He looks guilty

Needless to say, it isn’t me. Many of my friends commented that they thought it looked like me when they saw the sketch. I’d like to thank them for not turning me in . That’s a real friend there.

I guess if I wasn’t so positive and smiley somebody would have thought something was up. What do you think? Do I look like him?

My favorite is the cerebral palsy guy who suddenly got really lean and muscular while at the same time increasing the size of his head by 3!

View the FAKE before and after pictures here.

1. You over do it. – Many people join the gym and try to do too much too soon. They don’t moderate frequency and volume. Rest is not even considered. They think more is better. I have news for you. The more is better rule doesn’t apply to anything on the planet. At some point, anything can become too much or negative. Rest is equally important as the work, itself. Moderating the variables is crucial to maximizing your success or causing you to fail. If you are unsure of how to do so, consult a professional trainer who can prescribe an appropriate plan for you. Research has shown that overtraining quickly like this can lead to lower red blood cell count, mood disturbances, and other negative things. Be on the lookout for these signs of overtraining:

* Washed-out feeling, tired, drained, lack of energy
* Mild leg soreness, general aches and pains
* Pain in muscles and joints
* Sudden drop in performance
* Insomnia
* Headaches
* Decreased immunity (increased number of colds, and sore throats)
* Decrease in training capacity / intensity
* Moodiness and irritability
* Depression
* Loss of enthusiasm for the sport
* Decreased appetite
* Increased incidence of injuries.
* A compulsive need to exercise

2. You have an idea, but no action. – Many people have ideas in their head of what they’d like to look like or achieve, but few of them actually put pen to paper to write them down and even fewer have a real plan of action and accountability to carry them out. It’s important to have the ideas, dreams, and desires, but an actionable plan to go with it to make it reality.

3. You don’t keep track. – If you don’t keep track of your workouts and improvements, how will you know if you’re making progress? Things are really happening, but sometimes they are so subtle in the beginning, they may not be that visual. The first thing you should do is to keep track of your body measurements. Also, keep track of your training routines to measure weight, rep, and set increases and always make sure that you are constantly reevaluating your fitness plan every 4-6 weeks. Whether it’s fat loss, building muscle tissue, or just feeling better; keeping a log helps and motivates you to get there. When you see where you were, and where you are, you realize you’re making progress! Our Fitness & Nutrition Tracking program is easy to use and will help you reach your fitness goals!

4. You’re unrealistic. – Be Real about your Success – It would be great if you could train for a week and see magical results, but that’s not how getting in shape and improving your health works. Just like getting out of shape does not happen in one day, you will not see results immediately when you start any type of fitness training program. Be realistic, be prepared and set short, medium and long term goals. When you make your fitness goals realistic and attainable you will ensure a greater success for sticking with your fitness program for life.

5. You don’t have a sustainable plan. – Many people have it in their head that they have to be in the gym X days a week or run a marathon in order to get in the shape that they want. These are rather arbitrary ideas and when implemented can lead to not being able to stick with it. Not everyone is meant to run a marathon and training too frequently leads to many other negative things outlined above. Ultimately, your body will FORCE you to stop exercising and you likely won’t go back. If it doesn’t feel like something you can schedule, be consistent at, and enjoy the results, it won’t last!

Of course the worst thing you could do is nothing. It’s important to take action, but the correct action as well. If you’ve experienced these symptoms above as a result of trying to implement your own fitness program, take a couple of days off, re-evaluate things especially as far as how much rest you are getting, and continue to fine tune until you do have a sustainable plan. If you need help, our trainers will be glad to get you off on the right foot. I challenge you to stay focused and don’t give up on your resolutions, but don’t over do it either.

In 1975 Nautilus Sports/Medical Industries funded one of the most important studies in the history of exercise science. Project Total Conditioning was conducted at the United States Military Academy at West Point and was overseen by Colonel James Anderson. The purpose of the study was to pin down how to use Nautilus exercise equipment properly and identify the physiological consequences of a short-duration, high-intensity-training program. It asked such questions as, How much skeletal-muscle strength can be achieved from brief, intense workouts? How does strength training affect cardiovascular fitness, flexibility and overall body composition? Improvements in muscular size and strength, improvements on 60 separate tests of cardiovascular fitness, and improvements on 4 tests of flexibility. All from 1 basic simple strength training program.

The results? Read them here.

Be sure to sign up here.

Wanted to share this video with you today to show you 2 things.

1. The awesome snow storm we got in VA that’s at 2 feet and counting. Supposed to go until tomorrow morning.

And..

