for you. Please bear with us during the move. As it stands right now we will only be closed for three days over Christmas ( the 24th-26th). This might change but we do not expect it too.
We will send an email with the final information on the move once we have it. We really love it here at Victoria Street and I would like to personally thank our landlord, Al Molatesta, for being so helpful to us over the years. We will miss him. Al is an AWESOME guy who helped us grow TPS from a 900 square foot location to the 7000 square foot location at Victoria Street. The sad truth is that for us to continue to serve our members, we have to move. It is just too crowded here now and it will only get worse in January.
With that said, we would love it if you have friends, co-workers or family that are looking for a gym, or are thinking about joining a gym to bring them to TPS. We offer a great referral program for our members. When you refer someone to TPS and they sign up for a membership ( 6 month EFT or 1 year Paid in Full) you get a free month. This is a win-win for all involved. You already know TPS is the best gym ever, referring a friend, co-worker or family member is a no-brainer. You get a free month on your membership which is awesome, and by referring us new members it helps us to keep costs down which saves you money in the long haul. Referrals allow us to spend less money on marketing and advertising which allows us to use that savings in ways that serve you, our members better.
We look forward to the best year ever in 2011 and we will do everything we can to make your training experience even better in our new location then it was in this one. Thanks for your patience and understanding in advance.
Self Care Class:
The TPS Self Care class consisting of foam rolling/stretching/flexibility and mobility drill is now scheduled for December 17th at 6:00 pm. Join Jen Noyer upstairs for this FREE class and stay healthy!
Chair Massage:
TPS will be offering Chair Massage billed by the minute on Friday December 10th at 6:00 pm. If you are feeling tight or have a nagging knot in your back, this is the ideal time to address it.
There is a sign up sheet at the Front Desk.
TPS at the Everett Rec Center
TPS is working on a Beginner's Boot Camp at the Everett Rec Center. The TPS FitCamp will be held in January 2011 at the Everett Rec Center and the dates and times are being finalized as we speak.
Boot Camp classes are ideal for those who have limited time and don't want to, or can't afford personal training. We will get you flexible, mobile, agile and lean in a very short amount of time at a price everyone can afford.
The Beginner's Camp will focus on restoring mobility and flexibility to your body before you begin strenuous exercise. Classes will build on this foundation and get you moving, sweating and burning body fat while having FUN!
Classes will meet twice weekly for 30 minutes. You do not need to bring anything but enthusiasm. Stay tuned to this page for all the details.
TPS Swag in the House
We just got AWESOME zip up hoodies in stock as well as TPS aluminum water bottles and beanie hates too.
Hoodies are $40.00 and water bottles are $12.00. Buy both for $45.00 and save $7.00! Beanies are $15.00
Grab some gear and show your TPS pride.
November 2010
THANKSGIVING DAY METABOLISM JACK UP PLAN!
Get your metabolism jacked this Thanksgiving morning with Chuck and his AWESOME Gutts and Butts class.
TPS will open at 8:30 am for you to get warmed up and take class at 9:00 am.
Get in a great workout before you pig out!
We will close immediately following class-we are only open for the class, not regular hours!
From Jen Noyer-New Classes and more!
TPS recognizes the importance of stretching and self-care. Nothing is worse than making progress, hitting new PR's working with your trainer and then hitting a roadblock due to an injury that could have been prevented from stretching. As athletes we need to listen to our bodies to pick up on those subtleties that signal the need to stretch, roll or implement some self-care to prevent injury. For that matter it helps when you work with your trainer to gain flexibility to get under the bar, sit back further in your squat and keep your form tight. Strength is great, but imagine strength and flexibility combined.
As such, we are offering some new benefits to our members. I can't tell you how many people I see come in, change up, put their items in a cubby and head to the back to lift WITHOUT any dynamic warm-up! To make matters worse, after their workouts clients grab their stuff and walk out WITHOUT stretching or rolling. Your workout is not finished after you rack the bar! After your workout, stretching should be just as important as your post-workout meal.
To that end, TPS will now offer a monthly class geared toward using what may become your closest friend at the gym, the foam roller. This class will demonstrate proper use of the foam roller to reduce muscular tension, demonstrating techniques as well as incorporating some basic static stretches designed to assist with muscle recovery. You get all this in a convenient 30 minute format. Don't have a roller? Not to worry, we have some here and also will tell you where to buy them so you can roll to her hearts content in front of the TV at home. Keep an eye out for this new offering at the gym and check for times! I am very excited to share with you this great new opportunity in the stretching arena (and yes I may be a bit biased).
In addition to one-on-one personal training sessions TPS now offers One-on-One Stretching/Self-care sessions with yours truly.
Are you restricted in your lifts due to tight hips? Do you feel low back tension after sitting at the office all day? Whatever concerns you have, we will work together to chase them down and regain your flexibility. This is the perfect opportunity to voice your hopes, wishes and aspirations for a more flexible you. You will need to complete a health history intake form prior to your first session. During these one-on-one sessions we will work to create a personalized program designed to work towards your personal goals whether in daily life, at the gym or with lift specific stretches.
