Summer is Sizzling and You're Invited

/

Friends,

We kicked off our Thursday, happy hour viewing parties with some champagne, charcuterie, and great cycling action. Lots more to come this week as the peloton enters the Alpes and the final stages of the race. If the Olympics are half as exciting as this years Tour de France, we are in for a mega treat!  Please Note: we are moving the start time up to 5pm. 

Another schedule change is that we are pushing out our grand opening party and panel discussion from end of this month to early next year so we can show off our buildings new state of the art fitness center. It will host a fitness & yoga studio, top end equipment, saunas and cold plunge. 

Lastly, there’s just two weeks left to take advantage of our discounted fitness and vitality assessment’s (50% off). Regardless if you’re a cyclist, golfer or weekend warrior, this is the gold standard array of metrics to highlight your fitness and pinpoint areas to focus on.  The assessment includes: V02max, FTP, power to weight ratio, body composition and more.  Sign up now and don’t miss out! Hope to see you Thursday.  Stay tuned for more details.

Summer is here and you're invited!

/

The Summer Solstice kicks off our favorite time of the year and this July is extra special.  In addition to our panel discussion and opening celebration July 25th, we will also be hosting Tour de France viewing parties every Thursday at 6:00pm.  Stop in for a little happy hour fun and catch up, on what is going to be a TDF for the ages.  Four key teams will vie for the yellow jersey with an equal chance of winning.  Lastly, we’re offering a massive discount of 50% off our fitness & vitality assessment.  Regardless if you’re a cyclist, golfer or weekend warrior, this is the gold standard array of metrics to highlight your fitness and pinpoint areas to work on.  The assessment includes: V02max, FTP, power to weight ratio, body composition and more.  Sign up now and don’t miss out!  We hope to see here.

Big News!

/

I was having a drinks with friends the other night, and the conversation turned to aging; or should I say anti-aging.  The main point being, everybody has baggage, whether physical or emotional and the trauma adds up, creating a proliferation of dysfunction; this is what slows us down, this is aging. The key, I explained, is in the rehab; fix the problem and reverse the symptoms. This is anti-aging. I spoke with conviction, I spoke from experience. I started Optime’ in 2016, to share with others what I had learned from my own journey from physical prowess, into the abyss and back.  In retrospect, the experience was immensely humbling, but necessary. I was forced to learn more, a lot more. I doubled my skill set, graduating from sports performance onto human performance. Most importantly, the experience introduced me to a range of rehabilitation modalities and specialists usually reserved for the elite.  The goal was simple, take what I had learned and use it to help others fight fatigue and injury to build back to optimal health.   

I am excited to announce the opening of our new office at 550 California Street in SF’s Financial District.  The suite, including four offices and a gym, will allow me to assemble a complete team of longevity and vitality specialists.  We have a host of events coming up including a panel discussion & reception June 25th July 25th to celebrate the space. We also have a three-day retreat June 21-23 in Gold Country featuring our mindfulness Yogini, Laura Combs. Click here to find out more.

One major aspect of our work is to rehab trauma and injury.  The greatest misnomer is that time heals everything. In reality, the body heals partially, but scars remain, mainly affecting nervous system dysfunction. It is this “baggage” that slows us down, leading to increased aging and disease.  To address this, I am pleased to have Dr. Tom Siu on board, to lead our team on rehabilitation with Chiropractic and neuromuscular reprogramming. His addition creates the perfect compliment for fast efficient rehab.  I will continue physiological coaching to help people thrive.  My focus is broad, to illicit rapid strength and resilience: proper intensity training, “high” for greatest physiological adaptations and “low” for recovery, mobility and mindfulness; nutrition & digestion to fuel a high performance machine; and finally sleep hygiene for rest and recovery.  The outcome of this integration is a strong and tenacious mind and body. To ensure sustainability, I am adding a certification in the “Psychology of Success” from Stanford later this year.  Coming soon, we will be adding an in-house Naturopathic Doctor specializing in functional medicine to offer services to identify and address the root cause of internal disease vs simply addressing the symptoms. 

To celebrate our expansion, we are offering a 25% discount to all services through June. Contact us today to get started and thrive. Hope to see you soon!

Joel

Out with the old....In with the new - YOU!

/

Happy New Year Friends,

As excitement peaked for the new year, so did the need for our annual January cleanse and metabolic reset.  Unfortunately, the holiday festivities and indulgence leads to liver toxicity, bloat and the dreaded “winter coat.”  I know I speak for most everyone when I say I am ready for the detox and reset. Most participants lose between 10-25lbs of inflammation and bloat in just four weeks. 

