What is Farrell's eXtreme Bodyshaping?


Farrell’s eXtreme Bodyshaping is a results based fitness program for participants of any age, lifestyle, sex or athletic ability. The program was developed by Lance Farrell — a long-time taekwondo competitor and teacher — specifically to combat obesity and to help people develop healthy lifestyle habits by incorporating the fat-burning, strengthening and endurance building aspects of competitive martial arts training into a course for regular people who aren’t interested in sparring or contact drills.
In 45 minutes a day, six days a week, Farrell’s can help you make real changes in your fitness and overall health. Results are typical with the Farrell’s program. In 10 weeks with Farrell’s, you will see the eXtreme changes you expect out of your fitness and nutrition commitments.
The Farrell’s program combines four essential elements needed to make eXtreme changes in your bodyshape:

Stay the Course... You Got This! Twin Cities Health and Fitness

Whether it’s St Patrick’s Day, another holiday, the weekend, crunch time at work or you’re busy with kids (or all of the above...) there’s always a rationale for putting exercise last.  You, however, are not like many other people; You are FXB! 

The goal of living at level 10 is to make exercise a priority even when you've got a dozen other things to do.

Schedule weekly workouts into your day planner or phone calendar—it’s helpful and reminds you that you should reserve those times for exercise for yourself.  This helps you be a stronger and better version of yourself. We invest our time in many things during a given day, but making time for fitness and health should be among the top of all of our lists. We all have to make this decision very often, whether to go work out or do “something else” (insert a million different things here). If you’re prone to skipping exercise when life gets busy, you might need to give yourself a stronger push in the right direction. 

To set a precedent for exercise, try these steps for making fitness a priority in your busy life:

Identify and be honest with yourself about the most optimal time for you to exercise.  Your best bet is to exercise whenever your busy day allows it, and that is why we offer so many class times. Get in, get moving and get your workout done for the day. The more successful you feel about sticking to your workouts, the more you’ll want to keep up with that rewarding behavior.

Buddy up FXB Style.  When you've got one or more friends cheering you on (or an entire class) and expecting you to show up and exercise with them, you’re less likely to blow off the workout. You wouldn't want to stand up a friend or miss out on the social time of exercising together.

Visualize!  Take a minute to close your eyes or envision yourself getting your workout done and remember how good that feels.  Envision yourself walking out the door, after a hard workout, your face smiling, ready to move on with the rest of your day.  We always say, "You'll NEVER regret coming for your workout!"

Remember that we are all here!  We are all here to support and encourage you. This is what makes us so different. For those of you that are new and will be attending the 10-week party you will see what we mean when we say we are an FXB family. We support and encourage each other every day and celebrate your success!



Read THIS! So Many Reasons To Love Your FXB Workout | Twin Cities Health & Fitness

  Kickboxing, which includes bag work, burns a ton of calories, up to 750 an hour and maintains a higher calorie burn for several hours after your workout. 

It works red and white muscle fibers and fast and slow twitch muscles. 

 Kickboxing builds core muscle strength and improves posture.  It is an awesome ab workout!  

Kicking is a KILLER glute workout!  FXB cardio kickboxing classes increase energy levels, (after you catch your breath, of course!)  

Since kickboxing requires repeated bursts of explosive movements, it results in a stronger and more efficient heart.  

A regular kickboxing program will improve flexibility and decrease muscle tension.  

Hitting a heavy bag is an unbeatable stress reducer.  A few alternating rounds anyone??

Seeing your improvement in you skill and conditioning level definitely boosts self-confidence.  kickboxing teaches you how to relax and contract your muscles optimally for functional results you will see and feel.  

Kickboxing saves time, since it's a total-body workout that improves strength, flexibility, coordination, balance, cardiovascular, stress reduction and self-defense skills.  

Kickboxing is interval training.  Explosive movement followed by reduced intensity, followed by more explosive movement is great for burning fat.  

You have an arsenal of defense weapons, should you ever need them.  

So many reasons to love FXB and your workout, so many reasons to be proud of yourself and the work you do here!  (as if you needed more reasons...)








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School Is Out... Headed to the Movie Theater? | Twin Cities Health & Fitness

The aroma hits you as soon as you walk through the doors of any movie theater…popcorn! For many people, a trip to the movies isn't complete without a big tub of buttery popcorn and a giant cup of soda. But if you don’t choose carefully, that treat could be scarier than a Fun Friday bonus pyramid set! 

