The Journey . . . . . . you will be challenged. -By Brett Waltert-

WEEK 2

  Yes, my exercise storm troopers, the road to success is long, bumpy, and full of road blocks … … … but you will press on! You will keep taking that next step toward your goal and by doing so you will succeed. This is true because, as you keep traveling down that road, eventually your feet will harden, your lungs will no longer burn, and you will kick down the road blocks and face the obstacles ahead of you one by one, because you are determined!!  

  Last week I talked about goals, this week our target is mindset. This part of your transformation is potentially going to make or break you because it is non-tangible, this means that you cannot see what you are trying to accomplish. A lot of people out there spend all of their time worrying about what they see in the mirror, what numbers are on the scale, and what the quickest way to reach their goal is (AKA-shortcuts).  The problem with this lies in a lot of unsuccessful attempts to accomplish any athletic goal or fitness goal followed by a relapse into a darker place because of the failed attempt. There are Lots and lots of goals out there people, Weight loss, weight gain, bigger arms, smaller butt, run a marathon, walk one mile, get off blood pressure medication, pre diabetic. The list is endless with a load of short term goals leading up to the long term goal.

 Remember this is step 1, WHAT IS YOUR GOAL? WHAT DO YOU WANT TO ACCOMPLISH?

Now phase 2;

  The journey… … …  Accept the fact that life does not grant wishes and magical health fairies don’t come visit you while you sleep to burn the donut off that you just had to have for breakfast, nor does just thinking about grinding through a soul searching cardio workout increase your lung capacity and metabolic efficiency. You must put the work in yourself and you must prepare your mind to get it done!! So here we go, understand that HARD TIMES DON’T LAST, HARD PEOPLE DO. We have all heard the coach say GET YOUR HEAD IN THE GAME and now it is your time to follow through with it. Get out that goal you have from last week, or, stop screwing around and get your goal written down, and find some place to look at yourself in the mirror. Once you are planted firmly in place and are giving yourself “the stare down of doom”   you need to unleash the Beast within you and get up in your own face a little bit and let yourself know that during your journey down the road you are going to hurt, sweat, puke, want to quit (but won’t), possibly get a little banged up, bleed, cry, get angry, spit in the drinking fountain even though the sign says not to, yell, stink, not shower before work because your trainer was going to be gone, lift something the wrong way, lift something the right way,  and finally, lay on the floor completely exhausted because you just got one step closer to reaching your goal and are looking forward to doing it again tomorrow. So there it is, you brain must be ready to take on the challenges that are on the road in front of you. This may sound crazy, but I’ve seen so many non-runners go through an 8 week program kicking and screaming, just find out in the end that they now want to spend the summer and weekends doing 5k’s and obstacle courses, it is truly a transformation. WEEK 1 & 2; GOAL and now MINDSET, get after it and do some soul searching to find those mental limits for yourself and break through them, because “The only people who know where the edge is are the ones that have been over it.”(- Hunter S. Thompson-)

Hello my name is get off the couch, I'd like you to meet Mr. Brett Waltert

 

Good afternoon The W community,

  My name is Brett Waltert, I have been a personal trainer here at the facility for a little over a year now and I will be taking over the W’s blog for the next 8 weeks. The first thing I want to cover before we get started is how important your GOAL’s are. There are some questions that I would like you to ask yourself tonight, first ask yourself what your GOAL is . . . . ? . . . So now you either have an answer or you have now realized your first issue with what you are trying to get accomplished here at The W.

  Your goal can be as simple as “I want to be social and do something healthy for me”, The W is a great place to find friends that love to be active and enjoy working out. Your goal can also be very specific, like “I want to lose 6.5lbs of body fat by the end of this month”.  So. . . to keep things simple for this first post these are the questions that you NEED to ask yourself;

1.)    What is my goal?

2.)    If I Don’t have one, what am I trying to accomplish?

3.)    Do I need to make a change?

4.)    How am I going to make a change?

5.)    Have I been putting off making a change?

  These questions will help you get on your way to a healthier happier lifestyle and they are important for you to know. You must have a goal of where you want to be before you can make a plan, and you must have a plan to get you to your goal. I , as well as a few other trainers here at The W are here to help you get on your way or even get back on your way to that healthy life, please never be afraid to ask us for help. I will be posting nutrition, motivation, workout ideas, and many more items over the next 8 weeks to help facilitate your transformation into a new healthy you!     

Class Spotlight: Kickboxing

First off, we at The W hope that everyone had a fantastic Memorial Day weekend.  We have one final class spotlight for the month of May, and it's an exciting one...kickboxing!

Kickboxing is one of the more fun ways to be in a class, without it really feeling like a class.  By stepping away from the standard cardio and strength exercises (running, pushups, weights, etc.), kickboxing uses your body to workout in ways you haven't done before.

At The W, the class starts with some light jogging, stretching, and calisthenics, and launches you into a high-energy, cardio class.  The class is varied but is influenced on workouts that real kickboxers do by building cardio and learning proper technique. And of course, you get to use the kickboxing bags!  Check out the video to see the class in action:

   

Summer Class Options:

Tuesday/Thursday

• 7:00 PM-7:50 PM

To sign up for this or any of our classes, contact the front desk at 319-352-8311!  And remember to keep up on our blog by checking the Facebook page or by subscribing by putting your email in the top right box of the blog!

