Why Some Succeed and Others Don't

I remember when I first got into fitness and nutrition. I read articles out the wazoo and watched videos on YouTube like there was no tomorrow. Over time, I gained a lot of inspiration and I was ready to begin my fitness journey.

But there was one problem.

All of these videos I was watching were created by guys on drugs (nothing against steroids) who were jacked bodybuilders and nothing more.

Hear me out.

I don't mean to say that they are stupid, but they know their body, their biology, and what works from them. It would be difficult for them to relate to a 175-pound male who was just looking to improve his health and physique on a natural level. Not to mention the differences in lifestyle. I didn't want to each chicken and broccoli 7x/day nor did I want to spend three hours in the gym every day and completely cut out my social life.

My guess is you don't either. Don't you like pizza? Don't you like the occasional bowl of ice cream?

Duh. Of course you do. You're not weird. Don't you enjoy the ability to go out with friends and not feel like you have to be the odd ball out because you "can't" have a beer? What the heck is that? If you're not competing or reaching for an extremely challenging goal, there's no sense in taking it to the extreme and making your life miserable, am I right?

"Yes, you are right, Adam! But what are you getting at here?"

Well thank you for asking. Here's what I'm saying:

If fitness, you'll fail sometimes. But, you need to make sure you breed success from your failures. And it's a lot easier to believe you can succeed when you know that the other busy people in the world are crushing their goals, rather than idolizing and reaching for the results of some fitness model on instagram that lives a completely different life.

So, what I've decided to do is compile a list of items that successful clients of mine (and others) share in common. All these people do extremely well, and it's because they put in the work. But don't jump to conclusions here and assume they have all the time in the world. These people are mothers, fathers, business owners, employees with multiple jobs, volunteers, etc.

In fact, most of my clients that have a ton of success are all of those things (except being a mother and father, of course).

So the question is, how the heck do they do it?

I'm going to share the top FIVE things that have enabled my clients and other successful people to do well with an extremely busy and demanding life. These are not MY five reasons they're successful. These are the exact reason why THEY believe they do so well. These keys come straight from the sources.

A DRIVE TO IMPROVE THEMSELVES

Here's the thing. We get sick and tired of things. I know I do. I get sick and tired of commercials, and get sick and tired of "we" couples. I get sick and tired of my seemingly weak will power when it comes to binge-watching "The Office" on Netflix.

Well, not so much the last one.

What's interesting is that at some point, they got sick and tired of being sick and tired! They were sick and tired of countless hours on the treadmill, elliptical, spin bike, and stairmaster. They were sick and tired of turning cardio into some sort of mathematical equation in order to optimize fat loss.

Being truly sick and tired is one thing. We're all sick and tired of something on some level. It's finding the spark to make change that really matters. I have some good news and bad news for y'all on this one. The bad news: the spark that ignites the fire of intrinsic motivation can't be easily found. It's something that is different for all of us. We all think differently, and we're all moved on an emotional level in different ways. For some, it's knowing they'll be around to spoil their grandkids. For others, it's being able to spend hours tracking an animal in the middle of the woods. The good news: once you find that spark and the fire is lit, oh my gosh... the world better get the heck out of your way.

Once you reach a point of seriously being sick and tired of being sick and tired, find your spark and ignite a fire.

A PLAN TO FOLLOW

Shooting in the dark is dangerous, stupid, and pointless. Unless you're in a horror/thriller movie and it's your only option for survival. That's a bit different. Thankfully, you're in a real life scenario and shooting in the dark isn't your only option. You have the ability to look almost anywhere for a plan. And when I say anywhere, I mean the internet. Have you met the internet? It's nuts.

Fitness plans, coaches, trainers, nutritionists, workout videos, e-books, and more are available with one single internet search. If you're willing to find a plan to stick to, it's too easy to find any plan out of hundreds of thousands. Clients that opt for coaching realize that finding a custom-tailored plan with accountability was something that would get them to their goal and off their plateau.

