by Neil Anderson
Candice B.
We are often (read: constantly) asked what makes GPP different from other places. It is a fair question. To the uninitiated we look pretty similar to some of the new "performance training" centers popping up all around. My first reaction to this question is to pop immediately into our spiel on "Optimal Health." Problem with this is, the Optimal Health lecture can run a little long ("what - NO!"). And to someone who is "just asking" it's probably not something they are ready for - YET.
Nothing quite explains the differences in our programming style, philosophies and community like what we did today (I write these the day before - referring to yesterday'sABs-Mash workout). You will find nothing like the Abs-Mash workout anywhere. It is entirely our own. In fact, all of our OTC stuff is completely unique to GPP. Workouts likeSTAB, Shredder, Lemon, Side Slayer, Smabs, OTC - (anything) and etc. are workouts you'd never find outside of our influence. They are some of our most popular workouts. They are so for a reason. They work. They simply do the job of increasing your health effectively and efficiently. They also look good on. And the thing is, we all know it. You couldn't do a workout like one of these without instantly knowing and feeling the immediate positive benefits.
We are lucky at GPP. We aren't LIMITED by the expectations of "performance training." Therefore we can do things like, biceps curls, crunches, sideups, triceps extensions and other single joint movements. Why do single joint movements? They work. They always have. But, what makes GPP programming special is that we combine these movements with many other methods (cleans and jerks, dead lifts, squats, running, etc.) to yield a healthier affect. Yes, folks ALL the functionality and ALL the aesthetics without the wheel spin of straight performance training.
When you do performance training you cannot do biceps curls, or crunches, or triceps, or ANY of the other tried and true methods that just plain work. Performance trainers eschew these with utter disdain. They will mock you for it as openly as I do when you clap a burpee. Doing a biceps curl won't directly add to their work capacity (performance based terminology). It is inefficient programming for competing in the sport of fitness and dominating others with their hyper-elite badassity. Every minute they spend doing a biceps curl takes away from minutes they could be doing more pullups - the things they are literally awarded points for.
I'm being a little hard on performance training here. Truth is, we respect them immensely. We just don't want to train like them. We don't like their limitations. We want to do the stuff that works (all of it) - for our specific pursuit ... Which is probably the easiest way of pointing out our differences without having to watch a person's eyes glaze over.