Tuesday, April 1, 2014

The Power of Teamwork

Let's face it - fitness and nutrition is F'n hard!

In terms of fitness....

Do you have the proper game plan that aligns with your goals? How many days or week are you planning on hitting the gym? What kind of training are you focusing on for that particular day? Max Effort? Rep Effort? Dynamic Effort? General Physical Prep (GPP)? Metabolic/cardio strength? HIIT? Supersets? Upper or lower body focus?

How about nutrition?

Are you eating 'clean food' or still stuck in a rut eating crap that comes in a bag or box? Do you know your macros? Taking any supplements? Are supplements really needed? Are you counting calories or better yet, counting 'points'? Are to tracking your food intake? Can't stop eating sugar?

Blah, blah, blah......

I know. I get it!

This stuff can be really confusing not to mention very frustrating!

Maybe you just don't know where or how to get started on your journey to better health & wellness!

Like I said above, fitness and nutrition is F'n hard!

It's even harder when you're doing it all by yourself!

As a strength, fitness and lifestyle coach, I've been very fortunate to have had some pretty intense, thought-provoking, life-changing conversations with folks who are seeking help in order to take control of their lives and start their personal journey in embracing the health & fitness lifestyle.

What really excites me are the opportunities that each of these individuals will have in finding themselves along the way! As I mentioned to them, this is THEIR journey which no one can take away from them.

However, a word of caution that I did mention - this so-called "journey" won't be easy! They shouldn't expect it to be easy. It won't always be sunshine, rainbows and unicorns!

Not even close!

Expect it to be just as life hands it to you and just the same way it hands it to everyone else who walks, lives & breathes on this earth - it's going to be a challenge! And things will get harder along the way.

The closer you get to your goals, the harder you're going to have to work to get there; the harder you're going to have to abstain from reverting back to old bad habits; the harder you're doing to have to work to maintain what you have; the harder you're going to have to focus to stay the course; the harder you're going to have to believe in yourself when you feel like quitting; the harder you're going to have to trust in yourself to make the right, appropriate decisions and choices that will improve your overall quality of life!

As I always say, it never gets easier......YOU JUST GET BETTER!

The concept of improving on a daily basis is what we're all striving for no matter the circumstances in our lives. Whether it's professional and/or personal growth, relationships, finances, nutrition, training, spiritual growth, we want to make all aspects better which in turn results in an outcome that makes us happy/happier.

The power of teamwork, working within a group of like-minded individuals can be influential in such matters. I say that because I've personally experienced what it's like to take things on by myself only to have stagnant results - no matter what part of my life I was aiming to improve.

Here's an example that maybe a few of you can relate to.

The last few weeks I've been getting individuals tell me their frustrations about how they're not getting rapid results from their training despite putting their time in - going to the gym 4-5 days per week while spending an average of 45-60 minutes per session.

In terms of nutrition, the common response I tend to get is that they eat "pretty good".  OK, so the deal here was that they we're training on their own, by themselves while making 'mediocre' food choices.

**Side note - when someone tells me that they eat "pretty good", it usually means they have shitty eating habits. I find that they struggle to eat better either because they don't know or never been taught the concepts of eating clean whole foods or they just don't care and they would rather eat what they want while rationalizing in their mind that "if I train hard enough, it will balance things out".

Reality check - no matter how hard, how often, or how long you train for, you will NEVER be able to out train a bad diet! Period!

In terms of training, most don't have a specific game plan. They wing their workouts according to how they feel that day! A few may follow that cookie cutter workout that they attained from the latest shoulder edition of their health & fitness magazine. What's also very ironic is when someone walks into a big box gym loaded with tons of cardio & strength training machines.....and they don't know where to start!

What fascinates me is the metamorphosis that someone goes though once the dynamics I mentioned above have changed in their favor and when they start working in a team environment.

What if you were coached on how to make better food choices that not only align with your goals but will make you look, feel and perform better and give you more energy?

What if you were coached in such a way where the guess work for your fitness training & programming was already done for you? No more "What am I going to do today?" sessions?

What if your training was prescribed through a progressive model approach that featured safe & effective programming that offers RAPID RESULTS when combined with a clean eating nutrition program?

What if you were coached in being challenged physically, mentally and emotionally with the end result being a more confident, positive-minded, goal setting individual?

What if you were to be surrounded by a group of coaches and members/clients who provide constant never ending support, inspiration, motivation, and care & love one another because they all believe that they can achieve GREATNESS by working collectively as a TEAM? This results in creating the FAMILY atmosphere.

Team Training - The Force is strong when you belong to a team!

