Hey folks,

Got a couple quick bits today.  First, well done Mike.  He is the POD with his picture of himself on top of the 14,255′ mountain known as Longs Peak, AND he’s rockin’ his Fit Soldiers gear!  Way to go Mike!

So this weekend I did a century ride with a boot camper, Diane.  I was thankful to ride along with her and her little entourage of cyclists.  We went up Wyoming for the second time.  Last year was a gorgeous day sunny, and no wind (rare for Wyoming).  We could only hope for the same.  Weather Bug said 5-10mile/hour winds out of the west, OK we can handle that.  LIARS, try 20mph steady head winds.  Well we rocked through it in well under 5 hours, Averaging about 17.5mph.

If we were all riding solo we would have barely made it.  We all worked together to cut through the wind.  As we on a slight down hill with a cross wind cruising at 32mph.  I began to think about our boot campers.  I see in various groups daily.  When the group is working together, motivating, encouraging they are killing it.  Sweat pouring, muscles burning, heart and lungs racing.  The group is very synergistic.  Now take those boot campers and separate them that energy dissipates and less work is done.  OR you can even look at it by adding a bad apple into the group.  Yes, that bad attitude can and will drag any well oiled team down.

Next time you are here or go for a workout, who is your support group?  Who is motivating you to get to your goals and who is not.  Get rid of the anchor and start making some progress.

This is the way we are modeling our boot camps.  We do not want these bad apples.  Our new membership structure includes a free Try-out, because if we don’t feel you are right for the workouts and it is going to effect our current boot campers then we don’t want you.  Check the attitude at the door, give a little to the group and you will get back better results.  See you soon!

Tags: 2010, boot camps, calories, cardio, Cardio Strength Training, Colorado, community, david mura, denver, exercise, Fit Soldiers, fitness, fitness boot camp, fitness community, fitsoldiers, free, health, New Years resolution, northglenn, nutrition, personal trainers, personal training, Pic Of the Day, strength, Thornton, weight loss, westminster, workout

Why are we in business?  Why are we named Fit Soldiers?  Why are the workouts so hard? Why are we do we have 30second rest and yesterday it was a 10 second rest?  Why did we do pushups and then squats?  Why do you want to lose weight? Why do you need to get stronger?  Why, Why Why.

When was the last time you asked yourself WHY?  When was the last time you gave yourself a REAL answer?  Why do you need to lose weight?  Because I’m over weight.  Not acceptable.  Dig deeper.  Why are you over weight, why did you eat too much, why do you eat when your stressed?

Before we can tap into any real motivation you need to examine the real reason you are exercising.  In a sense the real motive behind the hard earned sweat and money you are investing into your health and seeing mediocre results.

What is your Mindset? Now we all want to reach our goals as fast as possible but what is realistic for you, your budget, lifestyle, job, family etc.  Once you set your goals do not, DO NOT say “OK, I’ll give boot camp a try.”  No that is a terrible mindset, you have to believe in what your doing.  You have to go in with the attitude of “I will succeed.”  Do not sell yourself short.

The second part of this is to have a Reward and Punishment System.  If you hit a midway point, or short term goal what is your incentive aside from the actual weight loss?  On the flip side, what is your punishment?  If I don’t hit this short term goal then…….fill in the plank.

Third.  Social Support.  You have plenty of support during boot camp, however you are only here for 3 hours a week.  So what are you surrounded with on your own?  Treats at the office, non-supportive friends/family, etc.  AND how are they holding you accountable?  Are they a part of your reward/punishment system?  ex. Spouse washes your car when you hit your goals.  OR You have to vacuum the house if you don’t hit your goal this week.

Last. Persistence.  Never Give Up, If you have been in our gym you have seen the poster.  Inconsistency does not get results, keep pushing through the tough times will pay off.

Let me know what your strong and weak points are.  Here is our POD coming from this weekends adventure. Mt. Bierstadt Awesome work job!

Tags: 2010, boot camps, calories, cardio, Cardio Strength Training, Colorado, community, david mura, denver, exercise, Fit Soldiers, fitness, fitness boot camp, fitness community, fitsoldiers, free, health, New Years resolution, northglenn, nutrition, personal trainers, personal training, Pic Of the Day, strength, Thornton, weight loss, westminster

Hello Fit Soldiers!

Just wanted to throw a POD out there. This is from this weekends Free Workout!  If your still in the party of “i need to get fit before I join a boot camp”  or still dragging your feet.  Just take a look at everyone in this photo or video and see that the couch potato, weekend warrior, and athlete are all getting results.  What are you waiting for.

