Joe Gigantino's TheWorkout.com

Workout 4 Today

2009-07-16T12:19:00.000-07:00

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Workout for Tuesday 7/14

2009-07-13T23:59:00.000-07:00

Today's workout focuses on core...

Do each exercise 30 reps x 4 rounds:

- Standing Russian bar bell twists Watch the video

- Lying Russian twists Watch the video

- Glute Ham developer or sit ups

- Back extensions or super mans

Word of the day, Trust = relationship of reliance

Ch-ch-ch-ch-Changes

2009-07-13T11:17:00.000-07:00

"I cannot say whether things will get better if we change; what I can say is they must change if they are to get better." ~ Georg C. Lichtenberg

Change – it’s a word we’ve all heard, probably too much, especially last year over the course of the Presidential elections. Every time we turned on the TV, some politician was talking about change and how “change is coming.” We all recognize areas in our lives where we need to make changes, but even more so, how often do we point out areas where others around us need to make changes, often pointing that out to them on a regular basis? But change starts with you.

My headline refers to the 1976 David Bowie song “Changes” – It’s a great song, and yes, I know…I was only 10 years old when it came out, but it’s still a classic. Here are a couple of verses from the song and the video to watch:

I still don't know what I was waiting for
And my time was running wild
A million dead-end streets
Every time I thought I'd got it made
It seemed the taste was not so sweet
So I turned myself to face me
But I've never caught a glimpse
Of how the others must see the faker
I'm much too fast to take that test

Ch-ch-ch-ch-Changes
(Turn and face the strain)
Ch-ch-Changes
Don't want to be a richer man
Ch-ch-ch-ch-Changes
(Turn and face the strain)
Ch-ch-Changes
Just gonna have to be a different man
Time may change me
But I can't trace time

We can all make lists of areas in our lives that need changing, but too often we continue along our same path, repeating things over and over. Albert Einstein once said “The definition of insanity is doing the same thing over and over again and expecting different results.”

You see, positive change requires vision. Do you have vision in your life? We often allow vision to guide us to begin something (let me give you an example…how about exercise?) You have this great vision for how you want to change your body. You create an image in your mind of what you want to do and even how you want to look. However, something comes along and takes your focus off of your workout, and suddenly your vision is left out of the picture. It takes constant vision to cause you to continually move in the direction you want to go. In other words, that vision kept in the forefront causes you to CHANGE.

Don’t forget to change it up! It is human nature to find a norm and get sucked into the same routine or comfort zone. When you find your comfort zone, you begin to relax. You need to constantly challenge yourself to go to the next level so you keep yourself motivated.

Change only what needs changing – don’t get in the way of progress. Allow what is working for you to continue without interference. Focus on the areas that need help and make changes there. If you think you need to change something, make sure the change you offer is better than what was offered before. Don’t try too many changes at once.

The workouts I feature on this blog are designed to “change it up.” Take what you can from each, and adapt to your own level and ability. Soon you’ll see your body and your health start Ch-ch-ch-ch-changing!

Workout for Monday July 13th 2009

2009-07-13T06:42:00.000-07:00

Monday workouts set the tone for the week. I hope everyone had a fantastic weekend and is ready for the week ahead.

Warm up: 10 walking lunges, 10 air squats, 20 sit ups, x 2: run 400 meters at 60%

Workout: Body weight squats (round to the nearest 5 LBS, beginners 50% of your body weight on the bar or less. Remember an Olympic bar weighs 45lbs) & pull ups. Here are the reps: 21, 18, 15, 12, 9 6, 3, 1

This is a timed event.

Congratulations to all who competed in the Crossfit games this weekend. A big shout out to Jason Khalipa for a fantastic performance both days. Jason was the 08 winner and if it wasn't for a fall on the first event would of repeated.

Workout For the Weekend July 11, 12, 2009

2009-07-10T22:32:00.000-07:00

The Weekend Workout:

Warm up: 1 mile run or 2k meter row

Workout: 135 LBS Bench press 21 reps, 2 Pood Kettle Bell Swings 21 reps,
Repeat this circuit 6 times you can take a rest after each round of 1 minute or do it without rest.

If you need to scale this workout reduce the amount of the bench press and the weight on the kettle bell. If you don't have any KB's use a dumbell.

1 Pood use 35 LBS dumbbell
1 1/2 Pood 55 LBS dumbell
2 Pood 70 LBS dumbell

Word for the day:
Service - work done by one person or group that benefits another

Workout for today - Friday July 9th 2009

2009-07-09T22:32:00.000-07:00

TGIF Workout: Hills! Sprinting hills is one of my worst nightmares. It reminds me of my football days at Fresno State.

Warm up: 20 air squats, 10 pull ups, 10 knees to elbows, 10 standing broad jumps x 2 then run 400 meters at 60%

Workout: Most of you will be using a treadmill ( but if you have that dreaded hill in your back yard or by your club, please be my guest and use it)
7 x 400 meters or 1 lap at 10% elevation & as fast as you can go. The rest period will be for 3 minutes with the elevation at 0% incline and a fast walking pace. These are max effort sprints please make sure you are really warmed up before going 100% If you are using a treadmill please record your time at the end of the 7th sprint, you don't need to add the 3 minute rest.

The word of the day: Friendship, what does that mean to you?

Workout for today - Thursday July 9th 2009

2009-07-09T06:08:00.000-07:00

Today's workout is a max effort day. We will be pushing some weight!

Warm up: Jump Rope, Box Jumps, start with 12" box and move your way up and record your highest jump. Advanced Plyomtric warm up Medicine Ball Push Ups

Checkout this 55' box jump wow!

Workout: 4 sets of 4 reps each. Get yourself warm so the first few sets to get to the weight that you will be able to do for 4 reps don't count. Once you have found correct weight that you can do 4 reps with start your sets.

Front Squats
Shoulder Press
Thuster

Word of the day: Volunteer. In your own way try to give back to others that might need a little help.

Workout for Wednesday July 8th 2009

2009-07-07T22:36:00.000-07:00

Hump Day Workout! I love my Wednesday workout. I hope you all are ready for this one.

Warm up: 10 fifty yard sprints, increase each one by 10%. 1st one at 10% 2nd one at 20% ect.. the last one will all out at 100% effort.

Workout: 3o reps 25 LBS Barbell Russian Twists,
30 sit ups
30 pull ups ( if you need to scale use a band or jumping pull ups)
Run 800 meters
Do this Circuit 3 times and record your time.

If anyone wants to video their workout and submit to me i will post on the site.

Word of the Day: Succeed: What is it that you want to succeed at?

Workout for Tuesday July 7th 2006

2009-07-06T23:02:00.000-07:00

Today's workout reminds me of what my old coach used to say
" Fatigue Makes Cowards Of Us All"

Warm up: Row 1000 meters, if you don't have a rower find one or buy one :) they are the best cardio machine on the market for a full body workout. 50 sit ups, 25 push ups, 25 pull ups

Workout: 5 minutes of burpees with a 2 minute rest, repeat 4 times. Max effort, post the total number when completed.

Now remember these workouts that i post are for top conditioned people. if you are a beginner you need to scale this workout. Example 2 minutes of burpees and a 2 minute rest x 3 rounds.

After this workout I want you to repeat what my old coach used to say.
"Fatigue Makes Cowards Of Us All"

Word of the day: Passion, what's your passion? What gets you out of bed in the morning?

Declaring your Independence

2009-07-06T10:45:00.000-07:00

"Freedom is the will to be responsible to ourselves."~ Friedrich Nietzsche

This past weekend, we Americans celebrated Independence Day. Many celebrated without giving thought to the reason for the celebration. We learned in school that July 4, 1776 was the day America declared independence from Britain, but basically most of us think of it as a long weekend for travel, cookouts, and fireworks with family and friends. I remember watching firework shows when I was a child and then years later seeing the enjoyment on my own children’s faces at firework displays (after we got past the years where they were terrified of the sounds)!

Listening to patriotic soundtracks during these firework shows can be almost a spiritual experience. A favorite song this time of year to many is Lee Greenwood’s “God Bless the USA.” I don’t know anyone who could hear this song without it bringing a tear to their eye.

We live in the greatest country in the world. The freedoms wehave to even have a blog like this blow my mind when I really stop and think about it. Even the US Army has a spot on Face book. One of the postings I read by a fan (Tammy Little Cooke) summed it all up: “Thank you all for serving my country. Right, wrong, or indifferent…still the best country on Earth for opportunity and freedom! You make that possible…hooo rahhh!” The men and women serving our country now and in the past have fought hard for the freedom we experience, and I am very grateful and indebted to them.

