Personal Trainer Pricing
While I do still work with the occasional ‘one-off’ client, it’s been several years since I’ve promoted my own personal training services by the traditional “hourly” model.
Initially, one of the reasons I switched to more of a ‘monthly membership’ – or ‘program design’ model was because it was just different enough from what every other trainer was offering – and in a market flooded with “experts,” any point of differentiation can’t hurt.
Besides, how much longer can we – as an industry – expect people to pay us to follow them around a gym while we ‘expertly’ count to 10?
In fact, I now go so far as to provide that level of personal counting training for free – it’s what I call the “toy in the cereal box”. I’ve come the realization that the real value isn’t in my ability to count accurately (or lack of that ability, as my clients will surely agree!) – but in designing and supporting “big picture” programs and processes that get ‘em from where they are now to where they want to be in the next month – or 2 – or 3.
To explain my coaching process very simply: I can be the GPS, but you will always be the one who needs to step on the gas and turn the wheel. If obstacles come up (and they always do), I can often recalculate the route so you’ll end up in the same place, but you STILL need to do the driving.
WHEN DO “HOURLY RATES” MAKE SENSE?
If you’re a mechanic, charging by the hour can work (though I’d suggest garage owners would be wise to consider offering a monthly/annual maintenance & repair membership program, too, but I digress…)
The auto repair industry has standardized labor guides in which one can determine just how long it should take to replace an alternator on a 2011 BMW or the flux capacitor in a 1981 Delorean DMC-12. The car doesn’t get to choose why, when, how or where the repair gets done – or if it gets done at all – but the fact that there are standard expectations makes it easy (and perhaps even logical) to sell such services by the hour. As long as the annoying ‘service engine’ light is off when you collect your vehicle, all’s-well-that-ends-well.
The problem with selling personal training by the hour is that individual goals, experience, level of commitment and a plethora of other variables can be completely different from one trainee to the next. A single strategy might take one client/member a brief chat to understand, accept and implement. The same strategy might take another months – if it’s even an appropriate strategy! There are no standard guides to follow that allow us to provide a meaningful ‘hourly’ rate. Can a person lose 10 pounds in a month? Sure. Can you lose 10 pounds in 6 months? Absolutely.
While your car doesn’t have any say-so in its repairs, YOU ultimately have to make every decision from the time you decide to hire a trainer – or buy a book/video – or choose to do-it-yourself… or stay as you are and do nothing at all. YOU have to decide the best way to acquire the goal-supportive foods/supplements that’ll move you closer to your fitness goals. YOU have to consume, digest and eliminate the waste of said food. YOU have to get enough sleep. YOU have to control the rise and fall of your own iron. With so much dependent on what YOU do, do you really want ME or any other trainer to charge for personal training “by the hour”???
I (and all of my fit-biz brothers and sisters) can only teach, persuade, educate and direct. Unless (and until) you make the decision to systematically put your nose to the grindstone, shopping for “personal-training-by-the-hour” can only be a short term band-aid that may make you feel good… but what is the VALUE in that?
- Okay, so maybe KITT can pick which garage it goes to for repairs…
A Letter From A Personal Trainer
Yesterday, I met with a new client with a few challenges – and I’m opening my follow-up email to you. Personally identifying specifics have been omitted or changed to protect the innocent, but since I know many of my readers are trainers and/or fitness enthusiasts who also have challenges to work with/through/around – and this was such an interesting guy to work with – I invite you to add additional comments, critiques, questions or the usual random insults I’d expect from someone who’s willing to read through my caffeine-inspired (although I still remain diet coke free since Oct 2010!) ramblings. ;-)
First, a little background: he’s dealing with weakness brought on by a traumatic injury to his wrist, elbow and shoulder (all the same side, same injury) ~40 years ago. Countless surgical procedures later, he’s still limited in strength and range of motion - as one might expect after such a serious “boo-boo.”
Next, a former competitive triathlete, he has “bad knees.” After working my mojo(e) with some basic movement/strength assessments, it’d seem that he has what McGill referred to as “gluteal amnesia” – or the term that I apply to ANY muscles that aren’t getting the right signals from mission control: ‘muscle dormancy’. Those muscles are still there… they just need to ‘wake the f*ck up’ (to paraphrase Chris Rock.) Since his glutes aren’t holding up their part of the deal, his knees are getting the kind of repetitive stress that all those “Unbreakable” combs did when handed out amongst my 4th grade class many years ago. (c’mon… if you were 10 and somebody handed you something branded as ‘unbreakable,’ wouldn’t you recognize that as a challenge?!)
Add to this the lack of any SPECIFIC goal other than to become “optimum” (seriously, I couldn’t peg him down to ANY goal – even with all the prodding, guiding, questioning I could muster – yet he’s been training 2.5 hours EVERY day like clockwork.) While I certainly commend his dedication to the practice of training, without any specific goals, how could we ever know if training is getting us closer to an “optimum” state? As I’ve said more than once, random efforts can only produce random results. This meeting/consulting session opened up quite the thought-provoking, philosophical – and dare I say fun – dialogue that you’ll no doubt see forms the philosophical theme of my follow-up to him.
He’s well-versed in the basics, seemed to accept my analogies – and even though we made some significant progress in just one meeting, I could tell that my “modern approach” challenged his core beliefs of fitness to a point that seemed as if THAT made him a bit uncomfortable.
Oh, and he’s an out-of-towner so it’s not like I’d be able to oversee every minute detail of his new-and-improved training plan (not that I’d necessarily need to,anyway), so this one-off consult includes the additional challenge of addressing the most important concepts that’ll help him make the kind of (yet-to-be-defined) progress he wants – and have enough resources available to refer back to – when he returns to his fully-stocked home gym far, far away.
Hopefully, you’ll be able to fill in the gaps (since I frequently refer to conversation points from our meeting that aren’t directly obvious from my notes.) And as I mentioned earlier, feel free to share your own constructive critiques, additional questions, etc… I’d imagine “Client X” will read this, too, so if you have something useful or otherwise thought-provoking to offer, I’m sure we’ll all appreciate it.
Now I’ll let my follow-up do the talking. Hope ya’ll can keep up!
-Joe-
***** ***** ***** ***** *****
Client X,
Ok… so my pocket-answer to “how does one get in shape?” is the same as any of our grandmothers might’ve told us: eat right and exercise.
What this really means is, “how can I get from where I am to where I want to be?” - so my job is to translate ‘eat right and exercise’ into a language that matches the individual’s goals, timelines, abilities/limitations, interests, available resources and experience to help them get WHERE THEY WANT TO BE.
In the book, Facts and Fallacies of Fitness (by Mel C. Siff – one of my early mentors through his Supertraining newsgroup and books), Dr. Siff defines fitness as “the ability to execute a given task effectively and safely.” I s’pose I’d define fitness even more simply as ‘the ability to perform work.’
How much work? What kind of task?
