I Blame . . . Disney - By Mark Carson

I blame Walt Disney for the obesity epidemic in America.

 When I was a kid, every Disney movie I saw told me that with pluck, determination, animal friends, and Elton John lyrics, all my dreams would come true. There was always an evil villain or wicked step-mother plotting my downfall, and at just the right moment my singing animal friends would clear the way for me to take my rightful place as ruler of the kingdom, complete with beautiful princess and adoring in-laws.

As a teenager, I was convinced that I would be the next Jukebox Hero. I had visions of jamming with Eddie Van Halen, Boxing with Rocky, busting bad guys with Starsky and Hutch, jumping muscle cars with the Dukes of Hazard, and having Maverick as my wing-man. (it’s a generational thing)

And so, I waited. I drifted through High School with mediocre grades and sports while waiting for the heavens to part; waiting for a spotlight to shine down upon me, and for some omniscient narrator with a voice like James Earl Jones to proclaim, “This one...this one has value!”

Someone cue Pink Floyd to start playing “Welcome to the Machine.”

Click to read more ...

Have You BodyRocked!?

We ran across these "at home" video's a few months back and although the instructor in the video, Zuzana, is EXTREMELY fit - I feel like we need to add, "results not typical", we found these workouts can be tailored to a range of fitness levels.  Most workouts consist of completing as many reps as possible in a set time - an interval timer is used, and can be set to increments of 20sec - 1min to meet your indiviual level of fitness. 

Here's a great abdominal video, based on bodyweight exercises - give it a try, tell us what you think!

 These ARE extreme workouts - if you are unsure of the correct form or need modifications come in and ask one our trainers to show you the ropes - We DO NOT want you to get hurt!

Just Exactly How BIG Is YOUR... But?! - By Mark Carson

Just exactly how big IS your but?

NOT that one. We can ALL see how big that one is. I’m talking about the OTHER one. The one where you say, “I want to workout but...” or “I try to get to the gym, but...” And just like , “once upon a time...”, those three little dots signal the start of a James Cameron-sized story, involving time traveling robots, aliens, or a hidden obstacle you couldn’t see because you refused to slow down to a reasonable speed.

The problem is that I’m a personal trainer; my job is to bust your but. (Well, that one too, though you really have a 1-track mind here) I’ve heard all the stories. I’ve told some whoppers myself. They are better entertainment than most of the movies that came out last year. Take a moment and lay out your best excuse right now. Say it out loud. Is someone opening an envelope and handing you a statue for the “most
over-dramatized scene”? Are you being handed the business card for a personal injury attorney who specializes in settlements? Did it have more insurmountable opposition than a James Bond knock-off film? After being in the fitness industry for more than 20 years, and teaching Jr. High PE, I would bet my mortgage that I can come up with more excuses than you can. Any takers?

No?

It’s because you know I’m right. (It happens every so often; my wife is always surprised). Nobody is going to take me up on that bet because deep down you know that your but is almost as believable as Arnold Schwarzenegger's acting.

Let it go.

If you want a smaller but, start working on your glutes. If you want help, that’s what your friends are here at Gold’s Gym are for. We will GIVE you a personalized game plan. We teach the classes, so that you don’t have to wonder what to do, just show up and sweat. We have strategy sessions in order to build a workout from scratch just for you. We consult with you. We encourage, cajole, and TRAIN you. We are very good at busting buts. Come find out what we can do with yours.

And most important, when you see yourself in workout shorts in our mirrors, your but looks smaller.

Try a NEW kind of training in 2012! - TRX Suspension Training