I know what you're thinking. This is NOT a shameless plug for my coaching services. Their desire to seek a coach was theirs in the first place. I have never persuaded someone to work with me. That's a big no-no in my book. If I had to do that, it would be a pretty big red flag telling me that they might not do so well. All of the successful people I've worked with are people that understood they needed help and accountability, and they went out of their way to find it.

My most successful clients realized this, and sought out help. I've found that the most successful individuals are those that understand they can learn from anyone and everyone. They believe in themselves to do the work and understand that guidance and accountability will get them to a level they may not have been able to do on their own.

CLARITY

My only job is to impact people's lives through fitness. Because of this, it is an absolute necessity that I'm great at what I do. This means that I will always be looking, always seeking clarity. There are aspects of fitness and nutrition that I don't know about yet, and it will always be that way. Because of that, I'm constantly taking in information and constantly asking questions. For those who succeed in their fitness, it's the exact same.

Although my coaching is custom-tailored, there are still obstacles that come up for my clients.

Why?

Well, that's life. Sh*t happens.

My clients know that a lot of their success comes from the ability to reach out to me for clarity when needed. Not only do they understand that, but they utilize it tirelessly. The individuals that do well are the ones that reach out and say:

"____ happened, what do I do?"

"You said we're doing ____ this week. Why?".

It's simple. Those who do best are those who are most open to learn.

ABILITY TO MAKE ADJUSTMENTS (AND SACRIFICES)

This ties in with the previous statement, but we need to shine some more light on it. Ladies and gents, we all need flexibility. Whether it comes to fitness, or finding a daycare for your kids that works with your schedule, your mental, physical, and emotional health are at their best when flexibility is an option.

Here's why:

It's pretty simple, really. Life doesn't give a crap about your schedule or whatever it is you want to do in the day. Things can change at the snap of a finger. Traffic can jam up in an instant. Your family member could run out of gas on the side of  the road. Crap will ALWAYS be thrown at you. One of the games of life is not controlling everything in order to have less crap thrown at you, it's how well you manage the crap that is thrown at you.

Thankfully, the plans that I give my clients allow them to assign their own workout days. If their schedule only allows training on Tuesdays, Thursdays, and Saturdays, then they move their workouts to those days on their profile. I also adjust their food intake accordingly. They have freedom to eat with flexibility which makes adherence easier.

They also make adjustments in different ways, too. You know, I shouldn't really use the word "adjustments" for this scenario. "Sacrifices" is a more appropriate word.

Sure, having the ability to reach goals with flexibility is a huge help. But what I've noticed is that when push comes to shove, those that succeed and achieve their goals are the ones that are willing to make sacrifices (adjustments) to get there.

If life throws them a busy week, they prep meals the Sunday before in order to combat it. If their kid runs into an emergency in the morning, they cut time out of their afternoon to get their workout it. If they feel coaching is a little out of their budget, they cut other areas of their spending down because they understand their health is most important.

It's simple. They make sacrifices.

Be willing to make sacrifices, or be prepared for life to run you over.

CELEBRATING VICTORIES

Along with K.I.S.S., we're all about celebrating victories at Poehlmann Fitness. It's not just me, though. My clients are all about celebrating victories, too.

It is far too easy to let the negatives of life weigh you down. This is one big differentiator between those that reach their goals and those that don't.

Those that reach their goals are those that solely focus on wins. Whether they're massive wins like setting a new squat record, or small wins like eating a serving of greens, successful individuals focus on wins.

Those that don't do well are the those that dwell on the negatives over and over, eventually convincing themselves that they're just not cut out to do well.

Focus on your wins, and build off them. Dwelling on failure is a waste of your time. Do yourself a favor and focus on your wins.

THE TAKEAWAY

The successes that we've discussed may not look the exact same for every individual, but the truth is that we can all benefit from the topics discussed in today's article. Great health and an amazing body is waiting for you, right in front of your face. All you need to do is be willing to reach out and grab it. The reach may not be easy, but it's always worth it.