With a little planning, you can still enjoy a yummy snack that doesn't wreak havoc on your good eating habits. But just how bad could a tub of popcorn be? On average, a large popcorn (which contains 20 cups) boasts a mind-boggling 100 grams of fat—the equivalent of more than six fast food hamburgers. With about 1,300 calories, that large popcorn packs almost a full day’s supply of calories for the average dieter. 

But, I know what you are thinking... What is a movie without popcorn? We suggest eating a healthy snack and a large glass of water before you go so you are not overly hungry.  Order a kid-sized popcorn and skip the added butter. This will ensure you enjoy yourself and your waistline!  


Let's Chat About Nutrition | Twin Cities Health & Fitness

There's a lot of information floating around about what to eat, don't eat this... don't eat that... how much protein to get and when, etc.  Indeed, you should be very mindful of everything you put in your mouth, considering it will be the fuel you need to draw upon during that last 15 minutes of a grueling workout on the bag.  Complete success at the end of a 10-week session means fully incorporating everything in the program, the cardio, strength-training, a rest day and nutrition.  It can be so easy to get caught up in wanting to do everything just right when it comes to food prep and grocery shopping, selecting brands, etc. 
But if the topic of eating and nutrition is leaving you overwhelmed always remember, just keep it SIMPLE!  Keeping it simple can mean a lot of different things to different people.  It can mean you make the same dinner and lunch 4 or 5 days out of the week.  It can also mean sticking to 3 or 4 recipes and rotating them on your calendar, so you are always shopping for the same types of ingredients.  Therefore, you always have the same key ingredients on hand.  It can also mean thinking of portion sizes in terms of proteins the size of your palm, six times a day and carbohydrates the size of your fist, six times a day, in addition to vegetables and water.  It is also important to remember to eat every 2-3 hours, and in general, before you start to feel really hungry.  
If you have a sandwich for lunch, for example, and you use two slices of bread, those two slices are likely bigger than your fist.  Try switching to an open-faced sandwich, with only one slice of bread or swapping the bread with a thinner, lighter whole wheat wrap or lettuce leaf. 
When you are at the grocery store, remember to try and spend more of your time and food budget in the produce and refrigerated sections of the grocery store, where the least processed foods are.  The more preservatives, (chemicals) a food has, the less fuel it will have for your body.  Highly preserved foods are also very hard for your body to digest, further hindering the success you are trying to achieve.  Finding the least preserved foods, is simple too, the shorter the ingredient list, the better.  

Those are just a few tips in keeping your eating "simple."                 
Now this has been a very brief overview on how to think "simple" when choosing foods.  Truly getting into the specifics of nutrition would go on for pages and pages.  Fortunately, for all FXB Members, you have an AWESOME manual, which gives complete information on how to "fuel" your body.  Please take some time and re-visit the manual you got on your first day.  It might take reading through a few times but the benefits are large... At Level 10!  



You Can And You Will! | Twin Cities Health & Fitness

There is no such thing as an overnight success. Anything worth having takes time, determination and discipline.
Keep taking risks, stay in action and don't be afraid to make mistakes. You are a person with a mission. You are working to be the best you can be.
Most people give up because they become impatient. They lose motivation and confidence. That is not you, you are FXB and you are strong.
You will never quit. You will be the one that stays the course and gets the prize. That is who YOU are!!!! Please do not hesitate to talk to your coach or any FXB team member if you have any questions or just need encouragement. As the workouts get harder, you get stronger. Think of how far you have come in these last four weeks. What is hard today will be your warm up in the future.


Keep up the amazing work! You are all living at level 10!

A Superbowl Spread That Will Make You Feel Like a Winner! Twin Cities Health & Fitness

The Super Bowl is coming up Sunday and for many sports fans, it's another holiday, a holiday of eating.  But one afternoon of football-watching should not have to turn into an excuse to overindulge in foods that have little nourishment for your body.  Goals and challenges help keep us motivated and stay on track in the gym.  Try challenging yourself at home during the Super Bowl.  For example, challenge yourself to skipping the potato chips and opt for carrots, celery, and other chopped veggies for your crunch.  If making sandwiches, try wrapping them up in a lighter whole wheat wrap or lettuce leaf.    