Well, that depends on YOUR needs – which bring us right back to the Lance Armstrong/Asashōryū Akinori comparison. Both could be considered among the very best at performing their chosen “work,” yet if you put Armstrong in the sumo ring or Akinori on a bicycle, either of ‘em would be lucky if they even received a “certificate of participation” at the end of a competition. “Fitness” is specific, therefore, training to become “optimal” one MUST have a specific desired outcome.
One of the fundamental concepts of “fitness” is known as the SAID principle… Specific Adaptations to Imposed Demands. Demands could also be referred to as “stimulus” – adaptations are the response. How we choose and apply the stimulus affects the level of response we should expect to see.
So unless and until you can recognize/identify/articulate a specific goal it’s gonna be impossible to determine which training stimulus we need to apply, how much, how often, at what intensity, etc…
Because your only immediate goal is to continue doing “something” (to the tune of 15-17hrs/week) that will move you closer towards “optimal” – but only in a “general” sense – I’ll address the 3 common components of “general fitness” one at a time.
STRENGTH – call it weight training, resistance training, pumping iron or whatever else you’d like, the main reason (some would argue the ONLY reason) we use resistance is as a stimulus to increase strength. Therefore, if you’re not pushing the envelope to get progressively stronger, you’re not really ‘strength training,’ are you? It gets even trickier when one considers the many different types of strength: maximal strength, relative strength, speed-strength, acceleration strength, strength-endurance, etc… Which type is “most general”??? Beats the hell outta me!
ENDURANCE – This article provides an introduction to the 3 metabolic pathways. We need one kind of endurance to sprint 100m/perform a one-rep max squat, a different kind of endurance to run 400m (or a P90X circuit training workout) and yet another kind of endurance to tackle a triathlon. To me, this what ‘cross-training’ is… NOT switching between walking, running, biking, stair-climbing, etc. – all done at the same relative intensity/duration. One could effectively “cross-train” with a single activity (let’s say a spinning bike, for example) by varying intensity, distance, time, etc. from one workout to the next. Of course, I’d ALSO like to get away from lower body, sagittal plane dominant exercise as your ONLY form of “cardio” training, but let’s address one issue at a time, shall we?
Restated, there is no “general” endurance. As far as I’m concerned, we can get all the “cardio” we need by manipulating the rest intervals and exercise selection during your strength training. This kills two birds with one stone (as the saying goes.) Of course, this kind of time-efficiency would cut deeply into your current approach of 15+ hrs of training each week – bringing training time down to 2.5 to 5 total hours (gasp!), so what else can we do increase your (perceived or real) training volume?
Long, slow distance (LSD) training *may* be appropriate during certain phases of training… as may high intensity interval training (HIIT).. or anything in between. But we STILL need that specific target to aim for before just working out for the sake of working out.
I believe it was Alice (in wonderland) who asked the rabbit, “which way should I go?” The rabbit replied with something to the effect of “if you don’t care where you end up, the way you go doesn’t really matter.”
FLEXIBILITY –Static stretching? Active-isolation? PNF? Dynamic? Contract-relax? There are many ways to ‘stretch’ – but are we more interested in active or passive range of motion? (after significantly increasing your shoulder range of motion in about 5 minutes without ANY ‘stretching,’ I’m sure you know which side of the fence I’m on!)
My thought process regarding flexibility can best be summarized by a series of questions that goes something like this:
1) do you have the ability to function effectively in your sport/activity/lifestyle and still have pain-free movement to spare?
2) if no – is any limitation/tightness serving a protective function against instability? (remember, stability proceeds mobility, so we can *usually* assume the answer is a resounding YES!)
3) WHY ON EARTH would we want to over-ride or otherwise bypass an evolved protective mechanism that’s much smarter than I am?
Because I have to operate under the presumption that “tightness” may in fact serve a very important purpose, I’m morally and professionally obligated to present you with TWO options:
1. Suggest that we allow your body to protect itself from further damage and continue the predictable pain/tightness cycle – UNTIL it gets so unbearable, you give up and seek surgical/medicinal options that may or may not address the actual CAUSE of the discomfort/limitation.
OR
2. determine which muscle(s) are weak/inhibited, causing the ‘tight’ muscle to work overtime to pick up the slack – then address that WEAKNESS. (since “diagnosis” and “treatment” are out of my jurisdiction, if determining your length/strength relationships goes beyond my own capabilities/scope of practice, all I could do then is return to option A but instead of waiting until the inevitable “breaking point”, I’d suggest you find someone better qualified to work with your particular limitations – one who could address the cause of tightness, not just the ‘symptoms’)
Now if you really want to entertain yourself on the principles behind the techniques I use, try googling “reciprocal inhibition” (and then send me a 2 page book report with your findings/follow-up questions!)
Better yet, find a Muscle Activation Techniques (MAT) therapist in your area. The techniques they use are even MORE efficient – and effective – than the approach I work with. Go to http://www.muscleactivation.com/main.html –> about –> finding a specialist (or –> ‘science behind’ if you want more info on how the system works its mojo)
Also, take a gander through “The Trigger Point Therapy Workbook” (Davies & Davies) and/or search YouTube for vids on Self-myofascial release (using a foam roll, lacrosse ball, etc.)
Nutritionally, I recommend the systematic approach of Dr. John Berardi’s “Precision Nutrition.” You can purchase the do-it-yourself ‘kit’ for about a hundred bucks; join one of JB’s lean eating coaching programs/contests (I think he’s been running this a couple times a year) or you may even consider my own basic and advanced personal nutrition coaching options (I was among the first dozen or so people to complete the Precision Nutrition Level 1 certification, so even though I’m no biochemist, this certainly wouldn’t be my first time at the rodeo!)
Other issues/concepts we discussed:
Calorie cycling – although I’d consider it more of an advanced technique and I’d really like to see you master the 5 basic habits FIRST, you do already seem to have a respectable grasp of basic nutritional concepts, so you may be able to get away with taking a ‘shortcut.’ Essentially, take your current 2000cal/day intake as an AVERAGE over a week, not a daily “absolute.” At the end of the week, you’ve still taken in the same 14,000 calories, but by running couple days could be at a deficit, a couple at maintenance and a couple at a surplus, you’re now manipulating the stimulus that can produce change.
Your body will always seek a level of homeostasis (read: maintaining the status quo.) Without variations in expenditure (through training & lifestyle related activity) and intake (read: the calories/nutrients you consume), our bodies will ultimately adapt to the stimulus provided and have no reason to move towards “optimal”… instead, you’ll move AWAY from optimal. Of course, I’d suggest STRATEGIC and MEASURABLE variations (as opposed to random ones), but this brings us right back to the sticking point of not having any specific goal(s) to work towards!
