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Full Frontal Assault…Health Club Chains have to stop!
Posted by: | CommentsFull Frontal Assault…Health Club Chains have to stop!
By Rocco Castellano, CPT
www.Lose30inThirty.com
It’s amazing to me the stupidity that many health club chains still exhibit. A friend of mine asked me to help her out with her workout because she felt she needed to amp it up for the marathon she’s running. She has been a member of a popular “Gym” chain for a couple of years which has now changed its name in order to serve a more diverse population.
I discussed my friend’s goals, time availability and where she was going to train. I produced a workout card that I give all of my clients when they finish a consultation with me and she headed over to her “Gym” for her workout. Although I did my best to orientate her at my facility with exercises, reps and weights, the set up wasn’t the same at “her Gym” so she asked one of their trainers for some help.
Amazing but true: all she got was a few weird looks and a comment about not knowing what a “triangle row” was.
The trainer also went on to say that he was not familiar with most of the exercises on the workout card… so much for some help. As you would expect, I received a call from my friend and she relayed the story to me, asking if I would accompany her to her next workout. She didn’t feel comfortable and thought she would perform the exercises incorrectly. I scheduled some time and off we went.
This is where the bullshit began.
We walked into “her Gym” with my guest pass in hand. I was informed that I needed to fill out a form . . . name, address, age, fitness goals, you get the picture. BANG! Then it happened: “Mr. Castellano you need to meet with someone”. What? Why? I came here to workout with my friend. Are you friggin’ kidding me? Here comes “Smiling Bob”, in his blue dress shirt, looking like he wants to sell me a used car. I have to give it to him, his shirt was pressed to impress. I felt every nerve in my body surge.
Before he even started in on his sales pitch rant, I told him to stop and that I was only there because his inadequate staff couldn’t help my friend and that I would just be working out with her this once. He didn’t know what to do but to let me workout.
I’m really not sure where these “Full Frontal Assault” sales people get their training but it has to stop. I could understand a mild greeting from an assistant manager, manager or sales person to establish a rapport and a “If you have any questions I’d be glad to help” comment and let me be on my merry way. You don’t need to be a sales and marketing genius to know that if you present yourself with a friendly smile, say your name clearly, that’s a good first step in establishing a relationship with your potential customer. Whenever I get that full frontal assault I always feel like I’m under attack and will never buy what they are selling. Something I always try to do is get as much information from the potential customer, present myself in a way that would be positively memorable, let the person experience my workouts, products or websites and then follow up with them in a friendly manner and schedule a time to talk to them about how my products can help them.
If you’re talking at me…I’m not listening. Go sell it somewhere else. If you are sick of the full frontal assault, and want a fitness program you can take wherever you train, check out the Lose 30 in Thirty Fitness program.
Rocco Castellano is an globally recognized extreme weight loss specialist, certified personal trainer (CPT) and the author of the internationally popular fitness program Lose 30 in Thirty. Go to http://www.lose30inthirty.com/?hop=htfit to get your FREE copy of the Lose 30 in Thirty Starter Kit”
Hagerstown Personal Trainer Loves Surprises…
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Scan this QR code with your smart phone to get a special surprise. Go ahead, you know you want to...
5 Ways To Screw Up Your Kid’s Health
Posted by: | CommentsOn our FTNS Radio show, “Jumpstart with Chad and Kat”, we had the pleasure of interviewing 10 year old fitness sensation CJ Senter, AKA “Workout Kid”. This young man has developed a passion for fitness at such a young age, and is inspiring kids nationwide to get off the couch, and start exercising. In talking to his father, Carlos Sr., we were very happy that this wasn’t a parent who was pushing his child into anything he didn’t want to do, but was encouraging him to do what he really loves. Young CJ is an entertaining, confident little dude who is clearly loving the attention he is recieving. CJ’s parents are doing everything right, but there are many parents who are really doing some bonehead things that put the health of their children in danger. Here are 5 of the worse…
- Smoking around your kids : Nasty, nasty, nasty. And downright stupid. With the DECADES of news revealling the dangers of second hand smoke, I can’t believe I still see people doing this. Especially in a car, with the windows up. Rediculous! This is the fast track to lung caner at an early age. If you are over 18, and want to smoke cigarettes, that’s your business. But don’t force your children to inhale the nasty poisen you fill your lungs with.
- Feed them nothing but “convenience foods”. Lunchables, sugary Kids cereals, McDonalds, pre-packaged meals, etc. All this stuff is fake, manufactured food, and should be eaten SPARINGLY, if ever. Add sugary snacks on top of these, and you have a recipe for future weight issues as young adults.
- Not encouraging active play. Children should be engaged in active play AT LEAST an hour a day. When i was little, I think i was engaged in active play all day. Find or organize a playgroup in your neighborhood to get kids outside and get them to plsy like we used to. Dodgeball, kickball, just GO PLAY! That brings me to…
- Not exercising. Children tend to want to do what they see or hear their parents doing. Enjoy these years, because you only get about 12 of them! Exercise regularly, and make it a priority to let your little crumbsnatcher what you do. This will plant the seeds of lifelong fitness, and make you look like a rock star when they see you cranking out the pushups!