Have you thought about the freedom or independence in your own life? You have the right to make your own choices, and yes, suffer or enjoy the consequences by those choices. A friend of mine recently shared a story about a couple living next door to her who are in their 80’s. Once a vibrant, healthy individual, the gentlemen recently began showing signs of early stages of Alzheimer’s. This is someone who up until a few weeks ago was walking four miles a day. On a recent walk to a nearby drugstore, he wound up lost and unsure how to find his way home. Two hours later, he arrived back home with tears streaming down his face. The independence he experienced in his lifetime was suddenly robbed from him.

I started thinking about how most of us take our independence for granted. None of us are guaranteed a certain amount of time on this planet, but we do have the freedom to make as many healthy choices as we want in order to do our part in maintaining a healthy state for as long as possible. Our freedom gives us the will to be responsible to ourselves. Are you keeping your body as fit as you can? I want to make fitness a daily part of your life – that’s why it’s important to me to provide daily workouts. I hope that I am making a difference in your life. Your feedback and comments mean the world to me. Keep them coming! Are you “exercising” your right to freedom?

Workout for Monday July 6th 2009

2009-07-05T23:35:00.000-07:00

Monday morning workout after a holiday weekend.

"A workout is a form of rebirth. When you finish a good workout, you don’t simply feel better, you feel better about yourself" -George Allen

Warm up: 20 Burpees, 20 Superman's, 20 Jumping jacks do this x 3 then run 400 meters at 75%

Workout: 400 meters of walking lunges. Advanced use weighted vest 30LBS or 15 LBS dumbbells in each hand. Beginners scale the workout to 50% so that would be 200 meters of lunges with no weight.

This is timed workout, so please post your time when completed and state if you used weight and the length you lunged.

Word of the Day: Freedom! "Freedom is the will to be responsible to ourselves" Friedrich Nietzche

TGIF - Workout 4 Holiday weekend

2009-07-02T23:26:00.000-07:00

Today's workout is all about Muscle Endurance:

Men = 95lb barbell
Women = 45 lb barbell

7 sumo dead lift high pulls
7 thrusters
7 hang power cleans
7 push press

- Do as many rounds as you can at max intensity for 20 minutes
- How many did you do?

Today's word is: FREEDOM

"Those who deny freedom to others deserve it not for themselves." - Abraham Lincoln

"In the truest sense, freedom cannot be bestowed; it must be achieved." - Franklin D. Roosevelt

Workout for today - Thursday 7/2/09

2009-07-02T00:06:00.000-07:00

Thursdays Prescott Arizona workout: I want thank all the members at Freedom Fitness that attended my class yesterday. We had had a great workout.

To the Core! 400 core reps

Warm up: Bike, cross trainer, or treadmill for 10 minutes. 10 lunges, 10 air squats,

Exercise: 100 Medicine Ball curl up (Lie on the floor on your back with your knees bent 90 degrees and your feet flat. Hold a medicine above your head with your arms straight so the ball touches the floor. Quickly sit up by contracting your abs and forcefully thrusting the medicine ball ahead of as if performing an overhead throw in soccer (but without letting go). Keep your arms straight for the entire move. Lower yourself to the floor as fast as you can and repeat, touching the ball behind your head momentarily.)

100 knees to elbows see the video

100 Wood chops 50 each side

100 Leg Raises

This is a timed workout, post your time.

The word of the day: Persevere: To persist in anything undertaken; maintain a purpose in spite of difficulty, obstacles, or discouragement; continue steadfastly.

Workout for Wednesday

2009-06-30T22:56:00.000-07:00

Happy Hump Day! Here's your workout for today:
Bench press & Lat pull downs or pull ups (with weight)

15, 10, 5, 3, 1 = these are the reps you will do for each exercise. Every new set go heavier on the weight. If you fail to get the correct number you need to redo the set.

Word of the day is = ACCOUNTABILITY: I teach my kids that they have to take responsibility for everything that happens to them. What does Accountability mean to you?

Workout for Tuesday

2009-06-29T23:22:00.000-07:00

Tuesday's workout is a sprint workout! This workout will get your heart rate up! Best to do this workout on a track but it can also be done on a treadmill and use a hallway or outside your club for the broad jumps.

Warm up: 400 meter run at 50%, 30 sit ups, 5 handstand push ups, modify if you can't do.

Run 200m, do 30 push ups, broad jump 200m, do 30 push ups. Do this cycle 4 times as fast as you can. Totals, 800 meter, 240 push ups, 400 meters of broad jumps. Beginners scale as needed. (example: cut workout in 1/2)

Word of the day: Laughter, what makes you laugh and are you laughing enough?

Workout for Monday

2009-06-28T23:41:00.000-07:00

Monday's workout set the tone for the week! Plan your work and work your plan.

Warm up: 20 burpess 20 push ups 20 air squats, 10 x 40 yard sprints 20 box jumps.

Workout: Squat ( your body weight) and Dead Lift (your body weight) 5 Rounds
Do as many Squats as you can until you fail ( count the reps) then do as many Dead lifts as you can until failure. ( count the reps) Add your two totals and that is your score for the fist round.

Take as much time as you need between rounds and exercises. This is not a timed workout, you are trying to get the max score. You will complete 5 rounds and add the total.

Beginners: You can do 1/2 or 3/4 your body weight. If you do 1/2 your body weight divide your score ( number of reps) by 2 and that will be your total.

Word of the Day: Wellness: What are your keys to Wellness?

Give me the beat boys and free my soul…

2009-06-28T20:19:00.000-07:00

“Words make you think a thought. Music makes you feel a feeling. A song makes you feel a thought.” - E.Y. Harburg

How many times have you heard a particular song and you are instantly taken right back to that moment in time? You remember exactly where you were, who you were with and what you were wearing. Music is truly a powerful force; it can bring joy, laughter and even sorrow and sadness. I’m reminded of the Uncle Kracker’s song….or rather Dobie Gray’s “Drift Away” where he sings “Oh, give me the beat boys, and free my soul. I
want to get lost in your rock and roll and drift away.” Yes, it’s easy to get totally lost in music, and sometimes it’s a healthy escape.

As we acknowledge the death of King of Pop, Michael Jackson, we may or may not have liked him as a person, but I don’t think anyone would challenge his talent and the impact his music made on the world. Most all of us would probably immediately start tapping our foot or shaking our behind when “Thriller,” “Billie Jean” or “Beat it” is played.

“My goal in life is to give to the world what I was lucky to receive: the ecstasy of divine union through my music and my dance.” - Michael Jackson

We all have our favorite music that we listen to for different occasions. We’ve got music for eating dinner, music for going to sleep, music to work out to, and maybe even special music while we’re feeling romantic. Wouldn’t the world be boring if we didn’t have music? As the quote above says, “Words make you think a thought. Music makes you feel a feeling. A song makes you feel a thought.” Life is a bundle of emotions, and music partners with those emotions, helping us to better adapt to what life throws at us.

“I wake up from dreams and go "Wow, put this down on paper." The whole thing is strange. You hear the words, everything is right there in front of your face...” - Michael Jackson

I’m reminded of what music I like to listen to when I’m doing cardio. Can you imagine doing your cardio to silence and trying to keep yourself on track? As of today, my current top five favorites are:

(1) Bad Girlfriend (Theory of a Deadman)
(2) Dead or Alive (Bon Jovi)
(3) Welcome to the Jungle (Guns & Roses)
(4) Back in Black (AC/DC), and
(5) Cyclone (Baby Bash)

These songs make me want to move! Have you noticed how you can just be grinding along, but a certain song comes on and you suddenly pick up the beat and you’re extra inspired? That’s why I like to periodically change my selections.OK, now it’s your turn - what’s on the cardio section of your MP3 Player, IPod, I Phone, or wherever your music is stored and organized? I want to hear from you! We can help motivate each other by trying different music. You might even take your workout to the next level!

Workout For the Weekend!

2009-06-27T15:32:00.000-07:00

WEEKEND WORKOUT: Push till you can't push no more!

Warm up 20 burpees, 20 jumping jacks 20 shoulder rolls and run 400 meters

The workout: Shoulder press, push press or push jerk

On the minute with a continuous clock running you add an extra rep every minute.
Example 1st min 1 rep, 2nd min 2 reps, 3 min 3 reps... keep going until you can not do the amount of reps within the minute... For example 10 mins and you cant finish 10 reps your number is 9.
Men 135 lbs
women 65 or 45 lbs

The word of the weekend is: Integrity

Workout for today - Friday

2009-06-26T00:09:00.000-07:00

TGIF I always love my workouts on Friday. End of the week and the beginning of the weekend.

Today's workout will be bit longer then usual and this workout can be scaled down if you are a beginner or intermediate level.

For Time:
100 air squats
Run 2 miles
100 lunges
100 jumping lunges
Run 2 miles
50 jumping squats

I call this workout "To Hell and back" post your time.

Word of the day is : Courage! tell me your Courage story.