There are 3 basic variables to nutrition: HOW MUCH you eat, WHAT you eat and WHEN you eat. Change one or more variables, you change the outcome. It sounds like you have all 3 variables locked in to your day-to-day routine. My suggestion: start by focusing on just ONE of ‘em… and from what you told me, I’d start with WHAT you eat first (this is a nice segue into my next thought…)
If you’re going to insist on training 15+hours/week AND you’re also going to consume a diet that consists of little more than whey protein powder, yogurt and diet coke (the recipe for the ‘gruel’ in THE MATRIX?), because you’re not providing alkaline (base) producing foods in the form of fruits and veggies, your body is left with no option but to break down the lean mass you’re working so hard to build/maintain, both for repair and to balance out your acids/bases. There’s a lot of alkalinity stored in the form of bone, connective tissue & muscle that your body will need to “eat”… t’would certainly be a shame to ‘wash it all away’ simply because buying/prepping/storing/eating vegetables is “inconvenient,” wouldn’t you agree?
Since you do have 15 hours each week to dedicate towards becoming “generally optimum,” you might want to consider counting food acquisition (shopping? gardening?), preparation and storage as part of your ‘time served.’ Remember, grandma said it best: eat right and exercise. It doesn’t need to be rocket science, but to cause an adaptation response, we need to apply stimulus, recover (adapt), apply a NEW/greater stimulus… and so on. Doing the same thing all the time is a road map to take you backwards, not forwards.
Both of these guys could be considered “optimal” at different tasks.
Which is MORE optimal?
How do YOU define ‘optimal’?
The Answer to Virtually Every Exercise Question
How many more reps should I do?
How far should I squat/press/lunge/move?
How much weight should I use?
How fast should I go?
All (and more) can be answered by an ever-so-easy-to-remember acronym, but first, the back story…
For nearly 10 years, I relied on the much more challenging PFROMASTYCC (pain free range of motion and speed that you can control) to answer the most common questions my fitness coaching clients would ask me. Yes, I knew the original acronym was ugly and hard to remember – my clients made sure I knew that – but it worked.
Over the years, I challenged many of my fit-biz friends to help me develop a ‘prettier’ acronym to get the same message across. I asked experts such as Stephen Holt (ACE Personal Trainer of the Year), Alwyn Cosgrove (co-author of “The New Rules of Lifting” series), Bill Hartman (known to industry insiders as ‘the smartest guy in the fitness industry’) and a slew of others.
All agreed that it does indeed get the message across, but it wasn’t so easy on the eyes (or ears, for that matter.)
[side note: I've always pronounced it FRAHM-iss-tyke, with a silent "P". Stephen Holt recently told me he says pee-fro-MASS-tik]
Together, the best any of ‘em could come up with was PROMISE – the “-ISE” represented something along the lines of “Intensity you can Safely Execute” and PROMOTE – “…Optimal Technical Execution”.
I rejected these alternatives on the grounds that the word “Execution” sounded too terminal – it gave me visions of standing blindfolded with my back against a wall in front of a firing squad in some third world country.
And I wasn’t keen on using “Intensity” or “Optimal” since both can be confusing and/or intimidating to those who may be a bit newer to this whole “fitness thing.”
But on a Sunday afternoon in May (yesterday to be precise), in a crowded Kansas City airport at the end of the 2011 Fitness Summit, I had a chance to kick back and talk shop with Lou Schuler (the other half of “The New Rules…” books.)
I figured, who better than an award-winning fitness journalist, and MC of the Fitness Summit I just attended to run my wicked step-sister ugly acronym past and see if he could succeed where others have fallen short. Worst case scenario, I still have PFROMASTYCC.
Apparently not the kind of guy to turn down a challenge, in the masterful way a championship Scrabble player would shuffle tiles around looking for the combination that will score maximum points, Lou rearranged letters while I continued explaining the full intent of my original acronym. After 10 minutes or so, somewhere out of the alphabet-soup tinted fog scribbled on his notebook, PROM DATE appeared. Now the challenge was to fill in the blanks and see if the suit would actually fit.
PROM was obviously the easy part: Painless Range Of Motion…
Having been down a similar road before, I was still concerned that we would end up with yet another ‘almost there’ acronym that ended with the life-ending phrase, “technical execution.”
The exact details are kind of a blur (the Fitness Summit was a blast, and sleep wasn’t as plentiful as usual), but the way I remember it, Lou tossed a few words around and then put ‘Demonstrating’ on the table.
I quickly fired back with “Acceptable.”
But what can be done with the final ‘TE’?
After a series of overly-loud announcements blasted through the airport’s PA system, Lou looked up over his glasses and asked, “Why not just use both letters for ‘TEchnique’”?
Painless
Range
Of
Motion
Demonstrating
Acceptable
TEchnique
Bingo! I’ve been working on this for a decade and in less than half an hour, PFROMASTYCC finally got its much needed makeover.
“Acceptable TEchnique” can always be debated, and every coach/trainer will have his or her own interpretations of what constitutes ‘acceptable’. But I coach my clients to work at the level of “good that gets done is better than perfect that doesn’t.” I find it much more effective to focus on actually doing the exercise than worrying about every little detail. Paralysis by analysis does not a lean, strong, healthy body make.
Low-load and no-load exercises can allow for more wiggle-room. The closer one gets to their maximal effort, the tighter the technique has to be for safety and efficiency of movement.
Think about the last time you dropped your car keys. Did you set up in neutral spine, feet shoulder width, toes slightly out and sit back into a deep squat keeping your torso and tibias parallel to each other? Of course not. You did what we all do: you hunched over like a Texas Armadillo and snatched the keys up off the floor. Far from a ‘perfect’ squat, but mission accomplished, right? Now if you did the same back-rounding, key-snatching movement with several hundred pounds on your back, there’s a good chance you’ll be making payments on your local back surgeon’s vacation home.
As long as a trainee works ‘within tolerance’ – an attention to technique dictated by their abilities, goals and training intensity – PROM DATE serves to minimize risk of injury while allowing maximum efforts – and results.
I’ll always remember PFROMASTYCC fondly, but am happy to put her to rest. PROM DATE just makes more sense.
A Six Minute Workout?
Getting back on track with my previous Vision Quest themed posts… It ain’t about “going to work out.” It’s what HAPPENS when you work out.
Why all the Vision Quest references lately? You’ll have to follow me on my FB “fan page” to find out…
Motivation
What are you doing right NOW to get you closer to your goals?
…and who can you count on to push you to the top when the going gets tough? (and believe me, it will get tough)
You can do it. It doesn’t matter who you are.
The Reality of Winning
Believe it or not, many others have the same goals and challenges as you. A lot of ‘em will get hurt, get scared or just roll over and quit before they have a chance to taste victory.
Seeing others fail to overcome the same challenges (perceived or real) you expect to face might just scare the living crap out of you…
What Gyms and Personal Trainers Can Learn From Fast Food
An Open Letter To The Fitness Industry
from Joe Stankowski
There’s no doubt that our industry is growing, but from my perspective, it’s steadily growing apart.
Case in point: I’ve long been amused by the way “chain” health clubs resist independent personal trainers, but a recent event has really opened my eyes to the way in which the “don’t even look at our members” mindset is sabotaging our entire industry.
