 Originally published in my blog, Closer to Awesome - Sept 13, 2011
I have the best gym around. Really. Let me explain. Tuesday's training at Redemption Kettlebell Gym is a lower body day with the heavy lift being the Deadlift. It's a good day, a solid program that, while being pretty tough, is well received. Today was different, though - particularly with the 5:30 and 6:30 pm classes. They were both great examples of why people respond better to and enjoy the semi private model so much more than private training. The energy that developed in the 5:30 class was amazing - truly one of the times where I don't even feel like I'm working. I had 4 people in class - Alex, Mike, Thomas, and Padma. Alex and Mike worked the deadlift together on the same bar, and Padma and Thomas worked on their own. As they all progressed round after round, Alex and Mike kept adding more weight to the bar, and so Padma kept adding weight to her bar, and I began adding weight to Thomas's bar. Alex and Mike had worked themselves up to the point where, even after the timer went off signaling the end of the training block, they wanted to get one more set of pulls in, just to hit more than they did last week. I let them. Mike hit 245 for 5 - 10 lbs up from last week. Alex hit 255 for 5 - his biggest pull in months. Of course, Mike felt left out, so went back up to pull 255 for 5 as well, with Alex looking on and coaching from the side. This is a PR for Mike. When he completed his set, he was met with a smile, cheer, and double high five from Alex. What's cool, is that their energy was driving the class. Their enthusiasm and continued success round after round created an environment where Padma and Thomas couldn't help but catch it. Padma lifted more than she has in a while. What was a weight she once struggled with (115) is now a weight she can work through. Thomas pulled 155 for 5 on the trap bar. That's the most he's ever done. I swear the look on his face throughout the entire last half of training - he was smiling so much it looked like he might burst. And keep in mind, we're not doing 5 pulls and sitting down. These guys were falling right into kettlebell snatches and pullups after the deadlift with a peripheral field test being their only rest. When 6:30 pm class rolled around, Steve finished with a clean set of 260 for 5 - 25 lbs. up from last week. This raises the bar and sets a new standard to beat in what Mike has started calling "Deadlift Wars" You see, that's what a real gym is all about - community, environment. A place where someone helps you change the weights, spots you through a lift, coaches you through the hard parts, and encourages you to reach farther. No one's doing another rep, or holding on a little longer because I told them too. I'm just the guy standing around with the cup of coffee. They're pushing through because the other people in class are too, and that's something altogether different. Yeah, a real gym's a place where, no matter where you're from, you're all connected by a common cause - to be something, someone better, and that community is the place where you can stand on someone's shoulders or find an outstretched hand reaching out to help pull you up to a higher place, even if you're not necessarily aware of it. So, yeah, that's why my gym is the best around - because that's what I've got, and it's only getting better.
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 We live in a time of almost unlimited choices and information. While this definitely puts more power and control in our hands, it can lead to confusion, indecision, and bad choices. There are more options today for strength and conditioning, performance enhancement, and general fitness than ever before, and they're all competing for your attention - leading to your committment.
