Allen Arcand

“Hello! My name is Allen a.k.a Frenchman. I am the proud father of 3 teenagers who like to play sports, enjoy running and exercising. Boy, I am getting old! I was born to run, born to dream, craziest boy you ever seen! I started working out when I was 13 years old, in grade 8 (1980) because I was always getting picked on and bullied… by grade 11 I was one of the strongest guys in my high school. I joined G&M Fitness in 1986. Gino and I had a lot in common, we both liked to lift heavy weights, enjoyed fast cars and we were both stubborn and dedicated to bodybuilding. Trying to out-lift one another was a way of life back then. One of my greatest accomplishments was to receive my Brown Belt in Karate. In my last tournament, I received an illegal blow to my right knee. Painfully, I won the fight but was forced to retire from the sport. Bye-bye Black Belt. So close yet so far! In November 2010, I was operated on for Colon Cancer followed by 6 months of Chemotherapy. I went from 210lbs to 170lbs in 6 months without even dieting. Facing a life or death situation sort of puts things into perspective! I went back to the gym skinny, frail and pale! Gino helped me design a routine that would help me reach a healthier weight of 185lbs ASAP. I was finally on the road to recovery! I’ve been cancer free for 4 years now. At 47 years old, I still workout 6 days a week (lifting weights and doing cardio). I have been exercising for 34 years now with no plan on stopping anytime soon! Thank you! Gino, Matt and the staff for doing a terrific job! Keep up the good work! As for me I am still chasing the elusive six-pack abs! Remember, if you can’t teach, lead by example!… C’est la vie…. Salut!”