Thank you all for the support! Lifting starts at 10am CT. I’ll be in Flight C. Check back for another post for updates
My First Magazine Published Article!!!
Yes. It’s finally happened. I’m a published writer! I started this website so I can get used to writing more. My one of my mentors, Tony Gentilcore, has been saying for years “in order to get better at writing, you have to…write. A lot.” Over the years I’ve used my social media to get used to writing content every week for the last 10 years.
You might ask how I did I get this gig? You might not like the answer. Long story short, I emailed and called the owner. We had a chat at the gym. And I asked her to be in her magazine and she agreed. I swear that was it.
I sent her the piece I had pre-written. Kept it clean and simple to keep the barrier of entry low so most reading would get it. Sure enough it made the cut (with no edits by the way which was low-key amazing). Anyways, here’s the article below with the link embedded at the bottom. Enjoy!
What is the Best Program You Should Follow? Written by Donovan Muldrow, ACE-CPT
“The best program is the one you’re not on.”
Most definitely a quote to live by and probably one of the least sexiest answers to a very common question. That means whatever you’re currently doing will eventually stagnate, and you’ll need to move on to the next best thing. Often times, thanks to the over-saturation of programs and plans out there, it’s real easy to get impatient when results don’t come around “fast enough” and jump to into a class that one of your girlfriends joined recently and can’t stop talking about it. Of course, if things are heading in the wrong direction completely (injuries, loss of energy, increase in body fat, etc.), we need to scrap that plan and find one that works. More often than not, you have to wait until that plan has ended in completion. It’s the only way to know if the plan worked or not. So, how do we know the plan isn’t working? Well there are some dead giveaways:
If the program doesn’t peak your interest: It doesn’t make sense to be on a plan you don’t want to be on. This is life. You should go about it in a way that you can enjoy which keeps you coming back for more. It promotes consistency, and consistency is the X-factor to get you results.
If you feel more tired than energized from the program: You should feel better not worse after your workout. Going hard for 45 minutes plus is not effective. There are other implications to consider, like lack of nutrition or sleep. Outside of that, if you’re too whipped from the body bar class you just took to do other things that need to get done, that’ll become a problem. You don’t have to go hardcore to get a good training effect in. You should leave the session energized and ready to do anything and everything you need to continue your day.
So, make sure to be honest with yourself or your coach/instructor. If nothing is going right — strength, weight management, body composition — there needs to be an exploration on both sides about what to do moving forward. Make a change. Implement that change. Trust the process. Focus on the positives, and navigate through the challenges. Move forward. Always.
http://www.pastellemagazine.com/13-health/1347-what-is-the-best-program-you-should-follow
USPA Raw Drug Tested Nationals Training- Week 1
Bench
USPA RAW Drug Tested National Training- Week 1
Squats
10 Lessons in 10 Years…Damn, I’m getting old.
Ever since I began this journey, I’ve always believed I could get to this point. How cool it would be sitting here writing to all of you my “I’m-a-veteran-in-my-field-so-here-are-my-lessons-over-the-years” article.
The hard part was waiting for it to show up.
Once I decided what and who I wanted to be in this world and what I wanted to do, I knew change was imminent. What I didn’t know was exactly what it was going to take and how scary it was going to be.
The stats said that I had an 80% chance that I was going to quit within 5 years into the Personal Training biz. The cards were already stacked against me it seemed: I took my A.C.E.-CPT exam 4 times before finally passing it by 13 points, I had only 10 academic credits of Kinesiology courses under my belt; I was one of a few male minorities in the business in my area and with a University Studies degree in Sociology.
And now many years later, bestowing the wisdom from all the great and not-so-great decisions I’ve made that got me to this point. Hopefully this inspires you to make mistakes worth making to get you to where you want to be in life.
Lesson #1-EMBRACE ADVERSITY
I learn best when I make mistakes. To me life lessons are the best way to navigate through life. Parent’s tell you not to put your hand over the stove, but let’s be real, sometimes you want to put your hand over the stove anyway to realize how hot it is for yourself. This is what my dad calls, “being hardheaded”.
Ultimately, I take that approach with my clients. I know I can’t keep them from doing what they want, but when they do what they want and it doesn’t go well we can then reflect on the experience and move forward. Being open and real with your own struggles allows you to empathize because you’ve “been there before”.
