Maximizing Your Results

I sent out a newsletter last week detailing the upcoming programming changes at Dynamic Strength and Conditioning. If you didn't get it, email me at kevin@dynamicsc.com and I'll send you a copy. As expected, the proposed changes were met with some skepticism. Many people will almost always view "change" as something bad or unnecessary. This blog entry is going to address all the questions and concerns regarding the upcoming programming changes coming to the gym.

I want to start out by explaining the major reason for the changes. I've been a coach for 17 years and a competitive athlete my entire life. I always strive for the best conditioning and results for myself and my athletes and I always look for the best ways to increase performance. As most of you have noticed I'm pretty passionate and intense about what we're doing at Dynamic Strength and Conditioning. This passion and intensity translates directly to the results you're going to see when you come to the gym because you come in knowing that my main goal is to get you in the best shape of your life. While I think the "open group" format has been beneficial to many, I know that going to a structured, progressive personal training program will be much better. Here's an analogy.. Let's say I'm running open soccer clinics 5 days per week for 12 weeks and people can randomly come to them whenever they want. Some people come 2x per week, some 3x, some 5x. There's never the same group of people and I'm unable to work any progression into the program because you never really know who's going to be there or how many people will show up. These people that come will undoubtedly get better at soccer. At the same time, I'm training a group of players 3x per week. They all show up to every session. I run them through a 12 week program that progresses from fundamental technique through advanced tactical attacking and defending schemes. At the end of the 12 weeks the two teams play each other. Who's going to be better prepared for this match? I'll give you another analogy. Michele and I have been running the 60 Day Challenge for 8 months now. Every 60 Day Challenge is a group of 12 people working in a structured personal training program. In each 60 day period, the people involved in the Challenge have lost inches of fat off their bodies and increased their fitness levels by an order of magnitude. People in the regular open sessions also continue to make gains, but the people in the 60 Day Challenge make superior gains. Additionally, people coming to the unstructured open group sessions 4, 5, or 6 days a week for an extended period of time have hit training plateaus and showed signs of overtraining in the form of sickness, fatigue, and joint injuries.. These are exactly the types of conditions that a well-designed training program will avoid.

Most complaints have been targeted at a loss in flexibility as to when you can come to the gym, but honestly, the people who are coming to the gym are almost always coming on the same days and same times every week. Plus, I have built in ways to accommodate people who travel for work and missed days due to other unforeseen circumstances. 

So, here is a Q and A with the coach.. I hope this answers all your questions..

Q. If I am understanding this correctly - there will be no more open schedule (FIT, and KB ) classes like I have been attending and the monthly "unlimited" fee is going away?

A. Correct, we are going away from an open "unlimited monthly" format. There will be no more F.I.T., Kettlebell +, or Spartan sessions. In their place will be the Dynamic Performance and Maximum Metabolic Conditioning group personal training programs. 

Q. So, I would sign up for a 12 week program or 90 Day Challenge program - and commit to that schedule?  

A. Yes, when you sign up for any of our programs you are making a commitment to particular days and times.

Q. Would I do this once, or every twelve weeks? Is my spot guaranteed?

A. You would sign up for a program each time. People who are already in a group are guaranteed to keep that spot if they want it. You will be offered the first chance to keep your spot in the group, if you decline, then it will be given to the first person on the waitlist.

Q. My job requires me to travel. Without the flexibility of the open group format how can I commit to one of your programs if I have to travel?

A. I understand that not everybody's schedule is fixed and some flexibility is required. We will have a couple time slots set aside per week for people to make up a missed training session. Also, for each of the 12 week sessions I am adding a 13th week at the end that will serve as a chance for anybody who missed time to make it up. If you didn't miss any time then you essentially get a free week. Additionally, if you know you are going to be away for any extended period of time we will give you a jump rope and a jungle gym to borrow along with workouts for the time you're gone so that you can stay on track with your program while you're away.

Q. If I can't make the gym for a month, then do I have to wait until the next program begins before I can start up again?

A. We will be able to integrate experienced people into the middle of a program if needed and if there is room in the group.

Q. How are new people going to be exposed and join the gym? Are you going to let them join in the middle? 

A. New people will typically join the 90 Day Fitness Challenge so that they can get used to working out in a functional conditioning program. As all of you know, it is a lot different than any workouts most of you had ever done and it definitely takes some time to get used to the demands being put on your body. If somebody comes to the gym that is already at a level of fitness that would allow them to fit into a Dynamic Performance program then we will be able to integrate them into the program if there is room. If they are not, then they may want to join a semi-private personal training program to start training while they wait until the next 90 Day Challenge starts. 

Q. I like to work out more than 3 or 4 days a week at Dynamic Strength and Conditioning. Can you mix and match 2 programs? 

A. This is tricky. The idea behind personal training is to have a program developed for you that gives you maximum strength and conditioning benefits, effectively allowing the trainee to continue to make gains while limiting the chance of overtraining injuries. If somebody wanted a 5 or 6 day training program, then the way to do it would be to get a structured 5 or 6 day training program. Whenever a person is training that often, it is imperative that the program they are in is structured to avoid overtraining injuries. For example, as a competitive cyclist, if I am going to train 6 days a week my program needs to have a balance of threshold intervals, VO2 max intervals, endurance and tempo rides as well as recovery rides. That's a single training program that makes the best use of a 6 day per week training cycle. Signing up for 2 different training programs with different goals in mind (like the Dynamic Performance and Max Metabolic Conditioning programs) would not complement each other as well as one might think. I completely understand that people want to workout more than 4 times per week. If they want all their workouts to happen at Dynamic Strength and Conditioning, then I can certainly put together a 5 or 6 day per week program for you, but I would suggest that signing up for 2 different group sessions would not be the optimal way to do it. If you wanted 5 or 6 gym workouts with us, then the optimal way to do it would be to sign up for a 4 day per week program and then have me design a 5th/6th workout for you that would complement the 4 day program you're already in. You could either do this in a semi-private session at the gym or it could be a workout I give you to do at home. The best thing about functional conditioning is that all the gains you make in the gym translate to real world activities. Most of the members we have, probably 90% of them, are very active outside of the gym whether it be running, biking, competitive sports, hiking, snowshoeing, or some other activity. My best recommendation for anybody would be to sign up for a 2,3, or 4 day training program at the gym and then spend a couple days a week having fun with your other activities. That's really what we're here for, is to provide you with a body that operates at maximum performance and efficiency so that you can enjoy the real world to your fullest potential.

