ASF Re-opening Policies and Procedures

Posted on May 18, 2020May 18, 2020 by adrensf

ASF Family,

This has been a crazy few months and the rest of the year might be even crazier!

As you all know, Governor DeWine amended the shelter in place order allowing gyms to re-open under minimum operations, starting May 26. We are excited and of course cautious, and really appreciate your support while the gym was closed as we get closer to reopening.

In addition to this document, there be a video call to discuss our policies and procedures; it will be on May 21 at 7:00 pm. The link can be found here.

We understand that people are all over the map about coming back to train. Whatever decision you make, we will be there to coach you as much as we can!

There is no script or guidebook on how to do this the exact right way so expect some changes as we roll this out. The initial guidelines set forth by the state of Ohio will serve as a framework for our Policies and Procedures. We will also post several signs throughout the facility, reiterating what expectations will be for everyone.

The plan is to offer athlete training classes at 9:00; 11:00; 1:00 and 3:00 during the first week. Adult classes will be 6:00 am and 5:00 pm, for at least the first week to see how everything goes. After each session, there will be a thorough cleaning of the facility prior to the next class (hence the gap between sessions).

Weekend classes are also possible but we will have more details as the week plays out.

We will assess after each week on how to proceed with more sessions. Get ready for ASF 2.0!

Safety Measures:

Classes will still be 60 minutes. Please arrive no earlier than five minutes before the start of the session. To start cleaning the equipment and facility promptly, we ask that you leave within 10 minutes after the end of your session.
We feel confident that up to 16 people can be allowed in each class for the safety of everyone involved. Each person will be assigned a 6’ space. We will also make use of the back parking lot for certain activities to increase social distancing, if warranted.
If you have any flu-like symptoms, have a temperature over 100, are coughing or not feeling well, please do not come to class. If you have been sick, with COVID-19 or any other illness, please do not attend for at least 14 days.
We ask that everyone wash their hands as they come in, and wash their hands again prior to leaving.
Avoid sharing equipment. You may also bring your own equipment to use in place of the equipment supplied at ASF.
All workout stations and drill setups will be at least 6 feet apart. Weather permitting, we will be utilizing the outdoor space as much as possible.
While we will be cleaning on a regular basis, you are encouraged to wipe down everything you use at the end of your session. If you feel more comfortable bringing your own cleaning solutions, feel free to use them.
Face masks and gloves are recommended if you have them. Please be cognizant of a condition called hypercapnia, where carbon dioxide builds up in the bloodstream in conjunction with a decrease in oxygen. Self-monitor for mild symptoms such as flushed skin, drowsiness or inability to focus, mild headaches, feeling disoriented or dizzy, feeling short of breath, being abnormally tired or exhausted; more severe symptoms include unexplained feelings of confusion, abnormal feelings of paranoia or depression, abnormal muscle twitching, irregular heartbeat, hyperventilation, seizures, panic attack or passing out.
Drinking fountains will be closed for use, except for emergencies; please bring your own water. Restrooms and showers will be available for normal operations.
Entrance will be at the front door; exit will be out the back garage door(s) that are open to maximize social distancing and points of contact.

If you have rented or borrowed equipment and will be coming back to class, we will need all equipment returned as soon as possible. If you are NOT coming back during the week of May 26th, please make arrangements to drop off equipment.

There is always a chance that we may have to shut down again if the Governor deems it necessary based on hot spots, statewide orders or gyms are mandated as a sub-sector of business closures.

As of now, we are not planning on taking “reservations”. Since we have a large, open space, social distancing should not be a problem nor should overcrowding, especially with no overlapping classes. We will be taking attendance for each class for contact tracing purposes.

Much of this is common sense. If we are always aware of the potential problems, we can be part of the solution(s) as a team. Communication is more important than ever, between the coaches and you and among each other. We welcome your feedback on how to create a safe environment while still providing a fun, effective experience.

Thank you for your support once again during the last ten weeks. We can’t wait to see you and get back to having fun!!

The toughest blog post I’ve ever written (for now)

Posted on April 5, 2020April 5, 2020 by adrensf

This is a tough post to write but I want to be open, honest and transparent regarding our situation.

Like most small businesses, we have multiple challenges right now. In our case: How to coach virtually? How to create value without a facility? How to deliver a session in a different way than in – person? We are still coaching to the best of our ability, utilizing technology as much as possible.