Secondly it is summer and I want to revisit an ancient blog post.  PLAY.  Yes as little kids you were told to go outside and play.  What happens now?  Kids play video games. (obesity epidemic, diabetes…)  but as an adult we don’t “play” any more.  Why?  Because that is now “exercise.”  Which one is more fun?  Yea so stop exercising, start playing, and you just might realize you actually enjoy your new/old form of exercise that we are now calling(called) PLAY!

With that said in addition to our boot camps we love reeducating people on how to play.  Saturday the 24th we will be hiking a 14er.  Mt. Beirstadt!  Come join us, its FREE, and you just may find you’ll have fun looking down on everyone from 14,000ft!

Tchusse

Tags: 2010, boot camps, calories, cardio, Cardio Strength Training, Colorado, community, david mura, denver, exercise, Fit Soldiers, fitness, fitness boot camp, fitness community, fitsoldiers, free, health, New Years resolution, northglenn, nutrition, personal trainers, personal training, Pic Of the Day, tabata, Thornton, weight loss, westminster, workout, workout of the day

Anything but a Slacker.

This past weekend we had 21 boot campers run the Slacker Half Marathon in Georgetown, CO.  The elevation started at 10,630′ and dropped to 8400′.  Of the everyone finished and over half of the group were first timers!!  I am so proud of all of them.  It took a lot of training, dedication, commitment.  The excitement and accomplishment on the faces of the finishers still gives me goose bumps.  I just wanted to say again.

Thank you Slackers!

Here is a picture of most of the group.

Pre race photo

Tags: 13.1, 2010, boot camps, calories, cardio, Cardio Strength Training, Colorado, community, david mura, denver, exercise, Fit Soldiers, fitness, fitness boot camp, fitness community, fitsoldiers, free, health, New Years resolution, northglenn, nutrition, personal trainers, personal training, Pic Of the Day, proper form, safe exercise, Slacker half marathon, strength, Thornton, weight loss, westminster, workout

Ladies rockin' out some TRX Prone Crunches

Tags: 2010, boot camps, calories, cardio, Cardio Strength Training, Colorado, community, david mura, denver, exercise, Fit Soldiers, fitness, fitness boot camp, fitness community, fitsoldiers, free, health, New Years resolution, northglenn, nutrition, personal trainers, personal training, Pic Of the Day, proper form, safe exercise, sleep, strength, Thornton, weight loss, westminster, workout

As a fitness professional, someone who cares about their clients, and determined to never be comfortable, I pay attention to trends, stats, education and the up and coming in the fitness industry.  I get several industry magazines and while reading through an article I came across a statement that I just couldn’t help but read again, and again.  Hear is what it read.

“Health Clubs have made no real impact to the obesity epidemic.”

NO REAL IMPACT…  What is wrong with that picture.  In my mind how can you own a health club and be happy doing your job and essential have no real impact on your community.  No real impact on health.  No real impact.  Now surely there are some people getting stronger, fitter, dropping out of the obese category, not over weight any more.  But to have no real impact on an epidemic that is destroying our nations health?  If that statement isn’t motivation for myself or anyone else in this fitness field then you better find a new career because you are either tired of living and life is miserable (in which case your business is probably going under soon anyway), or your only focus is numbers and money.  If you fall into one of those categories then your here for the wrong reason.

Will I make an impact on the obesity epidemic?  Probably not.  Will I make an impact on the over all health of this nation.  No.  Will I make an impact on the people in my community?  You better freakin’ believe it.  The second I stop caring about the people who are losing body fat, and trying to figure out how people can clean up their eating habits, will be the the second I lock my doors for good.  Fit Soldiers is not a big box gym, nor do we plan to be.  You are not a number, not member you are family.  We are a community that gets behind you, supports you, challenges you.  You get the results, we provide the path.

Love you all!!

Here’s a quick POD!

Tags: 2010, boot camps, calories, cardio, Cardio Strength Training, Colorado, community, david mura, denver, exercise, Fit Soldiers, fitness, fitness boot camp, fitness community, fitsoldiers, free, health, New Years resolution, northglenn, nutrition, personal trainers, personal training, Pic Of the Day, proper form, strength, Thornton, weight loss, westminster, workout

It happens every year.  People usually get a push and a motivation to get fit, in shape, take charge of their life.  It usually happens around new years resolution time, and a second panic attempt once it starts getting warm out.  So why do so many people fail?  Lets take a look at one common culprit, their support system.  So many people will go into a gym, maybe even sign up with a friend to workout together.  Start off really consistent, for sure getting on some kind of cardio equipment, and when they feel daring and adventurous they dabble in some of the machines and weights.  Now over time they begin to fall off the wagon, things come up, their workout partner has some prior events planned, or your just too tired.

