Reebok is coming to TCBB!

Click here to browse the newest spring collection.

We are excited to announce that Top Crop Barbell has been invited to be Reebok affiliate!
Now our clients, members, friends, and family will be the first to know about any of Reebok's new arrivals, clearance items, and can use Top Crop Barbell's exclusive coupon codes and links to get your favorite shoes and workout gear at a discount!

Here are the first coupons that were sent to us today. Enjoy!

BOGO 50% Off All Footwear In Reebok Outlet (use code KIDS40)

40% Off All Kids Outlet Apparel & Footwear (use code FRESHKICKS)
(expires 3/20)

25% Off Custom Shoes
(FYI...custom shoes NEVER go on sale)

We are excited to be a part of the Reebok family and are proud that we're able to provide this service to you. Thank you for your continued support.

Samantha Vaughn | Athlete of the Week

Samantha is one of the fastest athletes training at TCBB and has an incredible competitiveness that can't be taught. Once she gets her wheels turning, few people will catch her...you could try, but we guarantee she'll give 100% every time. She has been playing soccer for 7 years and we're excited to continue seeing her grow and become an unstoppable force. She likes to push herself and says "Top Crop has helped me become an overall better athlete."

School: Wichita South High School

Grade: Freshman

GPA: 4.0

Club Team: SC Cosmos

Hobbies:

---Playing Sports

---Drawing

In the future, Samantha aims to play soccer in college and is thinking about studying to be a veterinarian. Since training with Top Crop Barbell, Samantha says "I've learned how to stay motivated," even through the most intense workouts.

Road to the Record | 9 Weeks Out

As much as I'd like to be perfect, I'm just like everyone else and this past week was a prime example. I didn't get enough sleep, I skipped meals, didn't do my mobility work, and had copious amounts of caffeine...not my proudest moments. On a brighter note, my training went really well and my strength is still climbing!

This week I start a new training phase.
Last phase focused on less volume and perfecting my form in the squat and bench press. Follow the link to see exactly what my training entailed and the weight I used for each set. (Fun fact, we put this much detail when we train our clients too.) I am by no means saying this is the perfect training plan for everyone...it isn't. My training program is set up specifically for me and my weaknesses.

Road to the Record | Phase I



Click the link or picture to see the entire Phase I training cycle.

This newest phase is kicking it up a bit and is much higher in volume and intensity, and actually has some cardio exercises. The cardio is to help maintain GPP (General Physical Preparedness), and might help me shave off some extra pounds to make weigh-ins a little easier. I already did the first leg day of the phase, and it was a gut-check. If you follow me on SnapChat, I snapped about this day. Someone may have puked on the first day of this phase.

If you don't follow me, look me up (samschaefer.now).

 

Meet prep goals for this week:

1. Get at least 7 hours of sleep every night...no exceptions.
2. Drink water constantly.
3. Mobilize
4. Be prepared for unexpected things in the day (bring protein shakes everywhere)!
5. Order a new weightlifting belt.
6. Order my singlet.

 

Wish me luck and thank you for being my teammates. 

Kenzie Sweet | Athlete of the Week

Kenzie Sweet started working with TCBB trainers almost 1 year ago, and we couldn't imagine the gym without her. She truly is a part of the Top Crop Barbell family, and is this week's Athlete of the Week. She works every week toward becoming a more dynamic catcher and leader of her softball team. Since training at TCBB, Kenzie says she's learned "how to motivate and believe in [herself]" and that training should be fun too!

School: Eisenhower Middle School
GPA: 3.571
Club Team: Impact
Hobbies:

• Hanging out with her sister and fellow TCBB athlete, Kiley Sweet (read her story here).
• Baking and decorating cupcakes.

Kenzie plans on putting her softball skills to good use by landing a college athletic scholarship, and later, share love and happiness through cupcakes when she owns her own bakery. Cheat day anyone?!? Sign us up!

Road to the Record | 10 Weeks Out

(myfitnesspal tracker)

The week flew by with business expansion projects (which aren't completely done yet), an achy knee due to being on my feet waaaaaay more than usual, and a few days with little sleep. Basically, LIFE wasn't picture perfect and firmly planted me back into the reality that my road to beating the Oklahoma Women's Powerlifting Record will be a winding one. My motivation never waned, I kept my eyes on the prize, and my week of training and cutting weight ended much better than it began.

