The Skyndex is probably the best body fat caliper on the market. This is the one with 2 formulas programmed into it. It has the Jackson-Pollock formula which is good and reasonably accurate for everyday use and the Durnin formula if you ever plan to need it for research or a clinical setting. Or if you just want to be a little more accurate. It’s easy to use. You set the dial to a number that corresponds to a range of the subject’s age. Then take 3 or 4 sites to measure, entering each one as you go by pressing the thumb button. When you are done, it automatically goes through the formula for you and give you the body fat percentage on the digital display. It’s the best one I’ve used to date. Everybody claims hydrostatic weighing is the gold standard, but you have to measure tidal volume. If you don’t, it’s not any more accurate than calipers. Plus, hydrostatic weighing requires extra time, a wet area, etc. It’s a hassle. Why not just get reasonably close to the same results in a much more practical product? Comes with its’ own case and power supply.

This is the Lange skinfold caliper. It’s a little more cost effective option, but is not digital. It is very compact and comes in a small case that you could easily store in your gym bag or something. This is the second best body fat caliper I have ever used. It takes a little more time because it isn’t digital, but it is VERY well constructed and will last you a long time. It comes with a calibration block to ensure accuracy. It’s accurate down to within 1 millimeter.

Garmin make some awesome stuff. This is the Forerunner. It’s a GPS with a heart rate monitor and stop watch mounted on the wrist. It’s pretty cool and you can use it to compete with previous workouts for yourself or use it in the gym to time client’s sets and/or workouts.

The PT/Pro Bench is great. For you in home trainers, it’s an excellent portable option for a professional adjustable bench. It’s got a carrying handle and strap for you to easily maneuver from location to location. It’s pretty versatile for just about any type of training you want to do. At 23 pounds, it’s heavy duty too so you don’t have to worry about it falling apart on you.

The Bowflex SelecTech Dumbbells. These could also be portable if you want to lug them around. It’ll replace a whole rack of them. Between the PT/Pro Bench and these, you could really put together a good program for someone. They are fully adjustable and should satisfy the needs of most clients going from 5-52.5 lbs. each. This link even has many of the routines and exercises you can do listed right out for you.

Bodylastics are a great complement to the bench and the SelecTech dumbbells. Very lightweight and versatile with door anchor and ankle straps. You can load up multiple bands at a time with the carabiner clip totalling 127 pounds per side.

The TRX is hot right now and it was specifically invented to use where equipment is lacking. That’s one of the hardest things to address is pulling exercises for the upper back (latissimus) when there is little equipment around. Not everyone can do a pull up. That’s one of the benefits of the TRX is that you can use your body weight (or only a fraction of it) in a way that will allow you to address those previously neglected areas. This one is a cool military green color. It’s VERY well made and should last you a very long time.

This is the online training system that we use. It can allow you to get at previously unreachable markets and disperse your fitness knowledge to people over distance. We private label our site through their enterprise account and our own domain name so it looks like the clients are signing up right through us. All you need is a paypal account. Like I said, this is good for people at distance or a good downsell to someone that cannot afford your services one on one. It has a library of fitness routines, a workout wizard, and nutrition tracking. You can set your own pricing and customize the users experience as much as you want.

If you have your own location, a good scale is a must. A physician’s balance beam model is the way to go as you can calibrate it easier and they are more reliable. You can also measure height with this model.

Myotape is a great tool to use in place of a regular measuring tape. You can measure up to sixty inches and the push button tape retraction makes it a little easier than fumbling with a cumbersome normal tape measure.

Robic is one of the best companies out there for timers. Here they have a clipboard with a ruler/straight edge down the side as well as a stopwatch/calculator combo. You’re covering all of your bases with this one as you can time client activities and calculate anthropometric measurements as clients come in during the day.

