Right off the bat, this article is inspired by the latest Dave Chappelle standup on Netflix. At the end of his show, he talks about getting advice from his dad. Growing up he didn’t have a lot of money as a child and therefore he didn’t have a lot of things other kids have (things haven’t changed much these days, eh?).
One day he got frustrated and told his dad, “I hate being poor!” His dad slammed down the newspaper he had and walked over to him with a stern look on his face. He said calmly, “Oh Dave. We’re not poor.
You see, poor is a state of mind…you, my son…..are broke.”
It was hilarious. You have to see it. Though of course, I see things differently and are always thinking critically. For some reason, this got me thinking about some of what I hear quite a bit from clients and other people when they say:
“I’m Fat.”
Saying, “I’m” means that you’ve taken ownership of some sort of behavior/personality/identity.
Here’s the deal. You’re not fat. You HAVE fat. There’s a difference.
And if what you HAVE defines who you are, when we’re all in a lot of trouble.
It’s like when people say they’re rich, yet they don’t have a lot of money.
“Whatever you say you are, you’re correct.” -Henry Ford
Saying “I’m fat” is just as much of a mindset as saying “I’m poor”. It’s not reality. The reality is you can improve your body as much as you can improve what you think and say about yourself.
To show how powerful a mindset is, there are people who have gone from clinically obese to being physically healthy.
These individuals still own the idea that they’re “fat.”
Yes, you may have excess body fat or bodyweight that you want to get rid of and that’s okay. It means you know you can do better. Be better. That’s way healthier than believing you can’t do anything about it and will just accept it.
Again, what you have is not who you are. It’s simple and easy to say, yet it’s upon you to believe it or not. So, be careful about what you say moving forward. It can have an effect on not just you, but those around you.
This is true in every aspect of life. The things you want may not happen right then and there. There’s another saying. “good things come to those who wait”. These two phrases really go hand in hand. Though, the real magic is in the hard work. I realized this when many aspects of my life that I put in work has really come to the fruition of my own happiness and success. In particular with my clients results from their training. They’re all doing so well and what’s more is they’ve all learned a little thing called patience in the process. When you have patience, you really do let go a lot of the stress and focus more on the work you put in. I’ve gotten clients that have worked hard for 6 weeks and gain nearly a pound of muscle and lose nearly 3lbs of fat. Another has clothes that used to fit are now literally falling off of them for the first time after training and eating better over the last 2 years. Some are simply finding consistency and enjoying working out again. Absolutely none of this would happen if they didn’t put in 2-4 hours of work each week. Nothing gets done in your life when you do nothing about it. Put in the work. MAKE shit happen!
Skill set Pretty Much Supersedes Passion
We’ve all heard the phrase “stick to what you’re good at” and it definitely rings some truth. However, it doesn’t necessarily mean that you can’t/shouldn’t learn a new skill. The only way to get better at it is to continue to practice. Even if you have an unbelievable talent, you can still lose focus. MJ didn’t shoot free throws with his eyes closed from birth. That took millions of free throws throughout his basketball career. The whole planet knows how much that man loves basketball, but he could have the same passion for the sport as much as the most nonathletic fan in the world. Passion is great and all, but skill set is huge. After finishing the book “The Sports Gene:Inside the Science of Extraordinary Athletic Performance” by David Epstein, whether you have a natural talent or not, practice is arguably the most important thing with regards to how good you are. Genes are always going to be the “X” factor, but working on your skill will only reveal the true potential of your genetics. The book talked about Donald Thomas, a high jumper who jumped 6’6” on a dare.
In basketball shoes and shorts.
On his first try with no training and horrible form.
With a little bit of practice he was better than most in the world…but he wasn’t the absolute best. Who knows what he can REALLY do. Much like a client who might be chasing a small (read: hyooge) 5lb deadlift PR who has been working at it for 6-12 months. It seems if passion was a vehicle in a race to success, the driver is the skill set. The better the driver, the better the outcome.
Sometimes, people don’t deserve the goals they set for themselves
I’m sure that line got your attention. We all know someone or have heard about people wanting to have a nice car, big house, get toned/swole, get a full-ride to a D1 school. Everyone is deserving of happiness in whatever capacity…but what people miss the boat on is what they have to go and DESERVE those things. It’s like buying something that has “cable capabilities”, but upset that it doesn’t actually HAVE cable. People misunderstand the difference.
