In my last blog, I wrote about some of the dangers of overspecializing from a mechanical standpoint, like why it may actually hinder rather than help a child’s ability in a given sport. As a quick reminder, when I talk about over specializing, I mean having a young athlete do one sport, and only one sport, year round without ever being introduced to different movements or events.

Today I want to talk about the mental aspect, which is the high burnout factor that over specializing can lead to. You may not feel this way about everything, but as human beings we need change because change leads to growth. That growth can be physical or mental. When a child is put in the same sport, doing the same movements over and over and over again, without being exposed to something else, eventually that child will most likely become disinterested in the sport. Often times, they will quit entirely because they get sick of it.

Imagine you are fed nothing but chicken and rice every day, for every meal your entire childhood. What are you going to do the SECOND that you are given the option to stop eating it? You may never eat it again. Same thing can happen with kids and sports. Not only will they become sick of it, but even if they do keep playing they will never reach their full potential. Disinterest breeds disengagement, and a disengaged player will never reach their full potential.

Don’t create more burnout. There are already hundreds of thousands of adults my age who don’t move anymore because it got so stressful and so frustrating that it wasn’t worth it anymore and they stopped entirely. Don’t add to that statistic.

-Coach Adam

Foam rolling is something that is incorporated into a large majority of the warm-ups here at Get Fit, but I feel that the benefits and true importance don’t get touched upon enough! Foam rolling is a form of Self-Myofacial Release, which you can think of as mini massage for yourself (that you don’t need to make an appointment for) that will help you perform better during training and recover properly after!

I am hoping that once reading through this post, you obtain a better understanding as to why we do it and that you might even want to invest in a foam roller!

Benefits of foam rolling BEFORE training:

• Improved circulation of blood - resuming normal blood flow through your muscles through the pressure applied and helping to get better oxygen delivery to those muscles
• Releasing painful trigger points or knots in the muscle that may be hindering your movement patterns
• Decreasing muscle tightness and improving flexibility - rolling the muscles will help stretch and loosen the fascia that surrounds your muscles, helping many other structures move more freely, therefore increasing your ability to perform better!

Benefits of foam rolling AFTER training:

• Help decrease your recovery time - sore and fatigued muscles after a workout can be attributed to lactic acid buildup; as you roll those tired muscles, blood and nutrients flood the area to help your body to recover and remove waste products
• Keep your body less prone to injury - keeping structures throughout the body moving more easily will limit injury caused by restrictions

Helpful tips to remember: Take deep breaths, relax your body and the muscle being targeted, move slowly to gain awareness of trigger points, and apply pressure.

Time to get rolling,
Coach Cari

Do you work for the University System of New Hampshire? Are you eligible for their fitness reimbursement program through Cigna?

If you are - today is your lucky day!

Get Fit NH is now an approved facility for the USNH fitness reimbursement program!

That is great news for you if you are a member of the USNH insurance program. Since Get Fit NH is now an approved facility, you win. We'll do the paperwork so you can use the insurance benefit they provide.

To start using your benefit on June 1, 2017, please:

• Contact Cigna to make sure you have this benefit as an employee of the USNH.
• Contact Stephanie at office@getfitnh.com by May 25th to get your paperwork started.

The past couple of weeks I have been playing the jumping chin game! I have been challenging some of you to give them a whirl. At first with the bench and then without.

Quite a few told me I can’t do a jumping chin! My response? How do you know? If you have never TRIED? How do you know if you are unable to do something right now?

Stop giving yourself a no before you really, truly try. You really, really want to try a jumping chin…what’s the worst that is going to happen? You won’t be able to pull up. You want to deadlift Batman, but it looks kind of intimidating? Try to pull it off the ground (safely) the worst that will happen is it won’t budge!

If you want something you need to BELIEVE that you CAN! No more telling yourself someday or I can’t because…

I believe that anyone who walks through these doors will be able to lose fat, gain muscle and feel amazing. I really truly believe that, but if you don’t believe that then we are going to be stuck….