Workout for today - Thursday

2009-06-25T06:54:00.000-07:00

"Core conditioning"

Warm up: 2 x 400 meter run with 3 minutes rest in between. 60% on the first one and 85% on the second one. 25 standing broad jumps, 25 air squats, and 25 lunges

Exercises:
1 min sit ups
1 min leg lifts
1 min bicycle crunches
1 min super mans
1 min break
4 rounds

Count your reps during each exercise until you finish that round. Use the break to write down your score.
Example round 1=30 sit ups, 30 leg lifts, 40 bicycle sit ups(left knee and right knee combine equal 1 rep), 52 super man. Total score 152 for that round.

Word of the day: Inner Strength. Are you born with it or is it developed?

Workout for Wednesday

2009-06-24T06:14:00.000-07:00

It is the middle of the week and the day most people want to blow off their workout. Stay the course, plane your work and work your plan. Your body will thank you when you are done.

Warm up: Row 1k, or your choice of cardio equipment for 10 minutes.

10 Hang power cleans 115 LBS men, 75LBS women

10 Pull ups

10 Diamond push ups or Body weight bench press

10 Kettle bell high swings 1.5 pood for men 1/2 pood for women

so to recap, each exercise 10 times no rest in between exercises. After you complete one rest 1 minutes and repeat. You will do a total of 5 rounds or 50 reps of each exercise.

The word of the day is effort! We use this word a lot around my house. Always put your best effort in and the outcome will be what it is.

Workout for Tuesday

2009-06-23T08:32:00.000-07:00

A Workout is the badge of winner - the mark of a organized, goal oriented person. G.A.

SPRINTS:

1= 400 meter sprint / rest 3 minutes

2= 400 meter running backwards / rest 3 minutes

3= 400 meter side shuffle (right side) / rest 3 minutes

4= 400 meter side shuffle (left side) / rest 3 minutes

5= 400 meter sprint

this workout will be a bit longer then most and running is sometimes not that enjoyable. Push through it and you will feel a sense of accomplishment when finished.

Workout for Monday

2009-06-21T23:01:00.001-07:00

Workout for Monday!

I hope you all had a wonderful Fathers day weekend. Today is a very fast workout. Should be completed in less then 15 minutes.

Push Press 20 reps Men 95 LBS Women 65 LBS

Run 400 Meters

4 rounds, not rest between exercises. Post your time

Healthy Anticipation – What are you looking forward to?

2009-06-21T22:40:00.000-07:00

"The grand essentials of happiness are: something to do, something to love, something to hope for." Allan K. Chalmers

After last week’s topic on expectations and what they produce in our lives, I thought of how important a role “anticipation” plays in our lives. Anticipation and expectation go hand in hand. With yesterday being the first day of summer, I reflected back on my own childhood growing up and how excited I became as the end of school year approached and summer awaited. I could hardly concentrate on the tasks at hand, and often finished the school year by the seat of my pants! I anticipated sleeping late, hanging out with my friends, and often going on vacations with my family. Even if maybe it wasn’t any big vacation, I knew it would be fun, and even better yet, I wouldn’t have to be doing homework or worrying about school. Then summer vacation was over too quickly and it was back to my nervous, but excited anticipation of the new school year. Maybe you’re flashing back right now when you were in high school and you anticipated that first football game, then Homecoming, then prom, and on and on. Seemed in high school and college, there were always pretty major events to look forward to.

Anticipation is healthy. How often do you tell someone something specific that you’re looking forward to? If you’re single, maybe it’s going on that first date with a new person. “What will I wear? What will I talk about?”You may even have butterflies when you think of them and the next time you see them. The anticipation builds up and then “Boom”, it’s over – what next? We always want to know “What’s next?” What about pregnancy? I know with each of my three children, the anticipation from first finding out about the pregnancy through the births of each of them were months and months of hopeful, exciting anticipation.

We all need something to look forward to. You may be thinking – “What do I have to look forward to this summer?” “The economy sucks; I have no extra money to do anything special.” Having things to look forward to doesn’t have to be expensive. Maybe you set aside time on your calendar in a week or two to just call someone you’ve been meaning to, but haven’t taken the time. Maybe it’s just creating your own “staycation” by calling some local resorts and getting good summer rates to take your family for a weekend getaway. Maybe it’s just a cookout in your back yard playing a little volleyball in the pool.

Anticipation of upcoming events or activities creates hope in our lives. Sure, sometimes we build it up so much that when it gets here, we feel let down, but it’s still a hopeful experience. What are you anticipating in your health? Are you working out with anticipation and expectation about how much better you will feel next week? Set small goals on your calendar that by “x” date, you want to lose “x” pounds, or drop your body fat by “x” percentage. Maybe you’re looking at my daily workouts and you’re thinking, “OK, if I start doing these workouts, I will not only look better, but I will feel better.” Your anticipation builds and you are given hope. What happens when you feel better? You exude those feelings and other around you can’t help but notice. These are all things to look forward to: Anticipation = Hope.

Summer is here – Start making your list of things you have to look forward to. Make it your “anticipation calendar.” You’ll be surprised when you start writing things down, whether big or small; there is ALWAYS something to look forward to. What’s on your list?

Workout For the Weekend!

2009-06-19T21:57:00.000-07:00

Workout For the Weekend!

Warm up: 5 x100 yard sprints

Exercise 1: 30 Jumping Squats
Take 30 seconds rest and repeat 10 times.

Exercise 2: Planks front x 3 for 30 seconds each, Left Side x 3 for 30 seconds, Right Side 3x 30 seconds.

Enjoy your weekend! What would you do if you knew you would not fail?

Workout for today - Friday

2009-06-18T22:33:00.000-07:00

Happy Friday! Looking forward to a beautiful weekend... I always get inspired when I see my most favorite place here, beautiful Santa Barbara, I want to be there!

Today, we will work the back with another Tabata work out (intense 20 seconds on, 10 seconds off for 4 minutes)

- Warm up; a 10 minute jump rope

- Exercise 1;Pullups (use bands if needed) in 20 seconds do as many reps as possible and take a 10 seconds break. Do a total of 8 rounds. Total of 4 minutes.

Scoring - what ever your lowest rep in any of the eight rounds is that will be your high score. So if in one of the rounds you only do 5 reps then that will be your score for the workout.

- 10 burpees

- Exercise 2 Deadlifts; Men 135, women 65; tabata deadlifts, do as many as you can for 20 seconds, 10 second rest, continue for 4 minutes. Again your lowest rep in any of the eight rounds that is your score for the round. Go to your knees if you have to.

Have a great workout and weekend!! Let me know your times... Stay tuned for more workouts Monday!

Workout for today - Thursday

2009-06-18T11:03:00.000-07:00

Today, lets's blast our chest and triceps with this Tabata chest work out (intense 20 seconds on, 10 seconds off for 4 minutes)

- Warm up; a 2k row or run 1 mile

- Exercise 1, Bench press; Men 135 lbs , women aim for 65 lbs (or at least 45lbs the bar)... in 20 seconds do as many reps as possible and take a 10 seconds break. Do a total of 8 rounds.
Scoring - what ever your lowest rep in any of the eight rounds is that will be your high score. So if in one of the rounds you only do 5 reps then that will be your score for the workout.

- 1 mile run or 2k row

- Exercise 2, Push Ups; tabata push ups, do as many as you can for 20 seconds, 10 second rest, continue for 4 minutes. Again your lowest rep in any of the eight rounds that is your score for the round. Go to your knees if you have to.

Workout for today - Wednesday

2009-06-17T07:42:00.000-07:00

Here is your workout for Wednesday! Let's focus on core strength today, abs and back:

- 25 back extensions
- 50 knees to elbows (standing)
- 50 double arm kettlebell swings:

36lb. (1 pood) = for males
18lb. (1/2 pood) = females

- run 800 meters
- 50 sit ups
- 25 supermans

- Repeat 3-4 times depending on fitness level

Let me know your time and how your core feels after!

Workout for today - Tuesday

2009-06-16T13:41:00.000-07:00

Maximize your time - if you bring the intensity, this workout should be no more than 30 minutes and a killer!

- 1 mile run (at 60% max for beginner's, 80% for advanced)
- 10 air punches (shadow box)
- 1 Sprawl/Burpee (4 count for beginners 8 count for advanced)
- Repeat and continue punches and burpee combo for one minute no rest
- 1 min. jumping lunges no rest
- Repeat burpee combo and lunges for 10 minutes

What was your time?
Let me know how your workout goes!

- Motivation changes the mind’s willingness to proceed. It creates hope, optimism, and inner strength :)

What are your expectations producing in your life?

