Give Thanks and Say Thanks!

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.

Get Fit NH CLOSED this Afternoon, But Don’t Despair!

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

Student Spotlight: 5AM Laura!

It is my pleasure to announce this weeks edition of our Student Spotlight. I have had the opportunity to watch this woman transform herself over the past six months. Laura has changed her life style and for that I am so proud of her. She gets in here and she trains hard then she goes home and she takes care of “The Other 165”. She understands that nutrition plays a major role in results and she has proved that she is making it happen!

Here is what Laura has to say:

“Alienated. That is how I felt six months ago before I started coming to Get Fit. My body just did not respond. I had aches and pains here and there. My heels hurt and I wondered, is it plantar fasciitis? My back was in pain, did I hurt it?  I had constant headaches, is my cancer back, but now in my brain? That is how I felt before I started Get Fit NH. I did not know where to start. I timidly decided to try the two weeks, keeping it a secret. I did not even tell the closest people in my life. I feared their support would feel like pressure. In those first few days it felt like I couldn’t do anything! But everyone was supportive and I started feeling better right away. I started to have more energy and my mood improved, I wasn’t chasing the evil illness behind every sore muscle!

Pies Off The Thighs – Start Time Clarification!!!

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…

8:00am 8:00am 8:00am 8:00am 8:00am 8:00am 8:00am 8:00am

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

Why Personal Training?

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.

• Post-rehabilitation training.
• Sports specific training.
• Students just getting back into fitness or starting their new healthy lifestyle.
• Students who would enjoy training in smaller groups.
• Just to name a few.

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

Let’s Play “Holiday Hold’Em”

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

Please RSVP to the GFNH Christmas Party and Awards

Are we really talking about Christmas already?

We can’t believe it either, but we do have some very exciting news so get your calendars ready! On Saturday December 13, 2014 @ 10 AM Get Fit NH is hosting a Christmas brunch for you and your family! We are bringing in some of Concord’s most delicious catering from Baked, owned by Peter and Nadine Jennings! We are looking forward to spending some quality family time together at our Concord location.

Here are some of the reindeer games you can expect:

• Delicious food (of course)
• Yankee Swap- if you wish to participate please bring something 🙂
• Raffle- remember the Pampered Chef and 31 party we had? Yes- we are raffling off the awesome things we earned for free!
• Games for the kids
• Superlative awards for our students
• And a jolly ole time

We look forward to celebrating with you!

Can’t Wait To See You There!

Get Fit NH Weather Cancellation Policy

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!

Train vs. Pain: How Do I Tell?

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

Introducing Coach Adam

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.  

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.