We get what comes our way from the things we do in life. It’s going to take time and deliberate practice to get the things we want.
People who lift heavy ass shit, 9 times out of 10 will put their own stuff away
Remember back in the day you wanted to use the hack squat, and the person before you had a ton of weight on there asked you to help take the weight off?? Member how much weight that was and how strong you thought they were? Then you struck up a conversation about how to get jacked and instantly became friends through your muscles??
Member that time some asshat left a pair of 20’s on the ground?? And you thought to yourself “20’s…seriously!?”
People who lift heavy stuff work hard to get there. From the empty bar they use all the way to putting the last 2.5 pounder on the bar to get that nice even number. As boss it would be to put up 4 wheels on any lift, you definitely don’t want to have the rep of being the douchebag at the gym that thinks they’re hot shit. Truth of the matter is, there is always someone out there stronger than you. That’s one thing I can’t stand about gyms is this power struggle for who is the baddest mofo on the planet. I highly recommend walking into the gym with that attitude, but you don’t have to be rude about it. Most people who lift heavy stuff have had to work hard to earn it. They too were humbled by the weight they lifted and most likely learned from a professional. Most likely, that professional taught them to respect the gym and the weight they used for it can make or break them. For those of us who lift heavy ass shit, you know what I’m talking about. For those that don’t, if you see the strongest person in the gym and you want to use the bar they’ve got done using, don’t worry. They’ll likely put their weight back.
It seems people who are new to lifting don’t need a detailed nutrition plan at the start
The likelihood of people who have never really worked out (hard) most likely don’t have good eating habits. It’s more common to find this in the reverse since exercise is much simpler than nutrition. In my experience, the majority of people either eat too much, eat too little, eat a lot of “convenient” processed foods or some combination of all of the above.
The photo below is a body scan of my client who 8 months ago was new to lifting weights.
Eating well under 1000 cals a day they weren’t eating enough yet wanted to gain muscle and get strong.
A photo posted by Donovan’s Personal Training (@train_with_donovan) on
I started by letting them know that calories was going to be huge and to eat more than their basal metabolic rate (BMR) says in conjunction with weight lifting will help reach their goals. Well, the calorie things didn’t work out. Instead of doing something more invasive I knew that nutrition is best done simple. So focusing on eating certain foods more often that are more calorie dense would be a better route. That and keeping them accountable to be aware of how they feel when they work out after eating these foods. Sure enough it did the trick and they started putting on more muscle, losing body fat and managing body weight since that has been a concern of theirs.
The idea is to implement principles before the plan. The plan won’t stick if they don’t have good habits in place.
So if you’re new to lifting and struggling with your nutrition take these points to heart:
1) Eat more carbs around your workouts. If you lifting in the AM, eat your carbs at night. If you lift in the afternoon, eat your carbs during the day. Carbs are the #1 fuel source for your muscles when lifting. The more fuel you have the harder you can go. The harder you work, the better the results.
2) Every Time you eat, make sure there is protein with it. I don’t care where it comes from. Get it into your head that you absolutely have to have a protein source. It’ll help keep the muscle you already have and are trying to put on. When you have more muscle, you get lean(er), strong(er), and more energy.
3) Think of food not as a way to change your body composition, but as a way to give you energy to do the things you need to do to do so. Way too many people worry about what they did over the holidays and go into overdrive and over think their food intake. Change the way you view food and you’ll approach it differently. It’ll make a world of a difference.
Adding more content to my website, I’m looking to make these posts monthly as I find reflecting to be very important in personal growth. So, without further ado here are 5 things I’ve taken away from this month from personal, professional, social, and all things random. Let’s have fun with this.
Whatever you feed will grow
When you feed certain things –your time, energy and focus– understand those things are going to be the priority in your life even if you didn’t intend it to be. Whether it be in conversations, training, at work or personal time, you will find yourself not as present in the moment. That or someone will call you out on it. It’s not a bad thing, but it is important to be aware of that. When you intend to get a lift in that day but your mind wanders to what you have to do afterwards or thinking about what transpired before, it’s hard to get shit done. My work schedule has taken a nose dive over the past couple weeks and I can honestly say I haven’t really been giving it my all when I’m there. As a result, clients have been cancelling or rescheduling sessions. Some are taking a “break”. For me this was a big wake-up call for me to take a step back and look at the bigger picture in my life and see what areas are getting too much attention and areas that aren’t getting enough. Once I’ve been able to recognize the issue, I create an action plan to fix it. Balance is key, whatever that looks like for you it’s important to work on that. Now, I’ve gotten some clients back that haven’t been around for various reasons. I’m reaching out to those I haven’t heard from in a while and doing more reading and writing with the extra free time that I have. And working on communicating more/better with those that are important pieces in my life in making it work functioning better.
