Dean
Dean
I love Thanksgiving. From a relaxation standpoint I find it just about perfect. Now some of you think I am crazy, but I love cooking and preparing the meal for the day, so to me it IS relaxing. I used to let myself get pretty uptight about the “perfect meal”, but a little planning and prep tends to take the pressure off a bit – hint, hint!
Family, Food and Football – It doesn’t get much better than that. 🙂
I had the opportunity to meet author Jeffrey Gitomer in Charlotte back in August. Seriously cool (and funny) guy, and full of wisdom. In his Thanksgiving greeting he reminded us not to just be thankful, but to actually thank. As in thank people. Be thankful for someone, not just something, and tell them.
It got me to thinking, do we really pay attention to the people in our lives, and show and express gratitude for what they do, or we do we have more of a “they owe me” or “they get paid for it anyway” attitude?
I mean I know it’s the FedEx or UPS drivers job to deliver those packages, but I make it a habit of saying “thanks” anyway. A little decency goes a long way to a guy who gets at my house at 5:30pm after driving and delivering all day. Are we really so cynical that we don’t express gratitude just because he gets paid? You never know – you could be the best part of the cashier’s, or postal worker or even the lady at the DMV counter’s day. You can’t put a price on that.
There are so many people that we can thank, and what better time than now?
So Thank-You.
If you are reading this you are in some way, shape or form part of the Get Fit NH family. Thank-you.
To all the amazing students who train with us every day. Thank-you.
To the amazing team of coaches and staff we have at Get Fit NH; Nancy, Erin, Meagan, Stephanie, Noelani, and Adam. Thank-you.
To all our vendors who help equip and supply us. Thank-you.
To our mentors and coaches who help us get better every day. Thank-you.
For friends who have stuck by us in spite of crazy schedules and the tendency to lose touch. Thank-you.
To family, both here and extended. We put the “fun” in dysfunctional together. 🙂 Thank-you.
To the Creator, from whom all blessings truly flow, and by whose grace we exist and subsist. Thank-you.
When you gather around the table this Thanksgiving, will you join me in expressing gratefulness and gratitude for all that surround you? We don’t use the words “love” and “appreciate” enough, do we? As Jeffrey Gitomer says “Thanking other people for something makes them feel great – but it makes you feel better than great.”
Thanksgiving may be a date on the calendar, but it’s not a holiday. It’s an attitude, a discipline, a state of being. Life is just better with gratitude. When I get too into myself and think I have it bad, remembering gratitude is the best way to get me out of that funk.
So once again Thank-You for all you do and are.
I am grateful to be a part of your life.
Current View Out Our Back Door
Not gonna lie guys, I despise making the decision to close our facilities, but please know when I make “the call”, the best interests of you and our team are at heart. If the snow stops, the sun starts shining, the bird start singing and the unicorns start dancing – count your blessings and enjoy your afternoon. 🙂
Here’s the latest from the National Weather Service:
SNOWFALL RATES WILL LOCALLY CLIMB TO 1 TO 2 INCHES PER HOUR IN BANDS OF HEAVY SNOW OVER SOUTHWEST MAINE AND SOUTHERN AND CENTRAL NEW HAMPSHIRE THIS AFTERNOON. THIS WILL DROP THE VISIBILITY TO BELOW A QUARTER MILE AND MAKE FOR TREACHEROUS DRIVING CONDITIONS.
I know it’s New Hampshire and it’s “only snow”, but coupled with the holiday traffic, the darkness, and the fact that it is not supposed to let up until late evening prompts my action. The final decision comes down to the “Nancy test.Would I want my wife driving on these either now or after dark in these conditions? And the answer to that is no.
But All Is Not Lost!
Click Here for a 20/10 Tabata track to download and use this afternoon with the MetCon below, so don’t say I left you hanging! 🙂 If you are a client you know the warmups, so don’t be skipping them. If you are not currently a training client, it’s time to find out what all the excitement is about (and you still need to warmup)!
Warning – Use this training program at your own risk only.
Mobility Warmup
Supine Breathing 3/6 x 5
Open Book 3/6 breathing x 5 each side
Adductor Mobes x 10 each side
Squat to Stand x 10
2 leg RDL x 10
Calf Raises x 10
High Knee Marches x 10 each side
Metcon/Core Training
The track is 4 minutes long, 20 seconds on / 10 seconds off, 8 rounds total. Complete the following supersets (pairs of exercise) for 4 rounds each, take a one minute break, and then move on to the next pair. Total training time is 20 minutes.
