I wrote an article similar to this a few years ago, but I was recently inspired or rather, frustrated, to write something similar again. I was recently at the gym for a few hours to do some work, (yes, I was actually there), and during those few hours in the gym upstairs, it was like déjà vu. Seems like some things never change, no matter how hard you try. As I was working away, I couldn’t help overhearing and observing three young adults working out on the weights. They were training their chest muscles that day. Wow, what a waste of time and effort. The effort and enthusiasm was certainly there, but the know-how in regards to form, and duration of training was non-existent. Too bad, because if they only knew what I knew, they would not only be spending less time at the gym, but they would get much more out of that reduced time. So, on to the article: When do we hire professionals most of the time? Think about it. You want a new kitchen, so in order to get the result that you want, you hire kitchen renovators. You want your bathroom renovated, same thing; you hire someone who is good at it and have them do it so you can enjoy the end result as quickly and efficiently as possible. You want new windows installed in your house, so because that’s such an important job, you hire window installers to do the job to get the result you want, guaranteed. Once you make those investments, the money is certainly gone, but you get to enjoy the results for many, many years…..if you hire the right people. So now, let’s think about what should be the most important thing in a person’s life, their health. Most of those who are concerned about their deteriorating health as they age, join a health club like ours, and most of those people do not hire anyone to set them up on a proper programme, teach them how to do the exercises properly, teach them how and what to eat, etc. in order to get the result that they want. Same as the kitchen, bathroom or windows, it’s not cheap, but once the money is spent, and you have the proper job done for you, you will benefit from that hire for many years to come. We spend literally thousands and thousands of dollars on material improvements in our lives, but most of us never consider spending any considerable amount of money on our own health. What’s wrong with this picture? Everything. Just buying a membership is like just buying the windows, uninstalled, or buying a beautiful kitchen and not hiring an installer. You get it, right? I found it very disappointing that after we decided to incorporate personal training in our business, I realized that we should have been doing that right from the start, thirty two years ago, and for that, I’m sorry and embarrassed at the same time. So do yourself a favour. If you are as concerned about getting the results you want out of your time at the gym as you should be, stop wasting your time and hire our personal trainer. Once you are set on the right path, you will reap the benefits for many years to come, we guarantee it. Schedule your Free Consultation today!
http://gandmfitness.ca/wp-content/uploads/2017/08/GM-open-24hrs-logo.White_-288x300.png00sspadahttp://gandmfitness.ca/wp-content/uploads/2017/08/GM-open-24hrs-logo.White_-288x300.pngsspada2020-03-11 20:55:182020-03-11 20:55:20The Need to Hire
Some of you have heard this story before, but I think it is worth repeating. Here it is:
Once upon a time, there was a man who entered our club via his dirty old well used scratched up wheelchair, wearing his tattered clothing, torn old gloves to protect his hands, long dirty white beard, old baseball cap, smelled like cigarette smoke and had alcohol on his breath. You can imagine the thoughts that went through my head as I saw him enter.
Not to judge, I greeted him just as I would any new visitor and asked him why he came to us. As I listened, he told me his story.
Once a prominent dance instructor, Kevin’s vocation came to a grinding halt as he was tragically maimed in a terrible motor vehicle accident at the young age of 23. He was now 58.
While lying in the hospital in a coma for six days on life support, with a shattered ankle and pelvis, broken ribs, broken neck and a badly broken arm, broken back, punctured lungs and brain damage, the doctors where asking permission from his mother to amputate his arm. She would not allow it.
After waking from the coma and two brain surgeries, Mr. Clarke spent the next six months in hospital, and was able to move only his eyes as he listened to the doctor tell him that he would never walk or talk again. Now, after 35 years, his doctors had pretty much lost interest in him and had given up.
So there he was, sitting in his wheelchair, looking up at me, and these words came out of his mouth: I could barely understand him as he struggled to ask “Can you help me?”
I had only one question to ask him: “Can you stand up out of your wheelchair?” He said “Yes, but I can’t walk around.” That’s all I needed to hear. “Yes”, I said, “I can help you.”
We started very slowly with a few select exercises. Mr. Clarke’s first challenge was to try to keep his muscles from going into spasm. We slowly and gradually worked more exercises into his routine and then as part of his routine, Mr. Clarke was to walk behind and push his wheelchair out the door. He was not allowed to be in his wheelchair on his way out.