Recognize the different components in your life and make sure they’re all fed “property” to make your life better. I promise, you’ll have better relationships with others (and yourself), better training sessions, more productive at work (and enjoying it), and a happier life(style).
Sushi is LOADED with sodium
I’ve only been eating sushi for a few years and I’m glad I took the leap (the thought of raw fish for years wasn’t appealing. I decided to become an adult and try it. Even drink coffee!). However, it became apparent that sushi was high in sodium when I went to get a massage last week. I had sushi with the wife for lunch and went right to get a massage afterwards. Once I was done, Erica goes “did you have sushi earlier?? Your skin soaked up 2x more lotion than it normally does!” My jaw dropped. I had no idea it would make that big of a difference that fast. After looking it up, the sushi (rice) alone is 500mg of sodium…in a half cup which is the normal amount used in making 1 roll.
I had to have probably about 1 1/2 rolls =). Muahahahaha!!!!!
Why am I talking about this? Well for one I knew NFL Combine athletes would eat a ton of sushi before the combine so they could drink enough water and soak it into their muscles to keep them hydrated and therefore increase their work capacity. The opposite can be done when you don’t drink enough and can cramp up. In my profession, this was an important finding because I work with people that want to lose weight and look better naked. Well, they all know how important hydration is for not only athletic performance, but in how your body looks and how much water you’re going to hold when you consume a lot of it. Now I don’t know how many of you eat sushi that much on a regular basis, but the point is when it comes to body weight, sodium is a huge contributing factor in weight retention. HOWEVER…do not mistake sodium as a bad thing. Remember what I said earlier about how sodium helps keeps and draw in water into the muscle? Well, if you’re wanting to improve body composition, have better athletic performance/training sessions, you have to train harder and sometimes for longer periods of time to elicit muscle mass and strength gains. How much is too much? Well that’s different for everyone. What’s a lot for you might not be enough for me, etc.
Fat loss is about persistence and consistency
Since I’ve been training all summer to get my competition strength back I’ve changed my focus to gaining more muscle AND reducing body fat. You see, gaining muscle and losing fat aren’t necessarily mutually exclusive. With that being said putting on muscle is not easy and neither is fat loss (espeically when with the more experience you have) which means both are going to take some time and and consistency to achieve this goal. Because there are so many factors in achieving fat loss (nutrition, exercise, sleeping habits, water intake, and stress management to name a few) the persistence of achieving lower body fat levels is the utmost important element.
A photo posted by Donovan’s Personal Training (@train_with_donovan) on
Conversely, it takes no time to increase your body fat levels when you neglect just about any of the previously mentioned factors OR if the method you chose is contraindicated or not helpful. Take running for instance. I love running for what it does for people: Improved athletic performance, general performance enhancement and heart health benefits, stress relief (endorphins/”runner’s high”), and a genuine love of running and competing. However, long-duration cardio such as running doesn’t build muscle. Building muscle is what raises your resting metabolism (how much energy you burn at rest) which is key for fat loss. So, while cardio isn’t a bad thing in general, it isn’t ideal for fat loss goals. It goes to show there IS a specific approach to fat loss and while you may need little tweaks here and there to individualize that approach, it’s paramount to be persistent in training to get stronger and building muscle. To make the best of your training, get outside and enjoy life Earlier this month I visited the St. Louis Children’s (City) Museum with my family. It’s always a great time there because it really makes me feel like a little kid crawling and climbing around that place. I also have a profound respect for the creativity and architecture. Check it in out this video!
It was pretty empty when we got there since they opened up an hour early and we were probably one of 5 cars in the lot. Once I got there and did some crawling around and running up and down the stairs, I had to pause for a moment and appreciate all the things I can do because of my persistence and consistency (there are those words again) to my training and mobility work. Some of the places at the museum are clearly made for kids. Not going to lie there are some situations where I thought I wasn’t going to make it.