Coach Meagan

This student spotlight is shining bright on Audrey Fischbein. Besides brining a great sense of humor and hard working attitude to class, Audrey has seen results and has enjoyed her time at Get Fit. Below is a short segment from Audrey’s own experience since joining the family.

Audrey is on the left getting her I Survived shirt!

Why did you choose Get Fit NH?
I met Dean about 6 years ago - his story was very inspiring! The results of others were also incredible so I figured it's time to do something for myself!

What changes did you notice in the first few weeks?
My love for exercising returned. My energy increased and I started to feel strong!

What outside of Get Fit NH has become easier since starting?
I focused on my eating as well so I don't have that tired time in the afternoon! And I can easily get all my groceries in one trip up 2 flights of stairs lol

What are your goals?
Lose inches and get my BMI down! Look as healthy on the outside as I am on the inside.

What have you accomplished so far?
20lbs down. Much better diet, thanks to Nancy and all the nutrition help! Also I have learned to love feeling sore ALL THE TIME!

What is your favorite part of Get Fit NH?
The coaches! How it's always different and fun. The accountability! The challenges! I love how it offers not just the exercise piece but also the nutrition piece!

Great job, Audrey, taking the opportunity and making the absolute most out of it!

-Coach Adam

I am here to reveal some eye opening numbers!

If you have been training with us for a while, then you are probably fairly familiar with the timing application that we use. You know…Niegel (that’s what we named him!) 3 seconds before each set is complete he counts down- 3..2..1…rest.

It is pretty common when Niegel says “3” many of us STOP moving. Let me encourage you- 3 does not mean stop! 3 seconds adds up…let me show you…

I am using the timing from this week as an example throughout an entire year.

If you stopped at 3 EVERY TIME Niegel said “3” this week then you would have missed 5 minutes of training- doesn’t sound so bad! No biggie, right?

There are approximately 192 training opportunities in a year so if you stop at “3” EVERY TIME Niegel says “3” you are missing roughly 960 minutes of training each year. That’s 16 hours. That’s FOUR WEEKS of training!

3 seconds may not sound like a lot, but believe us when we say every second counts! We only get 2-4 hours a week with you. That is not a lot of time to get some work done. So with that being said- when you’re here let’s get some work done. Don’t just go through the motions. Every second you are with us matters!

Coach Meagan

What I want you to do is to take a look around you. Take a glance at those who you work with and those who you live with and try and make some comparisons. One thing that often stands out is physical appearance, “she/he is taller than me, smaller or bigger in stature, dresses nicely, etc.”. One thing we often overlook are those characteristics and traits that we all have in common. Although this may not always be physical, our internal or psychological drives/motives may be the same!

Something I know for a fact, particularly in those who sign up to train at Get Fit and those who are taking part in our S3 nutrition challenge, is that you are looking to change your identity! Everyone is here for that same simple reason although the motive behind that may not be so simple. Recognizing that a change is needed is crucial towards altering who you are, and many of you have taken that step. So great job!

How do I know that you are looking to become someone different? Because chances are when you first walked through our doors, you were or still are unhappy at where you are at in your life and you have some goals, images, and thoughts ready to turn into action. Maybe you are striving to lose 30 pounds in order to look better, feel better, and be able to move easier than you currently can. Maybe you are in search of showing yourself that you can take action, you are motivated, and that your goals can be achieved with a little push. Or maybe, you are disappointed in yourself and the life you have been living and you are ready for a new chapter. Now when you glance around at those in the gym next to you who may seem “perfect, fit, or have it all together”, just know that they are there for the same reason. They are trying to change their identity just like you are!

Here's my recommendation:

• Take 5-10 minutes out of your day today to write down what it is that you want to change, the underlying why, and what you will be able to do when you accomplish it that you are currently unable to!
• Reach much higher than you think you can- although it may take a long time to get there, don’t give yourself limitations, when you are capable of so much!
• Let us coaches help you!

Don't forget: It is possible to change who you have become and most of your limitations are only in your mind!

