 We have an Independence Day tradition at our gym. We celebrate our Independence by honoring women who have died in service to it. We have done this since I opened the gym 10 years ago, and we continue this year. This year we start the week leading into the Independence Weekend with Emily Second Lt. Emily Jazmin Tatum Perez, 23, was killed Sept. 12, 2006, when her Humvee was struck by an improvised explosive device as she was leading a convoy through Al Kifl, Iraq. She served in the 204th Support Battalion, 2nd Brigade, 4th Infantry Division of the U.S. Army. Perez graduated from the U.S. Military Academy in 2005. She was an exemplary student and became the highest-ranking African-American female cadet in the history of West Point. An exceptional athlete, Perez was a sprinter on the track team (200 m) and competed in the triple jump. She also excelled at gymnastics and squats. Her favorite movements included sprinting, double-unders, pull-ups, squats and power cleans. Perez earned numerous awards for her military service, including the Bronze Star, Purple Heart, Army Commendation Medal, National Defense Service Medal, Iraq Campaign Medal, Global War on Terrorism Service Medal, Army Service Ribbon, Overseas Service Ribbon, and the Combat Action Badge. She was also posthumously awarded the NCAA Award of Valor in 2008. Perez was the first female African-American officer in U.S. military history to die in combat and the first female West Point graduate to die in the Iraq War. She is survived by her parents, Daniel and Vicki; brother, Kevyn; and many classmates and friends. Rest in peace, Ma'am. I've got the watch. 
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 Marianne builds strong muscles and bones with the front squat. What's For Dinner?There is one question that every single human on earth asks themself every single day. What's for Dinner? We all must eat. Some of us cook for ourselves and others have their food cooked for them (lucky you!) But, we all must eat. Cooking is a basic human endeavor. We all must eat, multiple times a day, and feeding yourself and others is a basic skill we all must develop. Without it, we will die or be dependent on someone else. I don't want to be dependent on anyone else for my food! Food is the foundation of my health and I want that squarely under my control. Today is a heavy day at the gym and you'll want to prioritize protein over the next few days. Protein are the literal building blocks of muscle. It doesn't matter if you're trying to gain or just maintain, you need protein after heavy lifting days. The Fourth of July holiday is just around the corner and it's the best time to make BBQ ribs. Check out this recipe from the BBQ Master Steven Raichlen for the perfect ribs. Be sure to send me a picture if you make this recipe! Enjoy  Click on the image for Steven Raicheln's 3-2-1 Method For perfect ribs for the Fourth if July holiday  Sheet Mulching - An easy way to prepare and create a new landscape.One of the first things people notice when they start gardening in Montana is that our soil is, well, challenging. Our soil tends to be very low in organic matter, and is not generally well structured. Fortunately, there’s a simple and economical way to create fabulous soil – sheet mulching. In other parts of the world, sheet mulching is also called sheet composting, layered gardening, and even lasagna gardening! Sheet mulching is essentially composting on-site, on the area that needs amending. It is a simple layering of slashed vegetation, cardboard or newspapers, and organic material, topped off with a nice layer of mulch. Over time, these layers decompose into rich fertile soil. Sheet mulching mimics the natural way of building soil, which is from the top down. The alternating layers of cardboard, organic material and mulch provide the appropriate carbon-to-nitrogen ratio that is needed. If you don’t add nitrogen sources when incorporating carbon-rich materials into the soil, such as sawdust, wood shavings and newspaper, the carbon will temporarily deplete the soil of nitrogen, and it will be difficult to successfully grow anything. For successful sheet mulching, you need to provide appropriate amounts of both carbon and nitrogen. Here’s how to get it right. Slash or closely mow all existing herbaceous (soft-tissued, nonwoody) vegetation, and leave it in place. This will provide a layer of nitrogen-rich material. However, it is best to remove tomato and squash plants from the area to avoid potential disease and pest problems. Next comes the carbon layer. Flatten a bunch of cardboard boxes, and lay them down, overlapping them by 6 inches. You can also use a one-quarter- to one-half-inch layer of newspapers, torn up phone books, or old pieces of carpet. Soak everything with a hose. Wetting down this layer is important. Water is a catalyst to kick-start the decomposition of the materials. Once everything is thoroughly soaked, try not to walk on it, or you may tear it. Next, it’s time to spread a layer of manure or compost. If you are doing this now, and plan to plant vegetables or annuals and perennials, you can use fresh manure if it is weed-free. Otherwise, use aged manure or compost. Then, wet the area again. The layer of manure or compost will entice earthworms and other soil organisms up into the sheet mulch and hasten its decomposition. Finally, top it all off with at least a 2-inch layer of mulch. Straw is a good choice because it is inexpensive, about $7 a bale. Just be sure that it is certified weed-free. The beauty of sheet mulching is its versatility. It can be used to build rich garden soil, or it can be used to convert lawn into a low-water-use landscape. Since sheet mulching provides the ideal carbon to nitrogen ratio, you can plant directly into it! Just pull aside the mulch and organic material, cut an “X” into the bottom layer, dig your hole, and install your plant. Then, put the organic material and mulch back into place. There you have it – a simple, inexpensive, and nontoxic way to kill your lawn and instantly install a new landscape! Sheet mulching kills weeds and lawns without herbicides, while building the soil without requiring tilling. It is a great way to begin creating a sustainable landscape, and it’s practiced all over the world. This is a reprint of an article I wrote when I was the commercial horticulture program coordinator for the western area of University of Nevada Cooperative Extension.
Whoop Women's Performance CollectiveI started wearing a Whoop strap in 2020 and have blogged several times about my experience. The Whoop strap is a wearable performance monitor that measures your strain (workout intensity), recovery and sleep. Whoop's mission of science and research is one of they key reasons I stay committed to wearing my Whoop over other wearable biometric devices. In fact, Whoop is dedicated to women's specific research and has created a Whoop Women's Performance Collective. Whoop is leading the charge on performance research for women! How cool is that? Today, for Whoop & Wednesday, I'm sharing a podcast with Whoop VP of Performance Kristen Holmes and Dr. Hazel Wallace, Whoop Scientific Advisory Council member, nutritionist, and trainer. They discuss Dr. Wallace's new book on female health and the importance of nutrition for performance and longevity. Are you a woman? Do you want to dial in your nutrition and performance? This podcast is worth listening to. You can click on the mp3 player below or you can go here to listen: https://www.whoop.com/thelocker/episode-198-dr-hazel-wallace-on-nutrition-longevity-and-womens-health/ Here are the key points from the podcast.
If you are interested in joining the dozen TSCF members on our on a Whoop journey, use my link to get your first month free. If you're already a Whoop user, join our True Spirit Whoop Group with the team code: COMM-AD6416.
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