What is the “non-gym” movement?
I saw this on the wall of a bar, back in the day
I no longer drink any kind of booze, but when I used to I ended up in many “interesting” places (biker bars, usually). They have their own brand of humor and way of looking at the world.
This was a classic quote:
“We cheat the other guy and pass the savings on to you.”
For some reason, aside from the obvious humor, this stuck in my head for years.
It has a lot to do with how people run their businesses and, of course, live their lives.
I remember John Maxwell do a talk about leadership in business about business ethics.
He said there was no such thing as business ethics as opposed to being ethical in life overall, either you have ethics or you don’t.
This is very applicable to the fitness industry, which in many cases, there is a complete lack of ethics and integrity.
People need to be very careful who they listen to and who they trust when it comes to training.
I am thankful that I personally know some of the very best and most reputable coaches around. They stand head and shoulders above the rest.
Here’s a few things people need to consider when selecting a coach or gym–
- how long have they been training themselves
- how long have they been coaching others
- how good is their safety record
- how big are their classes (client to coach ratio)
now here’s some things that are not important when selecting a coach or gym–
- how many square feet their gym has
- how shiny is their equipment
- how many clients do they have
You’ll notice I did not mention any certifications here. That is on purpose because some of the best coaches I know don’t have any at all, but they have decades of “real world” training experience and are very accomplished athletes.
Beware the guy or gal with the brand new t-shirt that says “Trainer” on the back. They might have only completed a bogus certification somewhere and have never trained anyone.
Some certifications are very legit and I highly recommend them.
Do your homework before you join a gym or hire a coach. Be extra careful if they require a contract.
A word to the wise is sufficient.
Common “money leaks” to avoid in your gym business
I was listening to Bud Jeffries the other day on the Motivation & Muscle podcast show and he mentioned that many of the claims that people make about how much they make from their gym business are false. If you are spending more than you make, regardless of how many clients you have, you are losing ground.
With that in mind, here are a few tips that can help you avoid the stealthy “money leaks” most people never talk about.
The value of testing
Some people love to compete, but many do not.
While competition is a valid way to test your capabilities, it is not for everyone.
You will hear people say, “I only compete against myself.”
That statement is true in many cases, but they still need a way to measure their progress, even if it is only keeping a training journal and logging their workouts.
That is where local, on-site testing comes in.
This gives everyone a good chance to see what they need to improve on and reinforces what they are good at already.
I have found that small group or individual testing can be of great value if done regularly and gives a good cross section view of each person’s fitness level.
It is important to know what you want to find our from the tests you use, then to be able to analyze the results so any changes you need to make in program design can be implemented smoothly at your training facility.
Testing should be challenging, but just administering a “beat down” proves nothing.
The Cave will be closed April 15
We will be back on regular training schedule the week after that
Weakness starts in the mind
It seems that being in terrible shape is very accepted in our current culture.
How in the world did that ever happen?
Simple, it starts in the mind. As people people renounce any notion of being responsible for their actions and play the victim card, they get weak mentally. It gets worse the more they do it.
The excuses that go along with that never really change–
- I’m too busy to workout
- I don’t have time to eat healthy
- It’s too expensive to eat healthy
- I’m too old to workout
- I have kids
- I can’t afford a gym membership
These are all things that lead to mental, and eventually, physical weakness.
None of these excuses are valid!
Whatever your current situation is, you can rise above it.
Stop making excuses and stop accepting excuses from others.
Get the negative people out of your life and get around some dedicated folks.
Take action!
The curse of complacency
Injury-proofing your knees
Rows, dips, & isometrics
After all the work sets were done, this was the finisher
The Cave 