Some fitness instructors’ only goal is to keep people busy for the duration of their workout. But is busy work helpful? I don’t think so.

Gary Vaynerchuk, owner of a successful family wine business, says, “Caring is the differentiator in business.”

I like that. He’s right.  I actually care about people’s fitness. I want to see them reach their goals. I’m not interested in just taking their money. There are plenty of gyms out there that can do that.

Our boot camp classes are challenging for most people. Granted, they are more demanding for some than others but the majority of the movements allow people to challenge themselves as much as they are willing. I doubt that many people are using them just to kill an hour.

Why are you working out? What are your goals? Are you improving?

Testing is an important part of our fitness boot camp program. The only way to know if you are progressing is to test and compare. How far? How long? How many? How heavy? Are you getting stronger or faster? Do you have more endurance? Are you losing body fat?

Most people would be surprised to know how much they could improve, if they really tried.

Measuring your performance increases is something that needs to happen regularly. Write down what your goals are. Keep track of your workouts and test results.  Be intentional. Don’t simply go through the motions. Strive to do better!

If you are willing to invest your time and money then you should expect results, from yourself and your trainer. Don’t settle for doing fitness busy work.

Josh leading a bootcamp workout.

I started doing FBD’s fitness boot camp in February of 2008.  I had just completed a valuable certification from Monkey Bar Gym in Madison, Wisconsin.  Going through that certification was a huge eye opener to my own personal fitness.

Although I had been weight training and doing “cardio” on a regular basis, I had never really used my body the way it was intended to be used. I was ready for a change and decided boot camp was the way to go.  I decided to make a commitment.

I started working with a group of other trainers. We would do the boot camp style workouts on Wednesdays.

WOW! Those first 3 months were grueling.  These were some of the hardest workouts I’ve been through, but they were also some of the most rewarding.

In doing boot camp consistently I’ve increased my function performance.  What’s functional performance?  The ability to jump, push, run, and pull my body through space and do it effectively.

I feel more confident in my summer activities like mountain biking, golfing, and hiking.  I feel like I can handle any activity thrown my way.  If your looking for a great experience that will keep you motivated, energized, and feeling great FBD’s fitness boot camp is here for you.

~ Josh

Personal Trainer - Josh Hower

Getting and staying in shape has everything to do with what goes on inside your head. There are many effective approaches to fitness, but none of them will work if you don’t have the right mind set. These 8 tips will lead you to fitness success.

Make fitness a priority

This is the first decision that must be made. Care enough for yourself and your loved ones to make your health and fitness a priority.

Set Goals

Take both a long range and short range view of diet and exercise. Focus on daily goals and take committed action. when obstacles come up, don’t let short term failure get you down – remember your long term objectives. Progress toward your goal is will keep you motivated.

Plan

Preparation is the key to your success. Getting fit is a process. It will not happen by accident. Determine when, where, and how you are going to do it.

Be disciplined

Act on your plan. Follow through on your commitments regardless of how you feel.

Get a support person

A personal trainer or workout buddy will be a huge help. Having a support person will provide accountability, motivation, and someone to share in your success.

Don’t compare yourself to others

Focus on self-improvement. Challenge yourself to set new personal bests.

Find your inspiration

Changing your diet and exercise behaviors are going to require continued strong emotional commitment. The more excited you are about your fitness goals the more possible they become. Believe in a bigger possibility for yourself.

Take action

Start today. There’s no reason to put it off. Do something good for yourself today to get healthy and strong. Build on that action and keep it up, one day at a time.

The fitness boot camp classes are fast paced.  I don’t get to spend a lot of time on instruction.  Thankfully, the Flip video camera gives me the ability to quickly and easily offer some extra teaching.

Doing a movement with correct form is critical to getting the maximum benefit.  As I’ve said before, I love the Power Wheel.  Here I give some guidelines for doing a Power Wheel Rollout.

Not a day goes by that I don’t encounter someone who says they want to lose weight. Whether it be a client at the gym, a personal friend or family member, or the person I overhear talking in the grocery checkout line. There is always someone out there who wants to “lose weight”. However, what they usually mean is “lose fat”.

There are two commonly used measurements to indicate how “fat” or “lean” a person is: body fat percentage and body mass index (BMI). Which one is more accurate? Which one should you believe? Let’s sort out the differences and see.

What is BMI?

Body Mass Index is a measurement which assigns a numerical rating to your health based upon your weight and height. BMI is a tool used by many researchers and physicians to estimate a healthy body weight for you based upon your height. It is also used as an indicator of your health status and increased risk for certain diseases, such as type 2 diabetes, heart disease, and some forms of cancer. As your BMI increases, your risk of disease is also believed to increase.

What is Body Fat Percentage?

Body fat percentage is simply the percentage of your body weight that is composed of fat. If you weigh 175 pounds, and you are measured at 25% body fat, 44 pounds of your overall weight is fat composition. Your remaining 131 pounds is composed of lean mass (bones, muscle, organ tissue, blood, etc.).

How does BMI compare with Body Fat Percentage?

BMI may be an indicator of the connection between your weight and disease risks. However, it does not distinguish fat from muscle. BMI may give a rough estimate of body fatness – but there are individuals (i.e. muscle dense athletes) who appear overweight by the BMI standards who are not over fat. For instance, consider Joe who is 5’11”, weighs 182 pounds, has rugged muscle definition, strength trains and performs cardiovascular exercise regularly and carries little to no visible fat around his chest and belly. By the BMI chart below, Joe is overweight and at higher risk for disease. Now, compare him with Charlie. He is also 5’11” and 182 pounds, yet his midsection is soft and jelly-like, and he neglects to take part in a regular exercise regimen. According to the BMI chart, Joe and Charlie share the same BMI of 25.5. Hence, they are both considered to be overweight and at heightened risk for disease. Logic indicates that this just doesn’t add up.

From: http://www.consumer.gov/weightloss/bmi.htm

A body fat analysis would give a much clearer picture of their body compositions by deciphering what percentage of Joe’s and Charlie’s bodies are fat and what percentage is lean mass.

Keep in mind, a certain amount of body fat is necessary for your body to function properly. It’s needed to control body temperature, insulate and protect your organs, as well as provide energy storage for your body when needed.

The table below explains what constitutes a “healthy” body fat percentage:

How is body fat percentage tested?

There are a myriad of techniques used to estimate body fat percentage: DXA-scan (x-ray technology), skin fold test, bio-electrical impedance analysis, BOD POD air displacement theory, hydrostatic water tank testing. Each test form works differently and may net a slightly different result. If you choose to track the progression of your body fat percentage, what remains most important is that you use results from the same testing technique each time, so you are comparing “apples to apples”.

What’s the Verdict?

I am not discounting BMI as a useful tool when determining the status of someone’s health. However, when determining if someone is a healthy weight, I recommend the body fat percentage method because it is more individualized. It truly considers the composition of an individual’s body, not just where he or she falls on a height-weight chart. Tracking your body fat percentage can also help you determine if your weight loss goals are realistic.  If you get your body fat percentage to a healthy level, you WILL be much healthier and reduce your likelihood of disease.

Other References: www.webmd.com/diet/features/body-fat-measurement