All that being said, for the right person, a mix of a 2 day Dynamic Performance program with the 2 day MMC program could work with some modifications to that individual's Dynamic Performance workouts. This would be necessary to avoid overtraining.

Q. What is the limit to the number of people who can join a session and how did you decide on that number?

A. The group size will be 16 people for the 90 Day Challenge and the Dynamic Performance programs. Based on our experience this is the maximum size to ensure that everybody gets the level of attention they need from the trainer. Also, with groups of 16 or less there is no limitation on the type of exercises that we can do. Larger groups restrict the level of attention from the trainer and also place restrictions on the workout programming. For the Maximum Metabolic Conditioning program I am limiting group size to 8 because it is very focused on kettlebell work and other resistance based exercises that will need more attention from the trainer.

Q. Is the Dynamic Performance program similar to the current F.I.T sessions?

A. The Dynamic Performance program will be a mixture of bodyweight, kettlebells, and all the other equipment that we use at Dynamic Strength and Conditioning. These programs will be designed to maximize functional strength, muscular endurance and cardiorespiratory function, increase range of motion and mobility, and build bulletproof core strength in a structured, progressive training program. There will also be fitness assessments so that you can monitor the gains you’re making. 

Q. Is the Max Metabolic Conditioning program similar to the current Spartan workouts?

A. The MMC program will meet 2 times a week and will be an advanced program with a lot of single and double kettlebell work (in addition to other training modalities) with a focus on maximum strength, explosive power and top metabolic conditioning. Participants will be pushed to their limits at each session. It is highly recommended that participants have an intermediate to advanced level of functional strength and endurance before joining this program.

Q. What is the difference between the 90 Day Fitness Challenge and the Dynamic Performance program?

A. The 90 Day Fitness Challenge is a more comprehensive personal training program with nutritional guidance, body measurements and goal setting. It is also targeted more at the individual who hasn't worked out in a while and is just getting back into it and/or the person who has never been involved in a functional training program and needs the extra guidance required of a beginner. The Dynamic Performance programs are the next progression from the 90 Day Fitness Challenge. People entering the Dynamic Performance program will have achieved a more advanced level of functional fitness than the people that typically join the 90 Day Challenge and the workouts will therefore be more advanced and challenging.

Q. You mention hiring "highly trained and certified" professionals. What kind of certifications are you going to require of your training staff?  

A. Just like now, all structured group and semi-private personal training programs will have certified trainers. Specifically, the requirements of the Dynamic Strength and Conditioning trainers are:

- Have a passion for their own health and fitness and the ability and desire to instill that same passion in others.

- Be certified/trained in functional conditioning. By August, our training staff will consist of myself, Michele and one other trainer. We will all have a Level 2 CNT certification from the Monkey Bar Gym. This is currently the best functional conditioning certification available in the world. Additionally, our trainers will be required to attend at least 2 training seminars and/or certifications per year in order to continually improve their coaching and training skills. You will not find better trainers that specialize in functional conditioning and kettlebell training anywhere in the area.

Q. I noticed the fees have increased. How did you arrive at the price for the programs?

A. I am sensitive to the current economic climate and it's affect on people and I've priced the programs as best I could so that it wouldn't be cost-prohibitive to people. At the same time, it's very important to understand what you're getting for the price. There is absolutely no question that a personal training program will yield far superior results than just joining in open group "classes". What you're going to be getting is a true personal training program with structure, progression, and phenomenal results. With the same group of people committing to a personal training program it allows me to design an entire program for the group and it also allows me to charge you a fraction of what personal training would normally cost you. Personal training typically costs anywhere from $60 to $150 per hour. One of my group personal training programs will give you the best results attainable and it will cost you less than what you would pay to attend somebody's outdoor boot camp or a yoga session. The average cost per session is about $10. That is an incredibly small price to pay for a professionally designed and instructed personal training program.

Q. Do you have similar discounting plans available like before?

A. We will have 10% discounts for first responders, military, students, and seniors (65+). We will also have 10% discounts for couples and family members.

Q. Do you still have a referral program?

A. Yes, if you refer anybody who signs up for one of our packages, you will receive 10% of their package price off of your next package. For example, if you refer somebody to the 90 Day Fitness Challenge which is $495, you will receive $50 off your next package.

I hope this addresses everything. If there's anything I missed, feel free to email or talk to me at the gym. Like I said before, this is a great program to maximize your results, guarantee that you continue to make gains while avoiding overtraining, it eliminates overcrowding and ensures a sufficient amount of attention from the trainer running the session, and it will undoubtedly get you in the best shape of your life. 

Along with the newsletter I sent out a feedback form asking for the program(s) that people are interested in as well as the days and times that you would like to work out. Please fill them out and return them to us at the gym. If you need one of these, then email me and I will get it to you. Once I have the new schedule in place we will be taking reservations for the new programs. 

Michele and I would like to thank all of you for helping us to become the premier functional strength and conditioning gym in the area.

All the best,

kevin