Gym Packages and the Games

Hey Fringers, it's Peter here again and the sale for this week is garage gym packages. Up to 20% off.

Already mentioned many times how you know, I've got a really nice garage gym and I really feel that that's what we're doing here at Fringe is leading the garage gym revolution. Helping people build really awesome gyms in their garage. You know many of those people are affiliates in boxes and their garage just happens to be very big.

But anyways, as you can tell I'm driving as I record this. I'm actually on route from Madison, Wisconsin where the Crossfit Games are being held back to Chicago where I've gotta catch a flight to Beijing. So it's Saturday morning and I left the games last night after just spending a few hours there. But it was a really interesting experience. I've been to the games for the past few year in L.A. and I kind of got use to the games being in L.A. for better and for worse.

And so Madison is pretty interesting.

I actually am about to catch this flight to Beijing and gonna be working on some new bumper plates, the unkillable med ball. Still those lifting shoes, some new barbells. Lot of other interesting stuff that'll be coming down the pipe from us.

But... I couldn't miss coming out to Madison and figuring out what was going on with the games this year. And I'll give you my real quick hits. I'm sure I'll be back next year. Hopefully be able to spend a little more time than just a few hours at the games.

1. So first of all, lot of people at the venue were complaining about the weather. And to be honest, I've never been to Madison other than just now. So I don't know a whole lot about the weather but I talked with some locals and they said it's usually pretty warm, like 85 and 90 degrees now. And it was pretty chilly when I was there. I got there after the big rain storm and all that and all the wind. But a lot of people were complaining about the weather. That said, I think it's unseasonable weather so I don't know what you can say there.
2. The other thing that a lot of people have been talking about a lack of preparation for the site and for the spectators. And I did feel like it was a better environment at Stubhub down in L.A. in terms of just walking around, seeing people you knew and that sort of thing. But then again, maybe it's just familiarity since I'd been to the games a number of years at that venue and maybe the same people come all the time. So I was running into more people I knew or got more comfortable with how things were set up

So moving off of just kind of feedback that I was hearing from people and kind of things that I was seeing, I do think Madison is a way better city than L.A. if the desire is to blanket the city with Crossfitters. So I went to this really great restaurant called Graze and actually I went there for lunch and then I liked it so much, went back there for dinner. And at lunch, the people at the table next to me were not Crossfitters, and they were complaining about all the Crossfitters in town. And how it was messing up their traffic or doing this or that. And I also heard some people complaining online about how Whole Foods in Madison was just like swamped and sold out of a ton of bone broth and kale and you know all the stereotypical things that you might talk about. I actually think that those interactions are a really good sign and they show that Madison is a better city than L.A. let's say because I don't think anybody in L.A. would be like,

"Oh look, there are Crossfitters everywhere."

The city's just too big and nobody cares. Whereas Madison, it's small enough that it's really an impact and we really take over the city.

I think back to when I ran the Chicago marathon a decade ago. When I was in Chicago, there were signs everywhere for the marathon even though the number of people running the marathon was like 40,000 or something like that. You know, I don't know what the population of Chicago is but quite a few million in any case. But the city seemed really proud of the marathon that weekend. And that's what Madison just yesterday reminded me of. It's like a city that was proud to host the CrossFit games. You'd be driving or walking around and you just see a random Crossfit game sign, or a hotel that had put up pictures in its windows, like very large pictures of people doing handstand walks or doing battle ropes or something like that. And that was really cool and I didn't see that in L.A. So it's a lot of fun.

I wanna throw in a few things.

• I talked with the guys from Bar Shield over the weekend. We're gonna be picking up their product. It's a kit to clean and rehab barbells. Very cool guys and they're entrepreneurs in this space really trying to make a go of it. I had a really great conversation with them. Talked a lot about Tim Ferris before our workweek stuff. Which is stuff that at different times has been nearer and dearer to my heart.
• I also spent a good bit of time talking with the gang over at OSO Barbell and, let me see if I even have it. Oh yeah. We are, you know, good friends and dealers of OSO and they made these fidget spinners out of some of the cast offs from when they make their barbells. And I just thought it was so funny, cause I've had a couple of little girls and they're into fidget spinners and you know, this is an OSO fidget spinner. So pretty freaking cool. And then (pulls out OSO fidget spinner) But yeah, especially Sarah and Tom over at OSO you know just love those guys.
• And then was hanging out with some of my peeps from Austin in the Hyperwear booth. So if you're not familiar with Hyperwear, we carry their vests. I think it's the best weight vests on the market. To be honest, the only thing that I think is wrong with it is that it's really specialized for basically being a 10 pound weight vest. And everybody always asks like, "Oh, how much weight can you put into it?" And I mean the answer is, I think you can get those weight vests up to 20, 30 pounds. But really, they're designed to be basically 10 pound weight vests and that's what they excel at. I think when you start putting more weights in 'em it's... You know counter to what they were designed for. But it's really for 10 pound weight vests. Those Hyperwear weight vests are awesome. I've had one for years and years and years and even at times, I've actually worn it underneath you know button up nice shirt. You know you can do that if you're a weirdo like me.

But, let me see who else I talked with that I had a really, you know, great interaction with. Few other people kind of here and there. But you know that was pretty much what it is.

So... back to... The games. Seems like a really interesting venue. I think that they're gonna iron a few things out for next year. Weather, what're you gonna do about the weather? I mean it is what it is. I do think that the selection of WODs or exercises was pretty interesting this year including some cyclo-cross and a few things that are actually, you know I would argue being a biker, a cyclist myself, I would argue that there is a fair bit of sport specific training required to be a really excellent biker or even to be really fast on a bike and not just this like raw capacity. But that's, I think that's super interesting. And then like I mentioned, I am off to Beijing to work on a number of new products that we've got coming down the pipe. Been traveling a lot lately. Little bit of looking in the mirror. A lot of it's, sorry not complaining about that at all. But little bit of looking in the mirror at you know how much I'm on the road. And it's kind of funny.

Anyways, garage gym packages. I was enjoying my garage gym when I was back at the house, and I'll be enjoying it again when I get back. And I'm recording this on a Saturday morning. You guys will see it in a few days. Garage gym packages, up to 20% off. Definitely, definitely check it out. I think all of our sales are great. But really one that can help you outfit that garage and get you rocking.

So we're gonna try to be putting out some more content on you know, leading this garage gym revolution. So if you like what I'm putting out, feel free to email me, peter@fringesport.com. And leave a comment below. If you're watching this on YouTube, subscribe. Check out what we got with garage gym packages on fringesport.com.

Be well, lift heavy. Enjoy.