This year the cleanse will be the most comprehensive ever.  In addition to weekly weigh-ins, I will host weekly virtual meetings I’m calling “From the Gut”.  The sessions will help create a more social experience to share ideas, recipes, successes and most important key education on the microbiome and its role throughout the body.  In fact, what most people think about sustained weight loss and exercise is wrong!  If the body cannot regulate blood sugar and access body fat, exercise will make little difference in body composition. We will conclude the program with food sensitivity assessments to help identify foods that trigger inflammation. This is NOT a January diet, this is program designed to rewire your metabolism and give you the knowledge to change your life and vitality forever.

Lastly, to kick off the cleanse and ring in the new year, I will be hosting a Polar Bear Plunge, Sunday January 8th.  This exhilarating worldwide tradition is symbolic of the commitment to the grit and toughness necessary for success.  Read on to find out more of 2023 exciting events…

As an aging athlete, nothing has become more apparent than the toll sport takes on our bodies.  In 2016, I began retooling with cutting edge modalities to rehab and prehab for optimal fitness.  The quest led me to the modality PDTR – Proprioceptive Deep Tendon Reflex.  It’s a fancy acronym for fixing muscular disfunction (injury) by resetting receptors (hacking the nervous system).  The results are nothing less than spectacular.  We’ve added Tom Siu to our team of specialists to help clients with severe back issues.  As a chiropractor and PDTR specialist, his addition cements our team’s ability to help achieve optimal performance in a short period of time.    

Speaking of optimal performance, I can’t emphasize the importance of setting goals now to organize your year.  Take a look at our event calendar for 2023.  I have curated some truly bitchin’ events to help keep your training focused and on track.  That’s it for now.  Hope to see you soon.

Coach Joel

Details for Polar Bear Plunge

  • Saturday January 8 (Rescheduled) Jan 28th, 12:00 pm Aquatic Park. Bring suit and warm clothes & shoes to change into.

Details for Reset / Cleanse Program

  • Feb 1 - Feb 28 (back by popular demand)

  • End Date: 4 weeks from start

  • Included: Cleanse & Reset program, Liver support supplements, weekly weigh-ins, coached  group sessions (zoom), Zoom Exercise Sessions (spin, stretch & strength)

  • Person with greatest change in body composition wins $200 credit in services.

  • Cost: $800   - Sign up with a friend and save 20%

  • NOTE: Current Clients 50% off.  Past Clients 30% off

New Years Newsletter

/

Happy New Year Friends. If you’re reading this, you know me well enough to know that I usually don’t mince my words.  So, with 2022 upon us, here’ goes.  It’s a new year and time shake off the holiday hangover. It is time set goals, design a plan, and execute.  I have curated the top things you can do, right now, to set yourself up for success (see below). All services 50% off if purchased before Jan 7 for a little motivation, so let’s to get started. Contact us at admin@optimesf.com to get started.

Coach Joel

  • Time to clean up the liver and lose that 20lb muffin top.  Sign up for our January Challenge (2wk liver cleanse and 2wk metabolic reset) to create a fat burning, muscle building machine.  This year I am incorporating weekly check-ins and an app to make it easier than ever to ensure success. 

  • Sign up for a Baseline Fitness Assessment.  It will identify your strengths, weakness with the metrics needed to develop a bullet-proof gameplan to achieve optimal health.

  • Join our annual Polar Bear Plunge with a quick swim in the Bay (Jan 9) sans wetsuit.  This worldwide ritual will help you develop a tough and tenacious mindset that swimming in freezing cold water helps cultivate

  • Set your training goals right now and join me in competing a handful of swim, bike, or run events in 2022.  Goals = Discipline.

  • Other than intermittent fasting, the one thing you can do to turn back the clock and increase your performance is to lift heavy weights.  In doing so our bodies responds with growth hormone (HGH) to build muscle and increased neuroplasticity in the brain, for a sharper, faster, crisper mind. It is key for great strength and performance gains!

  • Reset your circadian rhythm.  This will give you more energy, better sleep, less anxiety which is the foundation optimal living.

As always, don’t take my word for it.  Here are some quick science based reads/videos.

Spring! - Time to Clean out those Covid Cobwebs

/

Dear Friends,

With Spring upon us and the news that everyone will be able to get vaccinated just days away, you may ask yourself, what’s next, now that we have made it to the end of the tunnel?  I’ll tell you, it’s time for some Spring Cleaning.