Here are just a few examples of foods to set out for your Super Bowl party, taken right from the FXB Cookbook:

Cilantro, black bean & corn salsa
Simple hummus
Grilled chicken avocado wrap
turkey lettuce wrap
cinnamon chips with fruit salsa... just to name a few!



Now, if you have your cheat meal reserved for Super Bowl Sunday... That's great!  It might be a good idea to start with some of these lighter snacks earlier in the day, so that you are not completely ravenous by Super Bowl time.  

Always remember, keep hydrating, even during your cheat meal.  Enjoy your weekend!




What to Eat After Your Workout| Twin Cities Fitness Program

The Purpose of Post FXB Workout Nutrition
The reason the time after your workout is called the “anabolic phase” is pretty simple to understand.  Anabolism refers to the “building” (or even “rebuilding”) of something. Sometimes we try to overcomplicate a healthy lifestyle when, in fact, it can be pretty straightforward.
In the most basic terms, your POST workout meal is the meal that plays the biggest role in supplying your body with everything it will need to repairreplenishrecover and adapt to the kickboxing or band class you just completed.

Specifically, the goal of the POST FXB workout meal is to accomplish the following:
·         Replenish muscle glycogen (the fuel stored in muscles) that was depleted during your workout.
·         Reduce muscle protein breakdown caused by exercise.
·         Increase muscle protein synthesis (the rate at which your body uses protein to rebuild).
·         Reduce muscle soreness and fatigue (who couldn’t use that!).
·         Greatly enhance overall recovery.
·         Reduce cortisol levels (the stress hormone that triggers our body to store fat).

How To Do It
To make ALL of the above happen successfully, your body only needs 2 things:
1.    Carbs
2.    Protein
Yes you read correctly, the same 2 things your body needs before your workout are the same 2 things your body benefits from after your workout.
So, your primary goal with your POST FXB workout meal is to consume a significant amount of both carbs and protein in some form soon after your workout.
But, why soon after?
Because, after your workout, your body is  primed and ready to accept protein and carbs so it can immediately begin putting these nutrients to good use doing all of the awesome things you want it to be doing (you know building abs and burning fat).
For those reasons, its most often recommended to consume your post workout meal as soon after your workout as you can.
I don’t mean put-down-the-bands-and-start-eating, or eating while cleaning the bags! However, this meal should ideally be eaten within the first 60 minutes after your workout.

So, your biggest goal with your POST workout meal is to consume a good amount of both protein and carbs sometime within the first 30 minutes after your workout.  Now, when we say "carbs," we are not talking about carbs from foods such as baked goods, sodas, french fries, etc.  You want to choose carbs with the most benefit.  Choose those packed with fiber and non-refined sugars.  Examples of good carbs would be appropriate-sized fruits, veggies and foods containing whole grains. 

As long as you are doing that, you are on the right track and on your way to Living at Level 10!

Great job everyone!

The FXB Andover& New Hope Team



Tips for a Great "After" Photo | FXB Andover & New Hope

The thought of your “after” photo can be a little frightening! You have trained hard in the gym and followed a clean, nutritious diet plan so you are feeling and looking great.  To ensure you get "level 10" results from your after photo, have a look at our top tips:
  
Body Hair... This mostly pertains to the gentlemen...

Body hair has a tendency to hide your muscle definition.  Shaving is the easiest option and you can do it yourself.  Ideally, do this the day before (not on the day of, to avoid any shaving marks or redness).  If wet shaving, use a good shaving oil and a post-shave balm, to reduce irritation. 
Guys, make sure your facial hair is neat and trimmed. Clean-shaved is good for a dramatic after photo.

Tanning

Being that we live in the frozen north, we may not have much color this time of year so a spray tan makes your definition in your muscles stand out. The camera washes you out and makes you look more pale than usual, so you may want to go a shade darker than you think necessary. There are many different methods of tanning.  A professional spray tan is, by far, the easiest, quickest and SAFEST option. You can get a very convincing natural-looking spray tan, which lasts for up to a week to 10 days.  For best results, get a spray tan the day before.

Hair and Makeup

Make sure you get a hair cut. If you’re a guy, shorter hair will make you look bigger and more muscular. Check your look for a neat hairline and no neck hair! If you have short-medium length hair, use a good wax or pomade to style it and hold it in position.

