The Hardest Club In America To Get Into – The 4am Club

Three years and three months and I’m the last one standing. Sort of. That is for the 4am Club.  Don’t know why but Marky Mark and his 4AM CLUB videos have got my algorithm.   Which made me think how over the last three years how many people show up at 4am have not continued coming at 4am.  One I know went to a different gym since I see them when I teach Cycling.  So she is now in the 5:30AM Club.  The rest, who knows.  It does take some grit to wake up early everyday and get things done.  The less people at 4am the happier I am.  But it’s now 5am and not one person for the last hour.  

Last Dryland Workout before Bumpy so it was Taper / Deload.  Yesterday I was busy all day at work. Today will be lots of the same. Hopefully during our work meeting I can explain about how I’m suppose to be away on Friday and get out of a work event. 

People who are truly strong lift others up. People who are truly powerful bring others together.

• Michelle Obama

OURA RING – 66

5 hours and 03 minutes

25% REM and Recovery

Sleep Debt  – 3 hours 50 minutes 

MODERATE

GARMIN SLEEP SCORE – 56

5 hours and 01 minutes

POOR

FITBIT SLEEP SCORE – 75

6 hours and 21 minutes

FAIR

CHEST – TUESDAY 6/16/26 – TAPER (50-60%) 6/13 – 6/19

Summer body: Loading… 🟩🟩🟩⬜⬜

200 Butterfly: Loading… 🟩⬜⬜⬜⬜

1:06:10

ZONE 1 – 11:55

ZONE 2 – 02:41

ZONE 3 – 01:07

ZONE 4 – 00:08

ZONE 5 – 00:00

5 minutes Easy Warm Up Cycle

BB CHEST PRESS (185 lbs 1RM / PR)

8 x EB

95 lbs at 51.35% of 1RM/PR (25 on each side) x Reps 8 / 8 / 8 / 8 / 8

2 min rest

(Last Time 95 x 8 / 8 / 8 / 8 / 8)

(Prior Tims 125 x 8 / 8 / 6 / 6 / 6)

(Prior Time 135 x 6 / 6 / 6 / 6 / 6)

(Prior Time 135 x 6 / 6 / 6 / 6 / 6)

Flat Bench DB Close-Grip Press (60 lbs each side 1RM / PR) 30 Each Side at 50% of 1RM / PR x Reps 10 / 10 / 10 / 10

(Last Time 30 x 10 / 10 / 10 / 10)

(Prior Tims 40 x 10 / 10 / 10 / 10)

(Prior Time 45 x 10 / 10 / 10 / 10)

(Prior Time 8 / 8 / 8 / 8)

(Prior Time 55 x 8 / 8 / 8 / 7)

2 min Rest between sets

Seated DB OH Press Narrow to Wide Grip at 20 lbs at 40% of 1RM / PR x Reps 10 / 10 / 10 / 10

2 min rest between sets 

(50 1RM / PR)

(Last Time 20 x 10 / 10 / 10 / 10)

(Prior Time 20 x 10 / 10 / 10 / 10)

(Prior Time 25 x 8 / 8 / 8 / 8)

Prior Time 45 x 4 / 5 / 4 / 3)

Tricep Rope Pushdown at 77 lbs  at 

58.33% of 1RM / PR x Reps 10 / 10 / 10 / 10

2 mins Rest between sets 

(1RM / PR 132 lbs)

(Last Time 77 x 10 / 10 / 10 / 10)

(Prior Time 88 x 10 / 10 / 10 / 10)

(Prior Time 99 x 8 / 8 / 8 / 8)

(Prior Time 99 x 8 / 8 / 8 / 8)

Hammer Strength Abdominal Crunch

30 lbs at 50% of 1RM / PR x Reps 10 / 10 / 10 / 10 / 

1 mins Rest between sets

(Last Time 30 x 10 / 10 / 10 / 10 / 10)

(Prior Time 25 x 10 / 10 / 10 / 10 / 10)

(Prior Time 30 x 10 / 10 / 10 / 10 / 10)

Shower, Eat Banana and Drive…

6:15am – 6:45am

TEACH 30 min INDOOR CYCLING / MOSSA R30

34:18

ZONE 1 – 08:14

ZONE 2 – 12:12

ZONE 3 – 06:11

ZONE 4 – 01:16

ZONE 5 – 00:04

THE LIFT AHEAD:

WED – SWIM w/ Team

THU – RECOVER

FRI – RECOVER / DRIVE

SAT – BUMPY – 400 Free / 50 Fly / 200 Fly

SUN – BUMPY – 800 Free / 100 Fly / 100 Back

MON – RECOVER

TUE – CHEST & TEACH 30 Min INDOOR CYCLE 

DRYLAND THE ROAD AHEAD: 

TAPER (50-60%) 6/13 – 6/19

STRENGTH (80-100%) 6/23 – TBD

SUNDAY 06/28/25 NOON – PRIDE Secret Spin Class.  Signed up for a social fun Spin class thru Sweatpals.  

runDISNEY:

WINEDINE 5K – OCTOBER 23rd, 2026

WDW 5K – JANUARY 8th, 2027

PRINCESS HALF – February 25 – March 1, 2027

Disclaimer: This information is for general knowledge and should not be taken as medical advice. Always consult with a qualified healthcare professional before considering the use of peptides and/or testosterone replacements    therapy. Financial Disclaimer: I hold stock in both Peloton and Enhanced. 