2009-06-14T18:47:00.000-07:00

Whatever we expect with confidence becomes our own self-fulfilling prophecy. ~ Brian Tracy

How many times in conversation do you say to someone or they say to you, “Well….what do you expect?” Think about it – when you do specific things in your life, are you doing them mindlessly, or are you doing them with specific expectations in mind? I think we’re all guilty on both counts, or maybe there’s times when we’re not really truthful and we tell ourselves, “Wow…I didn’t know that would happen.” Say you’re driving 95 in a 65 and you’re surprised when you see flashing, red lights in your rear view mirror. I mean, “C’mon – what do you expect?” Now I’m sure you weren’t driving fast hoping you’d get pulled over. We all know there are consequences for our actions, but why not plan the outcome by managing expectations wisely?

Our expectations always imprint our hearts and form our inner image. You may tell yourself, “I have bad genes; all of my mother’s side of the family is obese. There’s no amount of exercise or dieting I can do to be lean. This is just the way I am.” If that’s your attitude, then you’re right – you will never be at a healthy weight because obesity is what you’re expecting in your life. Or maybe you never furthered your education by getting a degree and you go through your career thinking, “I’ll never be promoted, they only promote those with college degrees.” If you expect to live a defeated life, then regardless of the potential you have within you, your expectation will produce that defeat in your life

What do you believe about yourself? What is your value? I’m not talking about just changing your thoughts in order to change your life. That’s all well and good, but true transformation takes place at a much deeper level. It’s what you believe that produces freedom and transformation in your life. Let me say that again – it’s not just what you think, but what you deeply believe. First you must believe in yourself, which in turn supports your behavior. That transformation comes from your heart first, not anywhere else.

What image are you projecting in your life? If you don’t like what you see, then change it! By changing your inner image by what you believe about yourself, you can potentially change your outer outcome. You have the ability to choose your expectation in any circumstance of life. Freedom of choice is a beautiful thing that we humans have, as no one can dominate our attitudes or take our choices from us. The same thing goes with others in your life. Often people will become what you expect them to be. What are you expecting from your children? Just because they may bring home less than desirable grades at times, do you expect that they’ll be losers all their lives? Hopefully not! Start expecting good things from them, and watch what a difference it makes in their attitude. And since we are all products of our parental influence, you can positively shape your children’s lives by your expectations of them.

You will live up to the level of expectation you place on yourself, or you will live down to your expectation of yourself. No matter what your story is, start believing in yourself. Do you want to improve your health, your fitness goals and ultimately your life? Then decide what you want, start believing it in your heart, and begin to EXPECT those good things and changes to take place. The changes will reflect over your whole persona. Then when someone gives you the standard question “How are you?” You can reply with a smile on your face, “I’m great - I’m EXPECTING!”

Share with me your comments about what you’re expecting – I thrive on encouraging others!

Create your Own Stimulus Package by Giving

2009-06-08T08:26:00.000-07:00

Only a life lived for others is a life worthwhile. ~ Albert Einstein

The price of gasoline is slowly creeping back up, bank-owned homes are still flooding our neighborhoods, and high school and college students are lining up for summer jobs. Many restaurants and higher-end retail stores continue to pull out of their leases. I’m not going to get on my bandwagon and give my two cents about what the government is or isn’t doing to stimulate the economy. Rather, I ask myself, what can I be doing – me alone. How can I make a difference?

While these troubling times are seeing people hold on to what they have or take the mindset “my four and no more,” it’s time to look beyond ourselves. Rather than look at what we don’t have, why not take inventory of the many blessings in our lives that we do have and share them with others? And I’m not talking about doing things with a big arrow pointing to yourself saying, “Hey, look at me. I’m so generous, I’m doing something wonderful!” Paying forward to others from your own blessings shouldn’t just be the popular thing of the day, but rather a lifestyle.

This reminds me of the Starbucks “Pay it Forward” chain in Sacramento last year when a woman who was in the drive-thru went to pay for her coffee at the window, and she was told that the person in front of her taken care of it. This, in turn, caused the woman to do the same for the person behind her, resulting in a 109 car pay it forward chain! I’m sure that there are thousands of these types of random acts of kindness that have gone unpublicized. Imagine the woman who started it all and how she suddenly opened herself up to an outpouring of blessings in her life. That’s the way it works – doing something nice, without expecting anything in return just creates the right energy to attract good things your way.

It seems that often national tragedies or disasters are what it takes to bring people together. I still hear how New York City is a different place since 9-11 where people united together without those walls that kept them apart before; same thing with Hurricane Katrina. Do we need another disaster or “Great Depression” to cause us to see outside of ourselves? Many say we are in another Great Depression, and who’s to say we are or aren’t. But the point being - when we look outside of ourselves, we open ourselves up to a whole new avenue of opportunity that may otherwise remain dormant.

Someone will always be hurting worse than you. Why not ask yourself - what can I do to make a difference in someone’s life today? What do I have that I can share with others – maybe it’s just a smile to someone you pass on the street. That smile may be just the thing that gives that person hope in an otherwise gloomy day, creating a desire within them to smile at someone else.

I hope this message inspires you to start your own pay it forward campaign and do your part in stimulating not just the economy, but stimulating the lives of others. Are you doing everything you can with what you’ve been given? Maybe you have some gifts and talents others around you would love to be a part of. Why not become a beacon to others by mentoring someone who is interested in learning more about your gifts and talents?

To be that positive light, you’ll need to stimulate wellness in your own life. Our bodies were created with everything necessary to thrive; but it’s our own lifestyle choices that can make the difference in whether we are walking in health or not. Let me stimulate your thinking today to treat your body with the proper nutrients, nurturing, and fitness program designed for you. I want to pay forward, not only my knowledge in the health and fitness industry, but also my gift of encouragement.

Why not ask yourself today, “How can I pay forward my talents or simply my good fortune?” I’d love to hear from you on how you are paying it forward – maybe you’ll inspire someone else with your ideas. The results could create a chain that can make a difference in not only your life, but in the lives of others.

What Matters in Your Life?

2009-06-01T10:04:00.000-07:00

People who matter are most aware that everyone else does, too. ~ Malcolm S. Forbes

I recently stood behind a woman in line at the grocery store who was being so rude to the clerk. She wasn’t doing something right with the credit card scanner and it wasn’t registering. The clerk told her she needed to run it through again, and she sighed saying gruffly, “My ice cream is melting, and my husband’s waiting in the car!” The clerk apologized as she re-ran the card through the machine, but she was still muttering under her breath. When it was my turn, the clerk said hello and I asked him how he was. He replied sarcastically, “It’s just such a treat to be up here.” I brushed it off and said “Well, life is too short to get so upset.” He seemed to lighten up when I realized I was going to be a nice customer. As I took my bags out to my car, I noticed the woman had been walking so slow that she was just barely getting into her car and was complaining to her husband as she got in. I felt sad in my heart for this woman, as I have no idea what she was going through or why she seemed so bitter and unhappy. Above everything, she certainly didn’t look very healthy.
It reminded me of the lyrics of a song I recently heard by Rascal Flatts called “Things that Matter and Things that Don’t.” It’s a great song and oh so true. Things in our lives are just that “things.” It’s the people and relationships who matter most. In doing research for this blog, I found a book by Ira Byock, M.D. called The Four Things That Matter Most. Dr. Byock is a doctor who has handled seriously ill patients for numerous years as well as those in hospice care towards the end of their lives. You see he has learned in working with these patients who are facing death’s door the importance of four sentences:

Please forgive me.
I forgive you.
Thank you.
I love you.

Last week I talked about living with regrets and how we’re not guaranteed a certain amount of time on this earth. I don’t know about you, but I don’t want to wait until I’m knocking on death’s door to think about these phrases and try to make changes then. Now is the time that matters and we can start today. So many people go through life holding on to unforgiveness in their lives, never even realizing how they are keeping others, much less themselves in bondage.

These phrases really do make you think about how you’ve lived your life and how you’ve handled people along the way. We’re not immune to sudden illnesses or accidents that may come our way, so you don’t want to wait until it’s too late to express forgiveness, say thank you and I love you. If someone comes to mind right now, pick up the phone and call them, send an email or even mail a handwritten card or letter. (I think people still do that!) Maybe you’re not forgiving yourself for something you’ve done in the past. If so, write yourself a letter. How freeing is that!

Since we’ve established that relationships are what really matter in life, what are you doing to transform yours? I’m not saying I’ve “arrived” in my own relationships as far as these thoughts are concerned, and there are still lessons I am learning as I go along. However, I do know this much - I have chosen to be a “builder” or an “edifier” in my life. I am so passionate about fitness and total wellness that I hope at least a little of it has rubbed off in your life. Living a life of wellness is not only for your benefit, but for that of your loved ones. None of us want to be a burden on loved ones now or later in life, so keeping yourself as healthy as possibly can improve your ability to enjoy your life and your relationships with others.