Girls, you may not need a full haircut, but a trim and style can work wonders.  Make sure you go to final testing day with your hair fresh and styled!


Flex!

We want you to be showing off all those newly strengthened muscles!  To get the best results in your photo, you need to practice flexing in the mirror at home!  This may sound silly... but go ahead and practice holding your hands at your hips.  Flex, or squeeze biceps and quads all while squeezing those ab muscles.  It can be difficult.  A little practice at home will make you feel more at ease before the camera clicks on final testing day.

SAY CHEESE!

But the most important thing to remember is to SMILE.  True beauty, confidence and happiness comes from within.  YOU have EARNED this photo and we are proud of all you have done over this past 10 weeks!  


Some Thoughts Before Heading to Thanksgiving Dinner | Twin Cities Kickboxing

The holidays are upon us and for most of us, it is a joyous time.  There can be however, some anxiety about the seemingly never-ending treats, buffets and indulgences interfering with your health and fitness goals.  Let's keep a few things in mind before the big party:
  1. Be realistic. One day is not going to make or break your new FXB lifestyle. Enjoy the day in moderation.
  2. Plan time for exercise. We have a number of class times on Thursday and Friday.  Exercise helps relieve holiday stress and prevent weight gain. Plus, if you don't hit the gym the bags will miss your powerful rounds!
  3. Don’t skip meals. Before leaving for a party, eat a light snack, like raw vegetables or a piece of fruit to curb your appetite. You will be less tempted to over-indulge.
  4. Check out party buffets before filling your plate. Choose your favorite foods and skip your least favorite. Include vegetables and fruits to keep your plate balanced.
  5. Eat until you are satisfied, not stuffed. Savor your favorite holiday treats while eating small portions. Sit down, get comfortable and enjoy.
  6. Be careful with beverages. Alcohol can induce overeating and non-alcoholic beverages can be full of calories and sugar.  Tell yourself you will have a full glass of water before a glass of wine, beer or cocktail.
You know the expression, "Work Hard, Play Hard?"  We have all worked extremely hard the last few weeks, we're so close to the completion of this 10-week session.  Let yourself enjoy and relax with your family and friends on Thanksgiving.  Your FXB Family will be waiting for you when you come back.

Wishing you all the best this holiday season!

-Your Friends at FXB Andover & New Hope


Meet the Owner| Spotlight on New Hope's Joe Hill

He's a fan favorite with his booming voice, motivational, kick-your-butt in a nice kind-of-way instructing and friendly personality.  Joe Hill lives and breathes the healthy lifestyle Farrell's promotes.  Let's get to know Joe a little bit better:


What is your favorite kickboxing exercise?
Freestyle.



What is your favorite exercise on band day?
Triceps extension.
What is your least favorite kickboxing exercise? 
Wood choppers.
What is your least favorite resistance day exercise?  
Adductors.
What is your favorite protein snack?
Cookie dough Quest bar.
How long have you been going to FXB? 
2 1/2 years.
What tips or tricks do you have for beginners?
Show up!!! Get here and we will take care of the rest... Attendance is the most important part 
Tell us your favorite part about FXB? 
The FXB family!!! My wife and I have become very close with several members.

How much weight have you lost since starting FXB?
26 lbs and counting!
What is your favorite workout song or genre? 
Rock/Metal.

How has living life at Level 10 changed your life
I can't put it all into words. I am a different person thanks to FXB!!!! I eat healthier and am happier than ever!



What is your favorite healthy thing to eat?
I love any kind of fish.
What is your favorite free day splurge?
Pizza!

What advice do you have for 10-weekers?
You decided to make a change, dig deep and make it happen. It isn't supposed to be easy! Proper form will lead to devastating power !!!



What advice do you have for FIT Members?
Stay motivated, continue to improve and never give up. Continue to set new goals for yourself.
What is the most frequently asked question you get about starting Farrell's? 
Is this something I can do? My answer is yes! You can do anything you put your mind to!
Why did you want to open your own Farrell's gym? 
We wanted to be a part of something we really believe in!




Joe and Darcie Hill.