Circa 2007: Before I became a trainer, I worked behind the desk. Fun Times.
Don’t worry about appearing to be perfect. Things like injuries and overindulging in food will happen. Life happens. It’s all about how you work through and around it. If you can do that for yourself, you will be better off helping the people around you.
Lesson #2-REPUTATION IS EVERYTHING
If you’re a crappy trainer, people are going to know about it. If you’re a great trainer, people are going to know about it too. Which one do you think would get more clients? You might think there’s not a lot of room for error. Everyone has the ability to learn and get better if they’re open to it. In my experience, the difference maker is who you are as a person.
You might not get the absolute best results on paper, but if you care enough about your people they’ll eventually want to stick with you for years.
Lesson #3- THERE’S A DIFFERENCE BETWEEN ” I TRAIN PEOPLE TO HELP THEM GET BETTER” VS. ” I TRAIN PEOPLE TO GET PAID”
One of the biggest reasons why most trainers don’t make it past the 5 year mark is because they can’t make it work for them financially. Ultimately, their heart isn’t in the right place. I’ll admit this industry is not for the light-hearted. It certainly isn’t for those who are looking to live a lavish life, make a ton of cash and party every weekend.
You absolutely have to put your time, effort and energy into your clients well-being. “They don’t care about what you know until they know how much you care.” Sure, Personal Trainer is a title and a lot of people can call themselves that if they want.
But to be a COACH is so much more than a certification or academic achievement.
Lesson #4- GET A MENTOR OR COACH THAT’S BEEN WHERE YOU WANT TO BE
Who didn’t have someone to look up to growing up. We may not realize it, but we have mentors all around us. You might consider a teacher you’ve had in school, a family member, friend or co-worker. No matter what we know, we’ve learned from someone who knows more and have had the experience.
For me, early on it was guys like Mike Robertson, Tony Gentilcore, Eric Cressey, Ben Bruno, Molly Galbraith; listening to The FitCast with Kevin Larrabee, Jonathan Fass and Leigh Peele (yeah, that far back). Even my first boss in the biz, Kristen Nesvacil when I started at the Rec at my alma mater was a huge influence.
With Molly Galbraith after the Train Like A Girl 2 Seminar
Private Coaching Seminar with Mike Robertson at IFAST
On top of that, being able to see folks like these up front and speak to them in person was life changing. Having them tell me that I can email them and hold a conversation and ask questions really helped me along the way. I can only hope to contribute to the industry in a positive way like these Superstars.
Lesson #5- YOU HAVE TO WALK THE WALK
I’ve went back and forth with this for several years. At first, I believed you had to look the part to be a trainer. But then I learned that looking the part was only the half of it. So I realized that you have to know your shit more than looking the part. Well…some people are influenced by what they see. If they can’t get past that part, they won’t give a shit if you’re a genius or not. If YOU don’t look like you take care of yourself, why would they think you can help them?
That being said, the phrase “the truth lies somewhere in the middle” applies here. You’re better off knowing your shit AND looking good while doing it. It makes you more marketable that way.
There are tons of trainers/coaches everywhere. In my town, there are over 100 licensed Personal Trainers. So, how else do you separate yourself from the pack?…
Lesson #6- “GET REALLY FUCKING GOOD AT WHAT YOU DO AND LET EVERYONE KNOW ABOUT IT”
A quote from Jon Goodman that I live and die by. I realized in this industry I have the autonomy to be creative and let my personality flourish. After all, people don’t buy personal training sessions, they invest their time in the person coaching them. It behoved me to learn not just from other coaches on how to help people…but learn from the people I coach. Talking to them about what their goals are; their fears going into training, their struggles. Learning what makes them tick. That’s when you get really start to separate yourself. Putting together programs is a big part of it. That’s the easy part. The hard part that I want to see trainers pay more attention to, is to put more of an effort into understanding their clients better mentally and emotionally.
Not everyone enjoys being yelled at, yet some do. Not everyone enjoys doing heavy squats and deadlifts, yet some look forward to it. Simply creating an open and trusting space for folks to talk about things and get if off their chest will make all the difference. From that point, they’ll be talking about how awesome you are to their friends and family at the dinner table.
