By Patrick Adrian
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SPRINGFIELD, Vt. — Personal fitness trainer Ian Currie, of Springfield, said he believes a good coach should demonstrate an ability to “walk the walk” and prove one’s qualifications through example. With a philosophy that stems from the competitive fitness model, Currie is building a rather impressive resume in strongman competitions to illustrate his credentials.
On Dec. 7, Currie took first place in the middleweight division of the Festivus Feats of Strength, a United States Strongman (USS) competition that was held in Buffalo, New York. The win marks Currie’s third first-place finish since competing at the USS Nationals on June 8, where he competed for the first time, placing 22 out of 55 in his division.
“My success as a trainer is helping the people I train perform better,” Currie said during an interview from his training gym in North Springfield. “The competitions allow me to show people that I must know what I’m doing.”
Currie, a 33-year old Army veteran who served two combat tours in Iraq between 2004 and 2008, opened his gym, Doomsday Athletics, in 2013. Located on Main Street in a spacious but rustic garage, the interior has arguably a more natural, DIY atmosphere than a traditional commercial gym. Currie describes his gym as having a deliberately “rocky, gritty vibe,” one he said he will always strive to maintain.
His discovery of CrossFit and competitive fitness in 2012 broadened his perspective of fitness from what he knew in the commercial gyms, where there seemed to be an overemphasis on muscle building and machine-centered exercise equipment. Today, Currie espouses a more holistic approach that tailors the exercises to the types of body movements that people use in their daily lives.
CrossFit’s exercise philosophy strives for “constant, varied movement at a high intensity level,” Currie said. “A typical CrossFit regiment may be eight to 14 minutes and include [activities like] weightlifting, swimming or running.”
Currie does call his training “CrossFit,” as it is a trademarked brand. However, he is a level II certified CrossFit trainer.
Fluidity of functional body movements is central to Currie’s training philosophy. That functionality-focus is also why he dislikes mainstream exercise machines.
“In real life you don’t do a lot of pulling ropes,” Currie said. “But running uses body movements people use everyday.”
The USS competition is similar, often passing on traditional weightlifting equipment in favor of standalone objects like logs, weighted sandbags and atlas stone weights.
A strongman competition consists of five contests, each involving a feat of strength. Competitors earn points in each round, with the winner ending the competition with the most total points.
“It’s not necessary to win every round to win the competition,” Currie said. “I only won two of those contests [at Festivus Feats of Strength], but I placed very well in all the others.”
Two of the five competitions at the Dec. 7 event were “last man standing contests.” In one contest, for example, each competitor started by having to lift a 225 lb. atlas stone over a bar positioned approximately three feet off the ground. With each round, the stone is upgraded to a heavier weight until only one competitor remains successful.
Currie said the competitors started with a 225 lb. stone and that Currie made it to 320 lbs, which tied him for first.
The other contests involved how many presses of a metal log in one minute, the time to run 60 feet while carrying a 270 lb. sandbag and a sled-pull.
However, Currie’s gym is not a place of competition. The program is individual-based, with goals and benchmarks tailored to the person.
“We’re a very tight-knit community,” Currie said. “We are all extremely supportive of one another. Just like an organism, where supporting the wellbeing of each cell is in the organism’s interest.”
Under Currie’s approach, trainees must first develop coordination. With coordination and balance, they may then focus on increasing weights to build strength. As they get stronger, they can focus more on a continuous effort of exertion to build stamina and endurance. Safety is a constant throughout. Currie said his top three safety checks during classes are that trainees are balanced on their feet, keeping the pressure off their back and using a full range of motion.
“The goal is progress, not perfection,” Currie said. “I see improvement as someone showing the ability to produce force through better movement.”
Individuals may learn more about Doomsday Athletics, or to schedule an appointment by visiting its Facebook page. Currie says that he does not charge people to attend a first class, nor does he pressure anyone to join.
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