We are currently using all of the below to continue to help athletes and adults get better right now:

Instagram and Facebook daily workouts;
Instagram Live speed sessions on Mondays/Thursdays;
Team Buildr App, where we can send individualized workouts to do at home, using the equipment you have;
Rent equipment from us to use at home;
Private Facebook page, where we host live workouts (please ask us to join, if interested).

There is no guidebook for this, so we are adapting each week to what we can work with, and what people like.

We are counting on our community to support us during the shutdown and we will continue to offer our services, just in a different way.

If you can help that cause, we would appreciate it. We want to have a gym to train at when this is over! We are planning on opening as soon as we get the green light, and continuing to operate “business as usual”.

Thank you for your support thus far, and please let me know how I can serve you in this shutdown!

Love, Tony

Do You Really Want To Be A College Athlete? – By Roderick Mills

Posted on October 4, 2018 by adrensf

Rod Mills just signed a professional basketball contract to play in Georgia (the country, that is). Here is a great read for athletes who are considering playing college athletics.

While I was working out this summer I had a conversation with my trainer at the sports performance place I go to and we talked about how much goes into being a student athlete in college and all the demands that it comes with. Because he also trains a lot of high school kids as well he said that he feels many of them don’t know how much it really takes and the sacrifice that was involved. Since I played college athletics I thought I would write about the differences and what it takes so that kids in high school can get an idea of what really goes into it.

As a high school athlete, most likely your dream and goal are to make it to play in college at some level whether that is Division 1, Division 2, and so on. All of the hard work you’ve put in to be good in high school and to have the chance to go on and keep playing is something that many kids want. But not everyone is built to be a college athlete and that is fine. You may have gotten burnt out and just want to be a regular student or your areas of interest have changed. Life is all about choices, and when you ultimately make that choice to play in college you should realize some things going into it.

The biggest thing you have to realize is the time commitment that being a college athlete takes. During the season your schedule is so routine and almost every minute there is something that you have to do. You wake up and go to class, and then you have weights and practice, and then you have to eat and then go to study tables and by the time you get through with all that, it’s time to go to bed and do it all over again. And you are doing this for weeks and months at a time and it can be hard if you’re not used to it. You’re going to miss out on things and have to sacrifice because not only do you have to perform well in your sport, but you also have to perform well in the classroom. You still get to go out, hang with friends, but you’re not going to be doing it as much as a regular college student will be able to. You have to realize you are going to miss class due to traveling and at first you think that’s great because I don’t have to go to class. But it honestly hurts more than it helps because the material they cover in college moves so quick and it is easy to get behind because you have to push things back and the work just seems to pile up. But you will have help and teachers are understanding and at the end of the day, the people in college want to see you succeed and graduate.

You also have to realize you’re going to miss out on some holidays and breaks. With basketball our season was basically two semesters, my senior year we went to a tournament in Jamaica and while I would do that 10/10 times we got back in the afternoon on Thanksgiving Day and had practice the next morning, so if you didn’t live close to school you couldn’t have Thanksgiving with your family. At Miami we also had a 6-week winter break, however we only got 4 days off for Christmas and then we were back at school the rest of the time practicing and playing while everyone else is at home. Because you hope to be playing in March and in the tournament, you most likely won’t get a spring break and you shouldn’t want to be on break because that means your season is over. You also only get 6 weeks off for summer break because then you have to be back for summer school and workouts. These are just some things you have to go in knowing if you’re going to be an athlete in college.

Another area that you don’t really worry about in high school, but you do in college is taking care of your body. The amount of volume that your body endures is so much more than what you had to do in high school. Due to the intensity that your coaches are going to expect out of you in weights, and practice your body is not really used to that. Making sure that you eat right (and not just having junk food), stretch and get treatment, taking ice baths, and most importantly getting enough sleep and rest! If you don’t do those things your body is not going to be as good as it could be towards the end of the year. I know late in the season a lot of guys would say their body hurt but then wouldn’t go get treatment because you would have to wake up early to go see the trainer. It’s all about sacrifice but by taking care of your body, it will pay off tenfold down the line and your performance will also be better.

