Gym Jones

I'm sure everyone here has visited Mark Twight's page, but just in case:

gymjones.com/

Best f*ing training resource ever.

Well that just figures...

As soon as I heard that we had a Training forum I came straight here to post about Gym Jones, but it seems that you beat me to it.

The videos on the site are pretty inspiring, and I've started to add in a lot of their exercises into my routine. I know that it sort of goes against what Mark Twight is trying to do, but I wish he'd open up a Jones here in Portland...

What improvement have you noticed since starting this routine?

I hear it's really great, so you must have experienced tremendous gains.

Did you go from hiking Mt Elbert in the summer to Winter onsights of the diamond in 4 hours car-to-car?

I tried the link, but my antivirus software detected a malicious ego-worm, and would not grant me access.

With all the hype about this place, I went to the website and found out they are located in the city in which I live. I am sure the hardcore, non-air conditioned gym is something I could understand and even grow to love, paying top dollar for such basics just doesn't make sense to me. Comparing their prices to other Crossfit places in the area, they are quite expensive.

I am still thinking of going to an "appraisal" for the opportunity to join.

BTW, I did not have a problem with Anti virus on this site.

What if they vote you off the island?

Funny how the brain works. The thread clearly reads "Gym Jones" but my brain immediately sees, "Jim Jones"

en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Jim_J…

or if you've ever been to a Phoenix Bouldering Contest, the FISH booth would run "Jim Jones Punch" as a drink option. It disintegrated the grip of a baseball handle during the mixing process. Lord knows what it did to our livers.

~~ Ok, back to our training related thread ~~

I asked Mark about training at Gym Jones during my recovery from an ACL reconstruction. He told me that his gym only trains full-body movements, so I should therefore complete an ACL rehab program, then contact him to see if I could train with him.

I note most posts about Gym Jones consider them elitist, I found Mark's response to my email to be polite, considerate and complete.

Anyway, I plan on training with him/them later this year, I'll post my results. I'm a "better than average" endurance athlete, and a "pretty good" rock climber. I'm also fat, lazy, and i eat shit.
I was a ACSM cert'd trainer and I've trained for 10K-marathon with Kagwe, et al's crew in Norristown a lifetime ago, so I feel like I have a good handle on both the mainstram and elite ideology of training (very different).

Instead of poo-poo'ing what I don't practice or understand (the AT-threshold/crossfit ideology), I'm going to try it whole-heartedly so I can make an informed decision.

Go for it Tico, also check out Rob Millers Crossfit site for motivating photos and climbing specific workouts.

Crossfit Sunnyville

But Tico, Gym Jones IS elitist. It's exactly the wording Twight uses on his website for the gym. They chose who works out there. You have to apply. Just to clarify that. Not saying it isn't a cool place. Besides, we are all elitists in some way in how we chose our inner circle of friends and what have you. But honestly, I don't need the hassle of applying to a gym like I was applying for a job. I have enough of that going on right now, thank you.

Tim Stich wrote:But Tico, Gym Jones IS elitist. It's exactly the wording Twight uses on his website for the gym.

I'm not trying to incite a flame-fest here, but what exactly is wrong with taking an elitist stance in this case? They train elite athletes and Mark is an elite athlete himself. There isn't any inherent negative connotation to the word "elite"; it simply means that you are better than almost everyone else from an objective point of view.

Sure you can come off as sort of a dick if you talk yourself up too much, and Twight may have crossed that threshold with his infamous Justification for an Elitist Attitude article*. The fact is though, that he is a hell of an alpinist and he only wants to train people that are up to his standards. It shouldn't be taken as a personal affront or insult if you're denied, but I'd say that it's quite a compliment if you're accepted.

* I should add that I had the opportunity to hear him speak at a great slideshow at CU a year or two after that article and he came across as a great guy. He stayed around for at least an hour after his show was over and answered every question we had about his training, nutrition, and climbing techniques in great detail. He was very encouraging to those of us who looked up to his accomplishments.

It's not a matter or wrong vs. right, it's purely what I would want vs. what they offer. I don't need that so I don't want it. Nor do I really care to join members only organizations. Institutionalized elitism. Don't care for it. I reread Twight's compilation of his writings and find them very entertaining. I think the gym sounds cool, too, but like I said. Cool for you, not for me.

Like tattoos.

Tim Stich wrote: Nor do I really care to join members only organizations. Institutionalized elitism. Don't care for it.

I, for one, have reservations about joining any organization that would have me for a member (sorry groucho).

I kind of like the idea of selective gyms, if only because at normal gyms a lot of my time is wasted by random non-athletes messing around on equipment i'd like to use. So if I support the idea of a limited membership gym, why not surround myself with motivated, high-level athletes in order to push myself?

There are lots of "Institutionalized, elite" organizations: AMGA, bar associations, medical boards, AIPG, etc. I think a lot of them are necessary.

Is it a sour grapes/fear of rejection ideology that has made being "elite" bad?

The timing of this thread is interesting for me as I just started a book called "Body, Mind and Sport". The concept of the book, after three chapters, seems to be achieving peak fitness through thoughtful, pain free training. Twight seems to embrace the idea that pain and discomfort are acceptable, if not necessary, components of exercise. From the testemonials included in both resources it seems as if both schools of thought can achieve results. It seems you have to figure out which training regimen suits your physiological make-up and keeps you coming back.

Tico, it's like the "Silly Hats Only" gathering in that Don Hertzfeldt cartoon. That's Rejected for you.

youtube.com/watch?v=vSb-nV8…

Kirk, that's interesting, I'm curious how that book defines "pain free" training.

I can understand that as avoiding injury, or careless overexertion that isn't part of a training plan. its sort of funny seeing some folks, usually guys, grunting their way through some exercise (or climb) with terrible form.

But I don't understand how one could train for a functional activity like climbing without some pain -- muscle exertion, pushing aerobic limits, that hurts to some degree.

I also think that for climbing and mountaineering specifically, you need to have experience at how your mind and body deal with being tired and scared, and I don't see how you do that without experiencing it at some point.

Peter Franzen wrote: He was very encouraging to those of us who looked up to his accomplishments.

I think you hit the nail on the head right there.

On a side note, I lived next to Kevin Mahoney one summer in the tetons. Kevin had just climbed the second ascent of the Slovoc Route on Denali. The third ascent later became the subject of Mark's article. Kevin and Ben Gilmore climbed the route in a more traditional style, stopping to bivi twice on the route, and completed the route in just a few hours longer then the Twight team. They didn't even have to be nursed back to health by the NPS.

Kevin was an incredibly nice guy even though I had no idea of his accomplishments. Both Kevin and Mark's climbing accomplishments are admirable. Kevin's attitude puts him in the elite realm.

From the first few chapters it seems like the emphasis is placed on determining where your comfort zone is and staying within that zone, despite your urge to push harder and go faster. It sounds like the author is suggesting that listening to your body and not over training is the key to pushing your limits. I dont know if I am entirely sold on what he is saying yet.