ABOUT THE AUTHOR

Adam is a fitness professional, baseball fan, and cookie fanatic based in Fort Collins, Colorado. After hanging up the cleats, he found a strong interest in the human body and how it performs. Since then, Adam has been transforming lives through fitness in a fun and encouraging atmosphere. As an ACE CPT and Fitness Nutrition Specialist, he is constantly moved to help people improve in all walks of life. If you’re interested in hiring Adam as your coach, fill out an application here.

A Mindset That Will Change Your Fitness Forever

It seems that the more I'm in the online fitness trainer industry, the more questions I get about "the best" this and "the best" that. Whether it's diets, nutrition, supplementation, or programming, everyone wants to know what "the best" is.

Honestly, I can't blame them. If I didn't know everything about something I was dedicating time to, I'd want to make sure that I was doing the best I could for my goal, that way no time is wasted and I have a strong return on my investment.

WHAT IS "THE BEST?"

I find it very interesting that "the best" isn't always what we think it is. I believe that happens for a couple of reasons:

1. "The best" for you isn't "the best" for me and vice versa.

2. "The best" (or any version of that meaning) is often used to sell things that actually aren't so great.

When I get a question regarding "the best", I actually enjoy it quite a bit because I like to shatter people's paradigms. That's what I'd like to do today in this short article. Now, as much as I'd like to sit here and tell you about how much I hate diets and how no single diet is "best" for fat loss, I'd like to head in a different direction. I've been creating a lot of content around nutrition, so I'm going to ask your attention for a couple of minutes to talk about what's done in the gym.

So, the question I'll be addressing today is:

"What's the best rep range for ________?"

Fill in the blank with whatever you choose. Fat loss, toning, muscle-building, whatever. You get the idea.

TIME TO SHATTER YOUR PARADIGM

Here's the quick answer to all of those questions:

There isn't a best rep range for each specific thing all the time. Is there a rep range that is shown to build more muscle than others? Sure. Is there a rep range that will most likely burn more calories? Sure. The thing is, it's not the rep range that's ideal. If 8-12 reps have shown to build the most muscle, that means that I can just go grab a couple of brewskis and start curling those for 8-12 reps. Next thing you know, I'll have some great-looking muscles.

However, it just doesn't work that way. So how does it work?

Well, there is a plethora of answers to that, but as an online fitness trainer, I want to focus on one thing specifically. That thing is what I like to call the muscle mindset.

THE MUSCLE MINDSET

When most people go into the gym (whether they have a program or not) they come to the conclusion that they're going to perform _____ exercise for __ reps. This is the mindset of a beginner. This is the mindset of someone who is going to the gym to get their workout in. Is it wrong? Of course not. Is it ideal? Not really.

An individual that is a little more advanced would normally go into the gym knowing that they're going to perform ____ exercise for __ reps. This individual would then go into the exercise using a weight that is challenging at that amount of reps, understanding that the heavier they go, the more challenging it is going to be, assuming that the more reps or weight that they do, the more they'll get out of the exercise. Is it wrong? Nope. Is it ideal? I don't think so.

Someone who is much more advanced that understands their body well will go into the gym with what I call the muscle mindset. The people (beginners and intermediates) that I talked about going into the workout wanting to move weight in order to work their muscles. Someone that has the muscle mindset flips that thinking on its head and does something different. This individual goes into the workout knowing how the exercises they perform will affect their muscles. But that's not all.

They also take a completely different approach during the movement.

When performing an exercise, someone with the muscle mindset won't just move the weight. This person will ask him/herself the following question:

"How can I engage this muscle in order to move the weight and perform the exercise?"

This changes everything.

For example, when I'm going to the bench to perform an incline dumbbell bench press, I understand that the purpose of the upper chest is to bring the humerus (the bone of the upper arm) closer to the middle of my chest. Therefore, I'll perform the exercise thinking to myself, "ok Adam, you need to squeeze/flex/engage the upper chest in order to bring the upper arm closer to your chest, and that's what will move the dumbbells. Someone that doesn't have the muscle mindset would say something like "ok, I need to push these weights up with my arms for 8 reps."