Making the Best of Your Garden Harvest? Quick Veggie Pasta Recipe | Farrell's eXtreme Bodyshaping Twin Cities

Are you making the best of the fruits, or vegetables, of your garden labor?  Backyard gardens are fun and promote clean eating, if you can put in the work ahead of time.  Here's a peak at some backyard gardens of our own FXB Andover members:









Here is a simple veggie pasta which is super quick and easy and full of garden flavor:
Gather a variety of vegetables, tomatoes, carrots, green beans, peppers, etc.  If you are growing herbs, add some of those as well, oregano and basil work excellent with pasta.  We also added some prepared pesto sauce and garlic to this mixture.  Have basil in your garden... you can make your own fresh pesto!


Add to hot pan with coconut or canola oil on medium to high, stirring constantly.  A sprinkling of Parmesan was also added to the pan.

After heating until tender, add the vegetables over whole wheat pasta and you have a quick, healthy and fulfilling meal!  So, if you have a lot of vegetables from your garden to use up... make this for your family tonight!

Eating A "Rainbow" of Foods| Twin Cities Kickboxing Gym

So, we've discussed "eating clean." Now, let's take a look at another way of thinking about healthy eating and what you put on your plate.  Are you eating a "rainbow" of foods?

The idea behind "eating a rainbow" means visually stimulating your taste buds with a variety of naturally colored foods, which are packed with many different vitamins and minerals.


Here's a quick guide to the colors of foods and what benefits they contain:

Greens:
potassium, folate, fiber, vitamin A, E and C.

Reds/oranges:
Vitamin A, beta-carotene, and lutein, for healthy vision.

Browns/purples/blues:
Flavonoids, which have been found to improve brain function and blow flow.

Yellows:
Think healthy fats, such as almonds, fish, such as salmon and tuna.  Healthy fats aid in the absorption of vitamins in the body.

Thinking in terms of "eating a rainbow" may be just another way for you to ensure you are getting a plenitude of vitamin and nutrient-packed foods.

Eating "Clean..." What Does That Really Mean? | Farrell's eXtreme Bodyshaping Twin Cities

So what does clean eating even mean?



If you are like me, you hear the phrase thrown around by everybody from your next door neighbor to your mother-in-law. But what does “clean eating” really mean? Experts like Tosca Reno, author of the Eat-Clean Diet, describes clean eating as consuming a colorful and wide variety of fresh fruits and vegetables, whole grains and lean protein. Clean eating is a simple idea that is based on eating whole foods in their most natural states, the less processing the better. Now this is simple in theory, but with so many interpretations it can be difficult to really nail down what clean eating really is. We at FXB like to think of clean eating as giving our bodies the best nutrients and fuel we can find. Here are a few tips to get the best nutrition to support your new healthy lifestyle:

Limit Processed Foods:
Many processed foods are full of excess sodium, sugar and fat. An easy way to clean up your diet is to look at the ingredient list on packaged foods. If the list is long or includes lots of ingredients that you can’t pronounce, try to stay away from it.

Bump Up Your Veggies:
Vegetables are full of vitamins, with many boasting vitamin A, which is essential for healthy vision and immune function, and vitamin K, which can help keep your bones healthy. Vegetables are also high in heart-healthy fiber, which helps you feel full. Plus, veggies are low in calories, so you can eat lots of them without damaging your waistline. Fresh vegetables are as clean as they come since they are unprocessed and come straight from the farm (just don’t forget to wash them before you eat them!). The recommended daily amount for most adults is 2½ to 3 cups. To make sure you get your fill, try carrots and hummus for a snack, start your meal with a salad, or begin your day with vegetables by adding peppers and onions to an omelet.

Cut Down on Saturated Fat:
You don’t have to cut out fats when you’re eating clean; instead just focus on healthy fats. It’s as simple as swapping out saturated fats (like those in butter, cheese and meat) in favor of healthy fats like olive oil, canola oil and the kind found in nuts and fatty fish. These fats are good for your heart and can help raise your good HDL cholesterol, while saturated fats are associated with increased risk of heart disease and should be limited.

Reduce Alcohol Intake:
Having a cleaner diet also includes cleaning up what you drink. You can still have alcohol, but stay within the recommended limit—one drink per day for women and two for men (one drink equals 5 ounces wine, 1½ ounces liquor or 12 ounces beer). Alcohol in reasonable amounts may be good for your heart, but too much alcohol dehydrates you and adds additional calories to your diet. Steer clear of mixed drinks with lots of added sugar; it’s probably safe to assume that if your drink is neon-colored or came out of a frozen machine, it’s not all that clean.