I think my "cut" is going really well and I am definitely getting leaner every week. Before this meet prep officially started (Feb. 20th), I was almost exactly smack dab between 2 weight classes. Instead of being the lightest woman in the 168lb weight class, Ben (my coach) and I decided it would be in my best interest to cut down to the 148lb class and be one of the biggest girls in the group (giving me a slight advantage). In the beginning I needed to lose about 10-12 pounds to comfortably be where I need to be come weight-in night (May 13th.). Easy day!!! Over the past 2 years we've been reverse engineering my diet so that when the time came for me to shed extra body fat, I could do so easily. Now's the time and the weight is melting off.

(myfitnesspal tracker)

Let me just clear something up right away...
No, the weight isn't coming off easily because I'm younger than 30, do a ton of cardio (which I don't), only eat healthy foods (which I don't), or did some weird trendy cleanse (which I definitely didn't).

Here's the reality...
1. I trained my body to tolerate as many calories as possible over the course of 2 years in order for my basal metabolic rate to be as high as possible.

2. I tracked my eating habits for 2 months straight before changing any of my macros (carbs, fats, proteins).

3. I am aware and understand that the scale doesn't go down incrementally and don't make huge changes when the scale might go up (and it does all the time).

4. I have laser beam focus and determination.

It's definitely been a team effort between me and Ben. I have to stay focused, push hard in the gym, get enough sleep, stay hydrated, and stay true to my macros. He writes the programming and buys the groceries. I feel confident that we're on the easiest and healthiest path to success.

4 Easy Ways to Start Eating Clean | Family Edition

Choosing to eat "clean" is easy to understand logically, but can be extremely difficult to execute, especially if you have picky eaters (kids or adults).

We should start by giving a brief explanation as to what clean eating is and why it is beneficial for everyone of any age and activity level. Clean eating is choosing foods that are whole foods (little to no processing or ingredients added) and preparing them in a way that keeps them "clean." For example, if you decide to cook fish, breading it and bathing it in Crisco makes it no longer a "clean" food. Sorry.

Here are 4 ways to start eating clean and make the transition as easy as possible.

1. Don't start fresh.
Great! You've decided to eat clean. But hold up, don't go through your pantry and throw everything away all at once. You paid good money for that food and it shouldn't be thrown away. Instead, eat what you have (or donate it), and then choose a "clean" option the next time you go shopping. Its a gradual progression to a healthier lifestyle and the transition won't be as shocking.

2. Make the same recipes your family is used to eating.
Again, its great that you have decided to change your eating habits, but no need to go experimenting with new exotic hippie cuisine. If your family loves spaghetti, make spaghetti with "cleaner" ingredients and they might not even know the difference. In fact, they might think it tastes better.

3. Plan ahead...The 5 Ps

• Prior
• Planning
• Prevents
• Poor
• Performance

Pack foods and a water bottle to help you continue your clean eating lifestyle while at work or school. Temptations will be hard to avoid if you don't have a plan of attack.

4. Don't complain.

Will it be hard to make this change? Yes. Will it be worth it? Yes. In all honesty, if you don't want to eat clean, then don't. No one is holding your feet to the fire and making you do it. If you want to feel more alert and focused throughout the day while your waistline is whittling and your student athletes are getting stronger while their acne is clearing...then do it, but don't complain about it. It only makes it harder to succeed.



Want more fitness inspiration, advice, and recipes? Follow Sam's TCBB Pinterest Board: Click Here

Brynn Wilson | Athlete of the Week

Liberos are supposed to be fearless, quick, focused, and have laser beam passing accuracy...and that's exactly what Brynn is for her teams. It's rare to see Brynn outside of volleyball practice or training. She loves volleyball and wants to be the best libero she can be for her school, club, and sand volleyball teams. Since training at Top Crop Barbell, Brynn says, "I have learned that you have to keep working and trying hard to see any change [in your performance]." She goes on to say, "Don't cheat yourself or your teammates!"

School: Andover High School
Grade: 9th
GPA: 3.7
Club Team: Wichita Volleyball Academy (15-1)
Hobbies:
  -Baking
  -Hanging out with friends
Future Goals:
  -Play volleyball for Alabama University or Kansas University

Follow Brynn and her journey on Twitter @brynnwilson4

Road to the Record | 11 Weeks Out

I'm excited! This past week of meet prep went better than I expected and I have good mental and physical momentum going into week 11. Before the week started I was really geared up for my new training program, but I was worried that I was going to have some initial problems acclimating to my new "cutting phase" (changing my eating habits to make my weight class) and that I was going to be frustrated if I didn't lift big numbers in the gym. Neither of those things happened, so it was a total win! I also made sure to sleep at least 7 hours every single day (don't remember the last time that happened) and I feel really good physically and proud of myself for making this a priority.

