Message from the Founder:

The holiday season is upon us and do you know what happens after January 1st? Most gyms see a surplus of new, novice exercisers that have an abundance of well-intention and drive, but the short-lived motivation and lack of proper exercise instruction leads them to drop out by Valentine's Day. Honestly, I don't want to talk about the January rush, because chances are you're going to hear about it in hundreds of other newsletters and articles. Instead, I want to talk about what I am always approached about. The question I am most asked when I see new members joining my gym is "What can I do to get rid of this?", or "What exercise should I be doing to get bigger arms?", or "How much cardio should I be doing?"

My head spins as I forecast the likely inquires. I predict most will walk in with books or magazines (remember the "Body for Life" craze?). Some information will be helpful and some may be not suitable for their chosen gaols. Some will walk in with physical abnormalities or high expectations and others will walk in under the radar and try to accomplish their goals without proper guidance. This is the time of year many new gym members should hire a personal trainer. Yes...I said it. Trainers are usually hired for motivation at this time of the year and to help fulfill resolution promises. Trainers are usually busy at this time of the year because most are providing new members with equipment orientations and trial sessions. Wanna know a secret?...That's a big waste of their time. Show a trainer some money and he'd rather be training you. So before you actually break out your checkbook, do some research:

1.) Watch the trainer you potentially want to hire: How is he/she with clients in action?

2.) Does he/she make eye contact with the client?

3.) Does he/she instruct the client or just talk their ears off?

4.) Does the trainer conduct himself/herself in a professional manner? (aka. do you see a cell phone?)

5.) Do you see this trainer prescribing the same workouts for most of his/her clients?

Okay, so once you have narrowed down your search to the trainer of your choice. It's time to find out more about his character from others...non-chalantly of course.

1.) Seek out some staff bio's. Usually a gym or fitness center will have the trainer's info posted somewhere (certifications, education, experience, etc). I am skeptical of gyms that don't post their trainers' bios. It usually tells me the staff is inadequate or trainers are not that good to mention publicly. In either case, follow the rest of the steps with caution.

2.) Ask a desk person who they think seems to be the right trainer for you. Chances are they know something about the trainer that would OR wouldn't suit your needs.

3.) Talk to their client. If you happen to be in the situation with the trainer's client (maybe in passing by the treadmills, shake bar, or locker-room), make a comment about the workout. Get the client to open up and talk about heir experiences with this particular trainer.

Finally, you've made up your mind and are you are ready to approach the trainer to drop a few hundred dollars. Upon sitting down with your potential new-hire, ask the following questions:

1.) "What makes your exercise programming different from any other trainer? How will my exercise program differ from your other clients?" (COGNITIVE)

2.) "What is your mission statement?" (CHARACTER)

3.) "I have bad knee's. Should I be squatting?" (TECHNICAL)

 The Best Core Exercise?

From my days on the SportSpecific.com forum (R.I.P.), I was introduced to an exercise that blew me away and made me understand the "function" of the core. That exercise is called the Barbell Landmine. Many exercisers still rely on countless crunches to strengthen the core and firm the mid-section. The Landmine is unique in that it trains the core in a standing position, which allows the abs to work in a more functional position than lying on your back. Why? 2 Reasons: 1.) From a performance standpoint, the Landmine allows the core to operate as a anti-rotator mechanism. This action improves the function of the abdominals, TVA, and obliques during high velocity movements (i.e. running, cutting, soccer drills, juking, twisting) and; 2.) the eccentric (or negative/down) phase of the exercise has a great deceleration effect from the obliques and a stabilization component within the hip complex, thus creating a synergistic effect that helps protect the spine--thus helping those that suffer from low back pain. 

 Listen to my new Podcast featuring how to set-up and perform the Landmine exercise here! 

The Landmine exercise is one of many exercises featured in my new DVD, Moving More Muscles - Balancing Muscles with Push/Pull Combos. This DVD is comprised of a workshop whereas I explain the importance of designing exercise programs centered around proper ratios of pushing, pulling, and rotational movements to enhance muscle balance. Click here for a preview of the video.