This is Sportline’s digital tally counter. I don’t know about you, but the traditional way of counting reps gets in the way of instructing the client mid set. With this tool, you can click off the reps as the client completes them while you continuously instruct them. Then you can look at the total countable reps you clicked off to record after the set is complete. It frees your mind to focus more on what you should be…instructing the client, not counting to 10. You can obtain a lot of data while fully instructing a client. You can time the whole workout, time each set with the clipboard, and track whole reps with the tally counter. All of those numbers should give you a really good idea of what kind of progress your clients are making.

Another testing device is the flex tester sit and reach. Probably the most used test to determine flexibility improvements. Obtain readings in metric or standard. It is well made and accurate with the height of the box at the subject’s hands.

Here is another portable option if you’d like to have clients do a chin up or pull up. This bar has multiple different hand grips and won’t cause damage to the door frame. It can also be used as an anchor point for a band or other suspension device like the TRX.

So there you have it. 14 awesome tools you can implement in your personal training business if you don’t already have them.

Be sure to check back or subscribe to S.P.A.R.T.A.’s business of personal training blog for more updates and personal trainer business tools and services.

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.

And…

Ever heard the phrase “it’s funny because it’s true?” It is, but don’t let it be true for you! Hope you enjoyed those. I’ll talk to you soon.

Many of you have probably heard me mention the word metabolism and have asked room fulls of you before if you know what your’s is. I’ve asked a room full of 40 people before if anyone in the room knows what their metabolism is and only 1 or 2 hands go up. However, almost 100% of the people in that room would like to lose more than a few pounds of body fat. How could these people ever hope to control their weight, let alone lose a significant amount, unless they know this number? The answer is that they can’t.

It pains me to see people put all of their efforts and try really hard at things that have little to no effect on fat loss. Or worse, they try to avoid what they think are fattening foods (also happens to be the ones they like), but still consume too many calories and nothing happens or they get fatter. That’s because the type of food has literally nothing to do with short term fat loss. The truth is that you MUST know your metabolism if you want to have any hope of ever controlling your weight and looking good.

What if I told you that you could take a 10 min. test and have a 10 min. conversation and you would know just about everything you need to know to control your weight and body fat level for the rest of your life? Even without exercise! When will you hear a personal trainer say that? It’s not the best and your body will deteriorate and not function at some point, but it is possible.

I’ll teach you the single most powerful and important number and technique for you to lose as much fat as you want or maintain once you are there. I am one of a few professionals who can accurately test your metabolism and tell you this information. Again, unless you know what this single number is, everything is a round about effort or a guess at best. Once you know this number, it will last a lifetime. Your metabolism won’t change significantly for at least a decade. It could, however, change positively in a matter of a few workouts if you decided to add proper exercise to this plan. Sure you could figure this out with a formula, but why haven’t you done that already? And if you have any doubts about the accuracy or your specific metabolism, this test will tell us for sure. It’s no mystery, let’s figure out that number once and for all.

To prove this is not junk and is accurate and reliable information (I wouldn’t sell you something that wasn’t), here is the link to the validation studies.

The test is $49 and once you have the number, you are off and running (so to speak). What’s it going to be? No other piece of information could have such power over your own general well being and looks.

However, each test requires a single personal disposable mouthpiece and I only have 12 of them left. I don’t know if I’ll continue this service once they are gone because we have a registered dietician on staff. You can sign up NOW for a metabolic test.

After you’ve done that make sure you engage in regular high intensity circuit resistance training to BOOST your resting metabolism. Make no mistake about it, building lean tissue is the ONLY way to raise your resting metabolism (your biggest calorie burner).

I’ll be following this up with a video soon and a more descriptive book with one of my favorite routines in it. Stay tuned!

2. Record and review – If you don’t keep track of your workouts and improvements, how will you know if you’re making progress? 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 online fitness and nutrition tracking system is easy to use and will help you reach your fitness goals!

