Dean
Dean
Working my way through a continuing education module this weekend, I heard something that really made my ears perk up.
Martin Rooney of TFW was giving the lecture, and he was talking about some of the different systems that are out there, and how his (and our) philosophy is different.
What he said was this:
“You don’t have to do the extraordinary, you have to do the ordinary extraordinarily well”.
What he meant by that is you don’t have to do some of the crazy stuff that is out there on YouTube that only about .03% of the population can even attempt, never mind perform well. You have to focus on mastering the basics first, then worry about the fancy stuff. Even some of the exercise progressions in here are not appropriate for everyone who walks in the doors, sometimes for a very long time.
Simple exercises are not always as simple as they seem.
For instance name an exercise that:
That’s right, it’s the Jumping Jack.
Usually treated as a “throw away, too easy” exercise, there is far more to it than that. Master the jumping jack and you have a lot going on!
I was reminded of this concept during the Seahawks dismantling of the Broncos last night.
From where I sat, Seattle’s defense was not doing a lot of fancy stuff. They stuck to what they do, which is go hard after the passer, stay in their lanes, go fast to the ball, and tackle cleanly. This is all “basic” stuff you learn in PeeWee which led to them earning the title of NFL Champions.
There is a lesson to be learned here.
Don’t worry about all the stuff that you are “not currently able to do”.
Focus on mastering what you can do, and getting a little better, every single time you step into the gym, every single day.
“You don’t have to do the extraordinary, you have to do the ordinary extraordinarily well”.
That’s what leads to being the best you that you can be!
Make It Happen,
Coach Dean
Methinks I should have gone first on these Coach Spotlights so the bar was not raised so high with Meagan, Erin and Nancy!
How about some fun facts to know and tell?
As Nancy shared we met in school, and because we had the same last name we shared a mailbox (it was a small school). For a couple weeks I would find anonymous “interest” notes in the mailbox and couldn’t figure out where they were coming from. Duh! In my defense I just didn’t think anyone as beautiful and wonderful as Nancy would have any interest in me – who knew? Always makes you wonder when the ugly guys end up with the good looking wives. Anyway, we have been married 28 years as of Saturday February 8th, so I guess it worked out ok! 🙂
The Carlson Family (sans Kimberly)
Besides the whole last name thing, there was some other things we had in common. Her dad and my dad are both only children. Her dad and my dad are both Civil Engineers, and her mom and my mom are both nurses. And no, she is not my sister!
I grew up playing sports, and was really not an exceptional athlete at all. I went to a small private school and lettered in 3 sports (basketball, baseball and my first love soccer), but I probably would have gotten eaten alive at a larger school. My strategy now is to outlast all those guys that used to kick my butt back in the day. I actually am doing pretty well so far at that one!
I served 3 years in the Army at Ft. Benning, GA, which is where my son Tim is now stationed, and where he and Jeff spent the first couple years of their lives. Went back there for the first time in over 25 years when he graduated from selection school late last fall, which was kind of cool. Next time we go down I look forward to spending a little more time poking around.
After leaving the service I got a job with Domino’s Pizza in Manchester as an assistant manager, eventually working my way up to store manager and assistant supervisor of all three Manchester stores. That is really where my fitness journey began, because that is where I started to pack the weight on. It is a tough environment to be in. Fast paced, late night, grab and go – really just excuses I know, but those excuses eventually turned me into a serious fat boy.
Fast forward a few years, Tim is 15, Jeff is 14 and surprise – Nancy is expecting again! God certainly has a sense of humor, because we thought we were well done with kids. I am so glad now that He had another plan, but that was a doozy. I was working in the CAD department at A&B Lumber in Pembroke, and Nancy still had the daycare. Obese, pre-diabetic, and in a couch coma most of the time. Go to work, eat too much junk, sit on the couch and watch TV after work, go to bed and repeat. I still tried to play some pickup basketball here and there, but I am not sure I ever realized how poor of shape I really was. I got a clue at a church picnic, in fact the same one the picture on the wall in the Concord gym was taken at. There were some games and activities, and I came in dead last at a couple of the more active ones. I figured it was a normal part of getting older, I mean I was 33 or 34 after all – practically an old man! Never dawned on me that I could (or should) actually do something about it.
And then the wake-up call. Nancy is 5 months pregnant with Andrew (who is now about to turn 11) and I get a call on my phone at work from my son Jeff, who was homeschooled. “Derek is not breathing. Mom is working on him.”