I celebrate the friends and family who have impacted my life, and I love and appreciate you very much. And to all of my “social media” family, a big THANK YOU for your support, your comments and enthusiasm in this wellness message that I so passionately try to convey. I am honored that you believe I have something worthwhile to share, and I hope I’m making a difference in your life. Now if you haven’t exercised today…get off your badonkadonk and MOVE!

No Regrets

2009-05-26T10:07:00.000-07:00

LIFE HAS NO GUARANTEES – BUT WE CAN MAKE A DIFFERENCE

“A man is not old until his regrets take the place of his dreams.”
~Yiddish Proverb

Regrets – we’ve all had them. “I wish I had more education.” “I wish I had waited longer to get married.” “I should have traveled more before I settled down.” Should have, would have, could have… But we all know, we can’t change the past, and living those regrets just keeps us hung up in the past preventing us from moving forward.

A friend of mine recently shared that a 60+ woman she works with was looking at photos of other employees during a company outing, and this woman commented about a younger 30 something woman who was overweight. Her words were “She needs to lose weight.” Then she went on to say, “I know I am fat, but I’m old.” Wow…You see this woman was about 50 pounds overweight herself, but because of her age, she accepted the way she was, chalking it up to the fact that she was 60+.

You may have heard the Serenity Prayer that begins with: “God grant me the serenity to accept the things I cannot change; courage to change the things I can; and wisdom to know the difference.” That’s a great prayer and something we hear quoted quite often, but have you ever thought about the reverse – accepting what you CAN change? I think that’s called a “cop-out.” You see we can always make excuses about what we haven’t done, or aren’t willing to do, and we do a pretty good job at convincing ourselves. Accepting the way we are just because we’re a certain age - whether it’s being overweight, out of shape, or chalking things up to our “genes” are all cop-outs. Yes we are all aging – that’s inevitable, but is there a way to age healthy? I believe so, and it starts with you and your choices.

Most people live their lives regretting more of what they didn’t do rather than what they’ve done. We’ve all made mistakes and hopefully we’ve learned from them. That’s what life experiences are all about, and that’s how we grow. But have you reached a place in your life where you may be regretting that you didn’t start earlier on reaching potential goals? Maybe you feel like it’s too late to go back to school, meet someone new, start a new career or even get back in shape. If that’s the case, then I’m here to encourage you to stir up your dreams and your goals, no matter what age you are.

I’m a firm believer that it’s never too late to start working out, even if it’s beginning with 10 minutes a day and increasing gradually. Everyone knows that exercise is good for your heart and keeps you slimmer, but did you know that exercise also:

Improves your balance
Helps you sleep better
Keeps you in a better mood
Increases your energy level
Improves your sex life (maybe I should have had this one at the top to keep your interest!)
Keeps you living longer!

My point being - Don’t let your life be a life of regrets. You are not a victim of your DNA, your culture or the fact that you’ve slacked off a few years. Let today be the day you make a pact with yourself to become a healthier you, whether you are 20, 50 or 70! The small steps you take in the right direction will become easier tomorrow and even easier the next day.

None of us are guaranteed how long we are here on this earth, but the benefits you will reap through exercise will certainly increase the quality of your life while you are here. Your life is a gift – so don’t wake up tomorrow regretting what you could have done today that could mean the difference between years of disability or years of healthy aging. I’d love to help you get back on track.

Taking the Risk Towards A Great Outcome

2009-05-18T10:22:00.000-07:00

"Decide what you want, decide what you are willing to exchange for it, establish your priorities and go to work." ~H. L. Hunt

Decisions – we all make them throughout each day; what time we get out of bed, what we wear, where we go, people we interact with, what we eat and so on. In most of our daily decision-making, we don’t think too much about consequences. Many of us just make decisions without thinking through all the potential scenarios. Often we end up making spontaneous decisions that can leave us living with the regrets that go along with poor decision-making consequences.

Recently I read a book by Ben Carson, M.D. which is actually a call to action book: Take the Risk: Learning to Identify, Choose, and Live with Acceptable Risk.” Dr. Carson, who is a director of pediatric neurosurgery at Johns Hopkins Medical Institutions in Maryland, has created a different way to think about risk. He calls it “Best/Worst Analysis (B/WA) formula,” and it’s simply asking yourself these four questions when a decision is on the table:

1. What is the best thing that can happen if I do this?
2. What is the worst thing that can happen if I do this?
3. What is the best thing that can happen if I don’t do this?
4. What is the worst thing that can happen if I don’t do this?

Once you take your decision in question through the four steps, you review each answer and then you’re going to want to make your decision based on the most positive potential outcome. This can apply to any area of your life – relationships, (“Should I commit to this person or not?”) career opportunities, (“Should I bite the bullet and take the new job I’ve been offered?”) or large purchases, (“Is this the right time to buy a new home?”) The list is endless, and no decision is really too trivial to not take the time to run through these four questions – even if you don’t write it on paper and it’s only in your mind.

I started thinking closely on this subject and began to dissect everything that crossed my decision-making path. Of course, I started to analyze the exercise factor and thought about those who always have a reason why they don’t exercise or belong to a gym:

What’s the best thing that can happen to me if I exercise today? “I’ll feel very good about myself when I complete my workout.”

What’s the worst thing that can happen to me if I exercise today? “I could fall down and hurt myself.”

What’s the best thing that can happen if I don’t exercise today? “I won’t be sore tomorrow.”

What’s the worst thing that can happen if I don’t exercise today? “It will be easier for me not to exercise tomorrow or the next day.”

What’s the best thing that can happen if I join a health club or gym? “I’ll get in shape and become healthier.”

What’s the worst thing that can happen if I join a health club or gym? “I’ll pay the money and never go.”

What’s the best thing that can happen if I don’t join a health club or gym? “I’ll use the money that I would have spent and take my out-of-shape self to happy hour or buy “things” that I won’t remember a month from now.”

What’s the worst thing that can happen if I don’t join a health club or gym? “I’ll stay the way I am, possibly becoming more out of shape and experience poor health.

The above examples make it pretty easy to see what your best decision would be. OK, so maybe your answers wouldn’t be the same as these, but you get my point. If you take the time to assess your decisions and then analyze what the potential outcome could be, it helps you put things into perspective and make the best overall decision. Try it with any area of your life. It has helped me see things differently especially in my business decisions.

So whether you are contemplating a change in a career, relationship or even a health and wellness decision, ask yourself Dr. Carson’s four questions. You might just risk a great outcome!

How Are Your Communication Skills?

2009-05-11T08:58:00.000-07:00

There is an energy field between humans. And, when we reach out in passion, it is met with an answering passion and changes the relationship forever. ~ Rollo May

Most of you are more than just familiar with social networking – whether it is through LinkedIn, Facebook, My Space, or Twitter. How many of us can’t even go through an hour of the day without texting, emailing someone or checking your Facebook? Yes, I realize you are reading my blog right now, which is a relatively new way people interact with others – building communities of people who are interested in what others have to say. And yes, many of you correspond with me via text, email, Twitter or Face book.

There is no doubt that social media is opening the doors for people not only like me, but others who have a message to share and who want to get it out to as many people as they can in the shortest amount of time. It is an honor to me that you find something I may have to say of interest.

I am all for these ways of marketing or networking yourself; however, recently I started thinking about all of this and began to notice something everywhere I went. Whether it was on public transportation, walking through the mall or the airport, driving down the highway or just walking through the gym, I noticed a common theme. People were consumed with texting, emailing or listening to IPods of some sort via earphones. I never even made eye contact with these people. Their faces were buried in their phones while their fingers were typing away. The only way I would have noticed this was simply the fact that my own cell phone had stopped working! How we immediately freak out when that happens and try to get to the nearest Verizon store before we miss another call or text!

I began to think about interactions of humans. I was in my backyard recently just soaking up some sun (between the rainy days) and I heard birds all around me going crazy with their chirping. My first thought was – “Wow – are those birds annoying!” Then I started thinking about how those sounds were the birds communicating to one another. They were relating to each other. I thought for a minute about how it would be if they were too part of the information technology of the world and communicated via machines and such. Yes, it sounds a bit off the wall, but it did help me to see what we miss when we stop interacting with others one on one. Maybe we’re trying to become like the birds with Twitter! (Ok a bad analogy!)

A friend of mine recently shared that he drove his 14 year old son and one of his close friends to baseball practice and it was a 30 minute drive. He described the drive as “silent” as both boys were buried in their cell phones texting. And one of the craziest things he said was that often the boys were texting each other sitting a foot apart in the back seat! Have we become so dependent on these devices that we no longer know how to interact with one another face to face or even voice to voice?