2. Our 28 Day Rapid Fat Loss Program coming up starting Jan. 2nd. Listen for the details below.

Go to 28 Day Rapid Fat Loss Program to sign up.

If you’re not local on the East coast in VA and can’t get in on this killer program, you can get the same routiness and advice through our online training solution. Perfect for people at distance and a fraction of the cost too. Only $19. Go here to sign up.

Benefit One: Avoid Muscle Loss
Adults who don’t strength train lose between 5-7 pounds of muscle every decade. Although endurance exercise improves our cardiovascular fitness, it does not prevent the loss of muscle tissue. Only strength exercise maintains our muscle mass and strength throughout our mid-life and senior years.

Benefit Two: Avoid Metabolic Rate Reduction
Because muscle is very active tissue, muscle loss is accompanied by a reduction in our resting metabolism. Information from Tufts University indicates that the average adult experiences a 2-5 percent reduction in metabolic rate during every decade of life. Because regular strength exercise prevents muscle loss, it also prevents the accompanying decrease in resting metabolic rate.

Benefit Three: Increase Muscle Mass
Because most adults do not perform strength exercise, they need to first replace the muscle tissue that has been lost through inactivity. Fortunately, research from the South Shore YMCA shows that a standard strength-training program can increase muscle mass by about three pounds over an eight-week training period. This is the typical training response for men and women who do 25 minutes of strength exercise two or three days per week, and represents an excellent return on a time-efficient investment.

Benefit Four: Increase Metabolic Rate
Research from Tufts University and the University of Maryland reveals that adding three pounds of muscle increases our resting metabolic rate by seven percent, and our daily calorie requirements by 15 percent. At rest, a pound of muscle requires about 35 calories per day for tissue maintenance. During exercise, muscle energy utilization increases dramatically. Adults who replace muscle through sensible strength exercise use more calories all day long, thereby reducing the likelihood of fat accumulation.

Benefit Five: Reduce Body Fat
Campbell and his co-workers at Tufts found that strength exercise produced four pounds of fat loss after three months of training, even though the subjects were eating 15 percent more calories per day. That is, a basic strength-training program resulted in 3 pounds more lean weight, 4 pounds less fat weight and 370 more calories per day food intake.

Benefit Six: Increase Bone Mineral Density
The effects of progressive resistance exercise are similar for muscle tissue and bone tissue. The same training stimulus that increases muscle proteins also increases bone proteins and mineral content. A University of Maryland study demonstrated significant increases in the bone mineral density of the femur bone (upper leg) after four months of strength exercise.

Benefit Seven: Improve Glucose Metabolism
The University of Maryland research center has also reported a 23 percent increase in glucose utilization after four months of strength training. Because poor glucose metabolism is associated with adult onset diabetes, improved glucose metabolism is an important benefit of regular strength exercise.

Benefit Eight: Increase Gastrointestinal Transit Speed
Another study at the University of Maryland showed a 56 percent increase in gastrointestinal transit speed after three months of strength training. This is a significant finding due to the fact that delayed gastrointestinal transit time is related to a higher risk of colon cancer.

Benefit Nine: Reduce Resting Blood Pressure
Strength training alone has been shown to significantly reduce resting blood pressure. Our YMCA studies have revealed that strength plus aerobic exercise is highly effective for improving blood pressure readings. After two months of combined exercise (Nautilus and treadmill walking), the program participants dropped their systolic blood pressure by 4 mm Hg. and their diastolic blood pressure by 3 mm Hg.

Benefit Ten: Improve Blood Lipid Levels
Although the effects of strength training on blood lipid levels needs further research, at least two studies from excellent universities have revealed improved blood lipid profiles after several weeks of strength exercise. It is important to note that improvements in blood lipid levels are similar for both endurance and strength exercise.

Benefit Eleven: Reduce Low Back Pain
Several years of research on strength training and back pain conducted at the University of Florida Medical School has shown that strong low-back muscles are less likely to be injured low-back muscles. A recent study by at the University of Florida found that low-back patients had significantly less back pain after 10 weeks of specific (full-range) strength exercise for the lumbar spine muscles. Because 80 percent of all Americans experience low back problems, it is advisable for all adults to properly strengthen their low back muscles.

Benefit Twelve: Reduce Arthritic Pain
According to a recent edition of the Tufts University Diet and Nutrition Letter, sensible strength training eases the pain of osteo and rheumatoid arthritis. This is good news, because most men and women who suffer from arthritic pain need strength exercise to develop stronger muscles, bones and connective tissue to improve joint function.

