As we wrap up 2017 the journey begins for some of you to finally find a gym that you stick with.
After years of surveying our clients, following the ones that stick to it for years on end, and our philosophy of training, here are three quick tips.
1. Don't Be Tied To A Single Methodology
A lot of people walk into our gym and they see the dumbbells, kettlebells, and turf and the first thought that goes into their head is...
"Wow, this is scary, I don't know how to use any of this stuff."
And our line is...
"Great! No one does. We're all just making this up as we go."
Kidding!
"The equipment is just the coaches tools."
It's like going to a mechanic.
You just want your car fixed, you don't care what tool they use.
The equipment we have are just the tools we have on our tool belt to give you the results you want.
For some, that means we use dumbbells one day.
For others, it means they're hitting the rower or the bike today.
And for others, they're on a mat doing some mobility and rehab drills.
So what's our methodology?
Results!
Ideally, that's what you find.
Don't get caught up in a single methodology.
Example of single methodology includes things like kettlebell training, Spinning, Yoga, Zumba, CrossFit, Orange Theory, etc.
Now, none of those are bad, but doing the same thing over and over again will get boring, and probably cause some overuse injuries, so don't rely on one thing exclusively.
They're great to mix in here and there, but doing the same methodology over and over loses it's luster eventually.
2. Hire Experts
This field, like others, is an interesting one.
You can have "trainers" that are weekend certified be lumped in as the same as those who graduated with a Masters Degree in Exercise Science.
Now, education isn't everything, but if your trainer can't even name the muscles of the rotator cuff (hint, there's four of them) I wouldn't want to trust them with my health.
I always have to chuckle inside when people will hire an accountant to do their taxes, a mechanic to fix their car, or a carpenter to remodel their house, but when it comes time to "fixing" their body, the most complex machine on earth, they decide to just wing it on their own!
Once you find an expert or a team of experts, trust the process.
Ask questions, be curious, but if you find the right ones they genuinely want to help you so have some faith in what they want you to do, you know, like they know what they're talking about :)
3. Join A Community
I mean, all three of these are important, but I have to say, this one might be the most important.
If I look at clients who have the best success, sure they are consistent with their fitness and nutrition, but more than that, they are a part of a community.
As human beings, we crave community.
We want to be a part of something bigger than ourselves.
It's human psychology, don't fight it.
Don't join a gym where you walk in, scan a piece of plastic, rent their equipment, and try to do this stuff by yourself.
You've tried that before, it doesn't work!
Join a community.
A place where you not only have experts to show you how to do things, but a group of like-minded people who you can connect with, learn from, and be inspired by.
Fitness needs to be fun if you want to stick with it.
The percent of people that LOVE fitness is less than one percent.
My guess is the other 99% just haven't found Spurling :)
In all seriousness, for most of us, regular fitness is a chore, it's something we HAVE to do.
My goal for you, here or not, is to find a place that you GET to go to.
A place that inspires you, that motivates you, and it's something you look forward to doing.
The New Year is here in just over a week.
As you look to make it your best year yet, keep these three tips in mind.
1% Better.
Dedicated to Your Success,
Doug Spurling
PS: I'm hosting a "Best Year Ever" workshop on January 4th. We're going to craft your vision and set goals in 2018 that you actually stick to. It's free for members and just $20 for non-members. Get more info here.
PPS: We just opened up registration for our famous New Year 6-Week Transformation Challenge. Our gym is almost at capacity so I don't know if we'll continue to keep doing these, and we have to keep a firm cap at 20 people on this round in order to deliver a great experience to the new folks and keep the experience top-notch for our current clients. Act now, get more info and register here. We start January 15th.