I have been a fitness enthusiast for a very long time. Since I was 11 years old to be exact. Throughout this time, I have participated in many fitness disciplines, from soccer, basketball, martial arts and long distance running in my early years to weight lifting in junior and senior high, and recreational bodybuilding later as an adult.
All of these pursuits have elements that are great for your physical and mental health, however if done to the exclusion of other forms of exercise, can lead to imbalances in posture and overall fitness.
For example, long distance runners will have phenomenal heart and lung strength and fat oxidizing(burning) capacity, however they often develop very tight hamstrings, which can lead to lower back pain. Also due to all of the miles that they put on they can develop knee problems if they do not take care to add other forms of training (resistance training and other forms of aerobic exercise) into their exercise regimen to address pre-existing as well as exercise-related muscular imbalances.
On the other end of the spectrum, you have weight lifting, powerlifting, bodybuilding. These are also great pursuits, however can develop gaps in your overall fitness. Bodybuilding being the one possible exception, since it incorporates more aspects of fitness than either Powerlifting or Weight Lifting. The downside of bodybuilding, is that it requires a HIGH LEVEL of Discipline and consistency and your life revolves around eating, training and sleeping. I have found that this way of life does not appeal to most people.
For this reason, I created my “HYBRID” Training program to deliver the most well-rounded fitness results in the most time efficient manner. You will lose fat, sculpt lean muscles, increase energy, confidence and have FUN doing it!
One of the benefits of “getting in shape” and sometimes the main reason people begin an exercise program, is for improving their appearance i.e. the aesthetic aspect.
The difference between training for aesthetics and training for performance, is that, although your aesthetics will probably improve more or less, dependent upon your sport, the main concern of competitive athletes is not how well they look in the mirror. Rather, they are primarily concerned with how good they perform on the field, track, mat, etc. Visual appeal is secondary.
On the other hand, many people such as bodybuilders, figure competitor’s or those who simply want to look and feel good in their clothes appreciate the aesthetic physiques of many athletes, but either do not like sports, or have no interest in competing.
As a result, their training is different although there may be some similarities.
If you WANT TO BUILD a strong, healthy body that you can be proud of, PHYSIQUE TRAINING IS FOR YOU!
Enjoy the benefits of unique, individualized program design while SAVING MONEY! For those who have the motivation to train on their own, but would like professional guidance on the most efficient and effective ways to reach their goals, there is what I like to call “Self-Directed Training”.
After the Initial Consultation, Fitness Evaluation and Optional Body Composition Testing in which we discuss, goals, lifestyle concerns and potential health risks, assess current fitness level and body fat percentage, I will use the information obtained through this process to create an exercise program appropriate for where you are at with an eye to progressing to your ultimate goal.
Depending on where you are currently and how lofty your fitness goals are, it may take some time to achieve your ultimate goal. This can be intimidating to some from a financial perspective. If this is the case, I will work with you one-on-one until you feel comfortable completing the initial exercise program on your own with proper form, timing, etc. At that time, I will give you a copy of your program for you to take with you to continue to train on your own.
When you feel that you are ready to progress to the next step, you can meet with me again to assess your progress and create a new program. I will again work with you until you are ready to train on your own. We will repeat this process, until you get to where you want to be.
I sincerely wish to HELP you achieve your FITNESS AND HEALTH GOALS. Don’t let your BUDGET keep you from living your best life! Click Here to GET STARTED >
Why is Body Fat Percentage Important?
Research by Brozek and Keys shows that without sufficient exercise and a properly constructed diet we begin to lose muscle as early as age 25! However, as evidenced by individuals such as the late Jack LaLanne, with the proper combination of weight training, diet and cardiovascular exercise, muscle loss can be dramatically slowed.
Maintaining a healthy weight is not enough, as research also shows that without proper exercise and eating habits BF% can double even if the individual maintains the same weight.
The reason for this, is the age-related losses in muscle mass mentioned above, which result in a slower metabolism and decreased work capacity. Not only does your metabolism slow, but your ability to burn calories during workouts decreases as well. Listed below are some additional benefits of Body Fat Testing.
Determine the effectiveness of a diet and exercise regimen: By assessing body fat percentage prior to beginning an exercise program and periodically as you continue your training you can determine what your starting level of lean mass (bone, muscle, organs) is and what your fat mass is. You can get an accurate picture of whether you are gaining, maintaining, or losing muscle and decreasing fat, things that you will not learn through simply weighing yourself.
Some individuals especially athletes who compete in weight classes, endurance athletes and women may not realize that they are too lean. On the other hand, someone may look healthy, but due to low levels of muscle, may have BF levels that are too high. Still another scenario is the Athlete, or Laborer who according to BMI charts appears to be overweight, which they may be, but upon assessment of their body composition is found to have healthy body fat levels due to their high level of muscle mass and or large bone structure. This last scenario is referred to as “overweight but under fat”.
More detailed information on this topic can be located on my Facebook business page Functional Aesthetics EC >
This is a topic that is very near and dear to me, having struggled with digestive problems for many years. I have been a student of nutrition for the past 12 years. Not only studying it, but also testing different strategies and theories on myself, which has enabled me to gain wisdom on the practical application of these different approaches.
In addition to my own self-guided research and experimentation, I am also certified as a Nutrition Specialist through the American Council on Exercise, ACE.
Exercise is only HALF of the FITNESS equation. In fact, depending on who you ask, 70-80 % of the Aesthetic results you get from exercise are determined by your diet. Diet is also very important for optimal athletic performance. Food is your fuel and also contains the building blocks for muscles, bones and organs. It helps in hormonal regulation, as well. Make sure that you are consuming a balance of quality carbohydrates, protein and fat in the appropriate amount and ratio for your fitness goals and lifestyle.
If you are struggling on the nutritional sideof the fitness equation get in touch with me for tips and practical advice on how to overcome your most pressing nutritional challenges! GET STARTED >