WHAT'S SO SPECIAL ABOUT IT?

"The muscle mindset? That sounds like something you made up. What's the point?"

That's fair. I mean, I did kinda make that term up on the spot. Put any attractive word in front of a concept and it'll sound wayyyy cooler (thanks a lot, fitness industry).

Although I made up the term, the mindset is very real. Having a good connection with your body and understanding how your muscles work during a certain exercise is extremely beneficial. That mind-muscle connection will allow you to do the following:

1. Get the most out of your exercise

2. Have more control throughout the movement

3. Have better technique and form throughout the movement

4. Improve your strength and muscle growth

Having the ability to master those four things will allow you to make great strides along your fitness journey. Getting the most out of your exercise will allow you to see more change in your muscles, causing more definition from growth. Having more control and better technique will keep you away from injury and will improve your ability to increase your strength. From that improved strength, you'll have a CNS (central nervous system) that will be able to engage more muscle fibers.

THE TAKEAWAY

The muscle mindset is simply a way of rethinking your training. In one sentence, here's how I can explain it best: Instead of moving the weight to contract the muscle, contract the muscle in order to move the weight.

You'll find that you'll get more out of each rep, leading to an increase in muscle growth and definition, bringing you the lean physique you've always wanted.

THANKS FOR BEING HERE!

I love writing, but to have someone like you reading what I write is...well friggin' amazing. Thank you for taking time out of your day to hear what I have to say. My hope and prayer is that the info in these articles gives you a new way of thinking, as well as a tangible takeaway that you can implement in your life. If you have any questions on anything health/fitness/nutrition, feel free to reach out to me. I'd love to serve you however I can with information about online personal training.

ABOUT THE AUTHOR

Adam is a fitness professional, baseball fan, and cookie fanatic based in Fort Collins, Colorado. After hanging up the cleats, this online personal trainer found a strong interest in the human body and how it performs. Since then, Adam has been transforming lives through fitness in a fun and encouraging atmosphere. As an ACE CPT and Fitness Nutrition Specialist, he is constantly moved to help people improve in all walks of life. If you’re interested in hiring Adam as your coach, fill out an application here.

PROS & CONS: Your Guide to Online Coaching & Personal Training

Since I branched out to start Poehlmann Fitness, I've consistently been asked what online coaching is and how it works.

"Adam, what the heck do you do now? I know you're in fitness, but.."
"So are you like, a personal trainer? Or..."
"So do you train people over Skype? That's what online training is, correct? You watch them workout on the computer, right?"

Since Poehlmann Fitness hit its one year mark this summer, those questions come up a little less often, but I still want to break things down. The purpose of this article is twofold. I want to:

1. Provide you clarity and insight on the major differences between online coaching and personal training. 

2. Help you understand which option will be best for you whenever you decide you want to hire a coach/trainer. 

Before I get into the details, I want you to read the following sentence closely:

I am BOTH an online coach as well as a personal trainer. I LOVE both, and this article is written from an unbiased point of view.

This article is made purely to inform and educate you, so you can find the best fit for your health.

Anyway, into personal training we go. 

Personal training is something that most everyone is familiar with. It's been around since most of us can remember. Most of you may be familiar with the general process but we'll run through it anyway. Here's how it works:

You're part of a local gym, and you decide that there is something you'd like to accomplish. With most other things in life, you may not need major assistance from another individual to achieve your goal. However, this goal that relates to your health requires knowledge and experience from an individual who is well-immersed in things like health, fitness, nutrition, etc. 

You seek out a trainer/coach and the gym and hire this individual. You begin training with them for the most amount of sessions per week that you can afford, because you're paying for their time, and that's it. Depending on the trainer/coach, he/she may have you also sign up for other things like a training program to do on your own, nutrition coaching, wellness coaching, etc. 