Lesson #7- IF YOU’RE NOT GROWING, YOU’RE DYING
Continuing education is vital to staying alive in a forever growing industry. Fitness/Training as we know it today has only been around for 60+ years. With technology improving, so have methods to improve medicine and helping people live longer. Being on the cutting edge of fitness is not only smart…it’s the responsible thing to do.
Me and The G.O.A.T.: Ed Coan
You don’t have to implement everything you learn right away. It’s easy to throw the baby out with the bathwater when you’ve had your mind blown when Ed Coan says your deadlifts look good, and then proceed to make everyone deadlift the way you do come Monday morning. Exercises are like tools in a tool box. Simply, use a movement to address a problem when it’s appropriate. You don’t need to scrap the whole program. Especially when it works and your clients enjoy the workouts (..of course they won’t tell you that while they’re doing it. They’re too busy cursing at you in their heads…or out loud :).
Lesson #8- PERSONAL TRAINING ISN’T GOING ANYWHERE
One-on-one at one point seemed like it was going out the door. Many of the top influencers in the industry were calling for the death of Personal Training and praising small group/semi-private training.
Is group training cost-effective for the client? Yes.
Is it time efficient for the coach? Yes.
Is it potentially more fun for both the client AND coach? It definitely can be.
Though, like exercises, there’s a time and a place for everything. Personally, I thoroughly enjoy one-on-one private training. I love the person-to-person connection and have a better experience understanding on an individual level. More importantly, there’s just something about having a coach personalize EVERYTHING for you. From your program to your overall training experience. I can proudly say that I still stay connected with many of my TWD (Train With Donovan) clients. Mostly because I’ve invested the time and energy to each person that is invaluable.
In addition, schedules are more flexible. Typically in group, you have the accountability of maintaining a standing time. If people don’t show, they’re S.O.L. Which is a nice feature on it’s own. For me, I find more and more people WANTING individualized training. I wouldn’t be surprised if it’s because that’s the energy I put out or what. But if Personal Training died, it’s been revived.
Lesson #9- NEVER OFFER A SUPPLEMENT YOU HAVEN’T TRIED/RESEARCHED
This can be damaging. Maybe even a little dangerous. It’s real easy to buy into a supplement that is well marketed. That being said, it may not be what you’re looking for. It may not even be the same supplement as advertised as far as results are concerned. There’s a famous scene in the documentary “Bigger, Faster, Stronger” where Chris Bell (the director) creates his own supplement with the help of a few people by putting sugar in capsules. Slap a label on a bottle. Boom. Instant supplements.
This isn’t to scare you from taking supplements. If anything, it should drive you to DO YOUR RESEARCH!! I utilize the website Examine.com. A “fully independent…education company that looks at the research-nothing more, nothing less.” Pretty sweet right?
So, do you absolutely HAAAAVE to take a supplement before you offer it to your client? Absolutely not. In fact, it’s a bit overboard. The point is to have the mindset of educating yourself to better serve the people you’re working with. Even if you don’t have the answers, you should definitely have the resources to find them.
Lesson #10- ALWAYS ALWAYS ALWAYS BELIEVE IN YOURSELF
Earlier I’ve talked about some of the obstacles that life has to offer. I’ll be lying to you if my job wasn’t in the top 3 things I care about. That isn’t uncommon. Lot’s of people would say their job is in the top 5 of most important things in their lives. For me, it’s more than what’s “important”. I facking love it.
When you believe in yourself you believe anything is POSSIBLE. You’ll want to learn more. You’ll fall in love with the process; when you get past a milestone or significant event, you’ll want to go back to work and get better. The idea of waking up everyday and getting better and euphoric. It’s the mindset that makes you great; before any action you take or words you speak. Everything starts with your thought process.
I leave you with this: Always be kind to yourself and to others. Strive for excellence in everything you do. Often what we think and say to ourselves is the deciding factor. You don’t do things to suck at it intentionally, right? So say to yourself what you CAN do and what you WILL do. It makes all the difference. And when you decide to help people reach their goals, they’ll benefit from it and you’ll have a lot more fun doing it too.