Weeks 12-10 are focused toward working on a few of my weakest areas in my squat and bench press.

To train up my squat I'm doing low box squats for 4 sets of heavy doubles with absolutely perfect form. If I can't do it with perfect form, I don't increase weight for the next set. How low? Really low...my hips are well below my knees. This has really been helping me feel what its like to hold a tight core under a really heavy load and have the confidence to move it quickly and efficiently. Between weeks 12 and 11 I was able to move 35lb more volume and I'm really happy about that. I've also been doing front squats with bands (which I loathe entirely) because my quads aren't very strong...actually, they're kind of pathetic.

As for my bench press, I've moved back to working on my bar speed by doing banded bench press 1x a week and narrow grip bench press 1x a week (on separate days). I hate both of these exercises because they're difficult for me, but last time I spent time working on my triceps my bench press max went up significantly. For me, if I can floor press it, I can bench press it...i.e. my triceps are my Achilles heel and will determine if I can break the bench press record in May.

Twice a week I have 2 active rest days and 1 off day. During my active rest day I hop on the rower, treadmill, or pull the sled to get warm, then mobilize for a good hour. Doing this is needed for my muscle recovery, join health, and is 2 more days of staying focused toward my goal of breaking the Oklahoma Women's Powerlifting Record.

I'm still playing with my macros and my eating habits a little to see how my body responds, but I'm not making any huge changes besides ensuring I hit certain protein and hydration goals. Stay tuned for that.

Thanks for supporting me and following my road to the record. Make sure to follow Top Crop Barbell on social media and find me on SnapChat 👻 samschaefer.now

Spencer Goering | Athlete of the Week

 

 

Spencer Goering has been a great addition to the Top Crop Barbell team and makes the most out of every training session. He shows up early, regularly holds the Fish Game high score, and has already started doing barbell exercises with fantastic technique. What more could we ask for? If he wasn't tough already, Spencer says he's learned that he can push hard even when it seems impossible to get the last couple reps.

 

School: Maize South Middle School

Grade: 6th

Favorite School Subject: Math

Club Teams: Shox, Hawks, Wildcats

Notable Achievements:

• MVP on baseball team
• Baseball State Champions

Future Goals: Work on Wall Street

 

Spencer enjoys playing sports, solving Rubik's Cubes, and spending time with family and friends. He trains twice a week and is looking to a few training buddies to join him on his journey toward awesomeness.



Road to the Record | 12 Weeks Out



Hello everyone,
It's Sam Schaefer and I'm exactly 12 weeks away from competing at the 2016 Oklahoma AAU State Powerlifting Championships in Tulsa, OK on May 14th. Well, that's not exactly true. I'm not plainly setting out to compete at the meet...anyone can do that. I want to break the current women's raw powerlifting record at the 148.4lb weight class.

For those of you don't know, powerlifting is a sport where lifters compete in 1, 2, or 3 categories...squat, bench, and dead lift. Lifters are also divided by weight class, gender, and raw vs. equipped. Equipped lifters use knee wraps, bench shirts, and squat suits to assist them in their lifts. Raw lifters are allowed to use only knee sleeves, wrist wraps, and weightlifting belts.

Not all powerlifting organizations are the same. I chose AAU (Amateur Athletic Union) because all adults participating in any of their sporting events must be tested for illegal and performance-enhancing drugs. I feel like this gives me the best chance to an even playing field and less frustration during my journey knowing that everyone will be tested.

Here are my current stats:

• Squat 225lb
• Bench Press 140lb (pause bench)
• Dead Lift 280lb
• Total 645lb

I'm coming for you Erin Nally!

How I plan on reaching my goal:

1. Training hard and being focused on my technique.
2. Consistently hitting my macro (carbs, fats, proteins, calories) goals and water intake.
3. Staying on top of my mobility...this is a must!
4. Sleeping 7-8 hours consistently for maximum recovery.

I want to document my journey over the next 3 months in order to give some insight as to how I eat, sleep, and train and also stay honest and committed to my goal. I hope you all will hold me accountable and be my team as I work my butt off for the next 12 weeks.

Working with all of our athletes at TCBB has inspired me to train for something other than general fitness and strength. Thank you all for inspiring me.