The details of my own ‘event’ aren’t what’s important here, but what we NEED to do – if we’re to succeed as an industry – is change the current way of thinking. All of us need to realize that we can be more effective (and profitable) if we understand how we work together as an industry.
The fast food industry already figured this out. Perhaps an ironic ‘role model’ for us to consider, but hear me today and believe me next week…
When it comes to fast food, obviously there’s always going to be competition between brands (and I’d expect nothing less), BUT a customer who uses one drive-up window is more likely to use ‘em all. Now I don’t have “scientific research” to back this one, but find a client who regularly eats fast food and then take a look at all the different bags, wrappers and empty fry boxes on the floor of their car and under their seats and you’ll quickly understand the idea that “a buyer is a buyer.”
There’s actually a synergy among this type of… for lack of better word… restaurant.
Think about it: if any one of the fast food joints can ‘convert’ a non-customer into a ‘fan’, the customer will likely put on a few pounds, begin to enjoy the ‘convenience’ aspect of the ‘service’ provided and/or get hooked on the fatty/salty/chemical flavors and preservatives. It won’t be long before they’ll find themselves trying the offerings of the drive-up window next door.
The cycle continues and now their entire industry benefits from a fast food addict. The customer will likely have his/her favorite(s), but whatever sack of calorie-loaded poison they buy today, they’ll inevitably pull out their wallet for their “competition” tomorrow.
What if WE could work together to get people ‘addicted’ to moving, lifting, running, climbing, rowing, pedaling and playing, while still retaining our own “brand” identities?
Don’t get me wrong, I’m every bit a capitalist as the next guy (perhaps even more so), but doing things as we are now, who really wins?
The marketplace continue to grow fatter, sicker and weaker while their expectations from our industry are dropping, yet for some reason, they continue to pay for gym memberships and ineffective “solutions” – for now. Here in Michigan, we have 65% of our population overweight and rank as the 11th fattest state in the USA.
If we can’t remove our collective heads from the space between our glutes, I predict the entire fitness industry will soon experience a shift very few of us are ready (or willing) to handle.
[There are always going to be those who succeed in spite of the odds being against them. I wrote in detail about the failure of gyms to produce "success stories" in proportion to their growing membership base in "The Power of Champions"]
Unless – and until – the big box gyms figure out how to provide more than “membership” for the masses, I’m hoping, for the consumer’s sake, they’ll consider ways in which they can work alongside ‘outside’ trainers to deliver the best possible experience for their members.
Grand Rapids Personal Trainer Leading Statewide Fitness Challenge
FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE
For More Information, Contact:
David Roddenberry roddenberry@healthywage.com or (917) 213-2235
“Mighty” Joe Stankowski news@JoeStankowski.com or (616) 827-7479
New York Based HealthyWage™ Enlists Grand Rapids’ Fitness Guru to Help Michigan Lose Weight
Jan 4, 2011 – Need extra motivation to lose weight this year? Modeling the success of the popular TV show, The Biggest Loser, New York based HealthyWage [www.HealthyWage.com] has issued a state-wide fitness challenge to all of Michigan with the help of a local fitness expert, plus some extra special incentive.
In “The Michigan Matchup,” teams of five will compete for the greatest percentage of weight lost from January 8 through April 15, 2011. To join the challenge, participants pay a modest registration fee and weigh in at the beginning and end of the contest at a local health club. The winning teams will receive a total of $18,000 in cash prizes ($10,000 for first place, $5,000 for second, and $3,000 for third). Additionally, individual participants can earn $100 cash if they start with a Body Mass Index (BMI) above 30 and achieve a BMI below 25 after one year.
Grand Rapids’ resident fitness expert, “Mighty Joe” Stankowski, creator of “This Workout Doesn’t Suck” [www.ThisWorkout.com] and a co-author of “The Power of Champions,” was enlisted as The Michigan Matchup’s official spokesperson and will provide contestants advice, support and motivation via weekly Q&A-format telephone conference calls.
“The Michigan Matchup brings the state together in a collective effort to achieve weight-loss and health goals through a fun and lucrative contest,” said HealthyWage co-founder David Roddenberry. “Competing in teams of 5 against family, friends, and co-workers for added encouragement, bragging rights and big cash prizes leverages our social network model proven to help motivate and sustain weight-loss. Academic research shows that obesity has spread through social networks and will likely reverse through social networks.”
Stankowski adds, “Of course it would be great if everyone was motivated by improved health and wellness, but in reality, there’s a tendency to take those things for granted until it’s too late. Fortunately, HealthyWage understands the motivational power of cold, hard cash and they’re putting some serious money on the table to help those who need an extra kick in the backside!”
Over 90 health clubs throughout Michigan have signed on to support contestants and serve as weigh-in locations, including many YMCA’s, Endurance, Bally Total Fitness and MVP Sports Clubs. Registration for the contest is open now through January 8 for all Michigan residents.
Those interested in joining The Michigan Matchup may do so online at www.michiganmatchup.com.
# # #
Your Weight Loss Resolution Sucks (And How To Fix It)
It’s that time of year when a lot of people traditionally “resolve” to lose weight.
Problem is, “losing weight” isn’t an action one can resolve to do; it’s an outcome.
Lifting weights 3 times a week – now THAT’S an action.
Planning your meals a week in advance… THAT’S an action, too.
Drinking water instead of soda… more ACTION. (I’m 3+ months diet coke-free, by the way!)
Resolve to take positive action and there’s a much better chance you’ll get the outcome you want.
***** ***** *****
Last week, I was a guest on the Tim Doctor radio show (WJRW 1340AM right here in Grand Rapids) where we discussed some other common problems people have with their resolutions and training plans. While it’s obviously too late to call in with your questions, you can listen to the podcast at the links below.
[UPDATE - 1/20/11: THE PODCAST IS NO LONGER AVAILABLE AT THESE LINKS. IF YOU ABSOLUTELY MUST LISTEN TO IT, CONTACT ME (SEE "HOLLA'" AT TOP OF PAGE) AND I'LL FIND A WAY TO GET IT TO YOU]
Grand Rapids March for Babies 2010
FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE
MEDIA CONTACT, Patty Osborn
(616) 247-6861
Grand Rapids brings out marchers of all ages
Nearly a thousand registered walkers fight for babies, including Mary Ellen Murphy, Todd Chance and Scrubbs in the Morning; Dr. Leonard Radecki; Mighty Joe Stankowski; and special guest – Maranda, and raise $225,000 to help babies be born healthy.
(Grand Rapids, MI, April 24, 2010) – Local residents joined together in support of the smallest citizens of Grand Rapids—babies—by participating in March for Babies to benefit the March of Dimes. 500 people actually braved the drizzling rain on Saturday and the event was packed with strollers, families and teams. “I am proud that Grand Rapids residents joined together to support the health of all babies,” said Ginger Feldman, March of Dimes Division Director. “The efforts made and money raised by our volunteers this year will help the March of Dimes achieve its goal of $225,000 ensuring that every baby has a healthy start in life that much sooner.”