Here’s to the next 10 years.
Cheers.
Testimonal No.12- Meet, Kim Beitz
When did you start training with Donovan?
I started training with Donovan about a year ago.
What led you to “Train With Donovan” and why?
I slipped a disc in my back and had a injured shoulder. I wanted to train with someone to help me strengthen my back.
What were some of the things you’ve sacrificed to make your training a priority? Why is your training important to you?
I sacrificed time with my family. Training is important to me because it keeps me healthy in mind and body.
Have you worked with a trainer before? If so, how does your current experience with Donovan differ from past experiences? If not, what are some of the positive experiences you’ve had so far?
I have not had a trainer before but Donovan has always taken the extra time with me if I ever had any questions like explaining what to eat and when and why it’s important to different stretches and exercises that would best benefit my body.
How do you feel now compared to when you first started training with Donovan?
I feel stronger with my mind, body and soul after training with Donovan.
Would you recommend training with Donovan to others, and why?
I would highly recommend Donovan to others. Donovan helped me regain the strength in my back and my shoulder pain is completely gone. He is a professional that took the time to listen to my needs and knew what to do to help me. He also made working out fun!!
What do you look forward to in the future with your training?
I look forward to continuing to get better with everything from my mindset, form and strength.
Power Surge 2017 Write-Up
This past weekend, I competed at the USPA Power Surge 2017 Powerlifting competition in Carol Stream, IL. It was at a Holiday Inn. In a conference room.
The Weigh-In and Post Weigh-In Meal
I’ve been keeping track every day the week of the meet to see how much I need to dial back on the sodium and carbs. The last few days leading up to the weigh-in are the hardest, especially when you have to do a cut. I’ve been walking around fluctuating between 215-225lbs when I train. Since I know I will weigh-in between 9am-noon, I’ve checked once or twice each day between those times to get a realistic idea of what I might need to do if I’m over the 220 limit.
Though after years of competing I know that I lose water weight fairly fast when I stop lifting (when prepping for the competition). I chose to weigh-in in the morning so I can have the rest of the day to eat.
I drove 2 hours North to weigh-in and headed back to my apartment so I can sleep in my own bed. To me it was worth it and far less expensive (hotel + meals + gas). Plus, it was a nice day out and I enjoy driving. It’s calming for me…once you get off the Dan Ryan and out of Chicago!
After weighing-in at 219 I planned to have a protein shake with Magnum protein powder, fruits, peanut butter, OJ, oats and some ice cubes. I also had Pedialyte I picked up from CVS and had my awesome clients make me a batch of protein balls to snack on.
Lunch was a sammich with chips totalling easily over 2000 k/cals and 2 dinners: 2 rolls of sushi and a sirloin steak with 2 sweet potatoes.
Competition Day
My dog hates it when I pack to go places. It makes her nervous and so she defecates, urinate and vomits all over the place and won’t use the bathroom outside. She’s smart like that. Waking up not knowing how it was going to go, I was under some stress. I was also burying my grandmother 2 days after the meet.
Fortunately, I had 2 hours of driving early enough to watch the sunrise. It was just what I needed. Got to the hotel. Checked-in. Set up camp. Rules meeting and then the lifting begins.
One thing I’ve been focused on getting better at was competition-nutrition. Making sure I had enough of the right foods to keep me from cramping and have enough energy to push 100% every lift. Foods high in sodium would keep me from cramping and simple sugars/carbs that are fast acting would keep my energy up when I need it. However, I’m notorious for vomiting before I lift, but I made sure that I wasn’t too full of food coming into the meet.
I made myself another shake for breakfast, loaded with calories, but easily digestible. Especially over a 2hr car ride. I got nervous as I always do, but I didn’t get sick. Diaphragmatic breathing and focusing on being in a parasympathetic system when I’m not about to lift really kept things calm and the food down. My body felt amazing thanks to my Wellness Team: Erica Hartman Massage, Mitchell Family Chiropractic and my Life Coach, Rick Longstreth.
Here’s a video of the full meet:
Squat
Squat has become my least favorite lift. With a history of back issues and lack of confidence to go with it, I wasn’t sure how it was going to go. But. I had goals. Sure enough, I fought like hell to get that third lift and I was super excited. It was a 17lb PR.