At each session, you get undivided attention (if you've hired a great coach) as well as professional eyes on everything that you're doing. On the flipside, this means they have no clue what you're doing outside of those 1-on-1 sessions. 

Once you and the trainer/coach reach your goal and/or run out of sessions, you discuss and assess your time with each other thus far and move forward if needed and desired. 

This is a very general and brief description of the process. There are other details that can change the process, such as training styles, experience, personality, etc.
Most of which come from the coach/trainer you hire. 

Now that we have a refresher on personal training, let's go over online coaching. 

Online coaching is a whole different animal. To get as much detail in this brief description as possible, let's go back to the beginning of the process.

You've decided that there is something you want to learn or achieve in your fitness journey. Whether it's improving general health, building muscle, losing fat, whatever it is, you want to accomplish something. This something - similar to the goal with personal training - requires the advice and attention of someone who is well-versed in that field. 

You get on the computer, and do some research on all of the online coaches that you can possibly find. You contact a few and apply to be coached by them. After narrowing it down and making a decision, you move forward with that one specific coach. Depending on the coach's systems and business structure, you pay a fee of some sort. For the sake of this scenario we'll just say that it's $200/mo. for their services (FYI, coaches range from ~ $200-500/mo.).

Unlike personal training, there are more services included for the fee that you are paying. Some of these services are nutrition coaching, custom training programs, weekly check-ins, 24/7 messaging support, etc. 

An online coach is more so a health (fitness, nutrition, wellness included) coach rather than just a personal trainer with an online platform. 

Depending on how the coach's services work, you'll be set up with a training program with exercise video demos, a nutrition protocol, and a platform that this is in. Poehlmann Fitness clients are set up on an app called Trainerize. 

As you go through the process, you check in with the coach on a regular basis and update them on how things are going.

Am I right?

Once you reach your goal or your membership/subscription expires, you and your coach discuss thoughts on moving forward. 

That's a quick summary of what online coaching entails.

Now that we've gone over both personal training and online coaching, it's time to examine the pros and cons of each. In order to do this more specifically, I'll break things down into different categories. Those will be:

1. Coach/Trainer Selection
2. Cost
3. Value
4. Accountability

1. Coach/Trainer Selection

Personal Training

Pros: Quality in-person training sessions require a trainer that can communicate well, carry great conversation, and make you laugh/entertain you. After all, you're with them for an hour. How awkward would it be if no words were exchanged?
Most big box gyms that I know of do some sort of introductory/complimentary session with a trainer. This face-to-face contact is a great opportunity to see what their personality is like. 

Cons: Gyms only have so many personal trainers. There might be situations where you might have to pick the best of the worst in regards to personality match, etc. 

Online Coaching

Pros: Online coaching gives you access to any coach in the world. You can research your tail of to make sure you find the best coach for you. You can learn about their credentials, experience, testimonials, cost, services, etc. in just a few clicks.

Cons: Everyone can call themselves an online coach or personal trainer nowadays. It's really easy to see through the BS in person. It's a little more difficult to do that on the internet. Everyone can make themselves look like a different version of themselves on the world wide web. Here's some advice on that. Ask to do some sort of phone or skype/facetime consultation before moving forward that way you can ensure transparency between the both of you.

2. Cost

Personal Training

Pros: I honestly can't think of one. Personal training is pricey but there are cases in which it's well worth it. Continue reading and I'll explain.

Cons: In-person training in big box gyms can cost anywhere from $60-$100/hr. depending on the experience and demand of the trainer. Let's that means you can be paying $240-$400/mo. if you have one session per week, and as much as $720-1200/mo. if you have three sessions per week. 

Online Coaching

Pros: Online coaching is inexpensive when compared to in-person training. I'll explain more of this as we move along.

Cons: No cons here. 