And life changed forever.
Derek died of SIDS three weeks shy of his first birthday. We thought the stress was going to cause Nancy to lose Andrew. And yet by the grace of God here we are, over 11 years later, with 2 little girls added to our family, and with a whole second family called Get Fit NH.
When Derek died it made me realize I was wasting my own life. I couldn’t keep up with my teenage boys, and our family was going to get bigger soon. How would I ever be able to keep up with Andrew when he was 13 or 14 if I can’t even get off the couch now? At that time I weighed somewhere in the neighborhood of 280 pounds and wire tight 46” pants. 9 months later I was down to around 200 pounds, and that is where you all come into play. I loved training again, having lifted weights in some capacity since I was 14 lifting the old Sears concrete filled barbells in the barn. People asked me how I did it. This is America, so I figured I would make them pay me to find out! 🙂 Seriously though that is when I started my education in fitness training, including a 3 year mentorship with King Sports International, and now have earned more training credentials than are worth talking about. And I continue to work at my craft because now I have a passion to be a better version of who I was for so many years.
The Get Fit Family!
I started training some clients one-on-one at the house, still working full time at A&B, and then starting mulling around doing group training. Really it was Dan Yeaton (that is Danno to you) that finally got me off my butt and in May of 2008 we started Get Fit NH outside, in my yard under a halogen light connected to my basketball hoop. We had eight friends of mine (including my best friend Nancy) coming, and then 2 days before we were going to start we got our first paying client sign up through the website – we were in business!
And it has blossomed from there. Sometimes (usually) I still can’t believe it. By the grace of God, the support of more people than I can name, especially Nancy, and a bit of hard work I now get to do what I love – which is train you! We have been so blessed with a fantastic team of coaches through the years, and of course I think we have the best clients in the world.
How cool is that?
Thank-you for all you do, and keep Making It Happen!
Coach Dean
Coach Erin is our longest tenured coach and has been a huge part of Get Fit NH Concord’s success. Her enthusiasm and passion are infectious. BAM! Her story of persevering through injury and never giving up is both instructive and inspiring. No matter how many times she has been down, she always gets back up!
I have always been involved in sports. My main sport and first love was soccer but in 8th grade the varsity track coach at my high school decided that since I was a goalkeeper and had upper body strength I would do well with throwing the Javelin, Discus, and Shot-put.
While practicing with the javelin in very slippery conditions I dislocated my shoulder. That was followed by months of intensive physical therapy and eventually surgery in the spring of my 8th grade year. Following four months of recovery, I was allowed to return to soccer and get ready to be the starting goalkeeper for the varsity team.
Within the first week of practice I tore my shoulder up again and had to have another surgery. After recovering, I played soccer all year round every chance I had until the end of my junior year of high school. During my junior year of high school I suffered 6 concussions and the doctors advised me to discontinue contact sports. I was looking for something to stay active during my senior year of high school so I joined a local gym and started working with a personal trainer. I fell in love with weight lifting and got in great shape which helped prepare me for Rowing at the University of New Hampshire.
Through my love of sports and fitness and battling through injuries, I decided to major in Exercise Science at UNH. I knew I wanted to help other people achieve their health and fitness goals. I also wanted to help others reduce their risk of injuries. While at UNH I had the privilege of being a member of the Rowing team for 2 years, but rowing contributed to severe back strain. It was even more discouraging when after graduation from college; I injured my knee and had to have yet another surgery followed by a 4 month recovery. Let’s just say, I became good friends with my orthopedic surgeon in Boston!
I can certainly empathize with professional athletes and how injuries impact their careers. While there are times I wish I didn’t have so many injuries, I think it has prepared me for my career in health and fitness and given me an ability to understand what my clients go through when they have injuries. My past has enabled me to understand the human body better and how it responds to different exercises due to orthopedic issues. It is also why I am so passionate about the Functional Movement Screen process to help reduce the risk of injuries to others. I truly love working with people and helping them achieve their goals. I am so blessed to be surrounded by such wonderful people at Get Fit NH!
Quick Facts:
Hometown: Foxboro, MA. Home of the New England Patriots! Born in Denver, CO. where I was a young Denver Broncos fan before moving to Foxboro when I was 4.
Sports teams: Huge Patriots fan!!! Also love Manchester United (soccer team in England).