Special guests at the day’s events included Grand Rapids Division Board Chair, Mike Mraz, March for Babies Chair, Becky Berrevoets from Farmers and Ambassador Family, April & Ryan Hamm,, the 2010 Grand Rapids Ambassador Family. Emcees for the event were Mary Ellen Murphy, Todd Chance and Scrubbs in the Morning. Warm up was provided by Mighty Joe Stankowski and Christina DeVos, 2010 Miss Black Michigan, and a special appearance by Maranda who lead the countdown to start the walk.
‘We’ve seen today how important it is to help our babies,” said 2010 March for Babies Chair Becky Berrevoets from Farmers. “This has been an incredible event, and I’m so proud to be from a community where people can come together for such a great cause. Helping our babies should be a top priority, and we should be excited about what we’ve accomplished here today.”
“It was a memorable and rewarding day for all of us,” said April Hamm, who served as the 2010 Grand Rapids Ambassador Mom. “We held our daughter for the last time on June 2, 2009. She passed away peacefully in my arms surrounded by her daddy, close family, and the doctors and nurses that we came to love. Ashlynn will forever be remembered as an inspiration to many and the most perfect, beautiful daughter that I could have ever asked for. Without the March of Dimes we would not have had 6 ½ amazing months with our daughter.” April was presented with a check for her March for Babies team from Ken Graham.
Money raised from the event funds research, awareness, education and local community grants for programs such as prenatal education programs for doctors and nurses at Holland Community Hospital and the March of Dimes Family Support Specialist Program at Helen DeVos Children’s Hospital.
The most urgent infant health problem in the U.S. today is premature birth. It affects more than half a million babies each year, with the number growing every day. The March of Dimes issued a Report Card on Premature Birth, giving the nation a D and Michigan a D. Babies born too soon are more likely to die or have disabilities. The March of Dimes is committed to reducing this toll by funding research to find the answers to premature birth and providing comfort and information to families who are affected.
2010 national March for Babies sponsors are Kmart, the March of Dimes’ No. 1 corporate supporter, CIGNA, Famous Footwear, Farmers, FedEx and Mission Pharmacal. Statewide March for Babies is sponsored by Farmers, Flagstar Bank, Coca Cola Enterprises and AT & T Yellow Pages. In Grand Rapids, March for Babies is sponsored locally by Mission Sponsor – Helen DeVos Children’s Hospital and Spectrum Health; Silver Sponsor – Dematic Corporation; Bronze Sponsor – Farmers Insurance; Start Line Sponsor- Flagstar; Family Fun Sponsor- AT & T Yellowpages; Registration Sponsor – Mill Steel Company; Radio Sponsors – Thunder 94.5 New Country, Hot FM 105.3 and 96.9 WLAV; Print Sponsor- Grand Rapids Business Journal; Food Sponsor- FedEx; Tent Sponsor – B-N-T Tents; Checkpoint Sponsors –FedEx, Independent Bank, Spectrum Health, Kreis Law, and Farmer’s.
The March of Dimes is the leading nonprofit organization for pregnancy and baby health. With chapters nationwide and its premier event, March for Babies, the March of Dimes works to improve the health of babies by preventing birth defects, premature birth and infant mortality. For the latest resources and information, visit marchofdimes.com or nacersano.org.
- XXX -
Vibram’s FiveFingers Are For Babies
This weekend (April 24th to be exact), in addition to walking in the Grand Rapids March for Babies, I’ll be there to meet & greet and warm up the crowd.
(Literally. I’ll be taking the 1200-ish expected attendees though a pre-walk warm-up).
I obviously have a preference for low rep deadlifts and all the anaerobic goodness they have to offer, but I am certainly looking forward to taking part in this 3mile walking event at the Farmers Insurance Foremost Campus (located off Kraft Avenue at 5600 Beech Tree Lane in Caledonia, MI).
And if you’re at the walk, please don’t hesitate to introduce yourself. I’m pretty easy to find… I’ll be the guy with the Fred Flintstone (14EE) feet and Vibram FiveFingers.
If you’re not in the Grand Rapids area or can’t make it to the March for Babies for any other reason, but you’d still like to contribute to this March of Dimes fund-raising effort, I would certainly appreciate it if you’d support my personal goal of raising $400 for this worthy cause.
Vibram Five Fingers Are For Babies (and deadlifts, too!)
Dramatic Fat Loss or Smoke and Mirrors?
I recently developed an educational program for my buddy’s gym just down the road from Grand Rapids in Holland, MI.
In a weekly presentation lasting roughly 75 minutes, I deliver a boat-load of information to help both fitness-newbies and seasoned gym-rats get the most out of the time they have available for training. While I see the information as ‘basic’, my interpretation of “eat right and exercise” (apparently) goes way beyond what most people learned in their high-school gym class.
When I checked my inbox earlier this week and read the following email, I had to chuckle…
I went to your new member orientation at Flex Fitness, and have been following the diet as best I can and also trying to work on my stability by lifting with low intensity (3 sets of 15). So far I’ve lost 9 pounds and dropped my body fat percentage 9% in just 2 weeks.(9 lbs. is not 9% of my body weight, so I must have gained some muscle as well)
While I’m all for using testimonials in my marketing efforts to show others just how valuable a trainer/coach/educator I can be, I just couldn’t let him go around sharing his experience with everybody. I like to think I’m pretty gosh-darned good at what I do, but imagine the unrealistic expectations people would have of me if word of my magical ability to produce 9% fat loss in just 2 weeks got out!
I mean, if I was shooting an infomercial for a crappy abdominal gadget, I suppose I’d be tempted to milk the hell out of it, but I’m just not made up that way. (yeah, I know… sometimes I even surprise myself.)
So, for your education/entertainment, here’s my response…
Sounds like you’re off to a GREAT start!
While you probably did start to eat away at your bodyfat stores – and may even be noticing some increases in your strength, I’m going to do what I do best and give you something to consider…
This is not because I want to be the burster-of-bubbles (and certainly not to deter your from continuing to work at getting ‘lean & mean’), but what you’re most likely seeing in such a short time is the difference a change in hydration level can make.
I don’t remember if I told you about the marathoner I worked with during your orientation session… Before a race, he measured in around 12% bodyfat. 26.2 miles later, he was in the low 40’s. It’s not likely that he got 30% fatter while running a marathon. Instead, he became dehydrated and it completely obliterated any degree of accuracy of our measurement tool – bio-electrical impedance analysis (BIA) – might offer… The one we used was similar to the popular Tanita body comp scales, but a hand-held version. I’m suspecting you used a similar device?
Assuming you did, essentially, you achieved what the marathoner did in reverse… hydrationally speaking, anyway. Many people start out under-hydrated, which can give an artificially high reading when using BIA as an estimation tool. By eating regularly, drinking plenty of good fluids and balancing things out through training for the past couple of weeks, you now have a much more accurate reading. Make sense?
