Special guest blog post by Lisa Hudson.

Let’s face it. Workouts are not always inspiring. Sometimes you just have to gut it out. However, Tuesday’s boot camp class was great and I wanted to share my experience.

Rob got the routine, a partner workout, from the Gym Jones web-site.  After warming up (which can be a work out in itself) we got started. The workout consisted of 4 exercises in 2 blocks performed 2 times.

First exercise was a box step-up performed with kettle bells.  I would step up one time on each leg then my partner would go, then I would go 2 times each leg, then my partner would go and so on until 5 reps each leg were completed.  While waiting for my partner to finish, I had to hold the kettle bells in a racked position…I could not set them down, there was no real rest period. We really pushed and motivated each other to get our reps done.

The second exercise was a chin-up or body row using the same rep ladder and protocol: I go, my partner goes.

The second block was the same protocol with body weight squats 1 – 10 and during my partner’s turn I had to hold the squat in a static bottom position (90 degree).  The second exercise in the second block was a push-up, “resting” in the plank position.

During the squats it got tough. Everyone wanted to quit..it was just so uncomfortable.  But we didn’t…why?  It was the partner dynamic and the class dynamic combined.  Not only did we encourage our partner, but we were encouraged by all of the other class-mates gutting it out also…misery loves company I guess.

Here is something about the class dynamic that Rob pulled from Monkey Bar Gym:

Just as muscles work together, human beings – as social animals – are meant to cooperate.  In class, you work out with every other participant.  And in many instances, you will be paired with another, often one with a different level of fitness than yours.  Regardless, she or he will support, encourage and push you beyond the words, ” I can’t.”  You become a workout partner in turn, helping your classmates achieve their goals.

Watching your partner push through their perceived barriers is one of the most inspiring aspects of this training.  Using this positive peer pressure your strength and fitness can improve (by 30%) compared to the results you would have achieved if you had worked out alone.

I was really inspired by my classmates yesterday, by their encouragement, and their hard work.  If you weren’t there, you missed a good one. It was a great experience!

Lisa

I’ve been talking a lot about our youth fitness program (a.k.a. boot camp) lately. It’s been a lot of fun and I’m excited about continuing the program.

While this program was aimed at those involved in competitive sports, and helping them condition during the “off-season”, it’s easy to see the benefit for any kid.

Childhood obesity, though not a new issue, is clearly becoming a priority issue for our nation. You’ve probably seen the recent advertisements that featured First Lady Michelle Obama talking about the problem. She’s made it her top mission.

Here’s some scary information from the CDC:

“Childhood obesity has more than tripled in the past 30 years. The prevalence of obesity among children aged 6 to 11 years increased from 6.5% in 1980 to 19.6% in 2008. The prevalence of obesity among adolescents aged 12 to 19 years increased from 5.0% to 18.1%.” (original source)

While I don’t have specific stats about Indiana children, it’s likely that we’re worse than most given that our stats related to adult obesity are so negative. Childhood obesity has immediate consequences but it is the long term consequences that are the most serious. Simply put, most obese kids stay that way thru adulthood. At the very least it makes healthcare more expensive, at worst it’s a fatal problem.

There are genetic and physiological factors that influence childhood obesity but most kids are fat simply because they consume more calories than they use. (no different than adults)

Kids need education about exercise and nutrition, and they need to do it. Schools haven’t been much help with this and that’s not going to get any better, especially with so many budgets getting cut. Fitness isn’t complicated but kids have to be coached.

This isn’t just about how they look, though that can have a major psychological impact on a child. Exercise also improves cardio and brain health by improving blood flow and getting more oxygen to the brain. It also improves joint and bone health.

The benefits are obvious. The responsibility of parents to care for their kids’ fitness should also be obvious. What are you doing about it?

Our youth fitness program is going really well. First class is full but we’re starting others. Great way to help your kids improve their fitness. Especially helpful for those involved in club sports like soccer and basketball.

As I said in a previous post, there is no secret to getting fit. It ain’t easy, but it is simple. So what are people going to be interested in during the coming year?

According to this article from the  American Council on Exercise, here are the big fitness trends for the coming year:

* Cost-Conscious Workouts at Fitness Clubs and at Home
* Group Training
* Time-Efficient Workouts
* Exergaming
* Boomer-Specific Programs
* Functional Training Workouts
* Health and Fitness Awareness
* Importance of Proper Professional Credentials
* Specialty Exercise Classes
* Fitness Training Tools (Hi tech)

There’s a lot about this list I like. We do think small group personal training is going to become more popular. It is a cost effective way to get high quality training. Functional training has been an emphasis in our boot camp classes for the past year. As people in my generation age they are becoming more concerned about functional fitness.

Exergaming makes me laugh. I’m all for people being more active but no one should be thinking of this as real exercise. Too many people are going to spend 20 minutes on the Nintendo Wii and think they’ve done all they need to do for the day.

The American College of Sports Medicine gave their predictions for the fitness industry for 2010. They identified the top one as “the elevated importance of experienced and educated fitness professionals.”

Experienced and educated fitness professionals is who we are. While new toys and gadgets always come out each year, and I’ve seen them come and go, a good personal trainer makes all the difference.

Second on the list from ACSM was the rising interest in strength training. Used to be that only bodybuilders and athletes were interested in building muscle. Now people are beginning to understand that more muscle means more than big biceps. Increasing lean muscle is the best way to lose fat. My buddy David Davis who does personal training in Carmel lists some of the benefits of strength training.

The one trend I hope to see is more people getting interested in their children’s fitness. If we really want to see a healthier future, we’ve got to get our kids exercising and eating right. With school budgets continuing to get cut parents are going to have to take it upon themselves to make sure this is happening.

Teach your kids about nutrition (here’s one resource) and get them in a fitness class of some kind. Who knows? Maybe it will help you as well.

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Like many of you, I take time at the beginning of the new year to plan and set goals for the coming year. As I do that I also reflect on the past, not just the previous 12 months but the many other years that have gone by as well. At my age, you realize 20 years goes by pretty fast.

In this photo, taken in 1993, we’re actually in what I like to call our “first expansion space”. We had grown from 900 sq.ft. to 2000 sq.ft. in 1991. We were located just a few blocks from here on North Meridian Street at that time. Look closely, you’ll see David Davis, who now owns and operates his own Carmel personal training studio on Rangeline Rd. I was holding the camera, Steve Smith was just out of shot, and Lisa was probably cleaning the locker room. Chad Distler was in the midst of his football career at ISU throwing touchdown passes, and would join us after graduation in ‘ 96.

I look at that picture with gratitude and amazement, thankful for the good times and good people who’ve come through our doors. Whether you started at FBD in 1991 or 2009, thank you for coming back again and again. And thanks for the memories.

Regardless of the things that change over the years we remain committed to providing our clients with great service, great energy, and great results. Our passion about helping people reach their fitness goals and change their lives is stronger than ever. I’m looking forward to looking backward this time next year.

(Lisa wanted me to add this photo. No wonder she couldn’t resist.)

Rob Hudson...back in the day.