Bench
Bench had become one of my favorite lifts. Mainly because it was my weakest. I had a lot of fun training to get better at it because I knew I would improve dramatically. The best lift in the gym I’ve had was 350 (with a slight pause) a couple years ago shortly before I got injured. I knew I had more in me, but I had goals and I wanted to stick to the plan. I know I’ll achieve another personal best in next years competition whenever that may be. Until then, I’m going to be throwing up some big(ger) weights in the gym [finally].
Deadlift
By far my most favorite lift. Not because it’s the heaviest or the last. But because it’s what the audience (and judges) love to see. Brute strength. Picking up dead weight off the ground! It was a bit emotional for me because the image of my grandmother popped in my head. I failed my first attempt but got the second. The second attempt felt good, though it was 13lbs away from my final lift, which was still under my ultimate goal of 625. Nevertheless, I had made my second lift so it was worth taking the chance.
Summation
The meet was very well ran. With a lot of mass and broad shoulders. I wasn’t sure where the warm-up space was going to be. If it was in another room or in the hallway outside of the conference room. No. It was 8-10 feet away from the platform (you can see it in the photos). It was interesting. But. It had a “gym feel” to it; close quarters, 2 warm-up areas. Lots of heavy ass lifting and interesting smells. It wasn’t bad!
It helped that I knew all of the judges and saw them 4 weeks earlier when the gym hosted the Illinois State Championships. That and some Powerlifting Legends showed up. It’s pretty incredible all these people live locally and could watch what was one of the best performances I’ve had yet.
I’ve written down my goals on a post-it note several months earlier after my meet in March. I can proudly say I reached 2 out of the 4 goals I’ve set for myself. Check it out.
What’s great is that I still achieved all lifetime PRs:
Previous All-Time Personal Bests:
Squat 512lbs @196.2lbs (2015)
Bench 319.7lbs @196.2lbs (2015)
Deadlift 600.8lbs @177.8lbs (2013)
Total 1416.5lbs @196.2lbs (2015)
Power Surge 2017 Results:
Squat 529.1lbs
Bench 330.7lbs
Deadlift 611.8lbs
Total 1471.6lbs
What’s Next?
I qualified for USPA Nationals in Vegas next summer. I’d like to do a push-pull meet sometime before [for fun]. My Squat is something that I really want to continue to work on as I feel it’s my most uncomfortable lift. This way I’ll have time to get my legs bigger and stronger (sorry jeans…It’s about to get real) so my total can be more competitive and get back into the rankings again. This is another reason why I joined the USPA. For the challenge to push myself to be better than ever.
It had been a couple of years since I’ve been able to compete at a high level, but this meet assured me that I’m on the right track.
Gallery
Predict The Future With Your Thoughts
Ever notice that when you do something it’s usually preceded by an emotion/thought? I know it’s trivial, but if we sit back and think on this for a second: we can predict the future by recognizing how we feel in the moment.
Ever been really happy about something? I can recall many times when I’ve had peak days, I usually have the best experiences with my clients and they tend to enjoy their workouts more so than usual. Even my own. And you know what? That usually starts before I even get out of bed.
Likewise, when you’re angry or have had a negative reaction to something, we tend to do or say things that reflect that feeling. It could be the tone in our voice that someone might take the wrong way or affect your cognitive ability to deciding to watch The Notebook. Alone. I’m not saying that happened to me. I’m just saying.
The simplest application of this thought process is the direction in which you go to achieve your goals. Remember the first time you came into the gym and talked to your trainer and you two talked about what it is you wanted to work on?
“I want to squat my bodyweight.”
“I want to not be tired walking up the stars.”
“I want to do a chin-up.”
What happens next?
You start squatting.
You start doing more cardio.
You start doing chin-ups/row variations.
All these actions begin from how you feel from one single moment in time. This feeling could set the course for action for months and years to come.
It boils down to this: if you do something BECAUSE you feel good [about yourself], trust that you’ll experience a positive result. If an action is born from a negative thought, understand that no matter the outcome you’ll be filled with dissatisfaction.
Be mindful of your thoughts and emotions. They say the future isn’t written, but if you really think about it you can get an idea of how it will be manifested.
