Taking it to the Next Level

Wow, the holidays are already here, and with them, temptation. Not just to overindulge in both food and drink, but to skip our regular workouts. We’re all busy and a little stressed, many of us have travel on the horizon or guests coming to visit, and there is just too much to do. How can we squeeze that workout in and stay on track and still make it to the office party, get all our shopping done and cook for what seems like a hundred guests? The friends in our group workouts are flaking or leaving town, it’s too cold for the beach fitness program and you have so much going on, you just don’t think you can make time for that personal training session that you scheduled ages ago.

Stop those thoughts—now more than ever, we need to stay with the program. We need to de-stress and keep up with those conditioning methods that have got us where we are today. It’s the one block of time you can dedicate to yourself—and when you do so, the rest of your day and week will run so much smoother. We’ve got to take the time to connect to ourselves and our bodies, or everything will start to go awry. Skipping workouts and getting off track is exactly why people get sick, depressed and a little heavier on the scale during this time of year. Treat that workout time like gold. Let nothing else come between you and whatever workout you need to do right now. When everyone else is trying to undo the holiday damage, you’ll be elevating to the next level—and it will feel absolutely amazing. This is exactly why I will not miss my BMA workouts this season!

www.BodyMindArchitects.com

To push or not to push...

I just got back from my Venice Beach workout, and it really got me thinking. I felt so great afterwards—like I kicked some serious a$s and rose to every challenge. I also realized something really important about working out with my BMA trainer—while he pushes me like no one else, I’ve worked out with many trainers who pushed me like crazy as well. The difference is, they pushed me to a point of total discomfort, where I felt like I was going to throw up or have a heart attack. Like they were going to show me exactly what working out really was, and only until I was ready to pass out would I be able to quit.

That mentality is so prevalent among trainers. Push, push, push and whenever the client complains, know that they just need to be pushed more. That is so not the right mindset. There should never be some weird competitive energy between trainer and client—your trainer should be there to motivate you, to help you go deep within yourself and connect with your physical being. It’s really about connecting with your body and using your breath to get you past any plateau or physical challenge. It isn’t just about the best conditioning methods or equipment—it’s about really listening to your body and knowing that you can keep moving and taking it to the next level.

I’ve worked out with some great personal trainers in Venice, the South Bay, London and other cities across the country. What’s crazy is this is the first time I’ve trained with someone whose ultimate goal wasn’t to either push me past my limits or to simply entertain me as I work out—BMA is about giving you the tools, both physical and mental, to achieve greatness in every aspect of your life.

Keeping the Momentum

Summer’s coming to an end and it’s easy to lose motivation. The pressure to look good in a bikini and in skin baring fashions diminishes, while vacations filled with libations and irresistible culinary delights make it hard to stay on track. On top of it, a lot of beach workouts and beach fitness programs, which are especially inspirational for many, come to an end. What to do?

Thankfully, I work out with BMA and seasonal factors no longer play a role in my mindset. Rain or shine, I’m still getting my work out on, no matter what. My personal training sessions are set in my schedule, regardless of the opportunity winter brings to cover up and hibernate. It’s all because of what I’ve learned in the past few months of training, and it’s not just about the actual conditioning methods we explore or the exercises I do. It’s about the value of my workout.

Training is no longer an option—it’s a necessity that grounds me in every other area of my life. It’s an appointment I have to be deathly sick or out of state to cancel, because I know it’s what helps me keep it all together, no matter what else is happening in my life. My training, whether it’s a group workout, a one-on-one personal training session or a personal training combo, becomes both a physical and mental foundation that is integral to both my personal and professional success.

It doesn’t matter where I train—though I do love my Venice Beach workouts and personal training in Santa Monica—as long as I squeeze some form of conditioning fitness into my week. BMA’s taught me to integrate exercise into my daily activities and to appreciate every opportunity to do so. Ideally, I make it to my BMA private training—but if I can’t, I do it on my own. As I long as I work out, I know it’s all going to be good and that I’ll be able to take on all the challenges I face with a clear head and a strong body. What more can you ask for?

