- by Kelly Miller
- 6 minute read
Weekly Update December 29 – January 3, 2026
In 2025 Degree turned 10 years old, we had Members (Jackie, Sam, Sarah, MJ & James) hit the 10 Year Member Mark; We purchased new equipment, we collaborated with local community groups to bring health and fitness to more people. We ran fun and inclusive gym events, we were able to partner with one of our amazing Members for a successful Community Appreciation Day, and we began integrating a new, more powerful system to manage messages, send emails and stay in better contact with all of you.
As we head into 2026 we wanted to share the speech from the Gala, and get everyone excited for the year to come!
In 10 years we’ve been able to impact over 1000 lives; whether that be through fitness, nutrition, specialty programs, youth in our community. Whether we were able to support individuals for a short time, or a long time, ever bit mattered, and continues to matter.
The early years had lots of growth, some setbacks, a few scrapes and bruises as any growing gym has. The Team, and learned, we found stability.
Degree was created to give people a space to come and work on their fitness; to find their happy. To spend time with people who genuinely care about them.
Degree was created to build people up; give people purpose. To show people that they are stronger than they could ever imagine, and more capable than they ever thought.
Degree was created to give people the opportunity to try new things, and make new friends along the way.
Our mission remains the same…
Help people live healthier and happier lives through fitness and nutrition coaching.
Our hope and dream for all of you is that you never give up, you always look forward. Don’t let setbacks keep you back, and fail forward.
Aristotle believed excellence is not a single event but a habit, achieved through consistent, repeated action and training. His philosophy emphasizes that our character is a result of what we do habitually, and to be excellent, we must cultivate excellence in our everyday actions.
“We are what we repeatedly do. Excellence, then, is not an act but a habit.”
We live in a world that revolves around quick fixes, fad diets, fad trends. A world that almost fails to recognize that true progress, true growth happens in the small things everyday.
It happens in the mornings you don’t want to go to the gym, the evenings you just want to drive straight home.
The week that it feels like your life’s falling apart, but you keep showing up.
The weeks where you are beyond excited for whatever is going in your life, and you can’ wait ot get to the gym to tell your Gym Family about it!
You reading this are what make Degree. Your smiles, your laughs, your genuine humour, your compassion. Your hard work. Your desire to make this world a better place, knowing that it starts with us.
We are so proud of all of you.
Cheers to 10 years, and many more to come!
See you in the gym, Fam,
Your Degree Team
Degree Pace Setters Challenge!
December 1 – 31, 2025
Check out your top 3 tips to crush your Pace Setters Challenge HERE (1) and HERE (2) and HERE (3)!
You STILL have time to get your classes and appointents in to be entered to win one of the amazing prizes below. Forget what your targets are? Or, need some help? Email us HERE or talk to your Coach in class!
$100 to any Service/Program at Degree
$75 to Simply Divine Essentials Wellness and Health Food Store (Seaforth)
$50 SportChek Gift Card
We have a little something that you can stick on your water bottle for everyone that hits their targets, too!
Happy Holiday Season, Fam!
Check out our upcoming holiday schedule. Please check ZenPlanner and reserve classes accordingly.
It’s time to share the Degree difference with your friends and family this New Year!
Bring them in to try out a class at Degree! No cost for friends or family to try – just let us know who’s coming so we can touch base when them beforehand 🙂
More details to come!
Group Training Programming
December 29 – January 3, 2025
Monday, December 29
Today we are building to a heavy double in the Clean and Jerk over 4-5 sets. These are not touch n go reps so make sure to reset between each rep of your doubles, and find your tension before pulling. Any style of Clean and Jerk is a go today! (ie. Power Clean + Push Jerk, Hang Power Clean + Split Jerk). Your Coach will guide you for the best variation for you today!
We are retesting “Fool’s Gold” today; you’ll be using a Double DB/KB Deadlift version today in your workout that can sometimes feel a little smoother as the weight is held in a more neutral position (either outside of the feet or inside).
Tuesday, December 30
We are partnering up today with a Plank Burner and Meter Row. Partner A will hold a plank while Partner B completes their rowing distance, then, switch. Repeating this until the workout is over. Be kind to your buddy and keep the pace up on the rower! 😉
Wednesday, December 31
**No 530pm Group Training Class
Week 2 of horizontal pressing progressions Build to a heavy double in the Close Grip Floor Press over 4 sets, supersetting 3 sets of band work in between. Make sure to touch the floor with the tricep and have a slight pause between each rep. Be aware of the angle of the forearm as well, it should be as close to vertical as possible. Bend the bar in half and keep the hips on the ground!
Repeat “Abs of Steel”. Pick a weight that you can manage in 2-3 sets on the lunges!
Thursday, January 1
Closed – Happy New Year!
Friday, January 2
Wide Grip (Snatch Grip) RDLs and Single Arm Ring Rows are on the strength menu today! Keep the barbell close on your sets of RDLs, and remember that touching the floor is not the goal of the exercise, rather than loading the glutes and hamstrings, and keeping the back flat which is what we want to do!
Buckle up for this one! Power Snatch weight is intended to be light, you should be able to do sets of 5 reps minimum consistently even in later rounds. Take strategic breaks here so you can keep your output high and keep moving! Do your best to recover during your Burpee reps, slowing down a bit and trying to make your breathing sync with the movement.
**Never fear, if you’re reading Snatches and Burpees and thinking ‘heck no’, still show up! We have options for everyone to get a safe and effective workout!**
Saturday, January 3
Our first Super Friend workout of 2026!
Alternate reps evenly for 5 rounds of this triplet. After completing the last Rope Climb/Ring Row set head to the Rowers and alternate bursts with your partner to rack up as many calories as possible in the remaining time. Keeping bouts on the Rowers to smaller intervals will likely enable you to maintain a higher output! Barbells will be cleaned from the floor for Front Squats, and you can alway use dumbbell variations.
Check out Coach Sam’s Tips on the Split Jerk!
You’ll be crushing this exercise this week in your Group Training class, or, using another variation that fits best for where you’re at and where you want to go with your workout!
We are looking for an amazing human to join our Team!
If you or someone you know loves helping people, has a keen interest in health/fitness and is available early mornings and/or afternoons, we want to hear from you!
Email [email protected] to inquire!
Have questions? Need help with anything? We’re here for you.
Email us HERE to touch base!