There’s also going to be tough times where you’re going to have to wake up at 5am multiple times a week to do workouts. You’re not going to want to practice sometimes because you don’t feel well, or something happened to you that didn’t go your way. Coaches are yelling at you and you’re not playing the amount of time you thought you should. It all seems to hard and you’ve never experienced anything like this before. You have to realize it’s going to happen, and you have to be mentally strong enough to push through it all and find a way to get better and work hard at all times.

But there is another side to all of this and that is the joy of being a college athlete! I wouldn’t trade my experience for anything in the world and would choose being an athlete in college every time over just being a regular student. You build lifelong friendships and a bond that not many people get to experience. That bond develops through all the early mornings, the tough practices, the amazing wins, and devastating losses. You come together and learn to trust the people around you through the good and bad times. Your teammates are the people you almost do everything with from going to class, workouts, eat, and go out with. You look at for each other and don’t let outsiders come in between you guys. You’re a family and that is something you will have for the rest of your life. You also get a lot of recognition and respect from the community and other people around you. They know how much time you have to put into being a college athlete and that you’ve sacrificed a lot to get to this point. It’s always good hearing people in class say we’re coming to the game tonight or be out and people say good game. You have a lot of eyes on you, so you want to be a good example to little kids and people that look up to you and make sure you’re doing good and things that won’t bring a negative light to you or your program.

You also have a chance to travel the world and country. In college we played in Cancun, Jamaica, New York, Florida, Louisiana, North Carolina and a bunch of other places. I’ve seen things I wouldn’t have been able to if not for basketball! You get to stay in nice hotels, eat out, and there is nothing like getting victories on the road!

I think the best thing about being a college athlete is the skills that you learn from it. I learned the importance of time management and how to balance and prioritize things in my day so that I wasn’t wasting time and having to scramble at the last minute. That is something that will help you for the rest of your life with any job that you do. You also find out what you are made of. You are pushed to a whole different level and learning that you can go past your limits that you thought you had even though it was hard is something that stays with you forever. You realize you can do a lot more than you thought and that develops a level a mental toughness that you won’t have unless you’ve been put through the fire. I wish I would have realized this earlier, but the mental aspect is just as important as the physical. The quicker you can gain control of your mind and thoughts and how you think about tough situations, the better you will be in the long run.

I am very grateful that God blessed me with the talents and opportunity to go play in college and now professionally. I will definitely learn from some of the mistakes I made in college and the lessons I learned and carry that into my professional basketball career. I hope this helps for kids looking at playing in college and I hope everyone that has the dream to play in college gets the opportunity at whatever level!

Check out Rod’s thoughts and writings on his blog, https://www.relentlessfinisher.com.

30 for 30: What 30 years in the Trenches Has Taught Me -Tony Poggiali (part 2)

Posted on August 29, 2018August 29, 2018 by adrensf

Here is part two of what the last 30 years has taught me about the fitness profession/industry. Here is part one in case you missed it.

16. Even after three decades, the true number one reason that this still excites me is the opportunity to make a difference in someone’s life. No matter how small that difference may be, coaches are in a position that very few people can compete with: A daily chance to impact lives. There was a chance that ASF was not going to continue past 2018, but I couldn’t imagine not seeing everyone on a daily basis. In many ways, I am just getting started.

17. Continuing that thought, in addition to impacting the people in which we work with, we also have a responsibility to impact those who are just getting started. My Miami teaching position has really opened my eyes to how unprepared young coaches can be if they don’t get practical knowledge taught to them. Whether it is in college, internships, mentorships, or the like, we have a major role in leaving the profession in a better place than when we entered it.

18. Be true to you. “I believe that one defines oneself by reinvention. To not be like your parents. To not be like your friends. To be yourself. To cut yourself out of stone.” Henry Rollins. I am so far from perfect, it is laughable but I am always moving the needle in the right direction.

19. Give thanks.

20. The human body is amazing. I think I know what to do to help people improve performance, lose weight, gain muscle and strength, get faster, etc. but how do we really know what works? We are coaches, who observe who/what is in front of us and use the knowledge that we have, and make educated guesses. The best coaches make the best guesses.

21. Those who give freely – knowledge, advice, etc – and expect nothing in return are diamonds in the rough. I made the mistake years ago of giving with expectation. I still value any form of “Thank you” but know people much better now, and have more realistic expectations.