This also reminds me of something I recently saw on Facebook, and I actually clicked on it myself. It said: Become a fan of “I love my mom.” I joined along with countless others, and then it occurred to me. Why do I have to click on something on a social networking site to show that I am a fan of loving my mom? I laughed to myself because I do call my mom – she isn’t on Face book, Twitter and the like. She is a wonderful mom and I let her know that often – and not just on Mother’s Day.

My point being – sometimes we can get so caught up in the latest gadget or networking tool that it keeps us from being relational one on one with people who may possibly make a huge impact on our lives or vice versa. How many times have you called someone and they don’t pick up, but they’ll text you right back? What’s up with that?? Often we lose our social skills and when it comes to a situation where we have to relate face to face, many are left feeling awkward and less confident. My kids even tell me about how boys and girls who break up with each other via text messaging!

I know many of you do belong to fitness clubs and you go in with your gear, get to business with your earphones and IPods, and there’s nothing wrong with that. But my challenge to you is this – next time you go into your fitness club, keep in mind that you are there with like-minded people. These are people who care about their health and are making giant steps of faith to either maintain or reach goals that are important enough to take them away from perhaps an evening at happy hour or a night on the couch eating junk food. Step out of your “me zone” and make eye contact, give a word of encouragement to someone next you on the treadmill or weight bench and simply acknowledge that person. You never know - that person could be an important key to helping you unlock your future or possibly even theirs!

I may not be able to personally interact with all of you, but if you see me and I'm head - down buried in my phone, remind me of this blog! Let me know how I can help you reach your goals.

Everything is beautiful – or is it?

2009-05-04T10:58:00.000-07:00

The best and most beautiful things in the world cannot be seen, nor touched ... but are felt in the heart. ~ Helen Keller

When asked to define beauty, how many of us automatically picture in our minds something aesthetically beautiful? You may imagine a rose bud opening up or a majestic landscape. If we were to think of a person as being beautiful, I would have to admit that I would imagine an outwardly very attractive person - someone who captivates me by their physical beauty. We've all heard the old saying "Beauty is only skin deep," and we try to act like we believe that, but show us someone like Susan Boyle from Britain's Got Talent, and before she even opens her mouth, people are laughing and making fun of her based on her outward appearance. Yes she did “wow” the crowd, but after she’s discovered to have such an amazing voice and she’s got a signed contract, what happens? She’s given a makeover - to conform to what society believes acceptable beauty to be.

It's very easy to get caught up in the "beautiful people" zone. It's become such a staple, that even extraordinarily good looking people are left feeling bottom of the barrel, like they don't measure up. We are bombarded with what Hollywood and New York tells us is beautiful. Even people in their 20’s are reaching out to aesthetic medicine and other ways to hold on to their youth or to just keep up with what society says they should match up to.

On a recent visit to the Sonoran Desert’s Botanical Garden in Arizona, I learned a great lesson. What I thought would be a somewhat boring tour through the desert helped me to see things in a totally different light. I always thought of the desert as dry and desolate with prickly cactus, snakes and scorpions.
What I discovered was that many of those prickly, sticky, plants contained numerous food properties, as well as medicinal benefits, and I left there with a reverence toward the desert that I would never have had without hearing from a knowledgeable tour-guide the purpose of each of those desert plants and how they provided housing, medicine and food for countless people throughout the centuries.

You see those plants were strategically created with a purpose in mind - often multiple purposes. Just as we come in different shapes, looks and sizes, we all have purposes. You may not even realize what your purpose is, or you may feel you have so many purposes that you are overwhelmed, confused and therefore unfocused. Many often make the mistake of thinking they are supposed to have one giant purpose that sticks out like a sore thumb, and when they don’t recognize it, they become confused thinking “What’s wrong with me? Why don’t I know what my purpose is?”

I’m a believer that throughout the course of our lives, we have multiple purposes and it’s the things that we have passion for, things we feel compelled to change or make a difference in – those are the callings we have, and we need to press forward with those things.

You all know what my passion is by now. Fitness is such a calling in my life that I live and breathe it. I won’t try to force my passion on you, but one thing I will do is reach out to inspire, encourage, train and motivate you to become a healthier you. You see, when we exercise our physical body, we not only cause it to conform to the state it works most efficiently in, but we also generate a sense of confidence in ourselves that exudes out of our pours; and we all know that confidence is attractive.

Although you may not be “Hollywood worthy” from the outside, once you develop a solid wellness plan, a healthier, more confident you will emerge as your true beauty shines, tapping you into a more purpose-filled life.

Enthusiastically,

Joe Gigantino Jr.

The Spirit of “Busyness”

2009-04-27T10:12:00.000-07:00

“It is not enough to be busy; so are the ants. The question is: what are we busy about?” – Henry David Thoreau

“I don’t have time – I’m too busy.” “There are just not enough hours in the day.” Sound familiar? I’ve often thought about counting the number of times I’ve heard people refer to some aspect of their lives as “busy.” Of course, with all the people I interact with directly each day, whether by phone, in person or online, I’m sure I would lose count very quickly! What is it about that word that we seem to always feel the need to include in our vocabulary? Do we use it to validate our actions or our lack of actions?

The truth is, and we’ve all heard it – everyone seems to make time for the things that are most important to them, or is that entirely true? Your family is important, right? What about your job? I’m sure we would all agree on the importance of those things, yet often we neglect the very people closest to us – whether it is a parent, child, sibling or even spouse with all of our other “busy” activities. We assume they will always be around, and take them for granted, while we place our priorities elsewhere. We become toxic in our own relationships with the very people we should be nurturing.

What about your job – very important, right? This is an understatement in this job market! However, many employees spend so much time talking about how busy they are in the workplace that the time they spend complaining could be used to be productive, thereby increasing the bottom line of the company and contributing to their own job security.

Now let’s talk health. Many people, especially those who have never experienced a debilitating illness, just keep trucking along thinking they don’t really need to take the time to nurture their health. They may count on their “good luck genes” to get them through. No matter how wonderful your genes are, there is good chance that a time will come when your health may be challenged, and then it may or may not be too late to turn things around.

Life is about balance, and maybe as you are reading this, a cord is being struck in you and you’re realizing that you have busy with the wrong things in your own life. Yes, there is definitely a “spirit of busyness” running rampant in our society, but I believe that today can be a day where you draw a line in the sand. Nurture your relationships by giving and receiving love, practicing gratitude, forgiveness and acceptance. On your job, work like it’s the day before your vacation. (I once heard Zig Ziglar say that.) Think about how hard you work to make sure everything is in place before you set out to leave on holiday. If we worked with that kind of productivity daily, imagine what could be accomplished!

Lastly, treat your body like the temple it was created to be. Nourish it with whole foods and nutritional supplements and exercise! An investment in a fitness program will not only make you look and feel better, but can also help you become a better mother, father, parent, spouse or even employee! I want to motivate you to become a better you. Let me know how I can help, or are you too busy?

Enthusiastically,

Joe Gigantino Jr.

Owning Your Life

2009-04-20T11:48:00.000-07:00

It’s your life – Own it!

”True freedom begins and ends with personal accountability.” - Dan Zadra

“It’s not my fault - if only I had grown up living with both parents, I wouldn’t be the way I am.”

“If only I had more education, I would have gotten that promotion at work.”

“I don’t have good genes – so there’s nothing I can do about my weight.”

Sound like excuses? All of us at one time or another make similar comments, usually to justify a situation or a place we are in our lives. To say that you can always control situations is certainly not true, but you alone are responsible for your thoughts, emotions, and actions in regards to that situation.

Don’t allow a label to define who you are

The truth is – you are not a victim. You have full ownership of your life, and it is up to you to make the most of it. Take your health for example. You own full rights to your body – you can choose what you eat, how much or little you exercise, and even how much risk you subject yourself to. Your parents may have raised you on Twinkies and potato chips, but you can change those bad habits by making appropriate lifestyle choices today. You may have been labeled with a particular ailment or disorder. The diagnosis may be true, but try not to use that particular “label” as a crutch to excuse or justify your behavior or lifestyle choices.

Emotions must be managed

The same holds true for spiritual and emotional matters. You can choose to be happy regardless of a comment someone makes in passing or whether your friends remember your birthday or not. If you choose to be sad, that’s fine, but don’t blame others for your emotions. Feelings need to be managed, and although emotions are part of life, it’s your decision as to how you translate those emotions into actions. You are not entitled to blame others. No one can make you feel or react in a certain way. By accepting your emotions as part of who you are, you are empowered to control those emotions and actions.

Perfect timing is generally a myth

You often hear people use the term “perfect timing.” Maybe they’ll say they’ll stop smoking when their stress level goes down, or will exercise when it’s cooler/warmer outside. These are all examples of people waiting for just the right day and time when their “cosmos” align. The truth is, if you’re waiting for “perfect timing” to make important changes in your life, whether it be a relationship, a job move, a good time to stop smoking or start exercising, you’ll wait forever. There will never be the perfect moment as making choices always involve risk.