Benefit Thirteen: Reduce Depression
A Harvard University study found that seriously depressed seniors responded most favorably to a basic program of strength exercise. After 10 weeks of strength training, 87 percent of the program participants no longer met the criteria for clinical depression, even though they received no other treatment. Apparently, increasing muscle strength and physical functionality is highly effective for improving emotional states in previously depressed senior men and women.

Summary of Strength Training Benefits
There are 13 physiological reasons why older adults should perform regular strength exercise. On a more basic level, it is important to realize that proper strength training may help us look better, feel better and function better. Understand that our skeletal muscles serve as the engine, chassis and shock absorbers of our bodies. Consequently, strength training is an effective means for increasing our physical capacity, improving our athletic performance, reducing our injury risk, enhancing our personal appearance and improving our self-confidence.

Used with permission from Wayne L. Westcott, Ph.D. the Fitness Research Director at the South Shore YMCA and author of 15 fitness books, including Strength Training Past 50 and Strength Training for Seniors.

Take a look at what some other people are saying about S.P.A.R.T.A. Training here. And sign up for a program today to get your FREE consultation!

1.What makes you different?
S.P.A.R.T.A. trainers follow the company’s philosophy when it comes to designing programs and they do it with the end goal in mind. We provide routines that are safe, effective, and efficient. We guarantee your results and best of all, you get the effectiveness of an hour long workout in half the time.

2.What is your philosophy on training?
S.P.A.R.T.A. Training™ is a philosophy of exercise built around the principles of intensity, recovery, and progression. While there are certainly more elements to fitness, these few principles provide a useful framework for achieving your fitness goals. It is adapted from earlier forms of High-Intensity Training (HIT), and is actually one of the safest and most respected methodologies used today. Founded in the 1970’s by Arthur Jones, it has endured the test of time and dozens of peer-reviewed scientific studies. Today it is used by many professional and NCAA athletic teams, and is even used in the treatment of diseases such as Osteoporosis and Diabetes. The S.P.A.R.T.A. Training™ philosophy has proven safe and effective in nearly every demographic, proving successful for Osteoporosis patients in their 80’s, professional athletes in every major sport, and every one else in between.

3.What are the benefits of your service?
There are 13 specific and measurable benefits. Read “Benefits of Strength Training” on our Methodology page.

4.Who uses your training style?
S.P.A.R.T.A. Training™, adapted from earlier forms of High-Intensity Training (HIT), is used by a number of universities, professional sports teams, and the US Military. See specific teams in our blog post: High-Intensity Training (HIT) Used by Sports Teams.

5.How quickly will I notice results?
Each person is different, but generally speaking, some results are immediate. You can lose a couple of pounds by the end of the week if you control your calories at the level we set for you. Adding lean tissue may take a little longer. It may take 6-8 weeks although we’ve seen some gifted people pack it on in just a couple of weeks. We’ve even had clients report that they felt leaner even after just one workout. The idea is to get a little better in some way each workout.

6.I am a woman. Will I get bulky muscles?
No, women don’t have the same hormonal ability to put on a large amount of muscle tissue. Although some increase in lean muscle tissue is critical to increasing metabolism, improving shape, and improving bone density – all important benefits of resistance exercise specifically for women. Women may actually stand to gain more from resistance training than men. On average, I’ve seen women put on 4-5 lbs of lean tissue which can translate into a nice change of feminine body shape and a significant uptick in daily metabolism.

7.I am a man. Will I get bigger muscles?
Yes, if that is one of your goals. We can customize your routine to specifically target the maximum amount of muscle gain or angle the effort toward other adaptations. The S.P.A.R.T.A. Training™ philosophy is derived from multiple sources, one of the major ones is Nautilus. In recent history Nautilus produced large increases in muscular size and strength on many men including body builders like Dorian Yates, pro athletes like Dick Butkus, and many other average men using this philosophy.

8.Where do you train?
We train our clients in their homes, offices, or any Fitness First location in the D.C. Metropolitan area. We also offer online training and phone consulting for clients outside of our normal service area.

9.How often will I train?
Our workouts are often performed 2-3 days per week with an appropriate amount of recovery days in between workout days. It is a myth that you need to spend hours 5-6 days per week in the gym. At S.P.A.R.T.A., you’re trainer will strike a balance between the right amount of work for your personal maximum physical gain.

10.What are your refund, cancellation, and liability policies?
We will happily refund you for any unused sessions if you are not happy with the service.