It’s time to get social, get active and get rid of your covid hangover.  Now, we’re not talking “no mask crazy”, but while following all CDC guidelines, there is a lot to look forward to. In fact, according to neuroscientist, Erin Bunch, there are specific things you should do to reboot after a year of chronic stress (see link below). Along these lines, I am excited to tell you about two events and a special coming up, which are perfect remedies to spring clean and spring forward with our lives:

Cycling Camp Sonoma Coast:  With three back to back 25-60 mile rides, this camp will help you recalibrate your spirit and level up your cycling abilities.  Kick of each day with yoga to prep our bodies for climbing the towering ridgelines above the Russian river.  Day two features’ Kings Ridge, “Alps of the West” for the very best cycling that California has to offer. Van support, post ride jacuzzi and meals, guarantee a truly special event.

Yoga and Surf Camp Sayulita, Mexico:  Imagine daily yoga overlooking the lapping waves of the Pacific, and swimming the reefs of our own private beach.  Our guide will taxi us to curated spots, for a day of sun and sand in the warm waters north of Puerto Vallarta.  If surfing is your jam, we will have coaches ready for instruction and to video your first wave or first barrel.  After lounging on our private beach and mandatory siesta, we’ll practice more flows and deep breathing before cocktails and catered dinners to truly appreciate the local flavors or the region.

Spring Cleaning Detox:  The last lockdown was pretty tough on our healthy eating habits.  Time to clean out the liver, reset the metabolism and lose that covid weight.  The great thing about this program is that it quick and effective with most participants shedding 10-25 lbs. in four weeks.  Best of all, you will gain the knowledge and tools to keep lean & trim, healthy and sustainably.

NOTE:  Both camps will require participants have covid tests or vaccinations and follow all CDC guidelines to ensure safety.  They are limited to a small number of participants and will sell out quickly.  Sign up today and join me for some spring cleaning and lets spring forward to a better tomorrow.  Email admin@optimesf.com for details.  Early bird sign up before April 30 and save 10%

I hope to see you soon and help you thrive in 2021

Joel

https://www.wellandgood.com/how-to-reboot-brain/

“We are what we repeatedly do. Excellence, then, is not an act, but a habit.” Aristotle

/

I would be lying if I said it has been easy to find the right message of inspiration for the New Year.  But I think I found it. Aristotle wrote “We are what we repeatedly do. Excellence, then, is not an act, but a habit.”  If we are going to improve, we have to change our habits. We all know Covid has helped create some pretty zany ones like all day pajamas and midday martinis. Below are my top five tips, and articles with supporting science (bottom), to not just stay strong physically and mentally, but to seize the moment and create a happier, healthier you. 

  1. Commit to a fitness goal to complete and write it down, where you will see it every day.

  2. Commission a partner in crime to hold each other accountable

  3. Change your day into a standardized routine to include exercise and down time.

  4. Choose two to three milestones to gage your progress.

  5. Celebrate the achievement of the goal

To help with the 5C’s, I have curated a few super fun events to help us blowout the COVID cobwebs and achieve our goals.  Take a look below or see my complete 2021 event calendar and sign up today.

  • New Year’s detox cleanse & “Biggest Loser” competition – Join me in starting the New Year right with a four-week detox to reverse the holiday overindulgence.  An overtaxed liver is unable to regulate blood sugar which leads to bloating and weight gain and disease.   For a small ante, you will get a fitness schedule, weekly nutrition coaching, and the chance to win cash.  The person who loses the most…wins!  Weigh-ins end the 11th so sign up today.

  • New Year’s Cold-Water Plunge – For most the thought of swimming 500 meters in the freezing cold SF Bay in the dead of winter is absurd.  Start the new year with a cathartic cold plunge and spend the next 364 days basking in the warmth. 

  • Optime’ 10k – Running is a fantastic way to get and stay fit.  Since all events are currently cancelled, join me outdoors for Sunday social training runs and a virtual competition in eight weeks to celebrate our improvements.

  • Spring Cycling and YOGA  camp.  As the vaccine rollout increases, we will gain back our freedom to exercise together.  Join me at a super plush venue on the Sonoma Coast for three days of yoga, cycling and/or hiking and fantastic clean eating.  Early Spring.       

That’s it for now. Remember, “health is wealth” so don’t waste it.

Joel

More on that science stuff…….