Work With What You've Got

One of the best things I’ve learned from my personal trainer at BMA is this: work with what you’ve got. I’m always really hard on myself when I feel like I’m not going to perform as great as the week before, and have even considered cancelling my Venice Beach workout or personal training session when I’m not feeling up to par. I hate to admit it, but there are days when I’m hungover and all I can think is "How will I pull this session off? How will I get through this performance training or beach fitness session when I’m already feeling exhausted and dehydrated?" The thought of a group workout is even worse—to have to train in front of others when you feel horrible is daunting at the very least.

It’s easy—work with what you’ve got. Once you get the blood flowing, it’s surprising what your body can do.

What I’ve learned from BMA is much more than just the amazing conditioning methods and mindset techniques they’ve taught me—it’s to not be so hard on myself and expect perfection and major strides every time I work out. I work out even when I’m not at my very best, and sometimes, I even get more out of it. I come out of it feeling better and like I can take on the world. Try it sometime.

Venice Workouts

Summer is in full swing, and I’ve gotta admit, I’m finding it a little harder to get to the gym. Thank God for Body Mind Architect’s Venice Beach workout, without it, I am not sure where I’d be. It keeps me in check with how good it feels to work out hard and be in nature. The experience is cleansing.

It’s so nice out right now and there are so many fun things to do. Parties everywhere--the opportunities to imbibe and eat are endless. The thought of going to the gym is just… not too tantalizing at the moment.

I’ve tried Santa Monica personal trainers, Venice beach fitness programs, personal training combos with friends and performance conditioning at some of the most upscale gyms around. Nothing motivates me like my BMA trainer. The exercise conditioning we do keeps me incredibly challenged, and after the workout, I feel amazing. It’s a high that keeps me sane, focused and feeling good the entire rest of the week. The group workouts are amazing as well – it’s inspiring to train with others who have the same goal.

Venice workouts are my absolute favorite. Training in Santa Monica or in my home in the South Bay is fine, but there’s something more gritty and real about training in Venice. From the minute I walk into my session, I know that I’m on the ride and better strap myself in—the conditioning methods are incredible, I push myself to heights I’ve never reached before. Whether I’m feeling sick or weak or whatever, I know that this hour is for me and will set the tone for the rest of my day… and my week.

Summer’s here—time to indulge in the workout.

Getting back on the Balance Ball

After being sick in bed for about a week, I just couldn’t bring myself to cancel my personal training session with Bing today. I was missing it and desperately needed to get my sweat on, but was a little bit scared, to be honest. It reminded me of my first personal workout session with him last Fall. One of my girlfriends was a client of his, and her body had transformed. She was incredibly lean with gorgeous muscle tone, but nowhere near too much. She also seemed a lot stronger and more confident. When she attributed these changes to the exercise conditioning from her BMA workouts, I was immediately sold. I had to try it out.

I made her do a personal training combo with me that first time—I was a little scared. But I’m always down for getting out of my comfort zone, so to the workout I went. After just one session, I felt stronger and more confident in my strength and ability to push myself physically, and was awed and inspired by my friend’s crazy strength and level of fitness. It’s been a fantastic journey since that first Venice Beach workout.

Today, after about a month of heavy travel, followed by a pretty long illness, I got back on the balance ball. What’s so great about BMA isn’t just the incredible performance conditioning or the inspiring group workouts—it’s also the intuition each of these incredible trainers possess. They get you to push past your boundaries to reach new physical heights, but not in a way that’s too uncomfortable or risky. It’s like they know exactly how far you can go—even better than you know yourself sometimes. It felt so good to get the blood going today and get back to the workouts I’ve been missing so much. I know I’m going to be super sore tomorrow—but it’s beyond worth it.

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