Fitness Tracker 2.0 Training

Next 10-week training session starts January 9

Did you get a new fitness tracker over the holidays? According to ACSM’s annual survey, fitness trackers are the number one fitness trend for 2017. For the past year, master trainer Hans Schiefelbein has been creating the FT2 Series. The FT2 (Fitness Tracker 2.0) series is based on the premise that many people have wearable devices but they don’t use them to their fullest potential or they aren’t getting the results they had hoped for, thus FT2.

The next FT2 Training starts January 9th. Each week the class meets for group training on Mondays at 6:15am. At that time Hans delivers the entire week’s workouts for each participant. Throughout the week, Hans monitors all workouts and non-workout physical activity and nutrition through MyFitnessPal, which every participant is required to join. MFP acts as the central hub between the participant, the fitness device, and the trainer. Along with way Hans will be making adjustments to workouts and coaching each member to their personal best. Last year the class renewed their training three times – fitness tracking with Hans works!

If you’re not sure that FT2 Training is for you, try FT2 Online. This 8-week online training is exactly that – eight weeks of online training where members send their fitness tracker to MyFitnessPal where Hans delivers weekly workouts and monitors them throughout the week as your digital coach.

If you’re a self-starter that needs an expert coach, sign up for FT2 Online. For ten of the most challenging weeks and to start of 2017 in a sprint, join us next Monday for FT2 Training. Sign-up is required so email Hans today.

Christine James (ACE certified, 23 years experience) has seen a lot in the fitness industry. In response, her approach has changed and results keep pouring in. On September 26th she begins the first session of our most popular class at Pinnacle: Snow Sport. We sat down with Christine to talk about personal training, her own fitness, and why Snow Sport is so effective.

1. What is your training philosophy with your clients?

My training philosophy revolves around movement and motion. I believe in promoting movement and maintaining maximum motion, and this can be applied to any person, with any goal, at any fitness level.

2. What kind of success stories have you seen in your 23 years of training?

I’ve been a certified trainer working with clients for over 23 years. My training style has most definitely changed over the years as the industry continues to grow and evolve. I’ve worked with so many individuals ranging from post-injury rehabilitation, to training for the Police Academy Fitness test, to supplemental training for Ironman, and anywhere in-between. My favorite success story, though, centers around watching a client achieve something they couldn’t do before – or do something they didn’t think they could do. I see this every day in every workout with every client. To me, that’s the definition of success.

3. What would be your advice to someone interested in personal training?

Do this for yourself. When you work with a trainer, you will be guaranteed a personalized workout every time. You will be challenged to the level that works for you, and pushed to do things you didn’t think you could do!

4. How do you maintain your level of fitness?

Variety is the spice of life! I thrive on mixing things up with my personal fitness. I teach cycling class at Pinnacle, and I really like taking other fitness classes too! While I also enjoy running and taking my dogs for walks, I find that strength training mixed with cardio intervals works best to keep me feeling strong and healthy.

5. Your classes at Pinnacle are very well attended. Why?

I like to promote hard work, fun, laughter and friendship. I strive to combine all of those qualities in every class I teach. I believe by promoting welcomeness and acceptance, people will want to continue showing up. It’s contagious and that feeling spreads throughout the group, and all of a sudden we have an entire class of welcoming and accepting people working hard to be fit and healthy together. It’s a beautiful thing.

This is the last call for outdoor boot camps this summer. The newest member of our team, Sally Wolff, will help you end the summer well and launch you into the fall. This boot camp has the opportunity to get you into the best shape of your life! From the boot camp instructor herself:

“Boot Camp is designed to be a fun, high intensity class that combines cardiac endurance, strength, balance, and flexibility training. The exercises focus on total body movements and core strengthening. Exercises can always be modified to protect an area of the body, or to increase the intensity of the workout.” – Sally

One of Sally’s satisfied participants, Lori, has this to about boot camp:

“I just wanted to send a note to let you know how much I am enjoying and benefitting from the boot camp you do! I have never participated in a boot camp before, so I was a little intimidated at the idea. But I wanted to challenge myself, I give it a try, and I am loving it! I look forward to Mondays and Wednesdays after work, even though it has been very hot! It’s a great workout! Your encouragement and tips for proper form are so helpful. I am signing up for the next four weeks! – Lori

Member price for this last 4-week session (two classes per week) is just $80. You can sign up on the boot camp page and end the summer on a great note.