A photo posted by Donovan’s Personal Training (@train_with_donovan) on
At times like this it helps me to understand what all my hard work and focus in the gym can do besides help me make cool videos to put on instagram. For the past several years I’ve had clients tell me stories about all the times they’ve done something in the real world that can attribute their success to their training. Take my client Adriane for example. For years, she couldn’t ride her road bike without serious back pain. Goal number 1 was to get her able and functioning. This is an important step because when you have more function, you can do more things. Case in point, any fat loss or weight loss goals you have to be able to perform physically to achieve those goals. Bike riding is great for weight loss and since she enjoys it- it makes sense to get her healthy enough to make that happen and accomplish both getting back on the bike and improve body composition.
“Kim Kardashian doesn’t provide much value and asks for a lot of money, why can’t I when I provide more value to people?”
I heard this knowledge bomb on the “Barbell Business” podcast this week and it totally caught my attention. It’s not easy asking folks for money knowing how hard times are for most people. Early in my career it was painful asking people to pay me for the service I provide. It still is at times. But then your bills don’t get paid and when you do charge people it ends up being overdue and therefore pressuring people in a way you didn’t want them to be in the first place. Reading that out loud it doesn’t make sense, right? I’m sure some of you out there feel the same way. It’s an honest and genuine feeling. I know if I won the lottery, I’d still use my skill and talents to help people become a better version of themselves. Perhaps it’s natural to think this way when you truly love what you do.
Though this quote really woke my ass up. I mean really…why should I feel guilty for placing a monetary value on a service I provide that could help thousands (maybe millions one day) of people in my lifetime when there are folks asking to be paid for being themselves on television? It’s crazy.
For me, the takeaway is this: get really fucking good at what you do and provide a service people will want. If they’re not interested in paying then perhaps they’re not ready and that’s okay. Problem is I want to help as many people as I can. But this year, my most successful year ever, those that are willing to invest in themselves are the best clients and get the best results and stick around the longest. Especially because they pay a premium price for training. Keeping that in mind forces me to continue to elevate my game for these people.
Hope you’ve enjoyed this post. Look for next month’s edition!
When it comes to results, you have to have the physical capabilities to make that happen.
If you look around social media, you’ll see testimonials about the results people get from some nutrition program or training program they’ve done for X amount of time. Naturally, you get inspired by these people and what they’ve accomplish and decide you want something similar. What most folks DON’T see is the hard work that’s being put in. Often once they do….they ain’t about that lyyyfe.
Granted, when the bright lights start to dim, we realize we don’t actually want the same things that we might marvel at, like having a body like Ronnie Coleman. Say what you will, like it or not, not many will have the dedication or the time to commit to such a feat. And I think that’s where most people get caught up.
While most of the results you want comes from how well put together your nutrition plan is, there is still the physical work that is a huge variable. Want bigger/stronger legs? You’ll going to need to get lots of lower body work, whether it’s some squat variation, machine work or sled work. Want to get more efficient at running? You’re going to have to put in the miles and technique work to become a better runner. Want to have a better looking upper body? You have to be able to do enough pull-ups, chin-ups, push-ups, presses and pulls to attain such goals.
It’s important to look deep within ourselves and ask what are we actually willing to do. It’s hard to know this sometimes until we actually get up and start doing. Though it might seem like a waste, if you’re diving into new waters and realize what you want isn’t for you, it’s better to know it then and learn something about yourself you didn’t know before. Which is always a good thing.
I was never an athlete. I still don’t call myself one. But I do train for a better life, and that’s what I got from training with Donovan.
In mid-2013 I had constant, debilitating back pain. Trips were cut short, housework got ignored. Most doctors said “Exercise. Take ibuprofen. Stretch.” Okay. But the light bulb went up when my friend Marisa mentioned that she had a personal trainer and the three magic words: “No back pain.” Well, sign me up.
I have skipped some days. I have whined plenty, especially on days that were hot. I have whined that I was too weak to lift a kettle bell. But I still went and lifted. Donovan Muldrow does not belittle you or yell at you. He learns how you move and how you learn, he writes your workout programs, and most importantly, he teaches you what your body is capable of and how to do it right. And despite my protests before (okay, and some during), I never, ever leave a workout feeling bad. I am elated, and sweaty, and accomplished, and that is the mark of a most excellent trainer.
The back pain is gone. Granted, it got replaced with a little soreness after leg day, but that reminds you that you worked on something and that something is developing. I have biceps and quads now. I move better. I feel more comfortable in my own skin. What you get out of training with Donovan is a new sense of self-respect, better understanding of the wonders that your mind and body are capable of, a strong desire to test and push beyond your boundaries, and you get the friendship of one of the best men you will ever meet.
