TUES: March Members of the Month!

Eric Hansen has been a member for about 3 years, and is constantly putting forth his best effort in every class he attends. March was an extremely productive month for Eric. He put up a new personal record for the mile with 5:05, and also hit a new strict pull-up max with 25. We also saw Eric make the leaderboard for “Mr. Purple”, and remain upright, still with a smile when it was all said and done. Eric is extremely coachable, friendly and encouraging to every single fellow member in the room. We are very happy to honor all of Eric’s hard work, and excited to see all that 2018 brings him.

How old are you, and where are you from?
I’m freshly 30. Couldn’t we have done this last month when I was 29? I’m from a little town outside Vancouver, WA. No, that’s not in Canada.

What do you do for work?
I trade commodities. Natural gas if you want to get specific about it. Buy low, sell high. Sometimes the opposite.

What do you do for fun outside of P360?
All the activities. Preferably one’s with a winner and a loser. “Want to go for a hike?” “Ehhhh..” “We can race?” “I’m in.” I can’t sit still. Anything on the water, kiteboarding, surfing, sailing. Looking for my errant golf shot in the opposite fairway. YouTubing how to put the thing I just took apart back together after thinking “Oh I’ll remember how this was…”

How has P360 affected your life?
I can’t imagine where I’d be physically (and honestly, mentally) without it. No matter how the day is going, coming in for a workout is like a reset. I used to leave 24 hour (no)fitness at the slightest indication of sweat, now I have to decontaminate the driver’s seat in my car on a regular basis. For better or worse it’s often the thing in my life that reminds me that I’m only going to get what I earn, there is no free lunch. Choose to show up and work, or don’t. It’s up to you. That reminder has carried into other aspects of my day to day and I am extremely grateful for it.

What are your favorite, and least favorite exercises?
Favorites – Cleans and sandbag work. Oh and timed challenges. I love that you have to battle your inner voice who’s telling you all you have to do is slow down just a little bit and you’ll feel better and nobody will even notice you aren’t giving it 100%.

Least favorite – Five minute row or 5k row or what I imagine the bikes at OB will become. The amount of full body suck you can put yourself through on those is very unpleasant. Couple that with the fact that your results are very measurable can  make for some unpleasant truths.

What is the hardest thing you have done, physically, in the gym?
Not stealing some of the very friendly pups ya’ll tie up outside. That and the five minute row. I don’t recommend large lunches before such events.

What is your most proud achievement at P360?
Running my best mile ever days after turning 30 and realizing I’m in the best shape of my life. And cliche, but this too. Honored and humbled.

What is a hidden talent of yours?
For a desk jockey finance guy I’m actually pretty handy. I basically took my entire house down to the studs over the last year and (mostly) put it back together.

What is an embarrassing fact most people don’t know about?
I allegedly (*definitely) drove off with the gas pump handle still in the car once. No idea how long it lasted there, but at least partway to school. It was the only gas station in my small town and I was asked to no longer utilize their services. Somewhat inconvenient. I also have to sound out “de-finite-ly” and “wed-nes-day” every time I spell them.

If money was no concern, what would be your dream job?
I’d be a helicopter pilot for one of those doors-off tour companies along the Na Pali coast. I originally went to flight school but gave it up to work in finance. I’d also love to run a small fund on the side, I actually kinda like what I do.

What is the biggest overall improvement you’ve made, since joining P360?
I remember one of my first days at Mission Beach, first time doing back squats since my 150lb high school days. That 135# on the bar was very, very heavy. I remember thinking I’d never do much more than that. I’m still no power lifter, but I’m very happy to be where I’m at, stronger, healthy, and happy to still be here a few years later.

What is the most valuable piece of coaching you’ve received?
I love the focus on the basics. Get the hip hinge right and you can do a lot of movements well. I also really love the ‘why’ explanation that is written up on the website. I mean there is a lot to ramble on here, you guys do things right and that’s why we’re here.  