How the pandemic is Ageing You

You've heard the saying "use it or lose it" read here to understand the science behind this and why less exercise makes you age faster. https://www.ideafit.com/personal-training/power-up-your-aging-clients/ .   A must read for my fifty and over friends on the importance of strength and power training over regular exercise (walking, jogging, biking, swimming, yoga).  The science shows high-intensity training is not only important and any age, it is more important for people over fifty

Strength Training to Alleviate Depression

2014 Germain and Australian health study of 23600 adults proved strength training just one day per week equated “adults who participated were less likely to experience depressive symptoms” https://www.ideafit.com/personal-training/strength-training-may-alleviate-depression/ .

CONCURRENT TRAINING – Strength and Endurance training for runners

Running economy is defined as the metabolic cost to cover a given distance at a constant velocity” (Beattie et al. 2017).  Runners who are able to consume less oxygen (and spare carbohydrate usage while running at a given velocity are said to have a better running economy.  Adding strength training significantly improved muscular and explosive strength, running economy, and speed at V02max.  The control group showed no improvements. Resistance training showed higher speeds during the middle to last phases of the 10km running trial” helping to counteract the fatigue during the last part of a race.

https://www.ideafit.com/personal-training/resistance-training-for-runners-has-arrived/

Year End Recap & 2020 Sneak Peek

/

Dear Friends, with a year filled with travel and racing, who knew I would find my down time on the couch, engrossed with the Royal Family on Netflix’s “the Crown”. I learned a fantastic life lesson in season three, where Prince Philip marvels at the Apollo moon landing while struggling through a midlife crisis.  At an opportunity to meet the astronauts, he is frustrated in their shallow robotic response in traveling to the moon and back. Alas, Phillip experiences a paradigm shift as he comes to realize that life is not defined by achieving great things, but instead, by greatly appreciating things, big and small, humans achieve daily.  Match the pictures above to the captions below of my Optime’ friends. And gain insight into the things that bring such joy and richness to my life.

Joel

2019 - A Year in Pictures

  • January- February: Off season strength training yields big results for Stephanie, Babak, Sally and Bob

  • March - April: Deb & Patrick trained to cycle from SF to LA, while Sabin, Jonah and I hunted waves in Costa Rica

  • May – June:  Jen channelled her RBG toughness with more top ten finishes

  • July – Aug:  Baback, Jen and Sally learned to make fire by hand and other survival skills, trekking in the Trinity Alps

  • Sep – Oct: Jack, Sabin & Eric cycled quaint villages to the highest peaks in the French Alps

  • Nov – Dec:  Todd landed monster Steelhead in British Colombia

2020 - Let’s Go!

New Year’s Challenge - Start the year off right with our annual New Year’s Cleanse body composition challenge.  When it comes to shedding those holiday pounds and recalibrating your metabolism, nothing motivates more than having a little “skin in the game.”  $200 is all it takes to enter.  The person with the greatest % change in body fat wins the entire kitty.  Cleanse, nutritional and strength programs (optional) are available at 15% off.  Official dates are January 3rd through February 1st (30 days).  Email for details and schedule your weigh-in.

Offseason Strength Training –what, why, how - Take advantage of the dark cold days of winter and join me Monday and Wednesday Nights January thru March for off season strength training.  We will use functional training and power lifting to develop lean muscle mass, strength, power and more HGH (human growth hormone). Whether your goal is to get lean and fast or simple health and fitness, this is a must do.

Surf Yoga Camp Sayulita - You can’t change the cold days of winter, but you can escape them.  Join me for five days and four nights of guided surf tours and yoga for the very best that Mexico has to offer.  All-inclusive rates start at $1500 and spots are limited to eight, so sign up today.

Mark your calendars, here are the 2020 Adventures to kick off the decade in style.  There’s something for everyone, so sign up and start training today:

  • January:  New Year’s Cleans Competition and Off-Season Strength Training

  • February: Surf & Yoga Camp Sayulita

  • March: Lodi Cycling Camp & Hut to hut snowshoeing Montreal

  • April:  Sea Otter Classic (Fondo and X-Country Race)

  • June: Back Country Trek, Mammoth to Yosemite

  • July: Cycling Provance and the Tour de France,  

  • August: Downieville & Tahoe XTERRA Racing

  • September:  Cycling Tuscany

  • October: Fly Fishing Monster Steelhead

Newsletter - Spring Summer

/

Dear Friends and Athletes

This years long, wet, never ending winter wreaked havoc to training programs like twists to Daenery’s best laid plans for the iron throne.  Regardless, the training trudged on and successes are piling up along with the occasional sunny spring days.  Please take a moment to read the recap of events below and gain a snapshot of the summer adventure that awaits.  Spots are limited and some require pre-event training.  