He was spent at the end of his workout, but I still made him walk down the hall and out the door. There were times when I didn’t think he would make it to the front door but he did.
Not being on a regular schedule because of his inability to get to the club in inclement weather, we would miss each other sometimes for weeks at a time, but Kevin was determined to get better and would come in on his own without me.
My biggest surprise came when I got back from vacation and ran into Mr. Clarke at the gym. I shook his hand and asked him where he parked his wheelchair. He just shook his head with a grin on his face and said, “There’s no more wheelchair. I got rid of it.”
I must say that this was likely my biggest achievement as a personal trainer and although Mr. Clarke is no longer a member, I hope and pray that he is still well and happy.
This is personal training at its best. This is what we do. This is what you need if you have specific goals in mind that you wish to achieve. Showing up consistently is one thing, but doing what you really need to do when you show up is quite another. Let us help you.
http://gandmfitness.ca/wp-content/uploads/2017/08/GM-open-24hrs-logo.White_-288x300.png00sspadahttp://gandmfitness.ca/wp-content/uploads/2017/08/GM-open-24hrs-logo.White_-288x300.pngsspada2020-03-11 20:22:532020-03-11 20:22:55Getting Out of His Wheelchair After 35 Years
Lately I have been having a lot of discussions with members about what it really takes to see success in achieving better health and fitness. Most think it has to do with the program they are on. Although a good program is highly beneficial to getting the most out of your workouts, it’s still not at the top of the list. You could have the best program in the world but if you don’t actually do it, it’s just a useless list of exercises.
What is really going to get you results, especially over the long term is CONSISTENCY.
First, you need to figure out what a realistic amount of time each week you can dedicate to your exercise program. The important part of this is what is “realistic”. You don’t want to set yourself up for failure here. You don’t have to be at the gym 5 days a week to see results. We recommend 3 days a week for most people but you can see results with 2 days a week or even 1 if you are consistent every week with it. Here’s proof.
I have trained a gentleman for over 5 years now who dedicates 1 hour a week to the gym. Outside of that 1 hour a week here he does no other planned exercise, although he does stay active with other activities, his only day of resistance training at the gym is this one hour. Over 5 years he has tripled the number of pushups he could do, lost body fat, decreased his resting heart rate and got rid of his shoulder pain that had been limiting his movements for years. And his secret is one hour a week, every week, no matter what. In five years, he may have only missed a handful of workouts. It’s his consistency that has gotten him the results. And not to mention, he is in his mid 60’s. This is a time when most people are losing strength and instead he is making slow but steady increases in his strength. Sure, if he had done 2 or 3 workouts a week maybe he could have accomplished more over these 5 years, but he was realistic with his time, put it into his weekly schedule, same time, same day, every week that worked for him and now 5 years later he is stronger, more mobile and pain free.
So, the secret is in the consistency you can build into your weekly routine. Don’t get hung up on how many days that is. Just focus on what is realistic for you. Put that time into your schedule and treat it like any other appointment you would not miss. After all, what could be more important then your long-term health and abilities?
Our health and fitness are a lifelong journey, it never ends. Once you achieve your goal you still have to maintain it so figure out what a realistic cadence is for you and then do it! When you have this part figured out we can then start to focus on what the best program options are for you and your goals.
http://gandmfitness.ca/wp-content/uploads/2017/08/GM-open-24hrs-logo.White_-288x300.png00sspadahttp://gandmfitness.ca/wp-content/uploads/2017/08/GM-open-24hrs-logo.White_-288x300.pngsspada2020-03-11 19:02:002020-03-11 19:02:02The Secret to Success in Your Health and Fitness Journey
You decide that it’s time. Time to make a change. You want to lose 20 or 30lbs and you know that exercise is going to help burn that fat, so you do what most do and join the gym. You start working out 3 or 4 times a week and bust your butt in the gym. A few weeks go by and you step on the scale… no change. You get discouraged and skip your next workout, then another and before you know it you have lost all momentum and the desire to even try anymore. What’s the point right? You worked hard for a few weeks and the scale showed nothing.
This scenario happens over and over and over again at the gym. Let me assure you that it’s not exercises fault.