Now what, a month later they’ve lost a little weight feeling pretty good but not quite the results that the magazines had predicted.  So they fall off the wagon until the next new year, vacation or summer.  What if you have a team.  A whole mess of people just like you with equally high hopes that depended on you just as much as you depend on them.  Someone who is not afraid of calling you out when you skip a workout, encouraging you when you think you can’t do any more.  What if you were surrounded by people like that…

You can be…

Got Support? Got Results?

Tags: 2010, boot camps, calories, cardio, Cardio Strength Training, Colorado, community, david mura, denver, exercise, Fit Soldiers, fitness, fitness boot camp, fitness community, fitsoldiers, free, health, New Years resolution, northglenn, nutrition, personal trainers, personal training, Pic Of the Day, proper form, safe exercise, strength, Thornton, weight loss, westminster, workout

You Can Do It!

If your telling yourself that boot camp is too hard, I’m not ready, I need to get in shape first.  Stop lying and cheating yourself out of your health.  If your saying these things, everything is too hard, you’ll never be ready, and you’ll never be in shape.  No better place to start than the biggest calorie burner for your precious time.  Stop being lazy and take control!

Tags: 2010, boot camps, calories, cardio, Cardio Strength Training, Colorado, community, david mura, denver, exercise, Fit Soldiers, fitness, fitness boot camp, fitness community, fitsoldiers, free, health, northglenn, nutrition, personal trainers, personal training, Pic Of the Day, proper form, safe exercise, strength, Thornton, weight loss, westminster, workout

I’m going to start with the POD!  Coming from the most recent Spartacus workout!

Father Daughter Taking Care of Business

OK Now some blogging business.  It never ceases to amaze me how people continue to seek the quick and easy, short cuts, and miracle cures yet still expect to get great results.  YES I am talking about the magic pills, crazy diets, and magic cleanses.  I will be optimistic and say hopefully for the last time, CUT THE CRAP!

Lets get this strait.  If your going to take short cuts on your health, your taking short cuts on your life.  If you want to diet on 500 calories you better plan to live your life on 500 calories.  If your expecting anything in life to be quick and easy then it will probably be the exact opposite.

Without going in to too much detail. When you go on a DIEt and reduce your calories or take out a specific necessary nutrient then you are depriving your body of some very important thing.  There is no miracle cure to your body you have to take care of it day in and day out every day of your life.

“Lose It The Way You Live It!“

Tags: 2010, boot camps, calories, cardio, Cardio Strength Training, Colorado, community, david mura, denver, exercise, Fit Soldiers, fitness, fitness boot camp, fitness community, fitsoldiers, free, health, New Years resolution, northglenn, nutrition, personal trainers, personal training, Pic Of the Day, safe exercise, strength, Thornton, weight loss, westminster, workout

Healthy environments don’t just happen.  You are the creator of your environment.  Now that we have starting point for healthy nutrition and eating habits lets take a look at your activities.

Surround yourself with positive motivating people.  An environment that does not encourage you is not a loving environment.  Does your spouse co-workers or friends tease you with burgers and beers, or do they support your efforts with encouraging words, advice, and healthy treats?

Is your fitness environment a desolate desert or a thriving forest?  If you are trying to work out by your self, you may be motivated, get into a routine, but soon you will be scratching your head and wondering what to do next.  Soon you find your self making excuses and breaking any routine or consistency.  Consistency is KEY!

What if you were surrounded by peers in your same shoes of all ability levels that will want you to succeed but will hold you accountable remind you of your goals and be sad if you missed a workout.  It is all about your fitness community.  Are you getting the most efficient workouts for your time or are you choppin’ it up with your buddy’s?  Are you spending hours on cardio and taking huge breaks between weight sets?  What if you could get twice the workout in half the time working your muscles and heart and lungs?

Don’t miss our Fit Soldiers Open House.  Saturday the 24th at 10:00am and have your concept of fitness blown away!

Tags: 2010, boot camps, calories, cardio, Cardio Strength Training, Colorado, community, david mura, denver, Fit Soldiers, fitness, fitness boot camp, fitness community, fitsoldiers, free, health, northglenn, nutrition, personal trainers, personal training, Pic Of the Day, proper form, safe exercise, strength, Thornton, weight loss, westminster, workout