You know how water is a good conductor of electricity? Try throwing a hair dryer in a bathtub full of water and you’ll quickly find out! [note: please don't REALLY do this!]
If you throw the same (hypothetical) hair dryer in an empty tub, the electricity won’t go very far. This is effectively how BIA estimates work. It takes some basic variables (height, weight, age, sex) and measures the speed at which the device completes the circuit (sending a micro-current through your body) to come up with a number that is *supposed* to be within a range of +/- 2.5% accuracy when compared to others of similar height/weight/age/sex. Problem is, when hydration can’t be controlled or accurately measured, it’s likely that you’ll see some drastic swings as H2O levels change.
Now if you used skinfold calipers on yourself, there’s also a degree of human error to be expected, so given the dramatic change in your numbers, I’d also question the accuracy of that method.
Hydrostatic testing has long been considered the “gold standard” of estimating body composition. This involves exhaling every last bit of air you can squeeze from your lungs, then being weighed while you are completely submerged under water. That’s not a natural way to go diving, ya’ know?
If you really need 100% accuracy, you’ll have to wait until you’re dead, then have someone boil you up in a vat of water, skim off all the floaty-stuff at the surface – weigh it and then subtract it from your total starting weight.
[note to the mentally deficient and/or cannabalistic serial killers with an interest in physiology: I'm not recommending the above 'technique', I'm only trying to impress upon you the fact that 100% accurate measurements aren't really all that important outside of a research environment.]
It is for reasons like these I recommend the use of regular (bi-weekly/monthly) progress photos AND a favorite outfit/pair of jeans/etc as tools to measure MEANINGFUL progress.
Of course, if you DID actually drop 9% body fat in just two weeks, I’d love to make you the ‘poster-child’ for my services!!! If I can help you accomplish that from nothing more than a spoken presentation, imagine how good the results would be if I actually designed a complete training plan for you!
Let me know what the numbers say in another week or 2. Barring any dramatic swings in your hydration level, that should give us a much better indication of your progress.
[note to the FTC: how's THAT for truth in advertising?]
Inhale. Exhale. Repeat.
Many years ago, when I was still trying to figure out which way I should go with this whole “eat right and exercise” thing I fell into, my friend Jim suggested I hire his business coach for my own biz.
Her name was (and presumably still is) Debbie Happy Cohen. And yes, that’s her real middle name.
Working with Coach Debbie turned out to be one of the most eye-opening experiences of my life. I discovered a new level of creativity (not that you can tell from this blog) and really developed my professional identity by implementing the strategies she introduced me to.
It’s been several years since I ran the following ‘interview’ I did with her – it was previously only available to my clients and subscribers of my first website – but when I was digging through my archives a few days ago, I figured you, my adoring legion of fans (I think there are 8 of you now), would enjoy this blast from the past. The information is every bit as valuable today. Enjoy. Share it with others.
…And breathe.
-JS-
***** ***** *****
JoeS: Can you explain why people actually limit their own success? – Whether it’s fitness, business, personal life or anything else.
Debbie Happy Cohen: We’ve lived in a world where for centuries and millennia, our goal was to survive, and we had a strict order of class in terms of what role we were supposed to play (male-female, serf-lord, king-subject). We also had to physically protect ourselves from the elements of nature without the safety we have today.
In the last century alone, we have gone from being an industrial society to an informational and service-oriented one… So what in the heck does all this mean to YOU?
It’s only in recent times that we’re thinking about PERSONAL HAPPINESS, satisfaction, feeling loved. Choosing positive feelings was a foreign thought to many of our ancestors because they were busy surviving.
So we are on the leading edge of FEELING GOOD AND GREAT.
BUT - our societal ”thermostat” setting for feeling good is not set very high. We have peak moments, like winning at the Olympics (or watching someone win) but we still spend most of our time watching the news and other negative drama. WE GET USED TO FEELING EITHER BAD OR MEDIOCRE.
JS: But why is it so easy to become content with mediocrity?
DHC: BECAUSE IT FEELS SAFE. Because when we stretch out of that comfort zone, it feels UNCOMFORTABLE and most people run back to the safety of mediocre feelings.
For example, I have a friend who is a best-selling author of a parenting book, and she shared a story about receiving a call one day from a majorly hot and hard-to-get publisher. Though she was elated, she was also extremely uncomfortable feeling so good. So what did she do? She ran upstairs immediately after the call and grabbed a piece of cheap chocolate, which she knows she is allergic to. She effectively and immediately brought herself down instead of letting herself enjoy the feeling of pure satisfaction and bliss of receiving that call.
JS: Where exactly do these beliefs come from?
DHC: We hold these beliefs in our memory storehouse, like a baby blankey.
JS: Can they be changed?
DHC: Absolutely. But it takes courage and often outside support. Like your newsletter…or a live coach.
I think it’s interesting that EVERY Olympian – the beginners as well as the multi-gold medalists – EVERY one of them has a coach! I think that one of the purposes of that person is to hold a vision for a higher possibility, because it’s often easier to do it for someone else than it is for ourselves.
One exercise that you can do on your own (that was shared with me by my author friend and credited to Gay Hendricks :-)) is to change the HIGH-LOW pattern to PEAK-REST. For example, have you ever said to yourself when things were going really well, “I wonder when the other shoe will drop,” or ”I wonder how long I’m going to actually stick to this diet” when you just lost a huge amount of weight? Those are ways people bring themselves DOWN when they’re HIGH, in order to get back to NORMAL.
TO RAISE NORMAL TO HIGH, you want to get comfortable with PEAK STATES.
JS: So how can you do this?
DHC: DEEP BREATHING. When a person is afraid or uncomfortable, their breathing is shallow, and they block good feelings. When a person is comfortable and feeling happy, they laugh and breathe deeply. During your next PEAK moment, take a breather, rest for a few minutes or a couple of hours. Laugh. Take it in.
I have an audio CD called Sensualization: Exceeding your Upper Limits and Getting Comfortable with PEAK LIVING. In it, you’re guided to experience yourself in a moment of satisfaction and well being. When you get there, you notice what fear comes up, and you breathe through it until you feel comfortable. It’s amazing because it’s beyond the limited visualization techniques that so many of us use. It’s leading edge and it works because you use all of your senses and your mind really believes you are there, so when the time comes and the success really happens, you don’t resist it (at least not as much as before!)
It reminds me of a story of a guy who was in the back room before an event where he was to be receiving an award. Someone “caught him” talking to himself and shaking hands with an invisible partner, saying “Thank you. Thank you very much.” When asked what in the world he was doing, he replied, “I’m getting used to the idea of people congratulating me, so that when they do, I am able to really accept it.”
JS: How often should we do this?
DHC: Many people have benefited from doing this breathing technique for 15 minutes a day for 30 days. What you do is imagine a future PEAK moment with all of your senses, then notice when you feel any kind of discomfort or fear. And then BREATHE DEEPLY until it passes.
JS: So if I do this simple exercise for only 15 minutes a day for a month, what can I expect to experience?