If you want to change your life – stop waiting for perfection and act now. You have more freedom than you realize. Where you are in life is based on decisions you made in the past, and where you will be in the future is determined by what you change today. What are you waiting for? If you’ve been thinking of getting fit or even moving to another level in your fitness routine, there’s no time like today. Take responsibility and go - it’s your life, so own it!

Make This Your Season for Renewal

2009-04-13T10:13:00.000-07:00

"And the day came when the risk to remain tight in a bud was more painful than the risk it took to blossom." – ANAIS NIN

Recently I was walking through some streets in New York City. It seemed quite chilly for April as I adjusted my scarf around my neck. Passing by different Brownstones, I noticed frozen plants everywhere – dead looking vines hanging from window sills and brown foliage around the base of trees hundreds of years old. But then I noticed new plant life spurting up from the ground, seemingly random in the midst of the dead plant life - almost to say, “look at me – I’m new, I am small, but I am full of life.” Turning the corner, I saw trees bursting with beautiful spring blossoms that exploded with color on what seemed like an otherwise bleak morning.

Springtime is my favorite time of year. It represents a time of renewal, rebirth, new life and rejuvenation As Easter just passed, many celebrated a time of new life. A friend of mine recently shared a story about her daughter who just gave birth to her first child. Witnessing new life coming into the world is truly a miracle. A child is nurtured from the time of conception and once he is born, even more nurturing takes place. The cycle of life is interesting - the anticipation builds up throughout the months, and once that new life is brought forth – whether it’s a small plant, a flower, or even a child – it is one of amazement.

We all want to be nurtured to some degree; however, just as much as we want to be nurtured, we must nurture ourselves. You may have fallen behind on resolutions that you made in January and you’re thinking to yourself – “Why bother – it’s already the middle of April.” However, every day you step forward by doing something positive to improve your health, you make a huge difference not only now, but in later life as quality years are added. Just as that new blade breaks through the hardened ground to eventually become a flourishing plant, you too can break through your procrastination of becoming a fitter you.

Let this be your season of new life and new beginnings. As you know by now, it is my passion and purpose to help others in their quest for fitness. You only have one body, but you have lots of opportunities to treat that body as it deserves. I encourage you to “spring forth” to a healthier you – I’m here to help encourage and provide options for a fitness plan that will work uniquely for you.

Enthusiastically,

Joe Gigantino Jr.
"A gym membership is a cheap form of great entertainment."

Attitude - A Life Altering Gift

2009-04-06T09:44:00.000-07:00

"If you don't like something, change it; if you can't change it, change the way you think about it." ~Mary Engelbreit

“You need an attitude adjustment!” How many times have you heard those words or spoken them? How true they are, because attitudes are just that – adjustable! There are no set-in-stone rules that tell you how to react as situations unfold in your life. Almost always, you have the choice as to which type of attitude you will have. Suppose someone pulls out in front of you in traffic and you get upset. That person didn’t make you angry – you made the choice to feel angry all by yourself. People or circumstances cannot 'make' you feel anything at all. But many of us often don’t take the time to think things out. We simply react, many times in a negative manner.

Your attitude is the first thing people pick up on. Just as yawning, complaining or even crying can be contagious, so may enthusiasm, excitement, and curiosity be a positive viral condition. Your attitude can 'infect' others and ultimately affect the end result of a situation.

If you want to live a longer, healthier life, then you need to develop and maintain a positive attitude. You have the power in you to change the way you think, what you believe and the choices you will make. In doing so, you are open to changing your life! Yes, you can actually improve your life and your body by having a positive attitude and a positive belief system. What kind of attitude have you had about exercising? Have you felt like you have so far to go that you feel overwhelmed in reaching realistic goals?

Start out by:
1. Making a conscious decision to change your attitude about your exercise program.
2. Write down ‘reachable’ goals and expectations, then share them with others. This helps you become accountable.
3. Stretching yourself to a new level as you reach these goals by doing something you may not be comfortable doing at first. You’ll feel so good about yourself and your body when you accomplish those things.
4. Getting a partner – be accountable to someone else; help motivate each other.
5. Rewarding yourself – once you reach even short term goals, reward yourself

You can make positive changes in your life, but it starts with you. Once you’ve made the conscious decision to make positive changes, whether it is starting an exercise program or changing up your existing fitness plan, the benefits will start rolling in. It is so worth it – remember to think it, speak it, live it, be it! I am here to help inspire and encourage you along the way.

Purpose and Passion

2009-03-30T12:46:00.000-07:00

Last Thursday I was so inspired after hearing a talk from the CEO of a company called TriVita, that I started writing this blog right there on my yellow pad in the midst of the meeting. “Purpose” and “Passion”, he kept saying it over and over. I knew right then and there what my newest venture would be. I thought to myself, “I have helped thousands of people get into shape over the last 20 years in the health club industry, and now I want to help millions get into shape using the Internet.”

I decided that it was time to launch a new blog site: www.workout.com where I can speak to millions of people about the benefits of exercise and staying in-shape. I will have it up and running in the next 60 days - my commitment to you and to myself.

My Purpose: To help others achieve what they want out of life.

My Passion: To motivate people to start working out.

This new blog will help me accomplish both my purpose and my passion. Have you ever thought about what your purpose and passion is? A great way to start is to ask your self, “Why am I here?” “What special talents did God give me that I can share with others?” For some of you, it might take some time to think through. And for others, it may hit you like a bolt of lightning, as it did me while I sat in the chair listening to Michael Ellison speak. Whenever it comes to you, write it down, look at it, read it to yourself and read it out loud. Put it in a place where you can see it daily.

I have been living my purpose and passion, but it wasn’t until I heard someone else talk about theirs that I took action and wrote mine down on paper. I now have that piece of paper in my wallet and will always carry it with me.

As you read this, I hope you’re also thinking about your purpose and passion. If I can help anyone of you get started on a workout program or help motivate you to keep going with your routine, please let me know. If you are having trouble with your purpose or passion, I have a few things that might be helpful in getting you started.

Enthusiastically,

Joe Gigantino Jr.
"A gym membership is a cheap form of great entertainment."

The Ultimate Equalizer

2009-03-23T13:04:00.000-07:00

This past weekend, I had the chance to catch up on some of my reading. After finishing an interesting book on time management, I began jotting down a few notes on some of the tips I learned from the book. In mid-sentence, I had one of those “eureka” moments - One of those rare moments where I have total clarity in my thought process. I immediately wrote down this thought and decided I would include this in my next blog and share it with you.

Time is the ultimate equalizer among all men and women. There is no measurement more accurate to our equality then the number of hours each day.

The more I thought about this, the more sense it made. It’s true that every day provides an opportunity – we can choose to take advantage of this opportunity by being creative and productive, or we can choose to waste that day.

Don’t think for a moment that I’m some eternal optimist who simply always sees the good inside of the bad situations. In the past, I’ve personally had my share of “opportunity doors” close and these doors always represented times in which my progress was halted. What I learned from this eureka moment is that doors or obstacles don’t have to slow us down, they simply redirect our momentum.

If a commitment to working out and living healthier has been an obstacle in the past, I hope you can see that the ultimate equalizer, TIME, would argue that today – right now – marks an opportunity to once again achieve success!

Your Life is Now

2009-03-16T13:21:00.000-07:00

So, I have to admit something… I typically don’t look forward to my morning cardio. In fact, it seems more like punishment then anything else. The funny thing is that I know that when I am done, I feel like a million bucks! I expected this Monday morning to be no exception, but it was.

I had forgotten my book at home so I decided to put on my Ipod and pass the tine listening to music. I wasn’t searching for anything in particular, just a beat that I could pedal to. I have a variety of music on my Ipod but the first song that came on was by Michael Buble (not usually a song I would want to do cardio to) but I started to really listen to the lyrics and got me thinking. I guess the song could be interpreted in different ways, but I saw it as an opportunity to re-start or re-commit to something important in my life. It made me start to think about what I was focusing on, and if it was really important at this time in my life. It caused me to recalibrate the way I was thinking about things going on in my life.

What made this morning so much different than the typical Monday morning was that after a half hour of cardio, I made several promises to myself and thought I would share two of them with you. I promised that I would place a higher value on people and their choices; and I promised that I would always attempt to take the highest (and most rewarding) road.

My hope is that after sharing this with you, you will also make a few promises to yourself. For those of you that want to share them, please post them for all of us to read. I would love to hear your story! By doing so, you will make changes to ensure those promises come true. For many of you, I hope the promise will be to re-commit to health, fitness, working out and being more disciplined with your eating habits. To those of you who make this promise; my promise to you is that I will do everything in my power to help! Remember, regardless of how many times we have fallen short or not followed through with something, it’s in the past. The promise we make today is the one you will keep, your life is now!