When I am designing workouts for my clients, I’m working with four different variables. The first three are the most common: resistance, repetitions, and sets. But the fourth? Rest. Some exercises are meant to be performed continuously. But usually a workout is designed to be performed at a higher intensity that requires some sort of break. For example, if I asked you to do 100 push-ups, you probably wouldn’t do those without a break. But what if you did ten and then had a 2-minute break? Easier, right? Need it easier? How about two push-ups 50 times with that same 2-minute rest? That’s a very different challenge, right?

I use this extreme example to demonstrate that rest is an active component to an exercise routine. It’s important between exercises, between sets and also during entire seasons.

A couple weeks ago I was on vacation with my family. What I’ve learned is that me being gone is usually a good time for clients to get a little break. In case you haven’t noticed, I like high intensity workouts. We are all training safely and people are getting stronger, faster and more confident. But this training takes a toll on the body. I’ve found that me being gone is a good time for clients to have an easier week or even take the week off from intervals. Do you want to know what I often see when I return? Some of the best days of training all year! The reason for this is that the body sometimes just needs to take a break and rest. I’ve seen this as a runner on many occasions: training is going well, “life happens” and I miss anywhere from 4-9 days of training, and I start to worry I’ve lost my edge. Just the opposite! The time off was just what I needed to pop out a great workout and take my training to the next level.

There are four variables to every workout. In the next couple weeks, take note of how the rest component is affecting your effort and results.

Three Reasons to Join a Gym

Every once in awhile a person needs to take an inventory of the tools we have in life. Are we moving towards our goals? Do I have the right tools for the job? Are we using our tools to the best of our ability? We often think about our health in terms of work and home. But the common denominator here is our personal health. Am I healthy enough to perform where I work? Am I healthy enough to contribute to my family life? Maybe the answer is yes, maybe the answer is no, but either way we can always conclude: “I want to take my health to the next level.”

At Pinnacle Health + Fitness we opened our doors so people could pursue their health. We are always trying to improve our facilities and services to give members the tools they need to be successful.

Own your health

Workouts at home are hard to come by. I know that many of my clients are successful working out at home but most experience a significant drop off from their workouts at the gym. Own your health. Sign up for a membership and use it as a tool to pursue your health. For a reasonable monthly rate, becoming a member is a great investment. You can’t purchase all the equipment you want, but we can (and did!).
Buying a membership gets you access to weights, cardio machines, and functional exercise equipment like medicine balls, kettle bells and TRX suspension straps. If you value your health, a gym membership makes a lot of sense. The next step is to design your own workout, or…

Be trained by the pros

It’s not that you can’t design your own workout. It’s just that you need a little push (sometimes a big push, right Mondays?). Most of my clients get in 3–5 workouts per week but they choose to have at least one of them designed and implemented by me. Personal trainers track your workouts and progress you to new challenges that are hard to do on your own. You could view a personal trainer as another tool to have in your back pocket to pursue your health.

If you look at any successful athlete (don’t fool yourself, you’re an athlete), they have a coach. From Jordan to Ironman the best in the world benefit when they have a coach, and you will, too. Having a coach allows for critical decision making and challenges that can be difficult when managed alone. Which brings us to…

Join a team

When you join a club you join a team. During your first workout at Pinnacle Health + Fitness, look closely at the other members. Many of them know each other well enough to share friendly greetings, both personally and as it relates to their workout. Joining a club gets you on that team. It could also get you onto a group exercise team that will expect you to be at class. Or it could get you on a smaller team, one-on-one with a personal trainer. That’s my personal favorite! What about you? Are you ready to join the Pinnacle team?