I sort of pride myself in this. I never want to be thought of as mean. But I would rather be thought of as 'mean' then 'too easy' any day of the week. I never want anyone to get hurt (and thankfully nobody ever does). I don't want working out to be painful but I definitely want you to feel it! I hope my hardcore attitude translates properly: I want you to get the best possible workout when you are with me no matter what. I want you to W-O-R-K. I want you to maximize your time in that gym or classroom so that you can get the results you deserve.
I don't care if you find the temperature of the room unfavorable.
Take a layer off. Remember how cool the room was when we started? See how steamy it is now? You're hard work DID that! Enjoy it!
I don't care if there are not enough mats. Turn them sideways and share. This isn't the Ritz Carlton, this is a gym... and besides like it or not you already have Cheryl's sweat all over you.
I don't care if the music is too low for your tastes because the person right next to you thinks it's too loud and you need to hear my instructions...
What I do care about is the fact that you are trusting me, for that one hour, to give you the best, most kick-a$$, wouldn't/couldn't do it on my own, WORKOUT possible!
I 'educate' a lot. Almost too much sometimes. I find myself repeating myself over and over again, but if the proper form of one exercise or 'how to breath' sinks into one athletes brain the 47th time they hear me say it, it's worth it! I have beautiful, grown women and men in my classes who are in great shape but maybe not exactly where they want to be and they do not digest my notes, therein making the same mistakes over and over again... never pushing past that plateau.
The body will plateau and/or adapt if you do the same thing over and over again. You may have sweated your tush off but you won't see those changes in the body unless you challenge yourself! Here are my top 3 "tips" to improve any workout and the things I find myself saying (and errr shouting) the most.
1. Come prepared: bring water, a towel, and a hair tie. At my private training gym I provide most of these things for my clients but some days we get slammed and run out of towels (a.k.a yesterday) so always have a little bag of tricks in your car ready to go! Heck, bring an extra shirt and a recovery snack for after your sweat sesh. The point is you must set yourself up to succeed for that hour. Don't tell yourself: "At least I'm here." No! Tell yourself: "I'm kicking some a$$ today." or One of my favorites: "Thighs. You're goin' down!"
Coming prepared is not just about your clothes or gym accessorizes, its also about cultivating a frame of mind in which your workout (and the intensity of that workout) is the most important thing for that 30 minutes or 1 hour you are in the gym. In the theater we had an expression: "Leave it at the door." While we were in that theater we had no problems, no bills to pay, no work left undone outside those doors. We we were in that theater with one intention. Yes, we we working hard but it also became a refuge for most of us. For one hour, let the gym be your escape and make everything happening inside that hour be about your body, getting the results you want, and getting that stress OUT!
2. Challenge yourself thru improving form: Um duh Tristan... but how? Glad you asked! It's not necessary to switch your weight up any more then every 6 weeks (longer in group training because the rep range is so high) so within that period, while your body is working with that weight, WORK ON FORM! In L.A. rarely did a group trainer or bootcamp instructor perform along with the class for more then one exercise. This doesn't work for me or my teaching strategy. I perform almost everything with the class after I've given a basic instruction. I teach people to mime me and copy my rhythms instead of being left up to their own devices. Follow the teacher and if their not doing it then find that person in class who has it and mirror them! Break down your body vs. their body in the mirror. What are they doing that you are not and vice-versa? Working-out and creating good habits with your body is quite an analytical task. Use that brain of yours! Don't check out! It is better to be slightly behind the instructor (or way behind the music) and be executing proper form, then it is to keep pace. What? huh? I'll say it again: It is better to be slightly behind the instructor (or way behind the music) and be executing proper form, then it is to keep pace. Once you get form down, the rest will come. I don't have to worry about this so much with my private clients but you better believe I have people in my classes repeat the same mistakes over and over again even though I correct them, simply because they prefer to 'keep with the beat'.
3. Breath: Every time you punch that bag: Exhale. Every time you push, pull, or press that weight: Exhale. Even if you don't feel like you need to, do it. Exhale on the 'hardest' part of that movement. The muscles need to be oxygenated. The body needs to be reminded that it is working right now. Sometimes you have to get that breath flowing to 'jump start' that body. Every heard of 'Yogi Breath'? I use it every day. Don't chew gum simply because it will effect your breath and your breathing is just as important as punching the bag and lifting that weight.
This is probably the most underused and underrated pieces of advice I tout but you bet your bippie I find it to be one of the most important. Think about it like this: You put a pot of water on the stove to boil. Do you turn the heat up the first setting, wait a few minutes and turn the flame higher, wait a few minutes and turn the flame higher, and so on? NO! You turn the heat up all the way RIGHT AWAY! Why? Because you want that water to start boiling as soon as possible! This is how you need to view your body... start that breath moving right away! Send your body and your entire cardiovascular system a message: You are working NOW! Body: You are building muscle, strength and endurance for me NOW!
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