As a side note, I noticed while writing this that I had a lot of difficulty finding a “before” picture, because I hated having my picture taken. There’s a lot more recent ones now to use as “afters.” That should tell you something.
Without a doubt, exercise/training is the easiest way to improve ones health and athleticism. You get up out of bed. You get dressed. Get yourself to the training facility. Show up where your trainer will be waiting for you and execute the workout as planned. With nutrition, it’s not as simple. First, you have to know what you want to eat for (i.e. goals): Lose weight? Gain weight? Fat loss? Get ready for a competition? Knowing that first will give us an idea of foods to add/avoid in order to succeed. But then your goals changed because you wanted to run a 5k that your friend talked you into and…..yeah.
Nutrition is constantly a moving target.
Sometimes we get ahead of ourselves and set goals that aren’t in line with our lifestyle. THIS is why changing up your lifestyle for your goals first can have it’s benefits to make the most of a new training program or nutrition plan, but more likely than not most people aren’t willing to go that far. As you can imagine, it’s my job to get people results in the gym and beyond. The key is giving folks the tools they can use right away that will allow them to live their lives and get results. The hard part is tearing down those old habits and replacing them with new ones.
Think about it… all those dozens of new habits you’ve spent weeks or months building can be easily nullified by the one or two bad habits that have been stored in your subconscious for nearly your entire life. This is where professionals get caught up in promising people results without looking at the real issue as to why they’re in the position they’re in-in the first place. But in the meantime, we need to give them tools to keep the “thirst at bay”. Here are some tips that I give clients to focus on when their nutrition seems to be all over the place:
1) Know thy self
I get it. It’s been a long day and you’re probably hungry as fuuuuuh and you don’t really care why you’re eating what you’re eating and you’re gonna because STONE COLD SAID SO!!!!! Then you’ll wake up the next morning with a soaked pillow because you’ve cried yourself to sleep with “Friends” on in the background playing the one where Ross takes a break from Rachel (what an idiot). My thing is this- choose a “go to food” when it gets to be one of those days. That way you know what it’s for. It’s familiar. It’s comforting. Your eating can be controlled and help keep in mind what the overall goal is. Wait…does that mean I can “choose” a whole pizza? The answer to that is it depends (I love that answer), however I wouldn’t say to eat the whole damn pizza. If you don’t trust yourself to eat a slice or two from a whole or frozen pizza, go somewhere where they do sell them in slices. You know you. You’ll be less likely to order 8 individual slices and have the clerk tilt their head and go “awwww, bless yer heart” (and you know what they mean by that…).
2) Eat with a friend….and no I’m not talking about your cat
Specifically, eat with a friend who has your goals in mind and will help you out. You want to test your friendship? Tell them you’re trying to lose some inches for an event next weekend while you’re at a restaurant and see if they’ll let you order a triple chocolate chewy fudge brownie à la mode. You know if they let that happen they’ll have to hear about you being sad that you ate it and how you didn’t reach your goal and blame them for not being supportive. Sitting down and eating is a great opportunity to socialize. Food is what brings people together right? Confiding in someone what your goals are and reaching out to help you stay on track is very significant. Having that social support goes a long way and can really strengthen relationship bonds.
3) Look for the good in a bad situation
You’re out and about with the family or at a work function where you’re subjected to whatever is brought to the table. Take a step back. Breathe and become aware of what’s around you and literally think about what you’re going to do. More likely than not, you’ll run into a scenario where there ain’t a damn thing available that’s on par with what you’re trying to do. But you have to eat. If it comes down to this you want to think about calorie intake since quality has gone out the window. I’m not huge on calorie counting, but that’s just me. However, if you are and you can look up the calories on a myfitnesspal app, it may give you some piece of mind.
4) It’s okay to just say “fuck it” every now and then
Seriously. I’ve heard it all, “oh I don’t have time”…”I don’t know how to cook”… “I don’t know what to buy”… “I’m single and so I don’t really cook a whole lot”. Stop it. Just. Stop it.
If you truly don’t have the time to make meals (there’s 168 hours in a week ya know), then you don’t really give a shit about your health. Your goals mean nothing to you and you just want them to want them. I know that might be a little harsh, but your actions to match up with your goals. I mean, even the POTUS and FLOTUS find time to work out…even if it’s at 4am. I’ll tell ya what, it’s not so much that you don’t have the time. It’s that you don’t know how to manage your time. But that’s obvious at this point. So you’re gonna need some tools.