Which public figure or celebrity would you put in the dunk tank?
Anyone who leaves 12 car lengths between themselves and the next car when making a left.  I’m not advocating general tailgating here, but it is your duty to God, country, and your fellow man to help as many people get through that light as possible. Be a left turn MVP, get on dat ass.

What’s your favorite place to eat in San Diego?
Bare Back and Iron Pig are locked in Mexican standoff for my affection.  

What famous person (alive or not) would you  most like to have a drink with and what would you buy them?
John Boyde, and we’d be drinking Glenlivet 12 – not pretentious, but good enough for anyone. Military strategist, forward thinker, I’d sit back and listen. Boyde: The Fighter Pilot Who Changed the Art of War – An unsolicited book recommendation from yours truly.

If you had one movie on a deserted island what would it be?
Apollo 13 (Screaming inside, LIAR it’s Top Gun)

What’s a funny story from your childhood?
There was a TV show that was like the early 90’s predecessor to the Gold Rush reality show. I literally had a hole in the backyard where I would dig for gold. My Dad would come by and toss a quarter in every once in awhile. Probably the cheapest way to keep a four year old occupied and out of the house. It didn’t dawn on me until sometime in my late teens that there definitely shouldn’t have been shiny quarters coming out of my gold mine. Then again who knows, maybe I should go back and try that spot out again.

What’s your favorite naughty food?
Warm blueberry cobbler and vanilla ice cream. I would eat the entire pan if nobody was around. Don’t tell me how to live my life.

If you could travel to any point in the past, where would you go?
Not permanently because, uh, sanitation, but what I think they call the Age of Exploration. Can you imagine leaving Europe and stumbling your way into the Caribbean? The map just ends and you’re like, yeah we’re just gonna go out that way and see what’s there. Neat. (No Apple maps, that doesn’t mean I want to use you, GTFO)

What’s your favorite thing about training at P360?
The variety. I don’t stress if I can’t get into some exact class. I’ve literally never had to think to myself “I think I’m under training X.” You can go to classes more or less haphazardly and you’re still going to benefit. Show up and train. No egos, awesome and friendly staff and members. The views at CP and the dumpster turn around at PB. Oh and the running distances.

What is your biggest goal moving into 2018?
Four handle mile, 250 5×5 back squat, L4 prison yard, 57″ box jump, track my macros for more than six hours, and go to at least three yoga classes :)  Also, solve the mystery of whether barbell clips are sold with only one rubber grip sleeve..?

Sarah Blake has been a strong and extremely consistent member for a year. A regular in the morning block, this comes as no surprise to many, as we have watched Sarah quietly slay every workout in her path for quite sometime. She knows how to push herself, to push others simply by working hard, and is frequently the first in the door on benchmarks for time. March put Sarah on the board in her first two clubs, with a Level 2 mile, and 8 strict pull-ups for another Level 2. With obvious focus in every aspect of what’s on the board, Sarah’s hard work is showing her what she’s capable of. We are stoked to congratulate her on a job well done, and we can’t wait to see what she does next!

How old are you, and where are you from?
I’m 25 and I was born in Halifax, Nova Scotia but I call Raleigh, NC home. San Diego was move #12 for me, so I’m pretty happy to be settled here for at least a few years.

What do you do for work?
I am a pilot in the Navy and I fly the MH-60 Romeo helicopter.

What do you do for fun outside of P360?
I have a major golf addiction so I try my best to play two rounds a week. But one of them usually gets replaced by doing one of the other many outdoor activities here with friends. Or I just spend it sitting in Shore Club with them eating nachos.

How has P360 affected your life?
This place has turned me back into an athlete. After I graduated college and I didn’t have two practices a day with someone telling me how to workout, I was pretty lost in the gym. There was just a lot slow running on treadmills and hours sitting on a stationary bike which we all know is not very effective. After I stopped playing sports I didn’t expect to ever call myself an athlete again, but P360 completely changed that thought. In fact, there’s no doubt that I’m in better all around shape now than I ever have been.