22. Passion may not be enough to make it in this profession. The reason that I started ASF is not the reason that I continue ASF. In the beginning, I thought it was giving people a place to train, get results and have some fun. Now, it is those PLUS the impact, both now and in the future, that transcends just “working out”. I get excited to coach a session but even more excited when we get to talk before or after the session. Ironically, those conversations are mostly about non-training topics.

23. Good times never last, neither do bad times. I think I am lucky in that I do not get too high or too low based on any one business performance or metric. It doesn’t mean much unless a pattern occurs. Over the years, I have embraced the stoic response to life much more and feel it is one of the keys to long-term business success.

24. The kind thing is always the right thing. There are some business decisions that are based on kindness rather than making a buck. Not every decision needs to be based on the bottom line, especially if it is done with kindness as the driver. It is not about money at that point, but about a person.

25. Nutrition and exercise are just the beginning to long-term health and performance. The second tier (and arguably part of the first tier) are related to genetics, hormones, metabolism, microbiome and sleep/recovery. Each one cannot be taken for granted and expect optimal results to happen.

26. Humble bragging is a relatively new term, (at least to me) but it applies to coaches and trainers quite a bit. One example is when coaches post a high level college or pro athlete and take credit for their development or some other metric or quantitative accomplishment. You certainly helped but the groundwork was already there. Color me old-school but the athlete is front and center, the coach is the background. Make it ALL about the them.

27. At this point in my career/life, I only have the energy to spend on getting better, surrounding myself with people who want to get better, and feel like every day is a tangible chance to get better. It is done, in part, to be a better business owner, coach and person for my family, but also to transfer that knowledge and wisdom to the people in my life instead of keeping it to myself.

28. It took me a while to reach out for help but I now know that going at this alone usually does not end well. With that being said, do some research on the person or company you are going to use as a mentor/coach. There are some shady guys out there who are not in a position to benefit you or your business.

29. Continuing the above thought, the team makes the difference, not the boss/owner. We have had amazing coaches over the years and each one did the best they could. I am very grateful for each one as they are the lifeblood of ASF. I love all of you, especially these two goofballs!

30. In the end, there is no shortcut, no hack, no easy way. It is hard work. It was part of the deal when I was training people out of World Gym, and what I signed up for thirteen years ago when I completed the lease at our current location. It has been a journey like I never would have imagined. Mistakes, victories, rough spots, highlights. It has all lead to this moment right here, right now.

As this concludes, I can’t help but think of what legacy will be here after I am gone….Did I do enough? Did I impact…anybody? Did I leave the world a better place, albeit a tiny fraction of a tiny corner? I hope so, and those questions will continue to drive me each day I awaken.

Thanks for reading!

For guys only – ASF Book Club

Posted on July 31, 2018August 12, 2018 by adrensf

Men we have a problem. The problem is us: men. We are responsible for most of what is wrong is this world. If you ask some people, we are responsible for everything that is wrong in the world. But we also hold the solution.

If you watch any social media/television/video format, most of what you see is the “bad” side of the male species. Violence, misogyny, hatred, xenophobia, abuse, domestic issues, division, war, ego, negativity. The good in the world gets drowned out by the bad. Enough. We are better than that. The world needs to see that we can do good! More important, our families need us more than ever. To be better husbands, sons, brothers, citizens, humans.

I have been thinking about this for a long time; we have a lot of great guys at ASF who individually have great lives and stories to share. But collectively, we can lift each other up, teach each other, learn from each other, cry with each other, become a better steward for the ones we love. So, I want to start a men’s only group where we meet, talk, learn, share, get better.

The only prerequisites are open, honesty and transparency in all discussions. No inflated egos allowed. You will be asked to leave your bullshit outside so we can have real conversations about real issues.

Some of those issues include leadership, personal development, health, longevity, vitality, success, business, family, fitness, finances/wealth, masculinity, emotional IQ, happiness/joy, purpose, vocational, etc.

We will be reading {on your own} from the same book that will be assigned before the first meeting. It will form a foundation for discussion at the start of the meeting.

This will NOT be a bro-session talking about nutrition, lifting, exercise, or other issues that are similar.

You owe it to your family, your kids and the most important person of all, your self, to be the best person you can be. This will be fun, intense and challenging…kinda like an exercise session but for your mind!