- Keep telling them what they CAN’T do. Don’t allow your unrealized dreams, and disappointments hold your kids back from what they have a fire for. The more they hear “You can’t”, the more the believe it. They believe it enough, they’ll never be confident enough to take on challenges, and be resigned to blissfull mediocrity.
I’m sure there are a TON more ways to screw up your kids health, what do you say some of them are? Leave your comments below!
Hagerstown Personal Trainer Says No Pesticides
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It kills the small stuff, but it's fine for us! Right?
Agricultural pesticide use has been on the rise, and in light of what the function is, I can’t help to think that if pesticides kill little organisms quickly, what do pesticides do do big organisms long term? It may be negligible in small amounts, but with the steady increases in use since the 90′s due to Genetically Engineered crops, we have to question what effect these chemicals are having on our physiologies.
Some reports suggest that regular exposure to pesticides may cause a long list of health concerns from endocrine system disorders all the way up to certain cancers. Some people in the pesticide business say these claims aren’t proven, I say I’d rather err on the side of caution and reduce, if not eliminate all exposure if possible.
Buying certified organic drastically reduces your exposure to potentially harmful chemical pesticides. Buying all of your produce organic however, is cost prohibitive to many American families. Some particular items of produce have more pesticide exposure than others, so to help you choose wisely, we put together 2 lists to take with you the next time you go shopping to reduce your exposure to pesticides, and shop healthier for your family.
The “Dirty Dozen (highest pesticide exposure, buy organic everytime):
- Apples
- Celery
- Strawberries
- Peaches
- Spinach
- Nectarines
- Grapes
- Sweet Bell Peppers
- Potatoes
- Blueberries
- Lettuce
- Kale/Collard Greens
- Onions
- Sweet Corn
- Pineapples
- Avocado
- Asparagus
- Sweet Peas
- Mangoes
- Eggplant
- Cantaloupe
- Kiwi
- Cabbage
- Watermelon
- Sweet Potatoes
- Grapefruit
- Mushrooms
Hagerstown Personal Trainer Has Friends…
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The wise jogger...
Some woman have a purse, a nostalgic heirloom, jewelry, or a special pair of fancy shoes…but what I find to be special is my Baby Jogger!! Yes, I am one of those “people”who enjoys running. There is something about the simple essence of really only needing a pair of tennis shoes to lace up and enough land to trek on and just “run away” and simply be…no worries in how fast or slow you are, but to just be….aaaah. Wait a minute, I just realized that sometimes that aaaah moment has had to be with a baby, a toddler, or a preschooler. Over the years, this has brought a whole new meaning to me than just simply lacing up shoes and going for a run all by myself.
When I look up in my garage and see my 9 year old baby blue jogger dangling from the garage as if it is waiting for someone to come and grab it and take it for a spin, I think back to how this jogger was piece of me for so long.
The Downie clan
The most important joy and accomplishment in my life was creating 3 miracles in the past nine years with my husband who has been my constant cheerleader and motivator. Those miracles are now 9, 7 and 3; they logged quite a few miles in that jogger seat just enjoying the ride. When you become a mother you enter a whole other world of giving to others and learning to think outside your individual box of reality and consistency. This jogger gave me my freedom, my challenges, my flexibility, my physical strength and my running miles.
There were moments when I just needed to be me, not mommy, not a wife, not a co-worker, not someone who felt weak and sleep deprived with a beautiful new baby. As silly as it sounds, this jogger taught me that it was ok to still be me sometimes and to connect with running in a whole new way, while still connecting with my new little one and showing them the world with a front row seat! Sure, there were times when one of my babies cried, or my toddler whined or they were wanted a snack but I always kept myself flexible and tried to push on through it and I learned to pre-plan for those moments (hint: have a jogger with snack zippers and a storage bin for toys and sippy cups.)
The best part was always at the end when each child as they got older connected that jog time as a way to cheer mommy to finish (I so needed that cheer on days when I just didn’t know if I had the energy in me) because they knew there was playground time at the end!! As a mom, I felt better emotionally and physically. I am hoping my children will look back someday and see me as a healthy role model. One of the best gifts I can give my children is to nurture them to lead a healthy and active life!
Finishing strong, sans baby jogger...
I don’t have to use that jogger as much anymore and the freedom to pick up and run is getting a little bit easier now as my children are getting older. It feels great to just push myself at times, instead of a jogger. However, when I see those parents who are baby-jogging, I can’t help but remember all those memories I had with my own children and how hard it was at times to push them and wonder if I can make it up a hill or go any faster with them.
You carry your children in so many ways up tough hills in life and then when you enter that down hill with them and you have the freedom to let them go faster but yet you just can’t quite let go. And then there is smooth sailing on the flats. What a metaphor in this life as a parent, I say….I guess it is all that deep thinking I accomplish sometimes when I run. It is bittersweet seeing that jogger dangle in the garage. I don’t think any yard sale can take this away from me anytime soon.
What have you grown out of on the path to your fitness goals? Leave your comments below!
Lisa Downey is a Hagerstown personal trainer, avid runner, and generally awesome person. Say hello on FB: http://facebook.com/lgdownie