Animals: We currently have a cat but I LOVE dogs and take every chance I can get to dog sit.
Hobbies: Lifting weights, hiking, reading, spending time with my husband, friends and family.
You deserve a great big THANK-YOU for opening your hearts (and wallets and purses) and helping your friends, neighbors and community by coming out in force for our fundraiser for Friends of Forgotten Children last Saturday morning.
Over 70 of our clients, friends and family came together and flung some sweat, and in the process raised $1015.00 for this worthy cause – wow! You truly humbled your coaches and we are grateful for your kindness and proud of your effort.
Just a few shots of the fun we had. Can’t wait ’til the next one!
Coach Meagan has been a “go-getter” from the first time I met her. From the pre-interview process to today, I can always count on Meagan to get things done. When she suggested that we help you get to know our team better, I knew she wouldn’t disappoint when I asked her to go first. As a veteran myself I want to thank Meagan for her service. It takes a special person to do what she has done. There is more here than meets the eye! – Coach Dean
As most of you know, I am Coach Meagan Sbat. I coach the “Morning Motivators” with Coach Dean. I have had the privilege of working with Get Fit NH since October of 2012. When we decided to do a weekly “Coaches Spotlight” for the month of February I was excited and a bit nervous to share my extended background with you all.
I will start with the basics and get in to the juicy stuff in a bit. First off I was born and raised in Weare, NH. I graduated from John Stark Regional High School when I was 16 years old. I was one of those geeky kids who crammed all of my credits into three years and passed on the study halls so I didn’t have to stay in high school any longer than I had to! After graduation I went to New Hampshire Technical Institute for Hotel and Restaurant Management. At the time my full time job was at the Holiday Inn in Concord and I thought that’s what I would do when I grew up (wrong!) After two years at NHTI I was accepted to Penn State. So in 2008 I packed up and moved to PA on my 18th birthday and found myself a beautiful 1 bedroom apartment in an old farm house. I lived there for 6 months before I got home sick and called it quits.
When I returned to NH I got my old job back at the Holiday Inn and returned to my old life. As I am sure you all remember in 2008 the economy was on its way down. There was a lot of talk about the hotel industry laying off employees because travel would be cutting back. I panicked and knew I had to figure something out sooner than later. So I did what any sane human would do and joined the Marine Corps (sarcasm intended.) I had absolutely NO clue what I was getting myself in to. I had no family and only a handful of friends who had ever joined the service. I only chose the Marine Corps because a “friend” had laughed at me when I told him I was thinking of joining and told me these exact words, “You would never make it a day in the Marines.” Well, let’s just say I am thrilled to say I proved him wrong.
I served 4 years in the United States Marine Corps and that is by far my proudest accomplishment. I did two 7 month tours overseas; one in Djibouti, Africa and the other in Helmand Province, Afghanistan. I have traveled through countries I didn’t even know existed and have met some of the most incredible heroes. I have lived in spaces smaller than most people’s bathrooms and thoroughly enjoyed (almost) every second of it. I have had the opportunity to see people and places that make me truly grateful for the life we have in America. In 2012 I had to make a decision. Do I get out or stay in? I really struggled with this decision. I loved my job. I loved th
e people. I loved the financial stability. I loved traveling. But I wanted to start a family. The Marine Corps life was not the place to start a family in my opinion. I couldn’t imagine having children and then having to leave them for 7+ months so I denied my re-enlistment and moved back to NH with my husband (Justin- 4 years married this year!). There is still not a day that goes by where I don’t think about what our life would be like if I had stayed in. I don’t necessarily regret getting out, but I miss it more than I could ever express.
I got in to the fitness industry because I wanted to see people reach their goals. Training is what I love to do. It is one of my only hobbies. I am not an athlete- never have been. I don’t enjoy sports. If you throw a ball at me, I will most likely duck. I decided I wanted to be a trainer while I was in Afghanistan. The Marine Corps has height and weight standards and I was in charge of physically training the Marines who were not within standards. I had 12 Marines training with me and every single Marine was within standards by the time we left Afghanistan. It was at that moment that I realized I would love to do that over and over again. That wasn’t work- that was fun and they were so grateful. I always tell people that I have the best “job” in the world. I feel beyond blessed to be a part of Get Fit NH and there is nothing I love more than pushing you guys to reach your goals! 🙂
Meagan Sbat holds an Associates Degree in Exercise Science, and is a Certified Fitness Trainer, Specialist in Fitness Nutrition, Youth Fitness 1, Certified Strength and Conditioning Coach and Specialist in Senior Fitness with the International Sport Sciences Association.