WHO: ANY ASF MALE, ESPECIALLY IF YOU ARE IN A LEADERSHIP POSITION

WHERE: ASF ON TUES OR THUR FROM 7:30 PM TO 8:30 PM, STARTING IN SEPTEMBER

HOW LONG: 12 WEEKS

HOW OFTEN: BIWEEKLY

HOW MUCH: FREE, EXCEPT FOR COST OF BOOK [TBD]

Yes! I am interested. Please include on any future information.

The “Why” of Why I Love to Coach – Alice Smith

Posted on April 6, 2018 by adrensf

We all choose a path in life. We choose to study a particular subject in school, we choose a career that we think will make us happy. We choose to get married or stay single. We choose.

When asked “why” I made my career choice, it took me a minute to find the words for an answer. You see, it’s kind of complex.

When I went to college, I honestly didn’t know what I wanted to do with my life. I had lots of hobbies and things that I enjoyed, but nothing really struck me on the head as a lifelong career path.

So I went in on the wrong boat. I started in an arts and humanities program- but after only a few months realized it was not for me. I couldn’t handle the blood and guts of nursing (my next attempt at a major), so I went to an advisor defeated.

My advisor told me about the kinesiology program, which focused around the study of human movement. The more we talked, the more I was interested. I loved the idea of working with kids and teaching them how to create healthy habits while simultaneously unleashing their athletic potential. I bought in.

For the first time in my collegiate career, classes were interesting and fun.

I was learning so much and loving it. I took an internship with MSU Spartan Performance, where I was able to really grow as a trainer- working with athletes of all sports, ages, and sizes. After a few months, I took over the strength programs of two public high schools. I worked closest with a varsity football team as their strength and conditioning coach, which solidified that this is what I want to do with my life.

Early in my days in charge of a school S&C program, a cheerleader came to the weight room distraught. Her parents were in the midst of a messy divorce, her brother had left home for good without warning, and she was picked on at school. She was defeated- and she broke down.

As we talked, I realized that I had no control what happened to this athlete outside of the weight room walls. I couldn’t knock down kids for bullying her, tell her parents to keep her away from the drama, or call up her brother.

But I could make that hour, that 1/24 part of her day, enjoyable. I could do my best to help her forget all of the crap happening outside, and have fun.

I love training. Pushing kids towards their potential and watching them see results is so rewarding. But it was at that moment that I realized why I show up every single day.

At that moment, with that cheerleader, I was more than a coach/intern/college kid. I was a life line for her, and she needed me to show up for her.

We’ve all had various experiences with coaches in our lives. Some of us have had coaches that we hated- that aggressively drilled us into the ground with endless suicides and burpees. On the other hand, some of us have had coaches that changed us- not just in athletic technique, but in life. I never had a coach like that. I didn’t have someone who would just sit and let me vent for five minutes. I want to be that for these kids.

Being a coach is so much more than agility and lifting. It can be life changing if done properly. If I can make a difference in even just one athlete’s day, I am doing my job, and that’s why I do this.

How Having A Baby Made Me A Better Coach – Brian MacDonald

Posted on April 2, 2018April 2, 2018 by adrensf

“Brian! I think I’m pregnant!”, my wife abruptly wakes me with at roughly 6:30 in the morning, and understandably so. Those of you who really know me, I am the antithesis of a morning person. I am the classic “don’t talk to me until I have my caffeine” type of person, so all I could muster from my zombie self was, “Whoa…..” We had just started trying for a kid, so I was obviously excited, just had to be a little more conscious to process those words.

The ensuing change I have gone through since then has been life changing to say the least.

Though I won’t truly realize it until our baby girl comes, I had a dramatic increase in selflessness.

I found myself thinking to myself that it is no longer about me or just my wife and I.

While we were having the conversation about having a child, that was the biggest hurdle we had to accept, that we had to make the necessary sacrifices such as going out for dinner and drinks at the drop of a hat, or suddenly deciding we want to go to Glacier National Park without a worry in the world just to name a couple of examples.

My daily thoughts shifted from protocols I needed to finish for athletes or plans we had for the weekend to what can I do to make this pregnancy as comfortable as possible for my wife or fear of all that could go wrong because all I want is a healthy baby and healthy wife to come out of this.

Free time was suddenly consumed with projects for the nursery or just general projects to prepare the house for a new permanent guest.

Long story short, I no longer thought of myself, and I was completely okay with it.