Superset 1
BW Squats or Jump Squats
Pushup or Pushup Hold (Hi, Medium, Low)
Superset 2
Foot Fire
Front Plank
Superset 3
2-Leg Hip/Thigh
Knee Grab Abs or In & Outs
Superset 4
Squat Thrust or Total Body Extension
Side Plank (Alternate ND/D)
Make It Happen, and we will see you Saturday for Pies Off Thighs!
Coach Dean
Hey guys, there has been some confusion (because of a typo) about the start time of our World Famous “Pies off the Thighs” post-Thanksgiving training.
We are starting at 8:00am and will be done by 9:30am.
Repeat after me…
Ok, you get the point! 🙂
Looking forward to seeing you there!
Pies off the Thighs
Date: Saturday November 29, 2014
Time: 8:00am to 9:30am
Place: Get Fit NH Concord
Did you know that Get Fit NH offers Personal Training?
It’s true, and I want to share why we are working hard to expand the days and times we offer this service. Our renovations of earlier this year and the additions to our coaching team have been leading us closer to achieving this goal.
Our Award Winning Smart Group Training is all many of our students want and need to Lose Fat, Get Lean, and Look and Feel Great. However there are times when a smaller group setting (2-4 students) may be more appropriate.
We are committed to having the best large group training programs available, and that fact is not going to change. But for those of you who want a personalized training program (updated just for you every 4-6 weeks) in a more intimate setting, we have a couple spots available on Monday and Fridays at noon, with more coming as we head into the new year.
For more information please contact us here
Got this idea from our friends over at Results Fitness in Santa Clara, California (wouldn’t ya like to be THERE right about now?) and thought it was the perfect segue from our 21-Day “Healthy for the Holidays” Detox Challenge!
Now I am no poker player, but we want to help YOU beat the odds and keep off those holiday pounds with Get Fit NH’s version of “Holiday Hold ‘Em”
Here’s how to win:
1) “Buy in” by doing your post-detox weigh-in OR if (for some crazy reason) you skipped detox this time around, get a weigh-in done by Wednesday, November 26th.
2) WIN!
When you finish the holiday season at the same weight you begin (or less) you will be entered to win our “Holiday Hold “Em” Jackpot drawing, which will consist of fantastic local prizes from our favorite business in the Greater Concord Area.
You must do the final weigh-in by Friday, January 9th to be eligible for prizes, and we will announce the winner(s) by the following week.
It’s not a gamble – you can Make It Happen!
The Get Fit NH Team
Seriously though there are rare times when we do cancel classes for weather related reasons. If we decide that classes will be canceled you will be notified via our email newsletter and posted on Facebook (http://facebook.com/getfitnh) on the following schedule:
Morning training cancellation details will be sent by 4:00am
Afternoon and evening training cancellation details will be sent by 3:00pm
Of course if there is statewide power outage that is subject to modification, but we will do our best!
And absolutely use your own best judgement. We have clients from all over the state, and it may be worse conditions where you live. We will not hassle you (too much 
) for missing class on days of inclement weather.
If you have any questions, please give us a call or send us an email.
Thank-you for choosing to train with us!
Did you ever wonder what that sensation you are feeling in your muscles (my hamstrings hurt!) or joint (my knee hurts!) is, and whether you should “train through the pain”?
I was meeting with Dr. Coapland over at Performance Health last week about this very thing, and he shared with me how his team communicates with their clients when someone reports “pain”. Based on our discussion our team at Get Fit NH developed an infographic that helps us communicate more clearly on what you are feeling and what the appropriate training is for you that day.
Right from the beginning when we perform your movement assessment (FMS) we are making training decisions. There are three basic choices we have when faced with a movement challenge:
1) Train It
2) Avoid It/Provide an alternative
3) Correct It
#1 is not going to happen.
#2 Could happen under some circumstances. For instance if a client has a knee challenge we are not going to hammer the knees, but perhaps offer a hip dominant exercise where indicated instead. There could be times when this is not appropriate, and it that case we would do stick with our correctives.
#3 is the option of choice. Work on clearing the movement restriction so you can get back to full strength. This usually goes hand in hand with option #2. Work on our correctives through the warmup/mobility part of training, and then give an alternative during strength training.
 But what about Pain?
First of all if there is pain during any of the screens or clearing tests we will refer you out for a clinical diagnosis. We then can work in collaboration with your medical team to support in the gym what they are doing outside the gym.
The big question beyond that seems to be “How do I know if should train (a particular movement pattern)?” Let’s say you feel “something” in your shoulder. Should you do shoulder work that day? The answer is “It depends”, and that is where you can give feedback to your coach so he or she can help you make the right training decision. If you can’t life your arm over your head, well I think we can figure that one out pretty easily. But if you are just not sure what you are feeling, stop and think for a minute. On a scale of 0-10, with “0” indicating “all systems go” and “10” meaning “I need a doctor” – how do I feel?