We love hearing about the Get Fit NH family has reached goals, living life out loud and being better. Being physically fit just makes every other facet of life just a bit easier. Notes like this one from Doreen make our world go round! 🙂
Thank you Get Fit!
This past October, I have earned my 2 Years Strong shirt. I have been wanting to write this for a while but never knew quite what to say. The best way to start is to say thank you. Thank you for believing in me. Thank you for believing in me even when I had shoulder surgery last November. I think that is when I realized I wanted to make a change with my life. I soon started this change, but this was not easy to do. Although it was hard, I am proud to say I have made it through the year.
This was possible with the help of coach Nancy (the best coach ever) along the way. Also, my 9 a.m. ladies have made a difference and are happily now a part of my life. I had to work hard to get here, where I am now. I am also happy to say I have met my huge and personal goal of losing a total of 50 pounds.
But with losing that weight I have gained so much more. I have became a better person, mom, wife, and friend. These little, but life changing accomplishments have had a great impact on my life, as well as my entire family’s. So, as one amazing, but hard, year is passing, I am looking forward to another great year ahead of me. The only goal I am setting for myself is to make each day better. Again, I say thank you for everything you have done to make my life better.
Sincerely,
Doreen
Update January 6, 2014
We are already getting enrollments for this new training offering, which is phenomenal, but we are also getting some really good questions about the training. Cara asked a question I think many of you may have on your mind; “What are the top benefits of this training? I am working on building strength and muscle, and weight loss. How would this help me exactly? This is all new to me.”
Here was my answer to Cara; “A focused session of Barbell training will help get you stronger, which will allow you to increase your intensity and loading in your regular training. Train harder = more results. An added benefit for ladies is helping them see how strong they really are and what they are capable of doing. For instance after having a bar on your back with some heavy (appropriate for you) load, it won’t be so intimidating to pick up something heavier for a goblet squat. Make sense?”
Well of course it makes sense! And while our group training continues to lead the pack, I can tell you from personal experience while developing and training for this course that my loads have gone up all across the board. It’s a win-win.
We are really excited to get things started on the first workshop series of the New Year!
When we sent out our year end survey, Basic Barbell Training and StrongHER were your 2 most requested workshops. For this first go round we are going to combine the men and the ladies; I am just hoping the ladies don’t put too much of a hurt on you gentlemen! 🙂
Basic Barbell 101 will cover 3 of the 5 main barbell lifts as outlined in Mark Rippetoe’s seminal work “Starting Strength: Basic Barbell Training” – the Squat, Deadlift, and Bench Press. If you would like to get a jump start on barbell training philosophy and technique, you can pick up the Kindle version for less than $10 bucks here on Amazon.
Ladies, don’t shy away from this one. As Coach Meagan reminded us in her excellent article Seven Strength Superstitions Women Believe, stronger is better for the ladies too.
To enroll for this 6-week workshop series you must have been screened with the FMS and be clear of yellow and purple bands. We also will want to evaluate shoulder stability and integrity on an individual basis. If you have any questions about this please let me know.
Enrollment for this intensive 6-week workshop will be limited to 12 athletes (yes I am talking to you!), so don’t delay. The workshop session will run on 6 successive Saturdays starting January 18th through February 22nd. Each session will be 1 hour in length. You will never see this course offered at this low introductory price again, so take action and Make It Happen!
To enroll through MindBody:
I look forward to seeing you Saturday the 18th!
Basic Barbell 101/StrongHER
6-Week Workshop
Starting Date: January 18th
Time: 8:15am – 9:15am
Place: Get Fit NH Concord
Cost: $97
See you there!
Hope you all had a great New Year’s and are ready to Make It Happen in 2014! I am writing this email to ask for some help.
CHARITY WORKOUT – FRIENDS OF FORGOTTEN CHILDREN – THIS IS IMPORTANT!
This is the first of what we are planning on starting as an at least once a month event. Because we have two facilities we are looking to have one every other month in each gym, and we are hoping it grows from there.
Saturday January 18, 2014 Get Fit NH is hosting a charity training for Friends of Forgotten Children. This is a great opportunity to get in a great training for a great cause. The minimum donation is $10 and 100% of proceeds will go local children and seniors.