Remember… “Your gym membership is a cheap form of great entertainment!” - Joe G.

Enthusiastically yours,

Joe Gigantino Jr.

Creating Willpower

2009-03-09T13:27:00.000-07:00

What is willpower? Have you ever tried to define it? My guess is no. In fact I believe the reason we don’t ask this question is because we can blame willpower if we don’t follow through with our goals. We prefer to allow the mystery to exist. Haven’t we all heard someone say that they either didn’t have enough willpower or somehow lost their willpower?

Many of us still believe that willpower comes and goes with the wind. It’s unpredictable with uncertain loyalty. Although it seems rather odd, I witness many people using willpower as an excuse to cushion their fall from reaching goals.

Willpower: is energetic determination…and that’s it!

The first thing we all need to realize is that willpower is available to each and every one of us. It’s not handed out at birth based on your genetic blueprint or later in life based on size or smarts. It’s truly there for the taking and it’s FREE. It’s important to realize that based on your lifestyle (conditioned or habitual behavior) you should be able to determine your level of willpower. What do I mean by this? Well, I ‘m sure we all understand that the longer we habitually do something a certain way, it is that much more difficult to change. Whether it’s sleeping patterns, watching TV, exercise or how we eat.

Examples:

For the person who routinely gets up at 6:00am and starts their day off with a brisk walk; it would be reasonable to assume that they would have the willpower to successfully begin an early morning workout program with a trainer at the gym. Another person who routinely sleeps in would be at a different willpower level and would most likely fail if they tried to establish the same early morning training program at the gym. A more realistic expectation would be for the latter person to gradually build their willpower by setting their clock to get up a half hour earlier each day. As this first step becomes conditioned (usually 3-4 weeks) they then are ready for the next step. Along with my first person that regularly got up early, they too (after 3-4 weeks) are ready for the next step in their progression to reach their goals.

I have personally used this system of creating willpower to accomplish the goals I’ve set for myself. These simple steps of progression can make huge differences! Understanding the concept of willpower can make great positive influences on your life. Stop saying “I don’t have” or “I can’t” and start saying, “I do have the willpower to…” “I will!”

As we begin a new week, my hope is that each one of us recognizes exactly what level we’re on. Let’s “set our alarm clocks ½ hour early”. As you prepare yourself for the next step, we would enjoy hearing from you. Please leave your comments so we all can benefit on how ‘creating willpower’ is bringing you closer to your goals.

“A gym membership is a cheap form of great entertainment.”

Joe Gigantino Jr.

The Greatest Stress Buster

2009-03-05T10:51:00.000-08:00

I am sure we all have experienced stress in our lives that sends our blood pressure rising and heart beat racing. With busy schedules, pressures at work, kids and family commitments, more and more we are becoming a stressed out society! To add to this stress, in today’s economic times, some people have more reason to experience hardship and stress.

You see, there is an actual physiological symptom caused by stress. When you encounter a problem or something that makes you nervous or scared, your body releases stress hormones such as cortisol that prepares your body for the ‘fight or flight’. Well, I’m sure these pressures we experience on a daily basis are not life threatening and not suppose to create that ‘fight or flight’ syndrome. However, we still experience the same physiological symptoms, which can wreak havoc on the body if not addressed. Stress can weaken our immune system; and can cause a greater risk for sickness and disease, injury and emotional problems.

Did you know that one of the best ways to counteract and manage stress is exercise? Participating in exercise releases chemicals in your body called “endorphins”, or commonly referred to as a “runner’s high”, and can give you a feeling of happiness and increased overall sense of well-being. Don’t worry, you don’t have to go out for a long run to get these benefits. Many other forms of exercise will produce the same results.

Physical activity improves health and can serve as a great distraction to whatever you are dealing with. With a change of scenery, your mind can be taken away from the problem at hand and offer you a fresh perspective when it needs to be addressed again. There is also the social aspect of exercise that can offer further support in dealing with stress. Whether you are going out for a run with a group, taking a class with a friend, or working out with a partner at the gym; you can get a double dose of stress relief by combining the benefits of exercise and positive social interaction.

Whatever you are stressed with; pressures at work, scheduling commitments, kids, relationships etc, take the time to take care of yourself! Get moving with regular physical activity. It can help you have a whole new outlook on life and be better able to deal with the trials and stresses that come with it. It can save your life, I know it did for me!

Remember… “Your gym membership is a cheap form of great entertainment!”

Enthusiastically yours,

Joe Gigantino Jr

Is Your Gym Membership Worth It?

2009-02-23T12:47:00.000-08:00

In the recent tough economic times, people are asking themselves where they can cut back on expenses. Many people have told me they are cutting back on their daily Starbuck’s or choosing to pass on luxuries such as eating out, or salon/spa treatments. When looking over their budget, they may also wonder if they can afford their monthly membership to the gym. I hate to say it, but some of us in the fitness business have witness these cutbacks in our membership. But I have to ask, how can you afford not to have your gym membership? Let's be objective and compare these two choices. You may have even been faced with this yourself; which will you choose… Your date night out or your monthly gym membership?

A dinner for two will probably run you at least $30, not including drinks or cocktails. And if you were to add on movie tickets costing an average of $10-12 per ticket, you’re looking at another $20 to $30 depending if you decide to get any drinks or popcorn. By the end of the evening, you have probably invested at least $50 to $60 into the date. And it’s all over in a few hours. In just one night, although you might have thoroughly enjoyed yourself, you have spent your investment.

Now let’s look at your gym membership. Let's say a gym membership costs thirty dollars a month. That amounts to about a dollar a day. For just a dollar a day you will be investing in your overall health, improved fitness level; strength, endurance, flexibility, heart health, plus appearance, balanced emotional state, active lifestyle and longevity. Not to mention you could be saving yourself hundreds even thousands of dollars in medical or doctor expenses, prescriptions and preventing lost wages from missed work. That’s a pretty good return on your investment.

Let's go back to the average date night, going out to dinner and a movie. That one evening could buy you 2 months of membership to the gym. Which is the better return on your investment? The benefits of regular exercise not only lowers your risk of chronic disease, but it helps you maintain a healthy weight, improves sleep, decreases anxiety and stress, improves mood and self esteem, and possibly increases cognitive functioning (basically improved brain power). Physical activity directly and positively affects the quantity and quality of life. How can you afford not to exercise?

And what would happen if you were to decide to still forgo your gym membership to enjoy the fun of dining or eating out? The risk of obesity will rise and all those benefits of regular exercise I just stated could slowly disappear for you and soon be out of your reach. Is your gym membership worth it? I think so. Listen, I understand times are tough - for all of us! If you’re still on the fence, contact me and my team. We would be happy to talk with you about your needs and help you get on track as to how much your gym membership is really worth. We are here to help you.

Remember… “Your gym membership is a cheap form of great entertainment!”

Enthusiastically yours,

Joe Gigantino Jr.

Why We Do What We Do

2009-02-18T13:26:00.000-08:00

I couldn't wait to get home today and share with you about what happened to me at my club in Gilroy. Today I met a lady that reminded me why I am in the business of saving lives. I've been in the health and fitness industry for 20 years and have had the pleasure of meeting thousands of people that want to get in shape, and of course some that needed it but didn't want to go through the pain. The meeting today brought me back to why we, here in the fitness business do what we do.

A lady walked up to me today and asked if I was the owner. Even though I am a positive person, my first reaction was, ‘Oh Boy,’ I was going to get an ear full. To my surprise, her exact words were, “Your gym has saved my life.” I smiled and asked her to tell me more.

She proceeded to tell me how she had not worked out for over 20 years and the day she walked into my club 4 months ago might have been the worst day of her life. Something had brought her to my club that day. She then said it was due to the friendly young man (Jim, one of my staff members) that showed her around and convinced her she had no more time to just think about joining. Because you see, she had been thinking about it for over 3 years and it wasn't until that day about 4 months ago that she got the courage to walk into the club.

As Jim talked with her, she made every excuse in the book not to commit so she could walk out of the gym without joining. To Jim’s credit, he knew if she walked out that day she might never get the courage to come back. He encouraged her to get out of her comfort zone and do what was right for her health, happiness and overall well being.

Today, the good news is she has lost over 20 lbs and feels like she’s 10 years younger. She has even found a boyfriend and planning a trip to Hawaii this summer! She eagerly told me she's already bought the bikini she is going to wear.

Sometime we need to get out of our comfort zone and have people challenge us to make a decision that might not be the most comfortable. Don't live life in the slow lane all the time, sometimes you need to veer into the fast lane and be pushed, just like this courageous lady did.

Remember… “Your gym membership is a cheap form of great entertainment!”

Enthusiastically yours,

Joe Gigantino Jr

http://www.workout.com

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