The Gym For People Who Hate Gyms, by Coach Chris In high school, I participated in a summer training program for hockey players that included some time in the weight room at the rink. I had never used any of the machines. I’d never touched a barbell or dumbbell before. I Read more…
How We’re Keeping Our Members Safe Somehow, caring about other people’s safety has become a controversial and political issue in 2020. Concern for our coaches and athletes, and their families, is not even a question for us. It’s the most important thing, period. Nobody is expendable for the sake of Read more…
This week Coach Chris sat down with fellow gym owner Hannah Wydeven, owner of Solcana Fitness in Minneapolis. Hannah’s gym is a shining example for other owners in the fitness place for what it means to actually be inclusive. Her gym is filled with folks of different ages, ethnicities, and Read more…
Marta has been a member of RECF since last fall. She’s a constant ray of sunshine in the gym (and on Zoom) who is quick to smile, always works hard, and is just a joy to have around. A former rugby player, it took a while to find a fitness Read more…
Will Lifting Weights Make Me Too Bulky? by Coach Chris This is a common question we get from new clients when they come in for an intro session, and see our barbells hanging out in the rack. There seems to be a misconception that as soon as you lift a barbell, Read more…
Coming Back to the Gym after (or in the midst of) a Pandemic, by Coach Chris Gyms around the US are open for business again, after about 3 months of closed doors due to COVID-19. Some folks were fortunate enough to have home gym setups, and were able to continue Read more…
Father’s Day Thoughts: My Dad’s Role in RECF Growing up, I was fortunate enough to have the opportunity to try tons of different sports. Baseball, basketball, ice hockey, swim team, diving, soccer, roller hockey, and probably half a dozen other’s I’ve forgotten over the years. For many of those sports, Read more…
Historical systemic racism in the Twin Cities: Housing & real estate, by Coach Chris I’ve lived in the Twin Cities since I was in the 4th grade. I love it here. I’ve lived in the suburbs, I’ve lived in Uptown MPLS, Lauderdale, and now in the Midway neighborhood in St. Read more…
Recovering from a tough workout doesn’t have to be rocket science. With a little bit of forethought and intention, you can bounce back after tough workouts faster and have the energy you need to tackle your day to day tasks. Like most aspects of health, there are a handful of Read more…
Ruth is a Ripple Effect OG. She was doing personal training with Coach Chris for about 5 months, before RECF had even found a space! She’s also incredibly thoughtful, kind, and makes us laugh constantly. We’ve seen her make amazing progress in her strength, mobility, and confidence over the past Read more…