11.Do you offer Area/Sport Specific Training?
Absolutely. Smiliar training methods are used by the un-defeated 1972 Miami Dolphins, World Champion Body-Builders, US Olympic Athletes, dozens of NCAA athletic programs, and even the industry’s leading researcher, Wayne Westcott, Ph.D. (a member of S.P.A.R.T.A.’s medical advisory board) Nearly 40 years of peer-reviewed research and anecdotal evidence have proven the merit of this protocol for improving sports performance and conditioning. S.P.A.R.T.A. specializes in Ice Hockey and Mixed Martial Arts strength and conditioning programs. We work with high school and professional athletes participating in a variety of sports. More about area specific training offerings.

12.What special populations/areas do you work with?
Our trainers are experienced in the following areas:
•Osteoporosis
•Rheumatoid/Osteoarthritis
•Post-rehabilitation
•Orthopedic problems
•Paralysis
•Lower back pain
•Neck pain
•Hypertension
•Obesity
•Cardiovascular/heart disease
•COPD
•Parkinson’s
•Fibromyalgia
•Thyroid and other Metabolic conditions
•Pre/post natal women
•Seniors
•Military, law, fire, and EMS personnel
•Adolescents (6 years and older)
•Athletes of all ages
•Diabetes/Pre-diabetic
•Orthopedic problems

13.Do I also have to do separate cardiovascular conditioning?
No, not unless you want to. Because S.P.A.R.T.A. Training™ is a form of circuit weight training, your cardiovascular system and muscular systems are working simultaneously. This is the reason the workouts can be maximally effective, but performed in half the time. Your trainer will carefully prescribe your appropriate amount of exercise based on your initial consultation. Should you choose to do additional activity, you certainly can, and we will help you to incorporate it so as not to delve into overtraining.

14.Don’t I need to stretch to maintain or improve my flexibility?
Stretching is sometimes part of a client’s routine, but generally enhanced flexibility can be obtained through strength training alone. In fact, many women are hyper mobile in which case, more flexibility is not desirable. Building integrity around the joints should be of prime concern. Your trainer can perform 2 simple tests to determine if you are hyper mobile.

15.Is there a difference between exercise and other activities?
Yes, exercise is something that is planned and structured to obtain a desired adaptation or result. Activity is nothing more than movement. Some activity is exercise, some is not. Exercise should be helpful and productive, never harmful or counterproductive. One of the major reasons we perform exercise is so that you can continue to do, or go back to doing, the active things that you love. We don’t try to combine the two because an effort to do so will never reap the full benefits of either.

16.What do I need to bring to each training session?
Be sure to dress in a cool, comfortable fashion. Usually sneakers, shorts, and a t-shirt will do. We must be sure to mitigate heat production appropriately during exercise. Although some clients enjoy the feeling of working up a good sweat, it is not always desirable. Hot, humid, or rainy days may produce high heat production during exercise sometimes leading to light headedness or nausea. Be sure to dress cool!

17.What kind of equipment is used during a typical workout?
S.P.A.R.T.A. Training™ involves circuit training using all tools available. A routine may be predominantly machine based with other exercises being incorporated through other modes such as cables, barbells, dumbbells, body weight, and manual resistance. All modes have pros and cons and each has it’s place dependent upon what the client prefers, their proficiency, and availability.

18.What is a typical Personal Training session like?
See the Personal Training page for a description and short video.

19.What is a typical In Home Training session like?
See the In Home Training page for more information.

20.What is a typical Online Training session like?
See the Online Training page for a FREE tour.

21. What is a typical Boot Camp training session like?
See the Boot Camp page for more information.

22. Is there a nutritional component to your program?
Yes, you will get ongoing basic support from your trainer and we have registered dietician services available as well. Use our FREE calorie tracker for accurately tracking calorie consumption to stimulate fat loss.

23. What education, instruction, and experience do the trainers on staff have?
We have a Master Trainer and all staff trainers are Certified Personal Trainers (CPT) that have undergone advanced training beyond the normal certification with a Master Trainer.

24. Is this something the trainers like to do and are passionate about or is it just something they are doing in the meantime?
Our Master Trainer and founder, Chris Lutz is in his 11th year of professional instruction. He personally teaches the philosophy to all of the staff trainers. At S.P.A.R.T.A. we are looking for trainers that would like to make training a long term committment or career choice.

25. Are records kept of your progress and body measurements?
Yes, we keep accurate records of your daily progress and any other pertinent information. We will be able to look back and see where you have come from and we do regular assessments in the form of metabolism, body fat %, circumfrence measurements, and body weight.

26. Lastly, can they GUARANTEE YOUR RESULTS?
Yes, because our philosophy has stood the test of time, been through the rigors of the scientific process, and is currently used by many high level organizations world wide, we can happily say that if you follow our program, we can GUARANTEE your good results.