Sessions may include variations of yoga stretches, incorporate foam rollers, the back-knobber or other self-care props all designed to target your tension and increase flexibility. Feel free to grab me if you have questions or would like to understand the personal benefits to you. Please check with the front desk for more information and rates.
Chair Massage will be making its debut in November.
Here is the chance to work on some trigger point release for those nagging knots in your back that you just can't reach.
Massage sessions can be great to reduce overall tightness or a quick, intense way to work out some knots that might be limiting your range. If you prefer more of a relaxation component we can change it up to calm the muscles. In addition to back work we can incorporate hips, arms, legs and neck. Pre or post-workout massage is all good. I'll bring in the massage chair and you can have a seat and chill.
This service is an additional cost to members at $1 per minute; payment accepted at the front desk.
The sign up sheet will be located at the front desk. Feel free to sign up in advance for a time slot so you don't have to hang around and wait. I look forward to seeing many of you and getting to know those members I have not yet had the pleasure to meet.
As a reminder you can always try out a yoga or pilates class during the week, no experience needed. Group class schedule is at the front desk!
Training Day:
Saturday November 13th is the next TPS Training Day. We will be BENCHING BIG this time on the brand new Metal Militia Thug bench we just got from Bill Crawford of the MM. Come on down to TPS for a great day of lifting. I've said it before and I'll say it again, if you haven't been to one of these, you are missing out. Training days are the BEST way to for you to get a ton of knowledge and experience with a great group of lifters. Be here at 12:00 noon for day of benching. Bring your shirt too if you need help in tweaking your competitive bench. No shirt, no problem. We can get you up to speed on raw benching too. Who knows, maybe 405 raw will fall for Steve this time.
New Classes
We are looking to expand our Group X class schedule to better serve our members. We have had a lot of interest in a Friday Gutts and Butts class, as well as expanded Yoga and Pilates. We are also looking at a few new ones.
I am currently in the process of adding a new class on Restorative Techniques and Mobility with Jen Noyer as the instructor. This class will focus on foam rolling, self myofascial release, trigger points and flexibility/mobility. The curriculum is underway and will be announced soon.
Toys For Tots Drive:
It's almost the most wonderful time of the year and you know what that means, some kids won't get any presents. Well, not if TPS and you our members can help it!
As we have always done, we will be running a Toys for Tots drive again this year. If you can afford it please bring in a new, unwrapped toy and leave it in the box and we will have them picked up and distributed by the USMC to needy local families.
We'll be adding a twist this year too! We will be running FREE Saturday Boot Camps soon. What's the catch, there is always a catch. It's really not free. We would appreciate it if you could bring in a toy f or the Toys for Tots drive.
If you can't bring in a toy, we will still let you take the Boot Camp class. It would be great if you could so open up your wallet and your heart and help a kid have a great Christmas this year.
TPS/ Boston Crossfit Strongman Seminar
TPS was invited to work with Boston Crossfit last month for a Strongman Seminar. The host, Neal, form Boston Crossfit was first class. The facility is located in a pretty rough section of Boston. The people there were not so rough, they were pretty hardcore though.
We began the day with an hour lecture on the types of Strongman events, safety, how to do them and how to incorporate them into the Crossfit WOD's. We then moved on to the practical portion. LEt me tell you, the people there came to work!
"Hollywood" Matt Murphy, Ross "Pudding Pop" Martin, Kevin "too muscular for A.R.T., and Murph put everyone through the events and by the day's end, everyone looked pretty darned good at doing them.
Big News:
Effective immediately, CJ Murphy (Murph) of TPS is now accepting new training clients and small groups for coaching. This is the first time in a long time that this opportunity has presented itself to our clients.
If you are interested in becoming your best,
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today. This opportunity will not last. We anticipate that bookings will be very quick. Reserve your spot now.
TPS is now accepting Resumes.
Want to join Team TPS? We are currently accepting resumes for the following positions:
MMA/BJJ Instructor
If you are interested in either of these, please send an email to
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October 2010
New Camp?
TPS is taking interest in a new training camps. The first offering has been tentatively named by Steve. The working title is "Dude Camp". That may or may not change. It could change to "Gettin' Awesome with Steve Camp". We'll keep you posted on that. Anyway, "Dude Camp" will be a morning training group for, you guessed it, dudes. Most guys want to be more awesome but don't know how. Steve knows how to get Awesome. Steve was not awesome when he came to TPS, but he is now. He can teach you to be more awesome.
Getting awesome revolves around being strong and jacked, two things that Steve is all about. If you would like to be more awesome, reply
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We'll make it happen.
"Dude Camp" will be offered at one of the following times: 9:00 am or possibly 10:00 am. Let us know which time is best for you to get awesome with Steve.
The other camp we are considering is a Women's Morning Training Group similar to our Boot Camp Fitness Series, with a kick. You'll get the same great workout as the night camps, but with an emphasis on doing more work in less time to burn more fat. This will make the ladies more awesome too.
We don't have an awesome name for this one yet and we are taking suggestions. The Women's camp will be an early morning camp, just around the time the kids are dropped off at school. Perfect for moms.