The Key To Programming For Your Clients
This is the week of my 30th birthday, one of many milestones this year. This year will also be my 10th year as a trainer/coach. It’s amazing how long it’s been and I’m only getting better. While not many trainers can say that, I wanted to help change that with this video.
Most new trainers are kind of thrown into the wolves when it comes to starting off their careers in the field. The education usually stops when they graduate college. And let’s face it, there’s not really a degree in Personal Training. Personal Training is like shop class, you get good by getting your hands dirty.
With sooo many trainers out there, it’s not good enough to be seen and heard. You have to be good if not great at what you do. One slip up and your client can easily jump ship and onto the next one.
One of the biggest issues that newbies have is knowing how to program workouts for their clients. So, I address the issue in this video.
Please share with any and all new professionals as this concept will pretty much ensure long term success with getting great results and client retention.
How To Make $10 Gyms Work
Yep. If you’re already a member of a $10 gym you’ve probably noticed the rapid influx of people who want to get “results”. You’ve probably also noticed already that the gym attendance is slowly slowing down.
Nah. Not yet. Wait about a month or so. Give or take.
If you’re wondering what a $10 gym is, it’s not really pertaining to one gym, but rather a kind of gym. As mentioned in this article about how gyms set you up for failure, these gyms typically have massive amounts of cardio machines at the forefront, with the weights section behind it. Nowadays some gyms will even have a pullup rig, sleds, kettlebells and other pieces of equipment way in the back of the building. This is to discourage you from doing the very things (like weight training) that get you sustainable results. Truth be told, some cardio is good, yet cardio with weight training has proven to be even better.
You may find a trainer good enough to hire, but those are one in a million in places like these. With how little they pay trainers, it’s no wonder why the quality of personal training is typically low. These places are also revolving doors for trainers. Usually good for getting started in their careers, getting some experience training real people. However, that also attracts a certain crowd of people.
Ever seen “Gym Fail” videos?? Most likely you’d see some of these moves at your local $10 gym. While they may seen entertaining watching them online, they’re pretty uncomfortable to witness in person. It’s almost like you seem to develop an actual concern for their safety. It’s like watching a scary movie knowing that the killer is in the other room, but the character doesn’t know the killer is in there. You’re left going “NO!!! NO DON’T DO IT!!!!”
Speaking of movies, some of these places have mini movie theaters for you to watch while you’re on your bike. Honestly though, if they play ROGUE ONE in there or Dark Knight Rises…I might be in there before the credits even start just to get the right spot (middle-back of the room is the best).
Now that you know how I REALLY feel about these gyms, I’m one to recognize that it does have a place in this world. I know I know. Hear me out.
If you think about it- 10 bucks is a stupid ridiculously low price for a gym that most likely has some of the latest equipment and some of the top brands. For 10. Fucking. Dollars a month.
To me, that’s an insane opportunity to take advantage of the what you have: top of the line equipment, a fucking cardio theater, sleds, free wifi (it’s the little things), tanning booths, shakes, etc. Yet, for a lot of people, it’s a struggle to go there let alone be in there long enough before you want to take your eyes out with a rusty rake and pour molten lava all over your face.
Though. There is hope.
I’ve been a member at a local $10 gym for several months now. Mostly because the insurance we have has a wellness program that pays for it. Also, they just have stuff my gym doesn’t have and it’s nice to mix it up. When you’ve been coaching as long as I have, it’s like being a kid in a candy store. Of gainz.
“But D, how can you stand going there!? And isn’t that betraying your own gym!?”
I get it, but no. Not even the slightest. If anything, it helps promote my gym to have a 500+ squatter, 330+ bencher and 600+ deadlifter to workout in a place where form turning into baby shit when they pick up the bar is a regular occurrence.
So, I’m going to give you guys some tips on how to survive $10 gyms in your neighborhood.
Tip 1: Hire you a damn good trainer (Somewhere else)
As I’ve mentioned before- trainers who don’t get paid very well, don’t tend to be all that great. Especially when you pay to go to a gym that costs about the same as the manager special at the Asian Market at HYVEE for 2 entrees-2 appetizers-1 side. You’re likely to get better results from that meal after doing a Les Mills class for 15 hours.