How can I get more information?
Ask us a question through the “Ask a Trainer” form or contact us though any traditional method or major social media outlet.

As a result of the environment, we’ve adapted. You can still get the same good advice, routines, and attention through a slightly different set up at a drastically reduced rate. Several cost effective options now exist in addition to our regular one on one training.

Boot camp

These sessions are fun, group settings, employing our brand of high intensity exercise to body weight and partner assisted exercise with a few fun tools thrown in the mix.

• Enhance Muscular Size, Strength, and Endurance
• Intense Body Weight and Partner Assisted Exercises
• Lose Fat
• Jump Start your Fitness
• For All Ages and Fitness Levels
• First Session Free!

Small group training

This is a great option for couples, or families, or friends. A small group of 2 participants is only $30/person. A group of 3 is down to $25/person. The only caveat here is that the participants have to come at the same time. There is some good research out there that shows those that use the buddy system tend to experience slightly better results as well as more consistency.

Online Training. Got a buck?

This is a great virtual option to get the same programs, routines, meal plans, and accountability. You’ll have a fitness calendar to schedule your workouts and keep you accountable. Access to the library of all routines with any equipment you can imagine as well as the food database and meal plan library. You can upload before and after photos, keep track of bodily measurements, and run reports on your progress. Each routine is coupled with complete exercise descriptions, pictures, and video demo. It’s having your own personal trainer virtually at a fraction of the cost. Take the tour. If you’ve got a buck, you can try it out for a month for just that much. Start with the FREE fitness assessment to get started.

Fitness Information Products

Check out several titles for both trainees and trainers. A very quick way to absorb some knowledge and put it immediately to work. We’ve weeded through all the garbage and supply you with only the most powerful techniques we know of and have tested. Among them are:

Maximum Fat Loss, Minimum Time: 4 Simple Steps to a Tight, Lean Body

S.P.A.R.T.A. Training Systems technical manual.

Any one of these options are great cost effective alternatives. I am especially glad to have our online training system. There is something for everyone here. If you know someone that would like to participate in one of these services, plese connect us with them through our tell a friend feature on this page.

Most trainers I don’t think even realize that our industry has a huge black eye from the perspective of the general public. They don’t know it because they are the ones not showing up for appointments, drinking coffee or eating during workouts, teating clients poorly, and generally being unprofessional. The above picture is probably not the best practice professionally. Not only is it not exercise, it is incredibly demeaning to the people who are paying us. I’m not a believer in regulation of hardly any industry at all so it is up to us, the professionals, to make some changes.

As a Master Trainer, I want to raise the standards in the industry. I’ve noticed some trends over the last 11 years or so. Trainers are notoriously bad business people. This isn’t necessarily bad, because they are really good technicians in a lot of cases. But, when you are an entrepreneur, you need to have other business skills most don’t have. Typically, they have to sell and resell packages of sessions and avoid marketing themselves like the plague. Most don’t have a business entity established and I’d be surprised if they were all paying taxes. I’ve had many new people sign up with me that have had terrible experiences with other trainers which makes me surprised that they had the guts to consult another one at all. I can’t imagine how many people we don’t see because they’ve been treated poorly before. This is all beside the fact that I don’t see any discernable direction or philosophy for what most trainers prescribe as exercise.

As part of my association programs, I’ve started a mentorship program to stop people from going down this path when they get into the industry. It’s also for any current trainers that would like to improve their business skills and develop a viable and successful business strategy for the long term. They don’t even have to live in the area as this program can be virtual. It’s fully supported with done for you systems that you can immediately put in place. Plus, there is the super secret ULTIMATE revenue generator specifically for trainers. It can improve your cash flow and double your income!

There’s also a Mastermind group which is only open to a select few. You must be invited to join after acceptance by the group. I’ve spent a lot of time and money on self improvement and coaching, myself. My old ice hockey coach used to say: “No matter how big and bad you think you are, there’s always somebody bigger and badder than you are out there.” Or somebody that has already been there and done that. And if they have, we should learn from them.

As my old boss, Gary Anger, used to say: “Let’s put the personal back in personal training.” These people are paying us a lot of money and we should treat them professionally at the least. A must read book for trainers is Raving Fans: A Revolutionary Approach To Customer Service by Ken Blanchard

You can’t afford not to read it. Be sure to under promise and overdeliver on your service. Currently, there is 60%+ of the population that is doing nothing in the way of exercise. Let’s not make it harder or less desirable for them to hire us. Let’s make a real effort to raise the standards in the industry together.

If you are interested in mentorship by a Master Trainer, go here.