Introducing…the Instant Pot
You guys have no idea how crazy awesome this thing has been for me and my family. It’s a 7-in-1 Multi-Functional Cooker–Pressure Cooker, Slow Cooker, Rice Cooker, Saute/Browning, Yogurt Maker, Steamer & Warmer. So far we’ve done a whole pack of chicken breasts cooked in 12 minutes…4 uncooked cups of rice done in 12 minutes. Pasta done in 7…people. We literally made a weeks worth of food in less than 3 hours. And if you need to make more?? Shouldn’t take any more than They have the technology there. They’re literally trying to make our lives better and more time efficient. This wasn’t exactly cheap…but we got rid of our other crock-pot. We got ours on Amazon Prime on Prime day. You can pick it up at Wally World, Target, Bed Bath and Beyond…anywhere you’d find your mom shopping. We only have one other crock-pot to cook with for larger parties. And even then, we used the crock-pot all the time. The idea of putting the food in and letting it cook all day and then come to a home smelling amazing!? All you have to do is put the shit it in there and let it go!! Sorry…I’m a bit hangry at the moment.
Point is, nutrition is forever changing and so is your body. Just when you think you want to lose weight, you really want to fit better into your clothes…but we know it’s not all one in the same. And when you’re on vacation, you’re not always going to have your prepped meals on hand. The whole point of vacation/taking breaks is to relax your mind and body and just do whatever you feel. As I pointed out earlier, your mind takes up quite a bit of the body’s energy. Not having to think can really be distressing and recharge those batteries. SO if living the life of counting calories and macros and how many almonds you need at a given time, focus on the what it is you’re eating and ask yourself “why?”. Awareness is extremely empowering. Having a plan is liberating. Stick to the plan that you have and only change what isn’t working for you. With time and consistency, soon you’ll become a master at hitting moving targets.
I first met with Donovan to talk about training and do a trial session at the end of September 2015.
What led you to “Train With Donovan” and why?
I had not been happy with my fitness level for awhile when I came to first meet with Donovan. I felt like the person in the mirror wasn’t the person I had known most of my life. I had tried other diets and exercise choices in the past and due to “life” I had to quit what I was doing. It had been some months since I had done any regular exercise. I missed the feeling I got from working out and feeling good. It was something I did for myself and I missed it. When I started on this journey, I had not ever tried a personal trainer before, but I thought that it was worth a shot to see what I could get out of it. I sought out Donovan because some other people I know were always writing positive things about him and their workouts on my Facebook feed. After our initial meeting where Donovan listened to me talk about what my goals were, my thoughts about my body and exercise etc., I felt like this was the next step in my exercise journey. I left feeling like this was about my whole self and not just a weight or exercise routine.
What were some of the things you’ve sacrificed to make your training a priority? Why is your training important to you?
Sacrifice seems like a negative word to me. I would rather say that I have purposefully chosen what is important to me. I firmly believe people find or make the time or money for people, things and/or experiences that are important to them. This is true in all aspects of life. I have chosen to make myself a priority; I have made financial decisions/choices to make training a priority. I could look at less shopping or eating out, etc. as a sacrifice, I suppose, but I have chosen to attempt to be as positive as I can in all areas of my life. Training is important to me because of how it makes me feel about me. I feel strong and happy. It has helped me come back to my true self in my life journey. I had honestly lost me for awhile, but now that I’m back I don’t see training leaving my life as a priority. I recently had someone ask me about my training and the cost. I answered, it is so important to me I am willing to forgo other luxuries in my life to make it happen. I can’t imagine training not being a part of my life.
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 had not worked directly with a trainer before Donovan, so I don’t have anything to compare my current experiences. However, I will say that Donovan pays attention to me and has gotten to know me as a person. He can tell when I’m tired. He seems to know just when to push and add some weight. He will have you do things you didn’t even think were possible. Sometimes life sucks; when I need to use my workout to lose some steam, he accommodates that. I would say that I miss my sessions if I have cant come to one. I try not to miss at all; that is how positive my time with Donovan has been. Another important positive experience from this is that my kids get to see how important this is to me and I can model healthy body image and care.
How do you feel now compared to when you first started training with Donovan?
