elitefts™ Sunday edition

From Stoners Gym To Competitive Edge Athletic Performance Center

The First 24 Hours and a Nice PR

We knew relocating all of our equipment from our home to the new facility was going to be a challenge. This is because we're so tired from getting everything in place and trying to coordinate the different aspects of the business. Operating on very little sleep and patience has become the "norm" this week. To top it off, we have a ridiculous amount of strongman and lifting equipment that needs to be moved.

I anticipated that once the first shipment of gym flooring arrived, all hell would break loose. We would need to move the gym equipment pretty quickly before the next section of flooring arrives. So, when a Groupon came across my email a few weeks back, I got really excited. The offer was $60 for two movers for two hours. I peed myself a little bit with eager anticipation over making our move even a little bit easier. I immediately sent it on to The Big Guy. I implored him to consider the offer, this would likely be the best $60 we could ever spend. Heck, add in a few more hours for $100. His reply with something like, “Suck it up Princess. Moving won’t be so bad.” I’ve been around long enough to know what was coming.

24 Hours

Here’s a quick glimpse into our 24 hours of moving starting on Friday night after working all day getting the office together.

8 p.m. – We determine it’s time to start moving the equipment. I spent a few minutes reminiscing about all the memories and friends who came and trained in our home throughout the years. My heart broke a little bit knowing I no longer have a gym in my house. It’s been 12 years of bliss. Suddenly, there's no reason to have this house. The super-sized garage gym was its identity.

8:15 – The Big Guy informs me we will be moving our Collegiate Power Rack on our own. His plan is to pull it face down and load it onto the trailer. “Don’t worry,” he assures me, “Magnus (who is 12) will help us.”

8:30 – Knowing this is a HORRIBLE idea, in a panic I post to Matt Goodwin's (elitefts™ Director of Sales) wall on Facebook (FB).

HELP! Be my voice of reason. Tiny thinks he and I can move the rack alone without taking it apart. Advice?

8:31 – Checked FB on my phone desperately hoping for a response from Goodwin. No luck.

8:33 – Checked FB on my phone in a bigger panic, still waiting for a response from Goodwin. I need some perspective for this situation. Still no luck.

8:35 – The Big Guy is ready to move, and my rain delays were no longer effective. We took measurements for the doors and trailer and review the game plan. He will stand at the back of the rack and push it up while I'm in front holding on to it. Once it’s secure in my grip, he will come to the front and help me lower it to the ground. A heated debate ensues concerning this plan.

8:45 – The debate increases in intensity. I'm losing the battle. The “princess” word is used to describe my concerns.

8:50 – The plan is put into motion. I get hysterical stressing how bad of an idea this is. I remind The Big Guy of his years as a safety consultant with OSHA. I’m pretty sure any safety regulation in existence even in third world countries would not support this plan. Magnus is told to come to the front of the rack to help me hold onto it. I reject the plan. Killing my son trying to move a power rack is negligent parenting, so I refuse. We do a dry run of the plan. I pretend to be weaker than I am in order to stop the madness. His response was, “I’m not worried about you. I’m worried about not scratching the rack.”

8:53 – As a last line of defense, I bust out some tears. The Big Guy starts backing down and asks if this is going in my log. Without a doubt, you know it is. Why is this even a question?

9 – Still no response from Goodwin. I convince The Big Guy to take off the brace and chin bar. We can put it back together tomorrow when our training partners come. SUCCESS! Some piece of reason and logic must have set in. We start disassembling the rack and start to move all the equipment to the gym.

1:30 a.m. – We call it "quits" for the night and go home to get some sleep.

6 – Woke up to see that Goodwin responded.

“At least take off the K-brace and chin bar.”

Goodwin is a genius! Off for another long day of moving the rest of the equipment and to start organizing everything.

10 – Realize we already outgrew our facility and not all of the equipment is here yet. Expanding into one of the neighboring units will need to be a higher priority than it was. We started identifying equipment that will need to be returned to our garage until we expand.

1 p.m. – Our training partner arrives and helps us set up the rack. I retell the story from last night, making sure to not miss any details and make my role in the situation that of a martyr. I thanked him for coming to help and saving my life.

3 – Other training partners arrive for the inaugural lift. I planned on my first lifting session to be memorable, but I was wiped. I decided on some rack pulls with one of the new Power Bars. I worked my way up to 405 pounds, then put my belt on and worked up to 595. That wan't too shabby for a 30-pound PR.

5:30 – Jetted out of the facility. I realized I didn't really eat today and needed to figure out where my kids were.

8 – I can’t move, climb into bed, and call it a day. It was time to get some sleep for another grueling day tomorrow.

Morals of the story: Follow Goodwin’s advice if you ever try to relocate your rack. Put your ego to the side and cough up the $60 Groupon. Let an unsuspecting minion come and do your dirty work.

CAUTION!

Greatness in Progress

State of the Gym Progress Update

The second portion of the flooring arrived this week so we just need to settle some issues and get it installed properly by an expert.

This morning, our crew of people came over to help move some equipment. I should have invited people over to help more often through the years. Typically it's The Big Guy and I arguing about how something should be moved and then me whining that wives really shouldn't move heavy stuff. That's a man's job, yet I seem to be the only women that I know of who gets suckered into schemes of moving thousands of pounds of stuff.

Come hell or high water, this will be the weekend that everything is set up, organized, banners hung, etc. That is until more "stuff" arrives next week. At first, I was excited getting new packages and shipments – every day was Christmas. I quickly came to the conclusion that once a shipment arrives, it translates into more moving, organizing and cleaning. I think the UPS guy LOVES coming here. He's always peering around the corner and asking questions. Now when he drops packages, I get a run through of how much it weighs (like that really matters, I am goddamn Super Wattles!)

Overall, I love, love, LOVE our facility, where we are located, and having somewhere I can go to hide out while people think I am working. I did have plans to train this afternoon, but I am not sure how this will pan out. The priority right now is working until I keel over from exhaustion. While we have people here to help, we must forge ahead.

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