The infographic gives you and your coach a guide on what’s appropriate for you, but here is the bottom line:
NEVER Train Pain!
Be smart, be safe, and train hard – when and where you can.
Make It Happen!
Coach Dean
Please join me in giving a big Get Fit NH welcome to the newest member of our team, Coach Adam Gray. Adam has a great story and I look forward to having you meet and work with him. – Dean
I grew up in Chichester and just recently finished up at Plymouth State where I really figured out exactly what it was I wanted to be a part of.
I have played sports in some capacity year round for my entire life. Whether that was out on the field as a kid or playing 4 sports a year in high school, athletics and physical activity have always been a huge part of my life. Â
It may be hard to believe but most of my life was spent as someone who was very overweight and it cost me major opportunities to do the things I loved on a larger stage when I was younger. To this point I have lost nearly 100lbs and feel better than I ever have in my life. This, along with my love for athletics, is what drives me to help you become the best you can be.
Whether that is getting in the shape you want to be in terms of weight and strength, or to increase speed and explosiveness for competition, I love it all. I am extremely excited for the opportunity to help any and all who want to make a difference in their life, no matter how small or how large the goal. – Coach Adam
Adam Gray is a Certified Strength and Conditioning Specialist with the National Strength and Conditioning Association.
I was reading an article over at StrongFirst written by Dr. B Ramana, and it really got me thinking about a good answer when someone asks me:
“What makes Get Fit NH different than any other gym?”
The article reminded me for the last few years I have wanted to learn to play the guitar. My sister is an excellent musician, but when I was a kid I never had the patience for it like she did, practicing for the hours and hours it takes to get really, really good.
Now imagine because I want to learn guitar I walk into a studio to get some instruction, and the teacher tosses a guitar to me and excitably says:
“Here’s a guitar. Start playing the riff from ‘Smoke On the Water’ for 30 seconds. Take a little break and then knock out some “Crazy Train” for another 30 seconds. Catch your breath and then give me some “Purple Haze” for 30 more. Half a minute of “Hotel California” and then take a 30 second break. Just repeat that over and over, and I’ll be back in an hour or when your fingers start bleeding, whichever comes first.”
My 60 minute lesson finishes, and the next day I come back (??) for some more. Except this time he hands me an electric guitar and four different song choices. When I protest and say I don’t think I did very well with yesterday’s music he enthusiastically shouts:
“You can do it. Don’t give up. It’s just 30 seconds. Anyone can do it!”
Only the reality is that I can’t do it, or as we like to say around here I am “currently unable”.
Now imagine I venture into a different studio. The teacher asks me about any previous experience with the guitar and why I want to play the guitar. We talk about expectations for how quickly I might learn to play guitar and the work that will be necessary outside of the lesson time. He teaches me the basics first. Finger placement, strumming technique, chords, progressions. I go in every day and build on the previous lesson.
Now fast forward a year, and imagine the progress. Which studio helped me get closer toward my goal of being a good guitar player?
What’s that got to do with exercise and nutrition, you ask? More importantly what does that have to do with you?
Here’s a fact. Any gym or trainer can beat you up, and many gyms and trainers do. Come in, get smashed, drag your butt out the door. Mission Accomplished.
But what if there was a better way? What if you could sit down with someone who would talk to you about your goals, how to create change, and how to overcome obstacles? What if they assessed you to see how your body was moving and then helping you move better so you could reach your goals faster? What if the accountability and support helped you keep your goals in mind, even when life got in the way? What if the coaches cared about how you did each exercise movement and helped you master each one? What if you actually enjoyed going to train and felt better walking out of the gym then you did when you walked in?
I’d kinda like to train in a place like that. 🙂
When someone asks me (or you) why Get Fit NH is different than any other gym, pull out your guitar and give them some Hendrix. That’ll get ’em talking!
Thank-you for choosing to train with us, and keep Making It Happen!
Coach Dean
Join us this Saturday, November 8th 2014 at 8:00am as we go for the Gold!
Find out how you stack up against the World’s Best in a 1000 meter all out sprint – it’s gonna be awesome, so make your plans to join us at Get Fit NH Epsom starting at 8:00am sharp. Make It Happen!
SkiErg World Sprints
Where: Get Fit NH Epsom
Date: Saturday Nov. 8, 2014
Time: 8:00 until we are done! 🙂
You must be logged in to post a comment.