3. Use a smaller plate – Most houses have a collection of more than one set of dishes and usually they all vary in size. So, when you have a family dinner and the table doesn’t have to look perfect, set the table giving yourself the smallest plate you own. It holds a lot less food, but gives the appearance of normal servings.

4. Perform your workouts in a circuit – Some recent studies are showing that circuit workouts can burn more calories than one single set or multiple standard set workout. So if time’s an issue (gee, there’s a thought) try incorporating a circuit training system where you do multiple exercises in succession so that you can accomplish more results in less time.

5. Use a daily training planner – You have important commitments scheduled into your planner, right? Volunteer work, doctor appointments, children’s activities, etc. Where’s EXERCISE??? It’s as important a commitment (if not more) than your other activities. Quick tip: mark “EXERCISE” in your planner with a bright colored marker, so it stands out as a reminder to get your butt in gear.

6. Train your Mind – Listen to audio books while you exercise – Self-improvement and motivation books are GREAT here. You’ll feel twice as productive, and highly energized, and the time will fly. As you are working out you are not only focused on feeding your body, but your mind. What a great combination to live by.

7. Want to keep fitting into your favorite jeans? – You know the ones that fit you nicely several years ago? Keep them. Keep trying them on to keep yourself in check to keep eating right and exercising.

8. Keep a journal of how you feel after exercise. – Especially the great workouts. On the days you just don’t feel like exercising, look back on the good workout days for some inspiration.

9. See exercise as a stress-releaser – A simple shift in attitude can do wonders for your stress levels. If you’ve had a long, hard day at work, exercise is something to LOOK FORWARD TO relieve your stress and revive yourself.

10. Get connected – Check out the e-mail, chat, or discussion groups on the Internet that deal with fitness, weight loss, diet, exercise, etc.

11. Look in the mirror – sometimes that is all you need to trigger you into the lean, fit, and energized mode.

12. Persistence! – Violate this step and you’ll never achieve permanent results. A recently conducted 10 year study which proves that persistence is the single most important aspect of any diet or exercise program. The study followed a group of people (group #1) who exercised and dieted very strictly, but sporadically and compared those results to a group of people (group #2) who exercised mildly and followed a very basic diet, but this group never varied from their routine. Even though group #2 exercised and dieted far less (but did so persistently) they got 68% better results than those who exercised and dieted VERY STRICTLY but only occasionally.

13. Workout around other people – Working out with others will get you about 43% faster results!!!

14. Don’t take bad advice – Take ONLY the advice of those people who look strong & healthy themselves, and, whom you know to be knowledgeable about health & fitness!

15. Surround yourself with winners. – One of the key qualities of all successful people is that they avoid negative people and they spend the majority of their time surrounded by those who have already achieved what they themselves seek to achieve. So if your goal is to weigh 135 pounds by eating healthy and living an energy full life – then seek out others who already live a healthy lifestyle and weigh 135 pounds. Hanging out with people who just talk about getting in shape but never take persistent action will ensure that you never reach your goal.

16. Know your outcome – Have specific goals. Get a photo (or several) of what you WILL look like when you reach your goal, and then focus only on that image. Quickly erase any negative beliefs or images that may enter into your mind during your day.

17. Increase the number of meals consumed per day – On average, you should be eating some form of protein, carbohydrate, and healthful fat combination that’s high in fiber every 2 -3 hours of the day. Doing so will give you an almost unfair advantage over those who only eat the normal 3 meals (or less) each day.

18. Visualize clearly and often – Design your new body in your mind first. You cannot achieve your idea of the perfect body if you don’t have an idea of what the perfect body means to you. Take 10 minutes when you are sure not to be disturbed by people or phone calls, get comfortable, fully relax, and then begin to dream about what you will look like when you have achieved your goal. Be specific, what will your calves look like, your legs, your butt, your lower back, your stomach, your chest, your upper back, your shoulders, your neck and your face. Then review this image as often throughout each day as possible (never less than 3x/day).