Un-Sweeten Your Diet:
Most people eat too many added sugars. The American Heart Association recommends no more than about 6 teaspoons per day for women and 9 teaspoons per day for men. To clean up your diet, cut down on added sugars in your diet by limiting sweets like soda, candy and baked goods. Also keep an eye on sugars added to healthier foods like yogurt (choose plain varieties with no added sugar), tomato sauce and cereal. Look for foods without sugar as an ingredient, or make sure it’s listed towards the bottom, which means less of it is used in the food.

Eliminate Refined Grains
Cutting out white flour and refined grains is an easy way to eat cleaner. Refined grains, unlike whole grains, are more processed and often stripped of beneficial nutrients like magnesium, selenium and fiber. Plus, they’re typically found in unhealthy packaged foods, like baked goods and junky snack foods that may also deliver added sugars, saturated fats and extra sodium. Skip the packaged refined carbs like cookies, crackers and cakes altogether, and also swap white rice, white bread and white pasta for brown rice and whole wheat bread and pasta.

Hopefully, these tips have inspired you to clean up your diet and implementing even a few of these simple ideas can help you reach your fitness goals and live a longer and healthier life!



Andover Completes Summer Youth Program 2014!

We would like to congratulate all the kids who completed the FXB Summer Youth Program!  Not only did they improve their aerobic ability, they also gained strength, flexibility, balance and CONFIDENCE!  We hope they made a new friend, reached a goal... had a good time!

Thank you to our wonderful instructors who inspired and motivated our students.  Also, a big thanks goes out to all those who volunteered and/or helped out along the way.

Kids at "Level 10!"  WAY TO GO!



















Member Spotlight | FXB Farrell's eXtreme Bodyshaping Twin Cities

Our next member spotlight features Andover's part-time manager, Travis Schulz.  



We checked in with Travis about his experience with FXB Andover and here is what he had to say:

What is your favorite kickboxing exercise?
Right Rounds for Power.

What is your favorite bands exercise?
Standard curl.

Travis showing us his favorite bands exercise, bicep curls, or as we like to call it here, "The Gun Show!"

What is your least favorite kickboxing exercise?
Speed Rounds.

What is your least favorite bands exercise?
Lunges.

What is your favorite protein snack?
Eggs (if I have time), Cliff Bar (if I am on the go).

How long have you been going to FXB?
Just over a year (Started March 2013).

Do you have a favorite FXB Recipe or share with us your favorite healthy recipe.
A whole wheat tortilla with two scrambled eggs, a slice of low fat/skim American cheese, spinach.

What tip or tricks can you share with beginners?
Form, form, form… The key is perfect form! Once you have that, the power and speed will follow.  Stay hydrated and stick to your nutrition.

Tell us your favorite part about FXB!
The people I have met.  Some of my closest friends I have met, have been through FXB.

Travis and some of the friends he has made at FXB Andover.

What is your favorite workout song or music genre?
Macklemore and Ryan Lewis’ “Can’t Hold Us,” otherwise, for kickboxing, anything Alternative or Hip Hop.

How has living life at Level 10 changed your life?
I used to be the shy quiet one in the back of the room, now I am instructing in front of a large group of people.  I would say my confidence has increased 10-fold since I have joined FXB.  If you would have asked me a year ago, if I would be instructing, I would have laughed at that thought.

Travis before his FXB transformation and now.  He is proud of the fact that he has consistently maintained a 20-lb. weight loss at FXB Andover.

What is your favorite healthy thing to eat?
Eggs…I love eggs!

What is your favorite free day splurge?
A big juicy cheeseburger.  Almost a must have on Saturday nights!

Do you have any advice for 10 weekers?
Put in the time and effort.  Results come to those who "leave it all on the mat."

Do you have advice for FIT members? 
Keep being an inspiration to those 10-weekers.  I had so many FIT members give me advice and correct me during my 10 weeks, I think that was the biggest part to my success. 

And furthermore...
I would say, show up every day (10 weekers or FIT), I have found out the hard way what happens when you skip an extended period of time.  Stick to the plan FXB has set in front of you.  Come in with a good attitude and work your butts off!

Thanks to Travis for his continuing dedication and inspiration!