What are your favorite, and least favorite exercises?
I love sprints. They suck when you’re doing them, but they’re one of the easiest ways to push yourself. I think everyone can tell when they finish a run if they’ve really given it 100%. My least favorite exercises would be anything that involves weight going over your head. So things like snatches and jerks make me slightly more willing to miss a day at the gym.

What is the hardest thing you have done, physically, in the gym?
I think the AP 2 PPB with the 10:1 burpees/100m run is definitely in the running for the most tired I’ve been after a workout. Bodyweight exercises and sprints are some of my favorite things to do, so I really went all out for that one.

What is your most proud achievement at P360?
Being chosen as member of the month by the coaches is definitely it. There are so many people who work really hard everyday and deserve the recognition. I’m all about flying under the radar so it was not something I ever excepted to receive.

What is a hidden talent of yours?
I love to hustle people at darts. Guys never see it coming and it’s always satisfying to beat them.

What is an embarrassing fact most people don’t know about?
I still add and subtract on my fingers like I’m in kindergarten. I have to do mental math a lot in my job and there’s been some moments where I even have to question my intelligence.

If money was no concern, what would be your dream job?
My dream job is to be the pilot that flies the helo to and from a yacht for really rich people. So actually that would pay very well, but the job market for that is pretty much nonexistent.

What is the biggest overall improvement you’ve made, since joining P360?
I would have to say my attitude towards why I workout has completely changed for the better. Post-college, I developed a mindset that a lot of people have in that I worked out to lose weight. You hop on a treadmill and see how many calories you can burn before you get bored. Now that’s not even a thought when I go to the gym. Instead all I care about is getting stronger and faster than I was yesterday, and I think that translates into an overall improvement in how you feel about yourself.

What is the most valuable piece of coaching you’ve received?
The coaches all give you great advice about how to perform movements better, which is essential but not what I value the most. The positivity and excitement that they have every single day has this magic effect of making me forget for that hour anything that might be stressing me out outside of the gym. That makes the gym sort of a break from reality and that’s pretty cool.

Which public figure or celebrity would you put in the dunk tank?
I can’t officially give my real answer, so I’ll go with a close second and say every single person that has ever appeared on Keeping up with the Kardashians.

What’s your favorite place to eat in San Diego?
I live pretty close to Bayside Landing so I end up eating there with my roommates once a week. Our record is 4 times in 5 days.

What famous person (alive or not) would you  most like to have a drink with and what would you buy them?
Arnold Palmer and buy him as many of his drinks as it would take to get enough advice to get at least a few strokes off of my game.

If you had one movie on a deserted island what would it be?
Apollo 13 has been my #1 since I was 5.

What’s a funny story from your childhood?
My grandfather carves some amazing wooden rocking horses and he uses real horse hair for them. When I was 10 and staying at their house in Ontario, he told my me, my brother, and my cousin that he was taking us to Avril Lavigne’s hometown of Napanee (this was 2002, so the height of Sk8r Boi popularity). It was a trick and we ended up going to a knackers yard (google it) to buy the horse hair. I elected to stay in the car and not get the full tour of the dead horses with the rest of them.

What’s your favorite naughty food?
Chocolate. And wings

If you could travel to any point in the past, where would you go?
1969 so I could go to Woodstock, the OG music festival. They don’t make music these days like they used to.

What’s your favorite thing about training at P360?
The general vibe is pretty great. It’s a group of people that work hard but are humble about it and don’t expect any recognition. That’s how I try to live my life, so it’s nice to be surrounded by likeminded people.

What is your biggest goal moving into 2018?
I want to focus more on my nutrition. I work hard during the week to eat well, but every weekend I’m back to square one after way too much beer and eating out. I’ve read the blog posts about how effective Coach Lenny’s nutrition coaching is, so I’m trying to get to a place where I can finally make the commitment to give up Dirty Birds for a bit. I also have a goal to set goals. I never track what I do in the gym, so I need to put some time into sitting down and deciding what I want to achieve this year. After getting in two clubs sort of by accident, I’ve now been inspired to figure out how to get in more, and this time on purpose.