I begin by highlighting two athletes at opposite ends of the event spectrum.  While Patrick is new to cycling, he judmped right in with a commitment to ride 600 miles from SF to LA with the 2019 ALC (Aids Life Cycle).  Our first coaching session was unforgettable, as he rolled up wearing running shorts, a backpack with the “kitchen sink” assortment of gear, on a bike we amicably named “bobo”.  Things have changed dramatically in four months.  Patrick has traded 25 lbs of “mush” for muscle (his claves now equal my thighs).  To match his supercharged motor he’s added a lite weight French titanium bike, fitted with hydraulic disc brakes and carbon everything else.  Recently he completed his first century (miles not metric) finishing first, out of a hundred or so riders.  The transformation is nothing short of staggering.  Last week Patrick and Deb rode from SF to LA to continue the fight against Aids.  We wished them safe pedaling and many tailwinds and they rocked the ride. Congratulations!

Jen, having raced in high school, now competes with a tribe of elite women runners aptly named “The Impala’s” who can literally run circles around most men.  What I love most about coaching Jen is her unparalleled grace at which she balances home, work, and sport; of which she excels at all three.   When her goal of running a sub 6 minute mile was literally hamstrung just meters from the finish last year (strained Semimembranosus), she showed little anxiety that most athletes would have fallen prey to.  Instead she doubled down, incorporating pre/rehab and more core work with new modalities like muscle activation (MAT).  In addition we attacked her anterior synergist muscles betting that the hamstring was the symptom a less apparent problem. What I admire most is the joy that she finds in training and racing with her friends; which she exemplified at this year’s Bay to Breakers dressed as a team of “Ruth Bader Ginsburg’s,” gavels in hand, ready to smash the competition with smiles and six packs abs.

We wish Patrick, Jen and all our other friends the best in their athletic endeavors.

In other news,  Stephanie kicked off spring training with the Kaiser 10k to rekindle her running flame.  Deb, Patrick and Jack traversed the hills of Northern Marin to prep for the Coastal Fondo of Monterey at this year’s Sea Otter Classic. Merri traded in her running shoes for goggles and learned to swim faster than any adult I have ever seen in 25+ years of coaching.  With a laser focus, she perfected her reach/glide in prep for future open water events.  Meanwhile, Sabin started Sunday aquatic park swims to prep for Escape.  And even though he wears a “millennial” wetsuit vs my “old Vets” speedo, I am impressed with his triathlon chops.  Sydney won her age group at Oceanside 70.3.  Jonah, Sabin, Darren and myself hammed up the surf sessions in Surf Camp Costa Rica.  And Babak started crushing the weights and the squats. But the biggest shout out goes to Jack.  Even though he debuted his new mountain bike and first ride with a trip to the emergency room and five stitches, he is determined to break through his sharp learning curve with laughs to match his “elite athletic” DNA (LOL - ask him about it). 

Summer is just around the corner and the mountains are calling with wilderness trekking, fly fishing, Xterra tri and mountain bike racing (Downieville), and of course more dirt bike camps in the Sierras.  It’s still muddy out there and we’re going to keep getting dirty.  Remember, Optime’ is about honing your physical and mental fitness for performance in all facets of life.  A strong body, strong mind, and strong spirit is the key to unlocking your potential.  To kick off summer, we’re offering free threshold or video diagnostics to quantify you’re your starting point or gains from the first half of the year.  Simply sign up for a new package and event before the summer solstice on June 21st for the $300 credit. 

Happy Trails,

Joel

Events:

·       XTERRA  JUN 29     Dirt Tri – Tahoe City         

·       MOTO    JUL 8      Dirt Bike Camp*      

·       TREK    JUL   20     Man up - Trek the Trinities*                                                 

·       BIKE      AUG 5      Downieville Classic        

·       TREK   AUG 12      Trek the Lakes District*                

·       TREK    AUG 26     Man up - Tune Up*                       

·       MOTO  SEPT 2      Sierra Dirt Bike Moto Camp*                                                                                           

·       TREK    OCT 21      Man up -  Wilderness Trek Mammoth to Yosemite*

SURF NOV 18 Surf Camp Sayulita Mexico