For the Holiday season, Mahler has provided a wonderful "Motivator" to help us remember where are minds should be during the hustle and bustle of shopping and workouts,  with kindness and compassion for those less fortunate.

 "The Dickens You Say" (12/2007) 

 

There has been a lot of discussion in the news and on the forums about this particular and most amazing time of year called Christmas.  It is the subject of stories, reports, polls and protests. 

 

Each year at this time, I defer to one of my favorite authors and pull out a copy of Dickens’ “A Christmas Carol” and upon each reading I am surprised to find something new and different.  I have about 15 or more copies of the novelette in a variety of formats and select a different copy to enjoy annually.  Dickens himself was often a critic of organized religion and religious dogma, but he loved to celebrate Christmas and can, if fact, be cited for reviving many of the traditions that had fallen into decline. 

 

Regardless of the many readings, there are certain passages that, throughout the years, have lodged themselves firmly in my consciousness.  I am still slapped in the face each time I read the words of Ebeneezer Scrooge to his nephew, Fred:

 

 “What’s Christmastime to you but a time for paying bills without money? A time for finding yourself a year older and not an hour richer? If I could work my will, every idiot who goes about with “Merry Christmas” on his lips should be boiled in his own pudding and buried with a stake of holly through his heart.”

 

Fred’s reply, in its gentleness, stands out in sharp relief to the tirade of his unfeeling uncle:

“I have always thought of Christmas as a good time—a kind, forgiving, charitable, pleasant time. The only time I know when men and women seem to open their shut-up hearts freely. And therefore, Uncle, though it has never put a scrap of silver in my pocket, I believe that it has done me good and will do me good!  And I say, God bless it!”

 

These two extremes are laid out very early in the piece and become the yin and yang that is the crux of the story. 

 

The words of the ghost of Jacob Marley are another eye opener:

“In his lifetime, it is required of every mortal that he walk abroad and help his fellowman. And if he goes not forth in life, his spirit is condemned to do so after death. It is doomed to wander through this world—oh woe is me! And witness what it might have shared on earth and turned to happiness. I wear the chain I forged in life. I made it link by link and yard by yard, and of my own free will I wore it.” 

 

If, like Marley, our deeds, our actions could be shown in a visible way, as his chain is, what would they look like? 

 

A minor character utters a phrase that has stuck with me these many years as well.  One of two gentlemen who come to Scrooge’s place of business to collect for the poor tells him:

“Christmas is a time when want is keenly felt and abundance rejoices.”

 

I am reminded by this, each year, to keep in mind, those less fortunate.

 

One of the most telling moments in the story is when the ghost of Christmas present reveals two children hiding beneath his cloak.  This is so disturbing, that it is often left out of film versions of the story.  When asked who the children are, the ghost replies:

 

“They are man’s, but they cling to me because you reject them. This boy is Ignorance. This girl is Want. Beware them both and all of their degree, but most of all beware

this boy who is Ignorance, for on his brow I see that which is written doom unless the writing be erased.” 

 

This rings so true with me as I have always felt that the road out of poverty is education and that feeding the body must be coupled with developing the mind.

 

There are so many, but a final quote that I love to read is this:

 

“For it is good to be like children, and never better than at Christmas.”

 

Look through the eyes of a child, if you want to enjoy the season.

 

I wrote this in response to a thread about Christmas, and it summarizes my own thoughts and expectations for this season.

 

Christmas is a miraculous meld of faith and fantasy; of the sacred and the profane.

Each heart puts into it what it desires and takes from it what it needs.

It can be a time of wonder and awe or of cynicism and loneliness.

It can manifest itself in warmth and giving and sharing with friends and family or with a coldness that rivals the season in which it finds itself.

Believe in Him or not, those who heralded its founder wished for all, peace on earth, good will toward men.

Can I wish for less?

Merry Christmas

= = = = = = = = = =

 

In Fitness & Friendship,

Mahler