The point of this post is to talk about how coaching has helped me prepare for this pregnancy and soon raising a child.

Dealing with athletes primarily between the ages of 9 and 14 all day every day for almost 6 years now has tested my patience like nothing I’ve ever experienced.

Whether it be one who has constant behavioral issues always interrupting the class, or others who just don’t seem to be understanding the skill I am trying to coach, patience is an absolute must when dealing with kids. Bottom line is we have to be patient and understanding as coaches.

These have been the two most important traits I have utilized throughout this pregnancy, and two that I know will come in handy when our baby comes. The other big one is empathy.

The ability to understand and share the feelings of another is critical when it comes to coaching. When an athlete comes in showing all signs of being down and having a miserable day, it is our job to recognize and make it abundantly clear to that athlete that we understand them and are there to help in whatever way we can.

I obviously can’t possibly share the discomfort my wife is going through while growing a human being, I can do my best to listen and try to understand, just like I would do with an athlete who is feeling down.

These past 9 months have been a wonderful and revealing experience for my wife and I. I feel that I have excelled as a person through this and having coached athletes for the past 6 years has undoubtedly helped me prepare for this and the future of fatherhood.

January 2018 updates

Posted on January 5, 2018 by adrensf

Now that you have stopped laughing from my vintage 80’s fashion sense, here are a few updates to start the new year:

The annual Challenge is now in its sixth year. It has been so much fun each year and we would love for you to join us if you haven’t already. Our big focus this year is on sustainable habits and behaviors. Knowing what to do isn’t always the issue but the strategies on how to do it are where we can help! For more information, check out the Challenge page link.
Effective January 2018, the monthly rate for 12 month ATHLETE agreements will increase to $169/month. Since we opened 12 years ago, the annual rate has not changed; while it will increase, we feel it is still a great value.

There will be a grace period if you would like to lock in your current rate for another 12 months. Please complete the necessary paperwork by January 15, 2018. This applies to 12 month agreements only. If choose not to act by January 15^th, 2018, the higher rate will apply should you renew after that date.

Please welcome Alice Smith, new performance coach. Born and raised in Michigan, Alice just completed her degree from Michigan State, majoring in Kinesiology. Alice played multiple sports in high school and college and just moved to the area in January. She enjoys photography, is a practicing musician and craaaaazy MSU fan!

Finally, we have moved most of our communication to social media outlets, at the expense of email and blog posts. If you would like to follow us, here are links:

Meet Rebecca Bryant, UC intern for the summer

Posted on June 10, 2017June 12, 2017 by adrensf

I’m Rebecca, a girl who grew up playing sports and had plenty of siblings to laugh with, play with, and of course, occasionally fight with. My parents got divorced when I was 2 years old, so I don’t remember ever living with both parents. I used to wonder how things would have been if they stayed together, but then I remember how great they both have always been as parents, and I try not to question it.

Also, I believe that everything happens for a reason, and even through the bad things that happen, we can always find some good in them, even if we have to dig a little deeper. My parents had 5 children together, I am the youngest. They both got remarried and I now have 9 siblings, 5 brothers and 4 sisters – I think it’s pretty neat that we ended up with an even split with the boys and girls.

Life has had its ups and downs, as each person can testify to their own life. For me, I have been as low as depression and thinking that my life wasn’t worth living, to being so grateful for the ways that God has blessed me and kept me that I couldn’t imagine giving up.

I am currently a summer intern and I will have earned my MS in Health Promotion and Education with a concentration in Exercise and Fitness at the end of the summer. I don’t know exactly where I will be after this, I’m just trying to find the best way to do what I love and help as many people as possible.

Growing up, I was always very shy and I would leave my comfort zone as little as possible. As I have grown and matured, I have realized the importance of helping and serving others, which has forced me to see the necessity of coming out of my comfort zone more and more if I am going to reach my full potential in that area. At this point in my life, even with so much more to live, I get so much more out of helping others and seeing others smile than ever before, so that fuels me and gives me that extra boost to leave my comfort zone.

There is one major thing that I have done that has pushed me the furthest out of my comfort zone but has also been the most rewarding, and that is coaching. This surprised me because I never dreamed of coaching. I was pushed to coach by my high school basketball coach – just a reminder that sometimes others see things in us before we see them.

