MSI Press Blog

  Entry: Downsizing Without Downgrading When I started out seven years ago with the wild and slightly rebellious goal of training for American Ninja Warrior , I went all in. I joined the most advanced local gym. I signed up for yoga classes. I even took on rock climbing training at a gym down in Santa Cruz. And twice a week, I worked with Brittany — yes, that Brittany, the one co-writing this book with me. For three years, we trained with focus and fire. I got stronger. I got leaner. I lost some work to make time. But I gained hope. Then — WHAM! — COVID hit. The gym closed. Brittany, like so many, had to find a new source of income. She built a successful salon business, and when the gym reopened, she had moved on. And yoga? Gone. No more yoga classes at the gym. Rock climbing in Santa Cruz? No longer feasible in a pandemic world, especially with vulnerable family members to protect. I stayed with the gym for a while — big gym, big cost — but it wasn’t the same. Trainer after trai...

(graphic by Casey Johnson, She's a Beast) I love the output of "She's a Beast" website and newsletters. Perhaps the best to date is a recent discussion of how to build a home gym. Everything they say about how to build a gym in " How to Set Up a Home Tinygym ," I have found to be right on. I realized early on when I was doing my ninja training that got derailed by covid shutdowns and family tragedy (and discovered reality) that I would need an at-home gym for a number of reasons: No gym was close by so going in several times a day was out of the question, but at home any time I go past the pull up bar, I can make some pullup attempts. When I am listening to the evening news I can grab some weights and work out while watching. On days when I had full work requirements that would not let me off for any amount of time, I had the gym at home where I could work out. (Disclosure: Much of my work is at-home, so I have an advantage there.) When the gym closed for co...