While your choices and preferances should be genuinely your own, there are a few guiding principles - a litmus test, if you will, that you should use when looking into a training program or facility. Before we go further, it should go without saying that anything that promises, promotes, or implies quick, easy, or comfortable - translated as minimal effort, maximal results, OR that promises results without changing any element of your lifestyle at all - is bogus. We all want it now, but it takes committment, dedication, and work to get anything good. Accept that, and move on to greatness. So, here we go... 1.) Is the training program in line with your goals? - If you're looking to build strength and muscle, a cardio based program is not going to do the trick. You may lose some weight early on, but the environment and training is not designed for progressive strength training, it's designed to burn calories. So, if the focus is primarily on caloric burn, it's too one sided for you to get great and lasting results in the muscle building realm. - A quality progressive strength and conditioning program combined with good eating and lifestyle habits will allow you to build strength and muscle while decreasing body fat. 2.) Does the facility look like a place dedicated to making you successful, or designed to make you comfortable? - You're looking for a gym, whether its big box, small box, or a private studio. It's a gym, not a spa, not a lounge, not your living room. - It's important to understand that places of social commerce such as bars and restaurants are designed to make you want to come in and stay. It's useful for spas to be welcoming and inviting. A gym, however, should be clean and well organized, but it should be dedicated to one thing - making you awesome. If there's a lot of non training related decorative flair, or a generally comfortable and cozy environment, there's a good chance the focus is one of commerce and not committment to training excellence. 3.) What is the quality of the trainer/trainers? - Are they committed to excellence? - Do they continue to invest in becoming better trainers and coaches, or are they comfortable with where they're at? Just a quick heads up - your results can only be as good as their knowledge, experience, and care can get you. - Are they experienced enough to train you according to your needs and goals and not theirs? Training is about making progress and getting better. If that's not happening, something's wrong. In the end, it's your time, your money, and - more importantly- your goals on the line. Invest them wisely and come out a winner.  Originally posted in Closer To Awesome - August 3, 2011
"Strong People Are Harder To Kill And Generally More Useful ." - Mark Rippetoe I love this quote. I mean, really love it, to the point that I wish it was mine. Of course, like many quotes, it's a very slight variation of the original, but I like this version better. It rolls off the tongue and gets right to the point - strength is more than a vanity or hobby. It makes you a tougher contender. Tougher to kill physically, tougher to stop mentally, tougher to cripple emotionally. Strength training builds a better body. Period. Do it right, and you're less prone to injury, less prone to illness, and less prone to the breakdown of aging. You'll also find that you become less of a sissy, more confident, and more prone to viewing the world with an internal locus of control - basically meaning that you take some responsibility for yourself. If you find yourself disagreeing with these statements either a.) you're doing it wrong, or b.) you don't train at all and want a justification. Strong people really are physically harder to kill too. Doubt what I'm saying? Go grab a strong man or woman and try to wrestle them. Have fun. Predators don't like things that can fight back. Nothing in nature goes after something it's going to have to work harder than necessary for, especially if there's a chance of losing. This may sound a little out there. After all, most people get involved in fitness to get in better shape. Personally, I like the concept of training for survival. It's not just about how you look, but how you perform and how you function. Incidentally, the better you can perform, the better your appearance will become (unless you eat a lot of crap all the time, then you'll just be fat, but able to do really cool stuff). Strength training is just as much a mental and emotional skill as it is a physical one. For me, when the chips are down, do I have the strength to endure hardship and do whateever it takes to provide for the safety and well being of my family, or will I fold and give in because it's easier? Here's an epiphany- nothing worthwhile comes easy or without cost. The lessons you learn through pushing yourself training will help you persevere in every area of your life when things get difficult. Too many people quit too soon these days. They give up on marriages, relationships, friendships, children, dreams, and ideals. I'll say it again. Nothing worthwhile comes easy or without cost. So, how far will you go to make your marriage work before giving up? How long will you stick with a friend in need at your expense? Where's the point where your patience gives and you lash out at your child? Can you endure unfavorable working conditions because it puts food on the table? Are you willing to do what it takes to make your dream a reality? In this day and age, can you readily adapt to immediate changes in your way of life? Yeah, strength training builds hard, resilient, capable bodies. It also builds perseverance, endurance, and discipline. It's what we call Mental Toughness. Simply put, strength is the ability to overcome resistance. It's the ability to overcome. Overcome the weight in the training room, overcome hardship in relationships, overcome circumstances in life, and ultimately, overcome yourself. |
AuthorEric Chasko is the head of Redemption. He is a Performance Enhancement Specialist, Certified Underground Strength Coach, Progressive Fighting Systems Full Instructor, and Blauer Tactical Systems SPEAR: Personal Defense Readiness Trainer. From young athletes to busy professionals, he helps people develop the physical, mental, and emotional strength to win on the field, on the street, and in life. Archives
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