What if you could come to a training facility as the person you already are and be appreciated for all the qualities that you currently possess without being judged, ridiculed, outcast and/or made fun of? And in the process, know that no matter where you are at this point in time that the goal would coincide in creating a better version of the person you are today?

My question for you is does the gym/fitness center that you currently belong to offer any of the services and experiences that I mentioned above? And if they don't, I'm intrigued why you'd continue to go there spending your $30/month or so to lease their fitness equipment while showing very little in terms of personal results for the time you're putting in and/or not be appreciated for being a valued member/client?

As my good friend and colleague, Rob King - owner of Heavyweights Training Center in Newfoundland, once said, "Are you shopping for price? Or are you shopping for RESULTS?"

The people who walk into our gym, Vigor Ground Fitness and Performance, are shocked somewhat when they learn about our training packages and the investment that's needed when it comes to RESULTS! And we're proud to offer such services at the investment price because we do GUARANTEE RESULTS! Any potential prospect must understand that when something of value is presented before them, it won't come easy and it more than likely won't come cheap!

Value is more expensive than price!

The reason why our clients see AMAZING RAPID RESULTS is because of the team & family atmosphere that we have created from the beginning. We find that when people belong to something bigger than themselves alone, the rate of SUCCESS shoots through the roof!

This team environment works simply because of the following:

Accountability - Knowing that others are counting on you is a valuable tool. Our members and clients have an extreme sense of knowing the value that they bring to the team that empowers others to bring their A game all day, everyday.

Support - Our motto is that we encourage everyone to do their personal best regardless of fitness level and/or physical ability. We believe that there's an athlete in everyone we meet and we aim to bring that athlete out simply because training as such is FUN! It gets people engaged and creates a sense of healthy competition within. In doing so, you can expect to never be left behind.

Motivation - If you've never trained with us a Vigor Ground, the amount of motivation we deliver is insurmountable. Being that we're a Training For Warriors Affiliate Site, motivation is an automatic aspect of the training paradigm that we present and offer. In other words, there's never a dull moment at our facility! And if there is, it's probably because we're closed and not running training sessions! 

Training For Warriors - #Familia

Inspiration - We believe that inspiration comes from the mind and ties in with the heart. It's when you connect those 18 inches (the distance between your mind and your heart) that you truly become capable of achieving your personal GREATNESS! However, this process all starts with the mental approach of wanting to create a change by changing the environment that aligns with your point B of your health & wellness journey. Once you've created the vision, the next step is to take massive ACTION and make it a reality!

Integrity - Doing what is right each every time....even when no one is looking! This is one of the core values that we always preach simply because it's the right thing to do. We let it serve as a daily reminder to not only care for those in the gym, but to those whom we connect with on a daily basis out in the real world!

Commitment - We never let our clients/members take the 'easy route' because easy is dangerous territory to be treading upon. It's what I consider the stagnant zone of progression! Once a commitment is set in stone and we know what they have to do to get to their goal(s), we'll remind them of it everyday to make sure that they're staying on the path - that they understand their obligation that restricts freedom of action that reverts back to old (bad) habits. 

Action - As I mentioned earlier, the journey to better health & wellness won't be easy. However, having the courage to move forward despite more than likely facing fear, adversity, challenges, roadblocks and obstacles along the way will always yield great rewards

Keeping Things Simple - Don't confuse 'simple' with 'easy'. Instead, think of it in terms of what is the most effective method & strategy that produces a greater & higher success rate of compliance. As I mentioned during the opening of this blog post, training & nutrition can be overwhelming and confusing. Rather than giving our members and clients a laundry list of things to start working on, we take the simple approach by introducing one (1) healthy habit at a time until it sticks. Once that succeeds, we move on to the next one on the list and repeat.

With training, we have use the following template in program design:
  • Push/Pull
  • Knee dominant
  • Hip dominant
  • Explosive
  • Core
  • Loaded carries 

Fun - Working in a team and/or group environment is always fun! It minimizes boredom, keeps morale high and encourages anyone to bring their personal best. There's something about working in such an environment that always pushes people to work harder!

If you find that you're stuck in rut, not seeing the results you're striving for, feeling a little discouraged, not too sure if you're on the right path with your training & nutrition program, all you have to do is take the time to seek the help of someone or a group of people who have strengths in whatever area in your life you're looking to improve. 

If it's nutrition, seek the help of a nutrition expert or sports nutritionist.

If it's training, seek out the best fitness coach and/or trainer in your area. 

If it's personal growth, seek out a mentor who is doing or is in a position of where you want to be.

If it's spiritual growth, find yourself a church home that offers the services and support that you seek.

The point is, you're never alone and shouldn't have to be. I know it may take some time, but seek out the desired help & assistance you need so that you too may be able to someday pay it forward to someone else who is seeking the same thing.


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