Fitness Disneyland: The Power Race

By Jesse Kepka
NASM Certified Personal Trainer, Certified Nutrition Coach and Corrective Exercise Specialist

The Power Race is back on October 8. Who wants a ticket? I will be in attendance, I will play hard, and I want playmates. You guys know I’m your biggest cheerleader. I adore you. And I see you. Lemme break this down.

Primal (fundamental) movements are the ones that are innate to our body and our neuromuscular capacities. I make sure you hit them in your sessions because they are vital. Next time you are witness to a toddler playing on the floor, watch them hinge (deadlift) to pick up a toy. It’s exquisite. They haven’t jacked their bodies with shoes and perpetual sitting, are constantly in motion unless they are asleep, and, most importantly, they thrive on curiosity. That curiosity drives their learning and strengthening and growing. On the other side of the spectrum, my early-70yr old parents can rock a deadlift and are strong and agile. And honestly, still hilariously curious. Primal – it applies to all humans. Age is of no consequence. Again, I already know what you can do. Aren’t you curious to find out, if you can’t see it yet? This is the race to try. Just try. Side note: This is only the second run of it, so we’re all new. And we’re all a little scared. Use it as fuel.

Race Construction:

50 deadlift: primal hinge
50 bench press: primal horizontal press
30-60 wall balls: primal vertical press AND squat (insert drool here)
0-40 pullups (depending on your level you choose – if you’re not there yet, you don’t do them): primal vertical pull
1000 meter – 3000 meter row: primal horizontal pull
3km-8km walk, jog, run (again depending on your choice of level): primal gait cycle

It’s a feat of both strength and endurance. Training for it will not only give you laser sharp focus but will turn you into your very own beast in that you will be straight-up fit in all capacities. “Fit” looks different for everybody, and there is a place for whatever level you find yourself right now. Do you want to use an empty barbell for your bench and deadlift? Go for it. Set roots where you’re at and grow! Are you already a wicked strong jungle animal? Set a speed record for yourself and get it done as fast as you can.

Listen up: Swipe left on the intimidation factor. Dismiss it. I got your back.

A few days after the first race earlier this year, I realized that we (the participants), even if we didn’t have deep conversations, became part of a brother/sisterhood through the experience itself. When you do hard things together and you sweat and struggle and come through victorious, there is an immediate bond. It’s real and it’s undeniably awesome. We don’t really have to talk about it. We just know.

You can check out more race details and register:

Learn More

Practice Run:
Another option to feed your curiosity and squelch your nerves is a practice run-through of the race on September 24th at 9:00am at Kansas Athletic Club. There will be an opportunity for Q&A as well as racing tips to sharpen your edges.

RSVP here for the Practice Race: Training | Power Racing (gopowerracing.com)

Seriously, come play. We can rough up the playground, feed our child-like curiosity, bring back all the movements in which we were built to do often and well, and most of all, we go to bed knowing we’re better, faster and stronger than yesterday. Revive your primal. Elevate.

Shoulder Workshop
PS: Whether or not you choose to accept Mission: Power Race, you can also join us for a free Rock-Solid Shoulder Workshop led by Dr. Tim Cummings and Dennis Dolan, ATC of Restore/Thrive Physical Therapy. If you have had any discomfort, pinching, aches or pains in your shoulders, Dr. Tim and Dennis will show you how to first Restore them and then keep them in a state of life-long thriving. They will be going over the bench press and overhead press – which are two of those primal movements I’ve been babbling about. The more precise your form, the less energy expended in altered movement patterns, the less likely you are to be injured. Again, this workshop is not dependent upon your race registration.

RSVP for the Rock-Solid Workshop here: https://fb.me/e/24qswdRCd

Your Opportunities