19. Hire a personal trainer or fitness coach – It is proven that having a motivating and positive support system will help you stay with your goals long term. How many times have you started an exercise program and stopped? Remember those New Year’s Resolutions? How many have you kept? Was losing weight or eating healthier part of those resolutions that are now on a shelf collecting dust? Do you have multiple pieces of exercise equipment that you bought on an infomercial late at night that you now hang your clothes on collecting dust? Get motivated and use a Fitness Coach or Personal Trainer to help support you in your life long mission to permanent weight loss and better overall body fitness and health.

P.S. Here is the link to our online training system www.spartafitnesstraining.com . Take the FREE Fitness Analysis, establish a baseline, and get started working on a better you NOW for 1 month for only $1.

First and foremost, fat loss requires a calorie deficit. What does this mean? It means that we have to figure out how many calories your body needs to maintain your weight. You can use a formula based on your height, weight, age, and sex to determine this number, but a better way is to perform an accurate metabolic test using the Body Gem. Ask a S.P.A.R.T.A. trainer about how to set one up. From that number, we can determine exactly how many calories you need to LOSE fat. In the short run, this is the one and only thing that matters in terms of fat loss. These calories can come from anywhere as long as they are within your limit. It could be pure chocolate, but if an average size woman ate about 1400 calories of it, she would most definitely lose fat. Obviously, not the best nutritional thing to do, but calories are how your metabolism is measured and it doesn’t matter where they come from. If you put your body in a deficit, your body has to use its stores (fat) to make up the difference and keep you alive assuming you are not too low and in shut down mode.

Step 2.

Get some of each of the food stuffs at each meal and snack. Now we get into a little more detail and a little more long term effects. There is a lot of talk lately about Carbs causing an insulin spike and triggering fat storage, etc. That’s all true, but it’s a half truth. As long as there are not too many calories and you have a nice mix of some good carbohydrates like whole grains (containing fiber too), some lean proteins, and some good fats, you will slow digestion and hold off an insulin surge. You will also feel more full for a longer time. A mix of anywhere from 40-30-30 to 60-20-20 is acceptable. But, don’t get hung up on percentages. The simpler, the better. If you are going to track anything closely, make it where it will count most, the calories. The good carbohydrates should be the slight majority and about equal amounts of protein and fat. Not equal in volume, but calories. Fat has more than twice as many calories per gram than protein or carbohydrate. Just a dash of an oil can be equal to a few ounces of lean meat. Or if you have an oily fish like Salmon, you may kill two birds with one stone and get your protein and good fats in one shot. Couple that with some good carbohydrate and/or some veggie, and you have a meal. It’s the same thing with snacks, a small handful of something like peanuts has good vegetable protein, nut oils, carbohydrates, and fiber to boot. It’s a perfect snack in its own package.

Step 3.

Lastly, eat a variety. You don’t want to eat exactly the same thing every day. You will have your preferences that you like, but you should not consume the same regimented meals every single day. If you do that, you leave yourself open for nutritional deficiencies. If you follow my 3 steps here, you should be reasonably nutritionally sound and supplementation really isn’t much of an issue. I might suggest a multi-vitamin for insurance purposes to fill any gaps, but that’s about it besides taking fish oil for its numerous benefits on every cell in the body.

I’ve had my most success with this simple 3 step approach with many of my one on one clients. Some have lost 60-70lbs using this simple strategy. Once you know these principles, you should feel empowered that you now have the knowledge to control your body weight throughout your life. In the long term, we might need to go into a little more detail about metabolism if you lose a significant amount of fat like that. That is something any S.P.A.R.T.A. trainer would be happy to discuss with you. Feel free to use the “ask a trainer” feature on our website. Of course, in addition, it is absolutely critical that you do some proper resistance training to at least maintain your lean body tissues to preserve your metabolism. If you lose those, your metabolism will be lower than if you had done nothing at all. More information about nutrition and testing your metabolism.