3. Value

Personal Training

Pros: When comparing online coaching and in-person training in terms of value, a lot of people look down in-person training but I find there are a few really big pros. One of these pros is face-to-face contact. When the trainer is right there with you, he/she can see and should correct any thing they see in how you are performing on the gym floor. Whether that means correcting your rowing form, or reminding you to breathe properly while performing a squat, your trainer can see everything.
In-person training is great for athletes, too. There are so many intricate movements when it comes to sports performance, and an online coach simply isn't there to see that. For example, I train all of my athletes in person because the tiniest correction in their running form could mean seconds shaved off their 90-yard dash that they run for the scouts. 

Cons: The pros are great for in-person training in regards to attention to detail during performance, but that's all that in-person training offers. The fee that you pay is for the hour that you are with the trainer and nothing more. There are some cases in which the trainer may give you things to do at home, but if he/she does, it may not be as detailed and customized as a full program from an online coach. Remember, the trainer is only getting paid for the time you're with them, so they may not give as much attention to your "other" workouts. It's not because they don't care, it's because they need to put food on the table, and filling their schedule clients is how they do it. 

Online Coaching

Pros: The value of online coaching is tremendous. Unlike in-person training, there is much more included in the monthly subscription that you have with your coach. With most coaches and subscription plans, services include a fully customized training program that is tailored to fit your history, goals, current state of health, and lifestyle. Not only is the training plan fully customized, but most coaches also include nutrition coaching in their subscription along with weekly check-ins, 24/7 email access, as well as access to a support group of other clients. Online coaches can also play a big role in listening, giving advice, and allowing health and fitness to play a role in your life that consists of a ton of other priorities. Online coaches aren't life coaches by any means, but it's much more inclusive than just in-person training. 

Cons: The coach isn't there to see what you're doing in the gym in regards to your movement. Although they can offer you a ton of services to benefit your health and save you money, it's not a great option if you are new to exercise and need someone there to make sure your form is on point. 

4. Accountability

Personal Training

Pros: Since you have a commitment made with another individual, it's a lot harder to skip a training session. Your trainer is waiting for you, and that makes it way easier to show up. Not only that, but it's a lot harder to slack off when the person you've hired to get you into shape is hovering over you. 

Cons: They're only there with you for the hour that you've paid for. During the rest of their time, they're training other individuals.

Online Coaching

Pros: They key with online coaching is utilizing what you've paid for. If your membership includes weekly check-ins and email support, abuse it. You've hired them to be at your fingertips whenever you need. Have a question about fitness when you're out with your friends? Email them right then and there. That's the plus of online coaching. Although I have training sessions in-person, most of my time is spent coaching my clients online and there is a lot of time in my daily schedule dedicated to supporting them and answering their questions. If you're completely honest and transparent with what you're doing each day, the accountability can't be matched with online coaching. He/she can see your food intake from sugar consumed to the greens in your delicious kale smoothie (barf). They're also able to see what you did in the gym including weights, sets, reps, and more. 

Cons: If you're dishonest or just don't record in any of your activity, your coach will be stripped of their ability to keep you accountable so it's important that you're as transparent and diligent as you can possibly be. 

The Takeaway

There is a lot of good in both in-person training as well as online coaching. Question is, what's right for you? Here's what I can say about that in a few sentences:

If you are a just beginning to make physical activity a part of your life, in-person training may be best. That way your trainer can show you proper form and etiquette on the gym floor. In-person training may also be best if you are an athlete seeking to improve your speed and agility which can require complex drills and extreme attention to detail.

If you have experience working out, you're comfortable in a gym, and you're confident in your form, online coaching may be a great way for you to get tailored plans to improve your heath, fitness, and nutrition without completely sacrificing your lifestyle. And remember, if you're ever unsure about your form or have questions regarding your plans, you can send in videos or questions about the movement and your coach can help you through it. The use of technology is a huge plus. 

If you're still stuck and don't know which path to take, or you know exactly what you need and want to talk to a professional about getting started, feel free to contact me via email at adam@poehlmannfitness.com or send me a message on social media.

Thanks for reading!

Much love,
Adam