DHC: You’ll notice it’s much easier to take in new experiences and successes when you do this regularly. This, of course, will allow you to notice newer and better opportunities, and you’ll be more likely to grab them. You’ll spend more time feeling good and making better choices. You’ll enjoy your life more and experience more peak moments.
JS: I really enjoyed reading (and re-reading) your book Reach Your Stars! Who do you think could benefit most from reading it?
DHC: Thanks! I’m glad you enjoyed the book. Its message is for any person who cares about their personal or professional growth, especially if they are exploring new options in their lives, or developing the confidence to take new action.
JS: The changes I’ve experienced by simply learning to accept higher levels of success as ‘okay’ (and even downright acceptable!) have me convinced there’s much more to it than simply “positive self talk”. How can I learn even more about this technique and others that we’ve used during my own coaching sessions with you?
DHC: Here are two things you can do right now:
1. You can visit the MastermindU archives and listen to a live recording of a lecture I gave, called “Real Pearls, Cheap Chocolate and Stone Soup” which includes a Sensualization audio experience.
2. Register for the MastermindU course called “Break Through Internal Barriers”. Just visit MastermindU.com and click on Courses. When you sign up for the course online, you will get a FREE copy of Reach Your Stars!
***** ***** ***** ***** *****
…now exhale.
Glutes Like Oxen Heads
You know the ones. Those fully formed, spherical mass o’ muscles you see behind powerlifters, sprinters and female fitness models (mmmmm, fitness models).
Their butts defy gravity while they sit high up on their perch as if they somehow KNOW they’re better than all the other glutes.
…And they are.
So why is it that some butt-iss-ee-moes (as “Body by” Jake Steinfeld refers to ‘em) hang, sag, droop and flop around in the breeze?
I’m glad you assed. (not a typo, I just couldn’t resist)
When muscles aren’t challenged, they effectively ‘shut down’.
Forget to contract.
Lie dormant.
The contractile fibers are still there, but once they’re off, they’re off – until you turn ‘em back on.
As good as squats, lunges, running up hill and numerous other exercises can be, when a muscle can’t do its job, other muscles are called into play to create the movement. In the case of ‘gluteal amnesia’ (that’s an Alwyn Cosgrove-ism if there ever was one), it’s often the hamstrings which become dominant (and overused… and injured) while your butt just sits there.
Want to find out if your glutes are taking a nap? Try lying face up on the floor and lift your hips into a “bridge” position with your feet flat, knees bent.
Do it.
Right now.
Did your hamstrings cramp up on you? They shouldn’t. If they did, they’re working too hard. Your glutes should be the main players in this simple exercise.
Even if you consider yourself “old” and aren’t all that concerned with the look, shape or feel of your posterior, you be wise to consider the function (or lack thereof) of these all important muscles you’re sitting on right now.
If you really want to see me make an ass of myself, be sure to watch Grand Rapids Fox 17 this Friday morning (around 8.40am) where I’ll be taking Smita Kalokhe through as many variations of glute re-awakening exercises as we can squeeze into a 4 minute segment.
Can’t catch it because you’re not in the Grand Rapids area? I got you covered. Check back in after the show and I’ll post a link to the video plus some additional strategies to give you some shake to go with those fries. ;-)
What does that MEAN?
Don’t ever question Bruce Dickinson.
Life Lessons From Powerlifting #3
Lesson #3: Surround yourself with people who have already accomplished what you want to do.
While I never broke any records on the lifting platform, I went from a sloppy 400lb squatter as a young 20-something while doing things on my own to a respectable 700# lifter in my mid-20s by training with guys who squatted as much as 300 pounds MORE than me (and at a lighter bodyweight, I should add) who’ve already ‘been there, done that’.
Experience is the best teacher.
(now that I’m creeping ever closer to 40, I’m still keep this lesson in mind every single day!)
Life Lessons From Powerlifting #2
Lesson #2: Accept it, you’re never going to please everybody.
Give your very best on every attempt. There will be red lights in life, but 2 white lights out of 3 counts as just as good of a lift.
Life Lessons From Powerlifting #1
Back in the day when I trained alongside Ed Coan at Quads Gym on Chicago’s south side, I learned many a lesson that still apply to many aspects of my life today.
Lesson #1: Stay focused and do what you say you’re going to do.
If your training schedule calls for you to lift a weight for X number of reps, it doesn’t matter if you vomit, bleed or ‘hershey squirt‘ in the middle of your set – you’ll still be respected if you complete your set. You can always clean up your mess later.
PSA: This One Goes Out to My Fellow Fit-Biz Friends
A couple days ago, I received the following email from “Dennis” (dennispixelservices@gmail.com) – it’s not the first time I’ve seen a variation of this spam message, either:
***** ***** *****
Dear Sir/Madam,
I am Dennis Cole of Pixel services based in the United Kingdom and we have a group of six clients coming for body building and fitness training lessons for one month period starting from the July 1st in your place. Let me know of your availability as well as the total costs for the services for the period of one month and training lessons of 2 hours daily.
Regards,
Dennis Cole.
Contact Address:
Pixel services Ltd,
Queen Street Close,
March, Cambs. PE15 8SP
United Kingdom .
Mobile Number:+447024061966
***** ***** *****
If you have a fitness-themed website/blog and haven’t received a message like this yet, it’s only a matter of time until they find you. To make the email seem even more legit, they may mention your specific city or offer to send you a check in advance if you send ‘em your mailing address.
The names and story may change, but in a nutshell, it’s all BOGUS.
So what kind of scam/spam “too good to be true” emails have you received?
Kirstie Alley, You’re Invited…
Dear Miss Alley,
In light of your recent weight (re)gain and apparent readiness to do something about it, you are cordially invited to spend an intensive weekend with yours truly in order to learn how to get – and STAY – on the fitness bandwagon once and for all.
Have your people call my people to make arrangements.
(hollywood air kisses)
“Mighty” Joe Stankowski
Creator of This Workout Doesn’t Suck
P.S. This is a genuine offer to help. Please don’t take it lightly.
Tips Are For Waitresses and Bartenders
“I heard red wine is good. Should I drink that?”
“Which exercise should I do?”
“How can I lose these fat slabs on my thighs”?
“What should I do to increase my bench press?”
“Intervals or steady-state cardio?”
I can’t remember the last time I’ve gone a full day without being asked for a tip about training, weight loss, nutrition and the like.
Of course, I’m always more than happy to give my $.02 when it comes to all-things-fitness, but with the understanding that a simple “tip” isn’t likely to change your life in any meaningful way.
Why?
Tips are virtually meaningless unless given within the context of a system.
When one lacks even the most basic of systems (ex. Weight Watchers, Body for Life, etc), random application of even the very best tips can only create random results. Without a hint of organization, there’s no way to know which tip is actually working (or isn’t).
This doesn’t mean cookie cutter/one-size-fits-all solutions are the answer, but before a tip can have meaning, I need to understand the purpose and limitations of the system(s) you’re already using.