The problem usually occurs because most of us think that exercising 3 or 4 times a week will just melt the fat away. Don’t get me wrong, exercise is a very powerful weight loss tool. We talk about that all the time and it is true. But in the grand scheme of things weight loss comes down to burning more energy in a day then you take in. A typical 1 hour exercise session with a mix of strength training and cardio will burn approximately 200 to 400 calories depending on your weight, gender and your exercise intensity. Let’s say you workout 3 times a week and burn 400 calories each session. That’s 1200 calories burned in a week. It takes about 3500 calories to make up one pound of body fat loss. So, exercise alone will not get you there.
What is almost always missing is the attention to your food intake. If weight loss is your goal and you only focus on exercise but don’t address diet you could be setting yourself up for failure. You are using exercise as your only tool, and we just showed how exercise alone leaves you short, and then you are most likely using the scale as your metric to measure success. This is the formula that is to blame for so many people giving up on their weight loss goals. It’s a cycle of hard work met by disappointment once they step on the scale to measure their success.
I won’t get in to the best ways to address your diet here because that is a whole different conversation but you can download our book Eat Smart, Eat Often, Eat Small for free above this article and learn everything you need to know.
Hopefully this gives you something to think about. We have to rethink the way we talk about exercise. The amount of health benefits that come from regular, consistent exercise is a list a mile long. Don’t stop. Just because the scale isn’t showing dramatic weight loss, don’t give up.Weight loss happens over time, not in an instant. Address the missing piece of the puzzle, your diet. Just don’t blame exercise. It does nothing but good things for you!
What if we told you that you have the power to add years to your life span, perform daily activities easier or prevent disease and sickness?
The truth is we all have this power and it can all be accomplished through consistent, regular physical activity!
This can be planned exercise or any activity really that requires you to expend energy.
The power of regular movement, be it planned exercise or not, has many proven positive benefits. The more consistent the physical activity is, the greater the potential benefits.
Here is a brief list of what you can expect to achieve by introducing regular physical activity and movement into your lifestyle:
Lower blood pressure
Lower blood sugar
Improve cholesterol
Reduce your risk of heart disease
Reduce your risk of diabetes
Lose weight
Gain strength
Improve bone density
Improve range of motion
Stronger joints
Improve joint conditions (eg. arthritis)
Help with depression
Improve sleep
Increase longevity
Perform daily activities better/easier
Maintain independence
Reduce risk of some types of cancer
Improve cognitive abilities
This list could go on and on.
The human body was meant to work. Today we sit more then ever in the history of our existence so building regular physical activity and exercise into your life has become a necessity. The more we move and challenge our bodies, the more fit we become, the more efficient and effective we are and of course the healthier we are. So, get moving!
http://gandmfitness.ca/wp-content/uploads/2017/08/GM-open-24hrs-logo.White_-288x300.png00sspadahttp://gandmfitness.ca/wp-content/uploads/2017/08/GM-open-24hrs-logo.White_-288x300.pngsspada2020-03-11 18:38:072020-03-11 18:38:09The Power of Regular Activity
The Need to Hire
I wrote an article similar to this a few years ago, but I was recently inspired or rather, frustrated, to write something similar again. I was recently at the gym for a few hours to do some work, (yes, I was actually there), and during those few hours in the gym upstairs, it was like déjà vu. Seems like some things never change, no matter how hard you try. As I was working away, I couldn’t help overhearing and observing three young adults working out on the weights. They were training their chest muscles that day. Wow, what a waste of time and effort. The effort and enthusiasm was certainly there, but the know-how in regards to form, and duration of training was non-existent. Too bad, because if they only knew what I knew, they would not only be spending less time at the gym, but they would get much more out of that reduced time. So, on to the article:
When do we hire professionals most of the time? Think about it. You want a new kitchen, so in order to get the result that you want, you hire kitchen renovators. You want your bathroom renovated, same thing; you hire someone who is good at it and have them do it so you can enjoy the end result as quickly and efficiently as possible. You want new windows installed in your house, so because that’s such an important job, you hire window installers to do the job to get the result you want, guaranteed. Once you make those investments, the money is certainly gone, but you get to enjoy the results for many, many years…..if you hire the right people. So now, let’s think about what should be the most important thing in a person’s life, their health. Most of those who are concerned about their deteriorating health as they age, join a health club like ours, and most of those people do not hire anyone to set them up on a proper programme, teach them how to do the exercises properly, teach them how and what to eat, etc. in order to get the result that they want. Same as the kitchen, bathroom or windows, it’s not cheap, but once the money is spent, and you have the proper job done for you, you will benefit from that hire for many years to come. We spend literally thousands and thousands of dollars on material improvements in our lives, but most of us never consider spending any considerable amount of money on our own health. What’s wrong with this picture? Everything. Just buying a membership is like just buying the windows, uninstalled, or buying a beautiful kitchen and not hiring an installer. You get it, right? I found it very disappointing that after we decided to incorporate personal training in our business, I realized that we should have been doing that right from the start, thirty two years ago, and for that, I’m sorry and embarrassed at the same time. So do yourself a favour. If you are as concerned about getting the results you want out of your time at the gym as you should be, stop wasting your time and hire our personal trainer. Once you are set on the right path, you will reap the benefits for many years to come, we guarantee it. Schedule your Free Consultation today!