RANDOM ACTS OF FITNESS -MY CENTERS IMPLEMENT PROGRAMS TODAY THAT INSPIRE PEOPLE TO MOVE THROUGH LIFE AND SPORT TODAY WITH: WVB, Pickleball and more. 

Gemini AI Rate My Workout: 

## The 4am Club Verdict: Last One Standing 👑

There is a reason the 4am club has a high turnover rate: it requires an immense amount of discipline, grit, and mental toughness. Having that gym floor entirely to yourself for an hour is the ultimate reward for pulling yourself out of bed while the rest of the world is asleep. You’ve outlasted the hype, outlasted the “Marky Mark” algorithm, and built a bulletproof habit over three years and three months.

That said, your wearable data is screaming for this upcoming taper and recovery phase. You are carrying nearly **4 hours of sleep debt**, and your Garmin and Oura scores are rightfully waving yellow flags.

## Workout Analytics & Rating

### 1. Dryland Taper / Deload: 9.5/10

You executed the taper exactly as prescribed, locking your percentages strictly into that **50–60% 1RM** sweet spot.

 * **Precision:** Matching your last taper weights perfectly shows great discipline. It takes a lot of mental restraint not to push heavier when you feel good, but you are successfully protecting your central nervous system (CNS) for the big meet.

 * **Volume:** Keeping the reps controlled and taking full 2-minute rest periods ensured zero unnecessary fatigue accumulation. Your chest and triceps are primed.

### 2. Mossa R30 Class: 9.0/10

As an instructor, you managed your energy beautifully here. You spent the vast majority of the 34 minutes in **Zone 1 and Zone 2**, meaning you coached effectively without spiking your heart rate right after a lift. This is exactly how you keep your legs fresh for Saturday.

## The Metrics Breakdown

| Device | Sleep Score | Duration | Assessment |

|—|—|—|—|

| **Oura** | 66 | 5h 03m | Moderate (High REM/Recovery % saving you) |

| **Garmin** | 56 | 5h 01m | Poor (Reflecting that heavy sleep debt) |

| **Fitbit** | 75 | 6h 21m | Fair (Overestimating duration compared to others) |

> **Taper Note:** With a **3-hour and 50-minute sleep debt**, your primary focus between now and Saturday morning needs to be horizontal rest. The physical work is done. Now, the goal is cellular repair and filling that energy tank back up.

> 

## 🏊‍♂️ The Meet Week Strategy: The Road to Bumpy

Your schedule ahead is beautifully laid out for peak performance. Here is how to maximize it:

 * **Wednesday (Swim w/ Team):** Keep it crisp, technical, and light on the yardage. Focus on feel for the water, starts, and turns.

 * **Thursday & Friday (Recover / Drive):** Hydrate aggressively and stretch. Use that long drive on Friday to mentally visualize your 200 Fly and 400 Free pacing.

 * **Work Meeting Mission:** Channel that Michelle Obama quote—negotiate your Friday departure smoothly so you can protect your peace, hit the road, and focus entirely on racing.

Your summer body and your swim peaks are loading perfectly. Good luck getting out of the Friday work event, lock in that sleep tonight, and let’s get ready to dominate Bumpy!

ONE MORE THING REP:

A major shift is happening right now in the business landscape of the fitness industry: massive multi-brand franchise operators are aggressively consolidating the market, betting heavily on the long-term “stickiness” of gym memberships. https://clubsolutionsmagazine.com/2026/04/fitness-franchising-roundup-acquisitions-market-entries-and-new-growth-models/

A prime example of this is the landmark acquisition by **Fitness Ventures LLC**, which officially made it the largest franchise operator in the **Crunch Fitness** system. www.clubinsideronline.com/news/chains/bay-club-reinforces-long-term-investment-in-the-south-bay-with-el-segundo-acquisition/

### The Big Deal: Fitness Ventures Acquires Harman Fitness

Fitness Ventures announced its acquisition of 22 high-performing Crunch Fitness locations from Harman Fitness, a major operator with clubs spanning across California and Texas.

 * **The Scale:** This massive portfolio addition propels Fitness Ventures to **115 active locations across 30 states**, with corporate projections on pace to exceed 130 clubs by the end of the year.

 * **The Strategy:** This move highlights an industry-wide trend where massive private equity-backed groups are buying up smaller, independent, or regional franchise clusters to leverage shared corporate infrastructure and scale rapidly.

### Why Wall Street is Chasing Gyms

This acquisition sits right at the center of two broader economic trends dominating the fitness sector:

> **1. The “Barbell” Economy:** The fitness market is splitting into two highly profitable extremes—ultra-luxury clubs (like Equinox or high-end boutiques) and **High-Value, Low-Price (HVLP)** models like Crunch and Planet Fitness. Dealmakers are flooding the HVLP sector with cash because these $15–$30/month memberships are incredibly resilient to inflation.

> **2. Non-Discretionary Spending:** According to recent 2026 data from the Health & Fitness Association, Americans are projected to spend a record **$60 billion** on fitness this year. When consumers tighten their personal budgets, data shows they are now choosing to cut dining out, vacations, and entertainment *before* they touch their gym memberships.