The average trainer costs $1/minute. Emphasis on the “average” part. I believe you get what you pay for. I’m by no means the most expensive trainer, but you definitely want one that has the utmost confidence in their ability to help you. Some trainers don’t charge as much as they should and it’s a shame. I don’t particularly enjoy asking folks to hand over hundreds of dollars a month. So you better be damn sure I’m going to give them the most bang for their buck.
Hiring a good trainer to teach you the basics is invaluable. In a place like my gym, you don’t have as many “toys” much as a commercial gym. Which is perfect because you’re getting results with using less. After several months or years of training under your belt from a master pro, like meself ;), you’ll be able to walk into any gym and would train better than everyone in the building.
As a bonus- you can actually begin to see what others are doing and feel what we feel as coaches. Like I said before it can be tough to watch, but it gives you a sense of pride and confidence knowing the difference between right and wrong. Hiring a trainer my seem expensive at first, but when you put it in this context, your dollar will go a long long ways for years to come.
Tip 2: Go in with a plan
You’ve most likely hit this part with your coach you’ve hired already. Going into a gym that gives you anxiety not from just the people, but the amount of equipment they have can overload the senses. If you have a well thought out plan, you can avoid some obstacles. Get your workout in and get out.
For instance, don’t plan on doing bench on Mondays. Why? Because Monday is “National Bench Day”. I wish I was joking. For the most part, gym members and meatheads everywhere have adopted this idea. This means that there will likely not be a bench available in sight. So, that’s why you’re going to squat on Monday. Boom. Problem solved.
And if you find a bro in the squat rack doing bicep curls with your squat bar. You call the police.
As the years go by, slowly people are getting off the cardio machines and getting more into the weight room. So it’s a plus, I’ll admit that. However, we’re still in the early stages of this evolution and the fuckery that I see people using free weights is downright inhumane. Most people won’t be doing the basics: pull-ups/chin-ups, pushups, row variations; corrective movements like pallof presses and breathing exercises. The space and equipment needed for those are likely going to be open for you at just about anytime. Take advantage. Make it simple. Keep it simple.
Tip 3: Go at the least busiest times
I know scheduling can be tough. Several years ago, I said I wouldn’t get up before 6am. Now I’m getting up before 4 some days because we don’t have a doggy door or a fenced in yard. We have wooden floors and their nails make for an interesting alarm clock. Some days, they don’t wanna get up either.
For me, I have the flexibility to go late morning/early afternoon as most people are at work. That is probably the most peaceful time. And honestly, people get after it. It’s going to take some trial and error, but once you find that time make sure you stick with it.
Tip 4: Bring your headphones I hate people watching. It’s weird for me. Yet some people like it. Though what are you gonna do when they make eye contact with you. See you. Walk over and try to talk to you. And you don’t have your headphones in. Now you’re going to have to not only focus on your workout, but figure out a way to get out of this situation. For me, music works like a pre-workout.
One day I was done lifting and turned off the music and some slow jams was playing. Followed by “I’m A Barbie Girl”. Great song. For getting ready to go out Friday night. You find that one track or playlist and you’re off. This past week, I’ve been listening to Daft Punk Live Tour “Alive 2007” album. For some reason, it went from my warm-up playlist to getting me through all the way to my cardio workout.
Also, switching to wireless headphones makes a huge difference. I love wireless headphones during training. It makes life a little easier and you don’t feel as restricted. That being said the headphones provides protection against conversation vultures in the middle of your set and the music gives you a boost.
Other than that, having a gym bag so you’re not holding everything in your hands and carrying it around the gym with you is a must. You can put your towel in there (in case they don’t have a towel service), your headphone case, keys, pre/post workout shaker, excess layers of clothing, etc. You don’t have to go to a wickedly awesome-bad ass of a gym like The Bloomington Normal Athlete Factory to get the best workout of your life….
Baahahahahaha of course you do!!!!!!!!!!!!!!
In all seriousness, the world can be your gym. You just need to have a plan and the right equipment to execute that plan. Keep your focus. Enjoy your training and the life around you! Let’s get after it!!
A photo posted by Donovan Muldrow, A.C.E.-CPT (@train_with_donovan) on