Friday Guest Post: Brandon Hosch

Brandon Hosch
May Term Intern

Observations at the W

You won't find my face on the staff page on The "W" website, but I'm the May Term intern.  I've been the person behind the blog for the whole term and I finally get to stand out and write as myself.

Between filming class everyday and talking with the staff and members, I've come across a bunch of observations.  I've compiled a list of things that you should know.

• Members, try to understand that your paid membership goes a lot farther than you think!  A pass doesn't just grant you access to all the facilities, but a discount price for classes as well.
• It may seem a little scary going into a group class, but the group and social aspect is what makes it so great!  Working through the pain is better with company. Social interaction is actually a strong reason why people keep signing up for classes.
• Parents, saying that you need to watch your little ones doesn't count as an excuse to not go to a class.  The W staff has excellent child care, and the first hour is free for members (usually the same time as your class!)
• Men, out of all the classes I've been to, the majority (if not all) of the classes were just women.  I'm not sure where you're at, but your wives have been making the effort to get into shape. There is no reason you can't do the same.
• You can do any class, regardless of fitness!  The instructors are great at offering modifications.  As I've heard two instructors say already, "You can't prepare for a class unless you know what they are doing, so you might as well come." and "Come in and do it for YOU, no one else!" 

All the doubts and reasoning that you may have not to come to The W can be overcome with a little willpower and a strong support system.  You can make the transition to live a healthier life, and using the fitness facility in your back yard is the best place to start.

If your interested in signing up for a class, check through all of the posts from May and then call in to the Front Desk at 319-352-8311.

Thank you everyone, have a great summer!

Class Spotlight: Pilates

Pilates and yoga are usually understood as being very similar workouts.  And yes this holds some truth, but Pilates is focused on the workout itself as opposed to the spiritual-ness found in yoga.

Pilates has an interesting history. Starting out as contrology by Joseph Pilates, his techniques and exercises were made to target specific muscles and body parts.  It also teaches body awareness, or knowing what muscles work with specific stretches.  Finally, Pilates is terrific for building balance by working your core.

Pilates at the W starts off with different yoga poses and stretches.  The class then transitions to more challenging poses and exercises, some using weights.  If there is something in common with all the poses, they all engage the core as members try to maintain their stability.

Yoga mats are used, along with weights and the occasional yoga block.  Like yoga, Pilates is done in a darker environment to promote relaxation.  This class is excellent to wind down the day or week with. Check out the video for an inside look at the class.

Summer Class Options:

Tuesday/Thursday

• 4:45 PM-5:35 PM
• 8:00 PM-8:50 PM

Remember to sign up for classes by contacting the front desk at 319-352-8311.  Also remember to subscribe by using the box on the top right of the page.

Class Spotlight: 60 Minute Cardio

First off, we would like to make the disclaimer that 60 Minute Cardio is NOT your standard cardio class.  60 Minute Cardio is a hybrid class that combines a lot of everything into a power-packed class.  If you are looking for a class to take you to the next level of fitness, 60 Minute Cardio is a great bet.

To start, members get in their own dynamic stretching (ex. walking lunges) before getting to the nitty gritty. The class structure is different everyday.  Some days the class is based on timed exercise with body weight, others are based on repetitions with small weights.  Classes can be held in the field house, outside, or on an obstacle course (for summer classes).

With a vast difference of the day-to-day class structure, the class is sure to engage the use of all of your muscles.  Some days become a little focused on strength training, others will use more cardio. In the video below, the class is doing a variety of body weight exercises.

Keep in mind that this class is challenging regardless of your level of fitness.  It may not be for everyone, but if you have an attitude of a warrior you'll do just fine.

 

Summer Class Options:

Tuesday/Thursday

• 9:00 AM-10:00 AM

 

If you are interested in joining the class, please contact the front desk at 319-352-8311 for more information!

Class Spotlight: Abs-n-More

Admit it, many of us decided one day that we were going to overhaul our abs and have a great looking 6-pack.  You may have bought a video such as P90X or looked up a routine online, did it in your house by yourself for a week, and then found it was hard to stick to the routine and called it quits.

According to an article found in the LA Times those who workout in group setting have a higher success rate.  So when trying to sculpt your abs, come to the Abs-n-More class at The W!

Abs-n-More is exactly what you ask for, a straight-cut session strictly dedicated to abdominal and core work with a little bit of cardio exercises thrown in for good measure.  The class is 30 minutes, (about half the time of a normal class) and wastes no time getting to the good stuff.

But just don't come to the class because you think you will come out looking like Shaun T, think again.  DO realize that this class will help in all other aspects of fitness!  Running will become easier, balance will improve, and you'll feel an overall better feeling of fitness.  This class is perfect to pair with another class or workout.  Check it out in the video:

Summer Class Options:

 Monday/Wednesday/Friday

• 4:45 PM-5:15 PM

Tuesday/Thursday

• 6:40 PM-7:10 PM

If you are interested in signing up for the class, contact the front desk at 319-352-8311.  Remember to subscribe to the blog by putting in your email in the box on the right hand side of the page!  We only have this last week of highlighting classes for May, hopefully you've found one to sign up for!