I feel amazing! I can see and notice the changes in my body and abilities. I can tell that I am more fit. I always think the most interesting thing to me is when I notice something that used to be difficult at the beginning, I now can do with ease. Overall, I am sleeping and eating better. I am a happier person. All of these things connect back to getting in my training sessions. I can say when I first started I was probably weighing myself more than I should. And while I was always wanting to be strong, the scale would still come to try to tell me a different story. As I’ve been on this journey I now focus on how my clothes fit and how I feel now rather than the number on the scale. I actually put my scale away. I haven’t weighed myself for 6 weeks. I have no desire to anymore. I have had a lot of people comment on “how much weight I’ve lost”. I’ve honestly lost around 2lbs. It isn’t about the weight. I don’t even have a weight goal anymore. It is about the leanness of my body and how I feel. I’ve dropped a pant size and am close to the next size. At the end of the day, I feel great about what I’m doing and myself. And, I’m totally in love with my new shoulders. 🙂
Would you recommend training with Donovan to others, and why?
I have and will continue to recommend Donovan to anyone because he is fantastic at what he does. He builds you up and you don’t even know it. There is always a method to his “madness”! At the end of the day, when you come to training and are consistent, you will see improvement.
What do you look forward to in the future with your training?
I look forward to continuing to build my strength and push myself in ways I hadn’t even thought of doing before. I’ve only been on this journey for 6 months. I can’t wait to see where I am another 6 months from now.
I have a few friends who had been doing group training with him for a number of months, and just watching their transitions over the course of those months made me think “I should do this. I owe it to myself.” I was never in it to lose weight. I knew that probably wouldn’t be the best goal for me. Instead I simply wanted to get in better shape, and be more fit and in tune with my body. I knew that as I did that, I’d burn the fat, even if the weight didn’t disappear. Over time, I haven’t actually lost a lot of weight in pounds but, my pants waist has shrunk somewhere between two and four inches and my shirts feel significantly more loose, especially around the belly. I’ve definitely lost fat and put on muscle.
What were some of the things you’ve sacrificed to make your training a priority? Why is your training important to you?
The biggest sacrifice is time. I’m pretty busy, between being an active member in one community, a leader in another, and maintaining my relationships with friends and loved ones. I used to go to karaoke once a week; on one of the days that I train now; and I rarely have the energy to make it out after our workouts. Still, I wouldn’t trade my training back for it. It’s important to me because of how it makes me feel. I’ve wrestled with a lot of body negativity issues. I’m a big guy. I will never not be. But I can choose whether it’s just me being the Stay Puft Marshmallow Man, or if I can actually build some strength and muscle. Training with Donovan leaves me feeling empowered, even if a bit sore. It’s also amazing at fighting off my depression, and the stresses of the day. Nothing feels quite as cathartic as the physical exertion on days where work is just a little too stressful.
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?
Donovan was my first trainer, and he’s been phenomenal to work with. He’s always encouraging, which is great on the good days, and even better on the bad. He encourages not just lifting the weights, but also building a positive attitude, and treating your body right. Whenever it’s a “bad day” in the gym, he always asks “How’d you sleep? What have you been eating?” and encourages you to be more mindful in your choices. This, plus seeing the gains from week to week and month to month have always left me feeling more empowered. I feel like whenever he sees me doing things a little to easy, he encourages moving up the weight, and when he sees that I’m struggling on a day, taking some off. It’s not always about hitting the number, it’s about building a strong and consistent habit of doing the work, so that when you need to take a breather, you’ll come back in just as good.
How do you feel now compared to when you first started training with Donovan?
I feel significantly stronger, more flexible, and empowered physically and mentally. One of my more amusing litmus tests from when I started training was being able to lift my girlfriend. When I first started with Donovan, I couldn’t really pick her up without struggling. I could do it, and hold her for a bit, but she always felt insecure with it. Now I can just pick her up and walk away with her, and it usually leaves both of us laughing. When I talk about being empowered, one of the metrics of success that I have with Donovan is to make my bad days today be where my good days were yesterday. It’s incredible to actually see it and have the numbers. Just a couple of weeks ago, I had a day where I was feeling about 80%, tops. I slept like crap, ate like crap, and struggling with depression were all leading to me having a bad day. Still I was pounding out some floor presses, and I was working with a weight that was below where I had done it last time. Donovan saw how I was working, and actually encouraged me to do better than my last time. I listened to his advice, and was still able to push myself through it at the higher weight. He saw that, even on a bad day, I could do more than I thought I could, and encouraged me to push myself I still remember, less than a year ago, when I first deadlifted over 100 lbs. I felt so strong and so proud, because I wasn’t sure I could do it. Now, that weight is less than where I start my warm-ups, and I’m less than a year in. I’m still feeling strong and proud, I just work with bigger numbers now.
