Proving Grounds

Proving Grounds

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Coach Phil | Certified CrossFit Level 2 Coach

I help CrossFit & Hyrox athletes at all levels

⚡️ Lift Big
⚡️ Run Fast
⚡️ Look Good Naked

Without giving up 🍔🍪🌮🍕🍦

06/10/2026

CrossFit builds fitness.
Nutrition reveals it.

👏 I’m super proud of Brook for putting in the work over the last 3 months.

The crazy part?
She didn’t need more training.
She needed a better nutrition system.

🏋️ Now she’s setting PRs
⚡️ Her energy is up.
💪 And she looks like an athlete.

👉THAT’S the difference a solid nutrition plan makes.

DM PROVEN if you’ve been doing CrossFit for years and finally want to look like it.

06/09/2026

Do as I say, not as I do 🤣


But for real, there’s a few different ways I tell my clients to handle vacation, depending on where they’re at.

1. You’re just getting started
If you just started your fitness journey a few weeks ago, you should do your best to stay on track through your vacation. I know it sucks, but you need to put some money in the bank before you can go spend it.

2. You’ve been disciplined for a few months
If you’ve been dieting diligently and made some substantial progress then I usually tell my clients to enjoy... within reason. That means one trip to the buffet, not three.

3. You’re in maintenance and are locked in
This is where I fall. I probably gained 5 pounds this week eating platefuls of French Toast and 3 helpings of cheesecake after dinner. 🤤 No stress, a couple weeks back in my normal routine and I’ll be right back to where I was.

Follow .Dad.Phil to
⚡ Lift Big
⚡ Run Fast
⚡ Look the Part

Photos from Proving Grounds's post 06/06/2026

Comment PROVEN and I’ll send you my complete CrossFit & HYROX Nutrition Guide.

If you train hard, but still look soft,
then your nutrition is broken.

That’s because most athletes are taught how to train...
But very few are taught how to fuel.

The advice usually sounds something like:

✅ Eat clean
✅ Avoid junk food
✅ Eat more vegetables

And while that might improve your health if you’re a beginner...
It doesn’t automatically make you lean, strong, and fast.

That’s why so many athletes end up frustrated.

They’re putting in the work.
They’re showing up consistently.
But they still don’t look the way they want to look...

The athletes who perform well and look the part
aren’t just training like athletes.
They’re fueling like athletes.

If you’ve been training hard
but feel like your results don’t match your effort
it’s time to take a closer look at your nutrition.

Comment PROVEN and I’ll send over my complete CrossFit & HYROX Nutrition Guide.

Follow .Dad.Phil to
⚡ Lift Big
⚡ Run Fast
⚡ Look the Part

06/05/2026

How Fit People Handle Vacation ☀️

A lot of people think staying fit on vacation means one of two things:

❌ Tracking every calorie and avoiding dessert
❌ Throwing all healthy habits out the window

The reality is somewhere in the middle.

This morning we enjoyed the resort, spent time by the pool, and sampled what felt like every dessert they had to offer 🍰

Then I hit the gym.

Not because I was trying to “burn off” my food.
Not because I was afraid of gaining weight.
Because training is part of who I am.

The goal isn’t to be perfect on vacation.

The goal is to enjoy your vacation without abandoning the habits that got you there.

🏆 That’s how you stay fit year-round.

And for those who asked, here’s today’s workout:

🏋️ Deadlift
9-6-3-3-3
Build to a heavy triple

💪 Pull-Ups
10 Minute EMOM
4-8 Strict Pull-Ups

🏃 Metcon: He-Man
See yesterday’s post for workout details.

🔥 Finisher
3 x 6-8/Arm Preacher Curls

What’s your approach to training on vacation?

Follow .Dad.Phil to
⚡ Lift Big
⚡ Run Fast
⚡ Look The Part

06/04/2026

Have you got what it takes to smash at least 7 rounds on today’s Super Hero Metcon? 🔥

🙌 Tag someone that would love this WOD and challenge them to give it a go!

HE-MAN
20’ AMRAP
200M Shuttle Run
20 DB Sn**ch
2 Clusters

📝 Coach Phil’s Notes:

Rx DB: 50|35 # or 22|16KG
Rx Bar: 155|105 # or 70|50KG

SHUTTLE RUN: Do 10M Down + 10M Back for 10 rounds to get to 200M

GOAL: 7+ Rounds

FOCUS: The Clusters will become increasingly challenging as fatigue builds. Keep your core tight and prioritize technique, especially in later rounds.

SCALING: Drop the Clusters to a weight you can do cleanly for 2 reps, even when you’re breathing heavily.

Follow .Dad.Phil to
⚡️ Lift Big
⚡️ Run Fast
⚡️ Look the Part

06/03/2026

You can’t expect Ferrari performance 🏎️
from Garbage Truck fueling 🚛

Most CrossFit & Hyrox athletes:
❌ Hit a wall halfway through WODs
❌ Struggle to recover between sessions
❌ Crave junk food late at night

These aren’t just side effects of hard training.
They’re often symptoms of poor nutrition.

🏆 Your nutrition around training is one of the most important fueling windows of the day.

Here’s the simple formula I use with my athletes to help them get strong, fast, and lean:

⏰ PRE-TRAINING (60-90 min before)
→ 30-60g easy-to-digest carbs
→ Sodium/electrolytes
→ Caffeine (optional)

Examples:
• Rice waffles + honey + salt
• Bagel + banana
• Gatorade + Rice Krispies Treat before early sessions

💡 This gives you fast fuel so you
can push hard in the gym.

⏰ POST-TRAINING (within 1-2 hrs)
→ 30-50g protein
→ 60-100g carbs
→ Fluids + electrolytes

Examples:
• Whey shake + cereal + fruit
• Chicken + rice
• Lean beef + potatoes

💡 This kickstarts recovery so you
come back stronger.

Being intentional with your pre and post training nutrition will help you
✅ Perform better
✅ Recover faster
✅ Build muscle
✅ Stay lean

Follow .Dad.Phil for more evidence-based CrossFit & Hyrox tips to
⚡️ Lift Big
⚡️ Run Fast
⚡️ Look The Part

06/02/2026

Ladies, if you dedicate 10 years to-
⚡️ Lifting heavy 4-6 times a week
⚡️ Eating right 90% of the time

… you STILL won’t look too muscular.

🧬 That’s because female hormones simply aren’t designed for extreme bulk.

But you know what WILL happen if you start to lift weights? You’ll…

✅ Get “toned” (ie. be lean with muscle)
✅ Speed up your metabolism
✅ Improve bone and joint health
✅ Live longer

Stop using “I don’t want to get too muscular” as an excuse to avoid the weight room! It’s a magical place 🌈

Follow .Dad.Phil to
⚡️ Lift Big
⚡️ Run Fast
⚡️ Look the Part

06/01/2026

99% of CrossFit coaches are letting you down.

Yeah, I said it.

CrossFit’s own Hierarchy of Development puts nutrition at the foundation of fitness.
Yet most coaches spend more time teaching handstand walks than teaching athletes how to fuel their bodies.

And it shows.

Because a lot of CrossFitters train like athletes 4-5x a week
…but still look more “competitive dad bod” than Rich Froning.

The athletes who look lean, recover faster, and perform better
👉 Take their meals just as seriously as their metcons.

Follow .Dad.Phil to
⚡️ Lift Big
⚡️ Run Fast
⚡️ Look Good Naked

05/31/2026

Anyone else? 🙋

Follow .Dad.Phil to get strong, fast, and lean
without giving up your favorite foods 🍟🍦🍪

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Tampa, FL
33637