All of you in the Get Fit NH family are known for your incredible generosity. Between Toys for Tots and our food drive in December I can assure you that we made some people very happy this holiday season. But why just focus on giving in December? There are 11 other months in the year that we want to give a helping hand where we can. We have chosen a charity that is near and dear to our hearts; Friends of Forgotten Children. Tom Rochette, who is part of the 6:15 Epsom crew serves on the board of directors and has long been a strong advocate for this incredible organization. Friends of Forgotten Children is a local charity dedicated the well-being of children and seniors in our communities. You can check out their website here: http://www.friends-of-forgotten-children.org/
Look guys, we are dedicating a prime time training slot on Saturday morning and donating 100% of the proceeds to the sponsored organization, and we need your help. Our goal is to have this charity training be a HUGE event! We would sincerely appreciate it if you bring your friends, family and colleagues to help us support this cause. Our goal is to have 50 people in the gym training.
You know that when we get the family together it is a lot of fun, so don’t be shy in spreading the news and sharing the love. We don’t like it when we don’t reach our goals so get out there and encourage everyone you know to come! It is for a great cause and as you know the training will be extra special J
Coach Meagan
Workout For A Cause
Friends of Forgotten Children
Minimum Donation: $10
Place: Get Fit NH Concord
Date: Saturday January 18, 2014
Time: 9:30am- 10:30am
Just in time for New Years we have compiled the list of your favorite blog posts for 2013. It always interest me what interests you, so it is fun to take a look at what you read the most. There is some gold in here, so grab a cup of some nice hot green tea, cozy up to the fire and get reading!
No big surprise a post about Pizza got your attention. If you haven’t tried these recipes you are missing out!
Leaned toned, or muscle? drops some serious knowledge bombs about attaining that sought after, healthy looking body.
Jill’s Transformation Story is inspiring and amazing!
Eating the right amount of food for you is key to weight control, so make sure you know How much am I supposed to eat?
Success Stories are popular (as they should be) so it’s no surprise that Katie’s shows up at number 5 on our list.
There you go, our Top 5 of the Year.
Do you have a favorite you would like to nominate? Share it in the comments below!
Not always in killer shape – Jayne Circa 2011. (Don’t kill me Jayne, the after is worth showing the before!)
As we head into the New Year everyone seems to have resolutions on their mind. And while I am not a big fan of resolutions (which have a 92% failure rate) I am a big fan of evaluating where I am at and where I want to get to, and the turning of the calendar is a good time to take the time to set some goals. Often time that means looking at what successful people in a particular area have done or are doing , and model what they have done to get there. That could be in many areas of my life. For instance for our business I might take a look at what a company known for great customer service does (Zappos for example) and see how we can better serve our clients by adopting those practices. Make sense? In the same way if I want to get in great shape I would find out what someone does who is in great shape and do what they do.
Which brings me to Jayne. Those of you who train in Concord most likely know who Jayne is. I cannot tell you the number of people who have asked our coaches “What does Jayne do besides train at Get Fit NH?”, and the hard work she has put in is very deserving of such a question. Rather than put words in her mouth, I asked her to tell you herself. So here goes:
DC: “Jayne, what do you do to get in shape besides train at Get Fit NH?”
JM: “Honestly, very little. I enjoy running and indoor rock climbing with the kids, but my weight and body fat percentage do not seem to go up or down because of those activities. If I go a week without running, my weight and body fat tend to stay about the same. If I go a week without training at Get Fit NH, well that is entirely different!
There are two things that made the difference for me: Choosing to train hard and eat right (most of the time!).
Just about two years ago, I joined FLAG and lost 20 pounds in about 20 weeks. I’ve kept the weight off thanks to Nancy’s guidance and making PPW eating a way of life, not a diet. At about that same time I decided that if I was going to train four days a week, then I was going to work hard and not just “show up” like I had been the previous year. When you, Erin or Meagan suggest we pick up heavy weights, go for speed, finish strong, etc. I do it. Pretty simple, but it works for me!”
Are you disappointed? No magic pills, potions, 4 hour cardio sessions and starvation diets?
I would suggest that rather than disappointment you should be thrilled, because as Jayne has told me many times, if she can do it you can do it.
Do what exactly?
Train Hard.
Eat Right.
Be Consistent.
Finish Strong.
Sounds like a pretty good plan for 2014, wouldn’t you say?
Now Make It Happen!
Coach Dean
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