If there was one thing that I could share with someone that reflects who I am and I thought could help them, I would tell them to approach every moment in a way that not only makes them proud, but to those that they hope to influence and inspire, to make them proud, as well.

Here is a quick video that Rebecca put together to share who she is and what her future holds:

Results v. Habits

Posted on February 26, 2017 by adrensf

This is a timely post for ASF; our annual Challenge results are pouring in, with the vast majority showing improvements in body composition. In our group page on Facebook, the conversations range from a few sentences to a few paragraphs, with a common thread of honesty, transparency and openness.

It has been amazing to see how people have transformed their bodies, but also transforming their entire lives. My hope is that the six weeks isn’t exclusively about body composition changes but also that of permanent behavior change. It would be fun to do another quasi Challenge in six months to see how many of those positive habits are still going strong!

Before I continue, I would like to share a brief history of how I came to my current habits, which started a long time ago, in a basement not far away…

Circa 1985, I was about 11o pounds as a teenager. I had to sleep with padding on my hip bones because they protruded so much. I played 5 hours every day after school (This was the foundation for my habit of loving activity). It was not a coincidence that I could not gain weight! You probably hate people like that?! My first weight set was filled with sand, made out of plastic. While I was inspired by the muscle magazines at the time, I was equally inspired by my father who would do hundreds of sit ups and push ups every morning. His 25 pound dumbells may have well been 125 pounds! I was determined to lift those things!

Now, I had another habit brewing: Structured exercise, in the form of lifting weights. It was structured in the sense that I was doing it but I had no idea what I was doing; a typical “routine” was to lift for a few hours or until my parents would call me upstairs. Embedded within the act of lifting weights was several other habits: discipline, motivation and reward.

As I was devouring every magazine available (there was no internet at the time), I also became very conscious of how and what I ate. I ate extremely clean with minimal processed food, took every supplement I could afford and slowly started to reap the benefits. You guessed it: My nutritional habits were born. By the end of high school, I was a whopping 135 pounds but had built a foundation of strength through powerlifting. As I entered my late teens and ventured off to college, the best was yet to come.

As I was studying physiology, biomechanics, physics and nutrition, I was able to formulate my own training philosophy of what worked best for me. My unique formula, you might say. The habit I was developing was the constant and continuous desire to learn more, to get better. Miami was also the place where I first competed in bodybuilding. My first show was a disaster; I had no idea what to do. The next show I won the whole contest. The habit formed was to never give up if you fail, but to learn from it and move on.

Fast forward to my late forties and many of those same habits guide me today. While I can’t expect you turn back time and change your childhood, there are some key lessons to ponder when you look back over the last few decades; can you identify patterns in your life that lead to your habits today?

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Another way to look at habits….

Let’s say there are two scenarios:

Scenario 1: Goal was to lose 15 pounds over 6 weeks, only lost 8 pounds but developed 3 new habits.

Scenario 2: Goal was to lose 15 pounds over 6 weeks, lost 16 pounds (great job!) but did NOT develop any new habits.

Which would you choose? They both lost weight over the six weeks, which is a victory unto itself. But scenario 2 will likely see failure in the near future and fall back into their old ways. Scenario 1 is now developing permanent lifestyle change that will become keystone habits, allowing future changes to continue.

Speaking of keystone habits, that is where it all starts. Charles Duhigg coined the term, Keystone Habits, that is the foundation for all other habits. One good habit can beget other good habits. If you get up early to exercise, you are productive and eat better that day and sleep better that night. As I write this, I know it will lead to other productive outlets today. Can you identify a keystone habit? If so, let me know what other habits it improves.

What you may find is that the real change happens within, not the habit itself. When you reward yourself for the outcome, you are missing a vital ingredient to the habit chain, which is the process. Yes, you look better with that extra 20 pounds off your body but your identity is more than your appearance. Using the early morning example from above: If you show up at 5:30 am to train, here are some habits (i.e. the process) that went into that occurring:

Likely retired early the night before.
Woke up when you really wanted to sleep.
Put on your workout clothes (which you set by the bed the night before).
Got in your car, in the dark, half asleep, and drove.
Pulled into the parking lot and got out of the car.

So, a lot happened before you even exercised! ALWAYS REWARD YOURSELF.

Showing up is the result. Working out is the result.

Maybe this inspired you to rethink how the last six weeks changed you. More importantly, how the next six months, six years will look like.