Both camps will have a different pricing structure than our evening camps. They will be ongoing, instead of running in eight week blocks, and will be billed on a monthly rate. We are finalizing rock bottom pricing on these to give you the best training at the lowest possible price. Remember, TPS is 100% committed to making you more awesome at the best value.
Kettlebell Prices Slashed!
Go to ourKettlebell Pageand see for yourself. We've slashed the prices on the highest quality SpudInc Kettlebells to save you money.
Giant Dumbell
It is finally available! For full details go here.
Grip Authority Site
By now I'm sure you have been reading about feats of grip strength from the best in the biz, Jedd Johnson in this newslettter. Well, Jedd has an awesome site, Grip Authority filled with videos, articles, workouts and more for you to gain more knowledge. Grip training is very under rated in sports and strength training. It WILL help all combat athletes (MMA), baseball players, golfers, and more to have more control over their sport. Click here to see what it's all about. You won't be disappointed.
Boxing/Muay Thai Class Updates:
Boxing/Muay Thai intro class.
We will be changing the intro procedures for new Boxing/Muay Thai Students. Intro classes will be held on Saturdays from 12:00-1:00pm. Intro classes will allow beginners to learn the ropes in both boxing and muay thai in a more personal atmosphere. Must attend at least 2 classes and no more than 4 classes to join the weeknight classes. Classes will be taught by Eddie Alvarez.
Last Updated ( Thursday, 09 September 2010 23:05 )
Review of the 2010 IPA New England Revolution
TPS Lifters Win Gold at Rhode Island Powerlifting Meet
by Jane Stabile
TPS sent a strong team of five lifters to the IPA New England Revolution powerlifting meet in Johnston, R.I. on March 27th. The meet was held at Ocean State Gym, an old-style hardcore gym with lots of character. Murph and Kevin were there to coach, Eric Feigenson took pictures, and many more TPS buddies showed up to help or to cheer for the team.
Here are the impressive results:
Steve DiLello: First prize, 220-lb Open class, Pro Division. Best lifts were 550 lb squat, 405 lb bench, and 550 lb deadlift, for a total of 1505. This was only Steve’s second meet, maybe a taste of great things to come?
Micah Miller lifted in the Iron Man (Deadlift and Bench only) Division of the meet, in the Raw (unequipped) Pro 242-pound category. He placed first with a 370 pound bench and 550 pound deadlift, a total of 920 for the two lifts.
Carlos Moran lifted in the Junior Amateur division, 198 pound class. His 550 lb squat, 425 pound bench, and 585 pound deadlift, and 1560 total won him not just first prize in his class but also the Best Lifter award for the Amateur division.
Matt Rhodes was our representative in the Open Pro Division’s 308-lb class. Matt squatted 815 pounds, benched 550, and deadlifted 700 pounds, and he placed first in his class with his total of 2065.
Jane Stabile lifted in the Women’s Amateur 55-59 year old 148-lb class, and won first place with her 345 pound squat, 190-pound bench (which was a personal record), 225 pound deadlift and 760 pound total. The squat, bench press, and total were IPA world records.
Congratulations to all the lifters, and thanks to all the athletic supporters who came with us.
Last Updated ( Friday, 02 April 2010 20:10 )
Publications
The Publications page will feature links to the many magazine articles that TPS has been consulted for, and ones that have been written by Murph.
Browse through the links, there is a lot of great training information here from publications like Men's Fitness, Men's Health and many more.
Everett Gym Earns Men's Health Magazine Top Training Nod - Again (Everett, MA) Total Performance Sports, a small, local gym in Everett, MA, was selected by Men's Health magazine as one of the country's 30 Best Gyms in its March 2008 issue. This is the gym's second nod by Men's Health since being chosen for the same nomination in September 2005, and one in a string of recent national accolades, for the facility which specializes in personal training, group fitness classes, strength & conditioning, boxing and kickboxing. Known for unique training philosophies, Total Performance Sports' co-owner C.J. Murphy and staff blend elements from a variety of disciplines to create fun but highly effective workout programs for their clients. "We take a no-nonsense approach to fitness", says Murphy. "By adding basic training tools such as sandbags, medicine balls, tire flipping and kettlebells to our client's workouts, it helps them to break through plateaus faster and see better results in their overall strength and fitness levels."
According to the article, "Our list of the country's 30 best gyms…is defined by the only criteria that truly matters: results. Make that, big results." From the bride looking to get into shape for the big day to the high school athlete who needs that extra edge on the field, being purpose driven and results oriented, members drive from as far away as Wayland MA and Nashua, NH to work out at the new location.
Murphy is also quick to point out that the facility is fully equipped for the iron sports competitor as well. "A lot of guys want to lift heavy or compete but have no place to train. Most commercial gyms have removed their heavier dumbbells, banned chalk, and limited the amount of weight customers can use in a trend to push the heavier lifters away from their "main street" clientele.
Our facility is just the opposite! Total Performance is for everyone, including people who want to train heavy. From our strongman equipment and power racks to dumbbells over 120lbs, heavy lifters have everything they need to work out to a friendly and encouraging environment and use as much weight on the bar as they want."