Any blindfolded kid can hit a piñata if he swings long enough, but it’s so much easier to achieve your fitness goals when you can see the target and make appropriate adjustments.
Here’s my tip for the day: Use/find/develop a system – ANY system. If it works, keep using it. If it doesn’t work, you can either modify it until it does or try a different system.
(and always tip breakfast waitresses a little extra, too)
Personal Training In Delaware?
I am interested in providing my husband a gift certificate for private lessons with you. He is an active 30-something who works out at least 3 times a week if not more; however he is not losing weight like he wants.
He is a strong individual who uses exercise not only to keep in shape but also for health reasons (high blood pressure). Can you give me a call or email me to let me know what type of packages you offer for private lessons and what the price would be as well as your availability?
My husband has a hectic schedule (but don’t we all).
Best regards,
Gail
Phone: 302-XXX-XXXX
Email: XXXXXXX@verizon.net
***** ***** *****
Gail,
Thanks for your email.
Unfortunately, I’m no longer able to accept one-on-one clients in Delaware (mainly because I moved to Michigan and the 700 mile commute is a killer!) but I may still be able to help you…
First, I highly recommend AGAINST buying personal training sessions for another person. You know the saying about ‘leading a horse to water’…
While I could possibly recommend a trainer in your area, if your husband isn’t 100% on board with the idea, there’s a good chance he’d just go through the motions and fizzle out unchanged. I obviously don’t know him, but I’ve seen this happen time and time again – In fact, I won’t allow anyone but the actual client/member pay for my services. If we’re expecting serious change, I need them to be PERSONALLY invested in the entire process.
Plus there’s more to it than simply scheduling “lessons” or “training sessions” – the likelihood of his exercise technique being the limiting factor is very slim. And if your husband is already training regularly, there’s a good chance he already understands the nuts & bolts of a “proper workout”.
Most trainers will only be able to give him slight variations of whatever he’s already doing (something I’m sure he can easily do on his own if he so much as picks up a reputable fitness magazine) – but variety alone doesn’t guarantee results. The “trick” is having a logical training system – a personalized interpretation of progression – of 2 basic concepts:
1) Eat right
and
2) exercise
Eat right can be easily addressed through Dr. John Berardi’s Precision Nutrition program – it’s the same plan I use w/my private coaching clients and I recommend it to everyone, and it makes a great gift for about $100. It’s a complete system of audio/video/written/web-based material. Can’t really say enough good things about it – check it out.
The exercise part of the equation doesn’t have to be overly complicated (though a lot of trainers would like to make it seem like it is). If his training program needs a complete overhaul, my friends Alwyn Cosgrove & Lou Schuler wrote the best book on the market: The New Rules of Lifting (available at Amazon.com, Barnes&Noble, Borders, etc)
[If you have any interest in updating your OWN training program, they also wrote The New Rules of Lifting for Women (along with Cassandra Forsythe). Can't beat these books for about $20]
If after all of that, your husband decides he needs professional guidance to make sense of it all, I’d be happy to schedule a time to chat w/him for 10-15 mins and see if it’d make sense invite him into one of my distance-coaching programs – more affordable than my private coaching and PERFECT for those w/’hectic schedules’.
-JS-
P.S. Another idea, if he doesn’t already receive it is to get him a subscription to Men’s Fitness magazine. I admit I’m a bit biased because I do a lot of work w/MF, but it really is one of the best fitness mags out there.
P.P.S. If you’re still stuck on the idea of ‘personal training sessions’, let me know and I’d be happy to send you my checklist of questions to ask before hiring a trainer.
P.P.P.S. If you REALLY want to blow him away with a gift idea, I have a house for sale in Wilmington – buy it and I’ll even throw in a set of PowerBlock adjustable dumbbells!
Acai Berry Diet Review
This ‘review’ has it’s humble beginnings as my response to a person who asked me about the Acai Berry Diet, yet the take-home message can be applied to any ‘fad’ diet. -JS-
Sure, the acai berry has nutritional benefits (so do most other fruits, veggies, lean protein sources, etc), but a diet based around a single food source wreaks of gimmick. Fad diets typically rely on some combination of caloric restriction and exercise (they need to in order to be “effective”)
But If it’s your first time following a calorie restrictive diet, yes, you’ll lose ‘weight’ (not necessarily body fat) – probably fairly easy, too.
The problem is that the more you cycle between restrictive and “regular” eating patterns, the harder it gets to lose anything meaningful as you continue the yo-yo cycle. And every time you go back to ‘regular’ eating, you’ll gain even MORE weight than you lost.
This is why I use (and HIGHLY recommend) Dr. John Berard’s Precision Nutrition with my private coaching clients. It doesn’t rely on simple calorie restriction as a short-term ‘trick’. Instead, it provides all the tools one needs to develop and modify (depending on personal goals) healthy lifestyle habits (notice the similarities to my ’5 hour’ approach with “This Workout…” It’s all about the HABITS!)
There are times and places where restrictive diets can be deemed necessary (for profit or as part of a bigger health picture). For example, one of my former clients is an actor (codename: VisionQuest) and he gave me the challenge of helping him lose as much weight as possible in ~6weeks for a role as a meth addict. Whether the weight loss was bodyfat or lean, healthy muscle wasn’t important. He simply needed to look like a junkie
We did some insane things I would NEVER do with a ‘regular’ person, but his career is his life, and he fully understood the long term effects of extreme dieting/yo-yo cycles and the volume and intensity of workouts we needed to apply, so we went to work…
“VQ” came into this particular project extremely lean and he successfully dropped 18lbs in that short time. Hated every minute of it, but couldn’t have been happier with the results. (A real-life former addict served as a consultant to the film and said that the typical meth addict drops closer to FORTY pounds when they get hooked.) “VQ” was perfectly happy w/his little 18lbs and was even happier to eat again when the shoot was complete.
Medically, it’s sometimes necessary to lose ‘as much weight as possible’ before surgery (to minimize the work load on an already weak heart, for example).
Sure it would be great if cardiac patients had time/energy/motivation to lose weight “the right way”, but apparently the medical profession views extreme dieting as the lesser of 2 evils. Even if I wanted to dispute their viewpoint, it wouldn’t really matter as I’m not in a position where I can override medically prescribed diets. If you’re considering such an extreme diet, make sure it’s medically necessary first.
If you have a major lifetime event coming up (wedding, reunion, etc) where you needed to look as good as you possibly could, there are certainly shortcuts, but don’t expect to keep it off when the event is over and life returns to relative normalcy.
’tis a shame the diet industry won’t say any of this to consumers.
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Affirmative Action…
…produces best results when supported by affirmative nutrition.
(just a fancy way of saying ‘eat right & exercise’).
Now turn off your computer and go vote, will ya’?
The #1 Reason to Postpone Your Workout
Vote.
Your biceps can wait.
Although you might want to carry a PN compliant meal (or 2) in a cooler just in case there’s a long line at the polls.
"Mighty" Joe Stankowski
