Wins

Over 14 years of personal training and coaching people from all walks of life, you begin to pick up on a few things. One thing I stumbled on early was the need for people to have “wins” and have won early.

I worked in a corporate box with a boss who thought functional training was the best way to train people or that is what they at least put forth. They had this program they wanted us to push on clients and to train clients with because at the time “The Biggest Loser,” a shitty show on TV at the time was all the rage in a country beginning to tilt heavily towards obesity and laziness. It was motivating to see some of the journeys taking place. It also meant gym-goers seeking personal trainers were looking for the workouts that were taking place on the biggest loser, nothing else. People assumed that if you balanced on a Bosu ball while playing catch with an 8 lb. medicine ball with your $50 a 30-minute trainer, that you would achieve these amazing results.

I never fell into this what I viewed was a fad belief and instead focused my clients on basic proven exercises along with utilizing the machines in the gym thus making them confident in using them. I had this crazy thought that people were paying at the time $39.99 a month for a gym membership and $360 a month to train with me 3 times a week for 30 minutes. This meant I had to do all I could to set them up for success and ultimately serve them the best I could. This approach accomplished a few things. It gave people some confidence to use the gym on their and utilizing the workouts I had programmed for them. Well, guess what magic happens when people show up and do work in a gym? They get results. Those results grow your brand as a coach. This simple, yet effective strategy enabled me to grow my business where I currently coach over 90 clients strictly based on referrals. You deliver an excellent product that is rooted in truth and you will be surprised just how far you can go. Truth is, people focus on the results, not the starting point, let alone the journey that health and fitness truly is. You do this for life if you want to increase your chances at a more enjoyable and productive life.

I am going to discuss a weird phenomenon known as “winning.” When you win you are motivated. You are motivated to kick some ass, prove people wrong, and live your best life yet. Problem is life comes to a calling in which it usually brings problems to steal your motivation. Working out is one area where most people I have trained claim they are “dumb” at or “stupid” with along with not knowing anything really about how to eat, workout, cardio, supplements to take – the list is forever long of things people say they are clueless on. I do not blame them a bit for feeling that way because it is not like we were taught any of this stuff you are not taught how to set up a workout, your cardiovascular heart zones, macros, sleep, supplements, it’s not hard to get lost in all the information and misinformation being shared out there.

Working within a range of motion. Ms. Jones needs wins not to be beaten down over her shitty form. Yoga stretching and foam rolling to name a few you can always build in. Therefore, I work within their abilities and biomechanics obviously but also their confidence level. Then a shove just a touch further. I get the whole scared thing. The first step after my bone stretcher surgery resulted in my tib just breaking in half. Another surgery. So, learning the art of too much and not enough was a very fine line for me. But the truth is, people are going to make changes by simply getting more active. That’s why as a coach I set things up with a basic get flexible approach of focus on winning the day. Win it by hitting your macros, your steps, your workouts, but most importantly your attitude.

Attitude defines more than you can ever imagine along the journey of improving your health and fitness. I discovered that early on when I went to physical therapy. The days I was annoyed or did not want to go usually resulted in some of the best sessions by simply framing it as a challenge. I had a physical therapist at age 9-10 who pushed me mentally with challenges but also challenged me. He knew I wanted to get back to playing baseball and he would make some motivational digs here and there along the way of my recovery. I believe that is helpful to all who go down the journey of self-improvement. The simple truth is that showing up on the days you do not want to, putting in the work, and winning go way further for you in the long run than any “special” food.

It is easy to become complacent. It is also hard to deal with and accept being bored on this journey. With 25 years of working out under my belt personally along with coaching people for 14 years, I can that boredom is something you must embrace along with showing up on the days you do not want to. Putting in the boring work is where the true magic is found truth be told. I could ALMOST safely bet by now I have tried every diet, food, supplement, training program, along with a lot of other shit in this journey of mine regarding my health and fitness. I can also say that being bored is something I have been for about 10 years or so. Sure, I read about new and exciting ways to gain muscle, lose weight, or see cool new exercises on social media, but still is boring to me. Once you have been working out for a few years you eventually stumble on what works for you or if you have a coach you both arrive there. This is where results take shape in my opinion. Once that happens, the fun, for the most part, gets sucked out the window. That is when you need to change your approach about working out as a personal development challenge than something that should excite you to do.

You need to stop letting everyone tell you that working out should always be fun and exciting because it is not al

ways going to be that way. Furthermore, you are not some damn child that needs to be entertained all the time, you are a free person capable of making the right decisions. Taking care of your health and your fitness should be something we all do as our obligation to this great life we are given. You never realize how hard it is to walk as a child because our memories are not formed then. But when your life changes dramatically in an instant resulting in you learning to walk again, you realize just how difficult something you took for granted is now. There is always time to turn the tide. Every day we rise to face another day. At the start of each day, we can decide right then how the day will be for us. Whether it be good, bad, or in between, we can decide the path our day takes. I want to leave you with this thought you need to ask yourself every day as you begin to picture your day; “Do you hate losing, or love winning more?”

The answer to that question will decide your journey above all else.