-Coach Cari

Jessica is one of those people who started with Get Fit NH in December, the time when most people feel it is the craziest time of the year. I sent Jessica a few questions, I was curious about what drives her. Jessica faithfully figures out a training schedule each week and lets me know what it is. She is Making It Happen. I knew that if I asked Jessica what made the difference for her, she would in turn inspire more and more people. Check out what makes Jessica go.

What was your absolute biggest challenge before joining Get Fit NH?

What changed after becoming a member of the Get Fit family?

Jessica is on the right getting her "I Survived" t-shirt!

I no longer make the excuses to not go to class. On Sundays, I plan out which classes I am going to attend each day and I stick to it. My kiddos don’t always like it but they are adjusting and are actually taking on more responsibilities at home. I have had a couple of people tell me to look at going to class like an appointment that I cannot cancel. So I stick to my schedule and make sure to email Nancy the times I will be there - she is the accountability I need. The flexibility to attend other training times has been my saving grace as I never know what the next week will bring.

I continue to work on the nutrition piece of the program. This has been harder for me but I have made changes (eating lot of leafy greens) and I am starting to recognize what foods make me feel “yucky”. I try hard to avoid these foods but it is a work in progress. I will keep plugging along and am looking forward to the S3 to help with the accountability in this area too.

What specific results can you share?

Jessica with her 6:15 crew

I am proud of myself that I have stuck with my new routine and this keeps me motivated. The physical training combined with my new eating habits have helped me to lose pounds and inches, as well as helped my mood and energy level. I have seen differences and others are starting to notice too, which is something that keeps me even more motivated to move along on this journey.

What would you say to someone on the fence about joining?

Once you are ready to give up the excuses, take a chance and join me at training. I was so nervous during the first class I attended. However, the last 5 months have gone by so quickly. I thank everyone in Epsom (especially the 6:15 crew). They welcomed me right away and gave me a source of support that I didn’t know I would have.

Keep it up!
Coach Nancy

I think it is time we have the bands talk. Every single person who steps on to our training floor is required to go through the Functional Movement Screen (FMS) first. This is important for four big reasons:

1. It shows us how YOU move as an individual 
2. It shows us how to train YOU safely in a group setting
3. It is an injury prevention tool
4. It is a measuring tool

So let’s breakdown the big four so that we can be on the same page and keep you training safe.

1. It shows us how YOU move as an individual

Ever looked in to personal training – like 1 on 1 training? Do you have any idea how costly it would be to train that way 4 times per week? You’d be looking at a minimum $240 PER WEEK. Yes, almost $1000 per month. That’s a lot of dough! It is unnecessary at Get Fit NH BECAUSE of this screen. When we screen you and we assign you bands that means that ANY COACH can look at your wrist and identify what exercise is safe for you and what exercise is not so safe right now. That means even with 30 students in the room I can look at your wrist and know who should be doing exactly what exercise. Everyone has different ailments and limitations – it is important for us to know that and individualize your training. It is a scary thought that most training facilities don’t do this.

2. It shows how to train YOU safely in a group setting

It is the same thing with your movement patterns. Your FMS revealed that something isn’t moving the way we were designed to move. If we continue to load that we will eventually breakdown and get hurt. Wear your bands. Don’t sneak exercises that aren’t safe for you. We want to keep you training safe and this is the best way to make sure that happens.

3. It is an injury prevention tool

4. It is a measuring tool

Bands are NOT a punishment. In my opinion, you are punishing yourself by not wearing them and doing exercises that are not appropriate for you right now. It is not a judgement on you or your fitness level – it is what keeps you safe. I can point you to a number of students who disregarded their bands and ended up with injuries and were out of training, because of it. That sounds like the real punishment to me!

Let's keep you training safe!
Coach Meagan

I want to make eating unhealthy HARDER than eating healthy. Wouldn’t it be nice if you had to struggle to eat foods that were not good choices? Wouldn’t it be helpful if you had access to all the goodness of nutrition without sifting through all the other?

Begin Your Jumpstart

Date: Wednesday, May 10th

Time: 6pm to 7pm

Place: Get Fit NH Concord