What We Are Reading Between Sets

As professionals in the fitness industry, we love to stay current with the happenings in the industry. We wanted to share with you some of the articles and books that TS team has been geeking out on lately. As part of our dedication to continuing education and keeping our team growing, we select books together to foster conversation and discussion. We actually include related readings as part of our Monday Meetings! Let us know if you have any recommendations; we are always looking to learn something new!

Power of Habit by Charles Duhigg

“Typically, people who exercise, start eating better and becoming more productive at work. They smoke less and show more patience with colleagues and family. They use their credit cards less frequently and say they feel less stressed. Exercise is a keystone habit that triggers widespread change.”

This past fall, the TS team read The Power of Habit by Charles Duhigg. In this NYT best seller, Duhigg dives into the scientific discoveries that explain how people develop habits. The Power of Habit determines that the key to creating last change such as losing weight, working out often, or achieving personal successes hinges on the understanding of how habits work and the ability harness their power to change your life. The Power of Habit is very relatable to the things we see everyday in our own lives and the industry we are in.

Shoe Dog by Phil Knight

“Starting my own business was the only thing that made life’s other risks—marriage, Vegas, alligator wrestling—seem like sure things. But my hope was that when I failed, if I failed, I’d fail quickly, so I’d have enough time, enough years, to implement all the hard-won lessons. I wasn’t much for setting goals, but this goal kept flashing through my mind every day, until it became my internal chant: Fail fast.”

Shoe Dog, written by Nike founder Phil Knight, illuminates the company’s early days as a small business and its eventual transformation into one of the world’s most innovative, disruptive, and profitable brands. Knight demonstrates that the path to business success is riddled with mistakes and struggles and is much messier than it may appear. He advocates for using mistakes as learning opportunities and if one is to fail–fail quickly to learn and move on.

Not only does he analyze his own business decisions but also covers the human relationships that formed the culture of Nike.  As a small business in the fitness industry, this sports-related book resonated with the team due to its emphasis of hard work, dedication, and the value of relationships.

In addition to books, we’ve read a bunch of great articles lately, written by members of the TS Community.

Anything by Amy Schlinger

“You can’t deny it—ice skaters have insanely great glutes. “When you ice skate, your power comes from glutes,” says Noam Tamir, C.S.C.S., founder of TS Fitness in New York City. “Each time you push off one foot, you go into hip extension and the glutes are the main driver there.” He says you also work the adductors and abductors in your legs, “which are very important during the propulsion of the movement, as your legs move away from and then return to the center of your body.”

Amy Schlinger is not only a great writer who specializes in fitness but you can also find her torching calories at TS. She recently wrote an article for Women’s Health featuring Coach Noam Tamir on “10 Winter Workouts That Burn An Insane Amount Of Calories.”

Our Very Own Coach Henry

Goblet Squat: If you’re still learning proper squat technique, this is one of the best squat variations. You’ll need a kettlebell or dumbbell for resistance, but you don’t need to go too heavy. The weight helps you lean backward as you squat down, making the movement easier.

Did you Coach Henry also writes about fitness for websites like Livestrong, Elite Daily, and Bustle? Henry wrote a great piece on squat variations for MyFitnessPal. You likely will see a few of these moves in your next GPT class!

We love passing all the things we learn on to our peers, our clients and our community.  If you aren’t growing, you’re dying. The hunger to become better is on the forefront of the TS Team’s culture.  We are always taking things that we learn and applying them to the community that we have created. Knowledge is power but only if you apply what you learn.