Gino
Getting Out of His Wheelchair After 35 Years
Some of you have heard this story before, but I think it is worth repeating. Here it is:
Once upon a time, there was a man who entered our club via his dirty old well used scratched up wheelchair, wearing his tattered clothing, torn old gloves to protect his hands, long dirty white beard, old baseball cap, smelled like cigarette smoke and had alcohol on his breath. You can imagine the thoughts that went through my head as I saw him enter.
Not to judge, I greeted him just as I would any new visitor and asked him why he came to us. As I listened, he told me his story.
Once a prominent dance instructor, Kevin’s vocation came to a grinding halt as he was tragically maimed in a terrible motor vehicle accident at the young age of 23. He was now 58.
While lying in the hospital in a coma for six days on life support, with a shattered ankle and pelvis, broken ribs, broken neck and a badly broken arm, broken back, punctured lungs and brain damage, the doctors where asking permission from his mother to amputate his arm. She would not allow it.
After waking from the coma and two brain surgeries, Mr. Clarke spent the next six months in hospital, and was able to move only his eyes as he listened to the doctor tell him that he would never walk or talk again. Now, after 35 years, his doctors had pretty much lost interest in him and had given up.
So there he was, sitting in his wheelchair, looking up at me, and these words came out of his mouth: I could barely understand him as he struggled to ask “Can you help me?”
I had only one question to ask him: “Can you stand up out of your wheelchair?” He said “Yes, but I can’t walk around.” That’s all I needed to hear. “Yes”, I said, “I can help you.”
We started very slowly with a few select exercises. Mr. Clarke’s first challenge was to try to keep his muscles from going into spasm. We slowly and gradually worked more exercises into his routine and then as part of his routine, Mr. Clarke was to walk behind and push his wheelchair out the door. He was not allowed to be in his wheelchair on his way out.
He was spent at the end of his workout, but I still made him walk down the hall and out the door. There were times when I didn’t think he would make it to the front door but he did.
Not being on a regular schedule because of his inability to get to the club in inclement weather, we would miss each other sometimes for weeks at a time, but Kevin was determined to get better and would come in on his own without me.
My biggest surprise came when I got back from vacation and ran into Mr. Clarke at the gym. I shook his hand and asked him where he parked his wheelchair. He just shook his head with a grin on his face and said, “There’s no more wheelchair. I got rid of it.”
I must say that this was likely my biggest achievement as a personal trainer and although Mr. Clarke is no longer a member, I hope and pray that he is still well and happy.
This is personal training at its best. This is what we do. This is what you need if you have specific goals in mind that you wish to achieve. Showing up consistently is one thing, but doing what you really need to do when you show up is quite another. Let us help you.
Gino
The Secret to Success in Your Health and Fitness Journey
Lately I have been having a lot of discussions with members about what it really takes to see success in achieving better health and fitness. Most think it has to do with the program they are on. Although a good program is highly beneficial to getting the most out of your workouts, it’s still not at the top of the list. You could have the best program in the world but if you don’t actually do it, it’s just a useless list of exercises.
What is really going to get you results, especially over the long term is CONSISTENCY.
First, you need to figure out what a realistic amount of time each week you can dedicate to your exercise program. The important part of this is what is “realistic”. You don’t want to set yourself up for failure here. You don’t have to be at the gym 5 days a week to see results. We recommend 3 days a week for most people but you can see results with 2 days a week or even 1 if you are consistent every week with it. Here’s proof.
