Michael Gallagher came to Central Athlete in October of 2015.He had moved from California recently and was looking to replace his old CrossFit gym. His intentions were simple: 1. Continue to see measurable progress in his strength training 2. Be able to train within the confines of an inconsistent work schedule 3. Improve body composition Coming from a traditional CrossFit gym, he was a little apprehensive at first, but decided to take the plunge and has enjoyed the process and his recent successes: 1. Overhead squat improved from 170 to 245 pounds 2. Back squat improved from 315 to 360 pounds "I came to Texas because of a promotion with my company. I work in the alcohol industry and was presented with an opportunity to relocate to Austin. To be honest, I didn't know what I was going to do as far as training. I knew that I wanted to change from CrossFit-style workouts and start looking at more dynamic programs. I certainly didn't know what it meant and looked like with the amount of traveling I was going to do covering Texas and Oklahoma. Dropping last-minute changes on Jesse on a regular basis probably wasn't too much fun for him but he always adjusts accordingly and with the same challenge. I have taken to heart the training I want to do and the time my coach puts into designing that program. The least I can do, is do what is assigned, and let him see if the program is working. The beauty of this is that we are all told how unique we are, so why would one type of workout work for all of us? Our programming should be as unique and dynamic as we are. This training does just that."

Working with Michael’s schedule can be tough, according to his Coach, Jesse O’Brien. “Since Michael works in the liquor industry, he has to take clients out to dinner periodically and often travel. This makes improving fitness particularly difficult when you are away from your structure, gym and normal day-to-day routine. As a fitness professional, this is one roadblock that I see derail even some of the most motivated clients. Michael has been particularly communicative and aligned in this area of his life. He communicates with me and lets me know what days he will be training, for how long and what equipment he will have available. Not only does this keep him on track and accountable to the plan, but also Michael has kept improving, while others would digress or simply stay where they are." Central Athlete was founded with the intention of making fitness easy again. The goal was to make sticking to a fitness program simple and the responsibility of the client. Having formerly owned a CrossFit facility, we understand firsthand that CrossFit is a beautiful and potent animal. However, the problem lies within the model—how CrossFit is delivered, rather than how it is expressed. Central Athlete understands that just about all our clients will face a situation where they have to travel, deal with low energy or illness, or address changing objectives. At Central Athlete, it is the Coaches’ responsibility to sift through these details and design a program that meets the clients where they are and is aligned with what they want to accomplish. Fitness in an evolving journey. This becomes apparent with our clients during our monthly consult in which we discuss how training has been going, how they are feeling relative to their expectations and any other topics that they would like to discuss. Michael addresses this truth: “Initially, my fitness goals centered around Olympic Lifting and overall strength training. In the past ten months, I have seen my capacity in my overhead stability and strength increase tremendously. Recently, my mindset regarding training has shifted to a focus on mobility and nutrition. The improvements I have made in my lifts have come from the programming and while I still progress under this program, I realized I needed to start taking a hard look at my eating habits and my movement roadblocks. Being able to sit down with a coach and say, ‘Ok, this is all working great, but what if we added another level to it?’ Having a Coach like Jesse say, ‘Yeah let's see what happens. This is where it gets really fun!’ is a great dynamic that has encouraged me to seek alignment with what is truly purposeful for my individual function."

Fitness is a journey. Whether you are into Zumba, CrossFit, or your own individual blend, the model that you subscribe to needs to be dynamic and adaptable, not stagnant and boring. Over time your goals and intentions as they relate to fitness will evolve. Both your individual intentions and your outside environment will influence how you integrate fitness into your lifestyle. Life sometimes comes at you: kids, marriages, school, job changes, moves, etc. The only certainty in life is change. So let’s embrace models that support autonomy and variety while simultaneously improving your fitness. Here is a sample of Michael’s current training plan: Monday August 22, 2016 A. Rocking Table: 120 seconds B. Twisting Bear: 90 seconds C. Goblet Squat: barefoot; 20 x 4 sets; rest 2:30 D1. Tripod: 20-40 sec x 5; rets 30 sec D2. Static Seated Shoulder Flexion with Weighted Bar: 10 seconds x 5 rest 30 sec E. 4 rounds: 5 Jefferson Curls 55# 12 Cossack Squats 7 min AB @ 80% (rest 1:45) Tuesday August 23, 2016 A. Romanian Deadlift: with straps; 40X1; 10 x 4; rest 2:30 B. Glute Ham Raise: 40X0; 3-5 x 5; rest 90 sec C. 4 rounds @ consistent pace:

30 sec side plank/side 15 Sprawl BJ 20" 20 Cal AB 5 sPull-Ups 400m run Wednesday August 24, 2016 A1. Kettlebell Windmill: 4-5/side x 4; rest 60 sec btw sides A2. Straddle Press: 31X1; 8-10 x 4; rest 60 sec B. Strict Dips: 75 NFT C1. Deck Squat: 5-10 x 4; rest 30 sec C2. Bent Hollow Hold: 30-60 sec x 4; rest 60 sec D. Assault Bike: 5 Cal FT x 5; rest 2:00 Thursday August 25, 2016 REST DAY Friday August 26, 2016 A1. Rocking Table: 120 seconds x 2; rest 60 sec A2. Twisting Bear: 90 seconds x 2; rest 60 sec B. Goblet Squat: barefoot; 20 x 5 sets; rest 2:30 C1. Tripod: 20-40 sec x 4; rets 30 sec C2. Static Seated Shoulder Flexion with Weighted Bar: 10 seconds x 4 rest 30 sec D. AB 35 min @ MAP 10: every 5 min = 15 SA OH Carry + 10 sec supinated COVP hold + 10 cossack squats Saturday August 27, 2016 A. Hang Power Clean: build to a 5rm; then 5 @ 95%, then 5 @ 90% B. Glute Ham Raise: 40X0; 3-5 x 4; rest 90 sec C1. Wall Facing Handstand Hold: 20-40 sec x 3; rest 90 sec C2. Z-Dislocates: 5 x 3; rest 30 sec D. GHD Sit-Up: 75 NFT + Cooldown: Row 10 min @ MAP 10 Sunday August 28, 2016 REST DAY #beunique