Would you recommend training with Donovan to others, and why?
Absolutely, and I have. He’s good at paying attention to you, your needs, and your body. If something isn’t working right, he’ll find a way to change it. If you’re incapable of doing something, he’ll find a way to work around it. One of the people in my group can’t really lift weights over her head, so he has her do something else to work those muscles. Another can’t handle rapid up and down motions, things like jump squats, and so Donovan gives him an alternate thing. He finds what works for you, and always has tips on how to make it better.
What do you look forward to in the future with your training?
Making my bad days tomorrow be where my good days are today, and to make my good days tomorrow above and beyond that.
I get it. Perception is the reality. While that may be true, I’m here to tell you:
YOUR BODY DOESN’T GIVE A DAMN WHAT YOUR PERCEPTION IS.
There’s no doubt that our bodies live in a totally different reality than our minds do. The reason there is so much constant failure in the fitness industry is we pay too much attention to fixing issues that are merely symptoms of a larger problem.
Obesity is not an epidemic. It’s systematic failure where pragmatism is not the focus in nutritional eduction to the general public as much as it should.
It’s the fact that for most people, completely cutting out cookies and maxwell polishes the rest of your natural life is unrealistic and unnecessary if you enjoy them. Where instead we could limit the things we want in a practical way that our daily nutrition isn’t depended on these kinds of foods.
It’s believing we can eat whatever the hell we want as long as we work it off next week. Where instead we could eat well and train well most of the time, and eat whatever the hell we want occasionally and not have to worry about it.
Warm weather is approaching. People will be out on their porches drinking beer almost everyday. Including me! That’s totally okay. But when shit gets real and you want to start cutting down, you should know what to do and how to do it.
If the winter is your “off season” and you want to train hard and stay disciplined so you can enjoy the spring/summer months, then that is a solid plan.
No one can tell you HOW to live your life, but we can help you navigate it so you can live it to its fullest and healthiest.
Whatever your perception is, do right by you by being constantly aware of the thoughts you make, and what kinds of results your actions will yield.
Happy New Years, everyone! It’s been a while since I’ve posted a blog post on this website. Not going to lie, at one point I did give up. Writing just isn’t in my wheelhouse and I get bored quickly. However, I’ve had a shift in perspective and goals. I used to think I’d have to write out this 500-1000 word article for it to be worth peoples time to read. That kind of ideology is what ultimately let me to think that writing was a bit too much. As articulate and long-winded as I am in person, I’m not quite the same in writing. So then I realized I could just get straight to the point. Create content that the busiest of people could spare 2-5 minutes to read and maybe learn something.
Doesn’t it feel good when you come up with ways to make your life easier? I hope you can find this post useful to help make your life easier, too.
Today’s post is the beginning of a series I’d like to call “D-Money’s Exercise of the Month.” Some of these exercises aren’t new or very exotic, but they’re pretty damn powerful if you use them correctly. More often than not these drills/movements can be used in your warmp-up, at the end or during your strength routine.
So without further adieu, introducing: X-Band Walks
Targets: Glute Medius, Hip Abductors
What does it do? The X-Band Walks (a.k.a. cross band walks, a.k.a. lateral resistance walks, a.k.a. ass burners) is a fantastic drill to strengthen and stabilize your hips and stabilize the knee. That’s good news for people who live in weather where it can become very icy, or if you’re used to sitting on your tush all day it can “wake” that ass up. Having that stability in the knee and hip joints will give you a better chance from taking a nose dive slipping on ice. This is also a great drill to use pre/post knee or hip surgery if squatting and lunging still hurts.
When should you use it? The X-Band walks can be used just about anywhere in your programming. Whether it be in the warm-up as a stabilization drill for a lower body day, before you participate in a sporting event, or in between strength sets as a filler on upper body day.
How should you use it? You want there to be a level of fatigue in the glutes before you train them. Programming 15-20 reps going each direction is a good start depending on the strength of the band. You can also use them for time, anywhere from 20-30 seconds at the end of the workout for a finisher. Boom! Try it out and let me know what you think!