I have trained a gentleman for over 5 years now who dedicates 1 hour a week to the gym. Outside of that 1 hour a week here he does no other planned exercise, although he does stay active with other activities, his only day of resistance training at the gym is this one hour. Over 5 years he has tripled the number of pushups he could do, lost body fat, decreased his resting heart rate and got rid of his shoulder pain that had been limiting his movements for years. And his secret is one hour a week, every week, no matter what. In five years, he may have only missed a handful of workouts. It’s his consistency that has gotten him the results. And not to mention, he is in his mid 60’s. This is a time when most people are losing strength and instead he is making slow but steady increases in his strength. Sure, if he had done 2 or 3 workouts a week maybe he could have accomplished more over these 5 years, but he was realistic with his time, put it into his weekly schedule, same time, same day, every week that worked for him and now 5 years later he is stronger, more mobile and pain free.
So, the secret is in the consistency you can build into your weekly routine. Don’t get hung up on how many days that is. Just focus on what is realistic for you. Put that time into your schedule and treat it like any other appointment you would not miss. After all, what could be more important then your long-term health and abilities?
Our health and fitness are a lifelong journey, it never ends. Once you achieve your goal you still have to maintain it so figure out what a realistic cadence is for you and then do it! When you have this part figured out we can then start to focus on what the best program options are for you and your goals.
I’m Not Losing Weight! Exercise Doesn’t Work!
You decide that it’s time. Time to make a change. You want to lose 20 or 30lbs and you know that exercise is going to help burn that fat, so you do what most do and join the gym. You start working out 3 or 4 times a week and bust your butt in the gym. A few weeks go by and you step on the scale… no change. You get discouraged and skip your next workout, then another and before you know it you have lost all momentum and the desire to even try anymore. What’s the point right? You worked hard for a few weeks and the scale showed nothing.
This scenario happens over and over and over again at the gym. Let me assure you that it’s not exercises fault.
The problem usually occurs because most of us think that exercising 3 or 4 times a week will just melt the fat away. Don’t get me wrong, exercise is a very powerful weight loss tool. We talk about that all the time and it is true. But in the grand scheme of things weight loss comes down to burning more energy in a day then you take in. A typical 1 hour exercise session with a mix of strength training and cardio will burn approximately 200 to 400 calories depending on your weight, gender and your exercise intensity. Let’s say you workout 3 times a week and burn 400 calories each session. That’s 1200 calories burned in a week. It takes about 3500 calories to make up one pound of body fat loss. So, exercise alone will not get you there.
What is almost always missing is the attention to your food intake. If weight loss is your goal and you only focus on exercise but don’t address diet you could be setting yourself up for failure. You are using exercise as your only tool, and we just showed how exercise alone leaves you short, and then you are most likely using the scale as your metric to measure success. This is the formula that is to blame for so many people giving up on their weight loss goals. It’s a cycle of hard work met by disappointment once they step on the scale to measure their success.
I won’t get in to the best ways to address your diet here because that is a whole different conversation but you can download our book Eat Smart, Eat Often, Eat Small for free above this article and learn everything you need to know.
Hopefully this gives you something to think about. We have to rethink the way we talk about exercise. The amount of health benefits that come from regular, consistent exercise is a list a mile long. Don’t stop. Just because the scale isn’t showing dramatic weight loss, don’t give up.Weight loss happens over time, not in an instant. Address the missing piece of the puzzle, your diet. Just don’t blame exercise. It does nothing but good things for you!
The Power of Regular Activity
What if we told you that you have the power to add years to your life span, perform daily activities easier or prevent disease and sickness?
The truth is we all have this power and it can all be accomplished through consistent, regular physical activity!
This can be planned exercise or any activity really that requires you to expend energy.
The power of regular movement, be it planned exercise or not, has many proven positive benefits. The more consistent the physical activity is, the greater the potential benefits.
Here is a brief list of what you can expect to achieve by introducing regular physical activity and movement into your lifestyle:
This list could go on and on.
The human body was meant to work. Today we sit more then ever in the history of our existence so building regular physical activity and exercise into your life has become a necessity. The more we move and challenge our bodies, the more fit we become, the more efficient and effective we are and of course the healthier we are. So, get moving!