My one question is simple: if so many people are obviously so involved in fitness, why do so few people look like they really workout?

The answers, while as simple as the question itself, aren’t easily fixed.

-To make a drastic change in the body, one must take drastic results. It isn’t as simple as going to the gym and going through a routine of a few exercises that “target” those bodyparts you are interested in changing. I see the smae people doing the same things in the gym and it’s obvious what their thought process is: lunges, leg curls, light squats, etc – she’s trying to firm her butt and her legs. Curls, db bench press, flies? He wants bigger arms and a defined chest. Seems logical, but it takes a more full body approach, and a MUCH more scientific approach.

-What most people think of as “eating clean” isn’t very clean at all

-Working hard is more than breathing hard and sweating. WHAT your doing is just as important as your exertion.

-As humans, we seek the path of least resistance. Most people will settle for a leg press before a freeweight squat, a bench press machine to a barbell bench press. A lighter set before adding 5-10lbs and really pushing it. It’s easy to convince ourselves that we’ve “done enough”.

-Being focused for 4-5 days per week simply is not enough.

-Follow what is popular and look like the masses. We are the most obese country in the history of mankind. What the masses are doing is not working, and when you see someone on tv telling how it worked for them, look at the small print that says “Results aren’t typical”.

IF you’re going to workout, LOOK the part. It doesn’t come easy, but if you’re going to play the game, play it to win!

Boyd Myers
Personal Trainer in San Antonio
Owner, San Antonio’s Top Personal Training Studio
16613 Huebner Rd (corner of Huebner and Bitters)
210.391.1454

No matter what gym you may venture into anywhere in the world, you could easily mistake any given day as National Arm Day, World Bench Press Day, International Ab Day, or something similar. No matter how often you frequent the gym, no matter how much you run or whatever else you do: if you do not squat, then you do not workout…

Many of you may be thinking you don’t want bigger legs or you are just trying to lose weight – this article is for you too – squatting is essential for fat loss!

I know: doing legs sucks, and squatting sucks more than anything else. But put temporary anguish aside and consider these things:

-The largest muscles in the body are below the waist. When you do a proper leg workout, those large muscles do the work – when large muscles work, more calories are burned.

-Large muscle groups grow the fastest. More lean body mass = a higher resting metabolic rate

-Training large muscle groups forces the body into a desirable hormonal state – In Layman’s terms, training legs causes an increase in overall muscle building and fat burning hormones.

Your legs move the weight, your lower back stabilizes the body, your arms squeeze the bar: squatting is not JUST a leg exercise – it’s a full body exercise (as is the dead lift).

Proper squatting provides even more benefits:
-Gaining strength will lead to increased lean body mass
-Squatting increases flexibility
-Regardless of what the misinformed think, proper squatting actually strengthens the knees

Now, I would guess that less than 1/4 of the people in a typical gym perform squats. Of that number, I would then say that less than 5% actually do them properly, which leads me to: “How do you squat perfectly?”

I know what a lot of personal trainers and doctors believe (I’ve heard it at least 100 times): squatting less than full range of motion is ok and will lessen the likelihood of injury. This information is completely false. While these partial squats may very well stimulate the quads, the lack of full ROM doesn’t properly activate the glutes and hamstrings, leading to muscular imbalances that greatly increase the chances of a knee injury.

First, let’s discuss unracking the bar.
-I personally like to set the bar in the power rack at about upper chest level, so that I am slightly squatting to get under the bar. I do not want to lift the bar off by going to my tip-toes or bending at my lower back.

-Position your feet directly under the bar.

-Place the bar on your upper back/mid-trapezius. Do not try to put it on the top of the shoulders or on your neck. Sounds crazy, but a lot of people hold the bar entirely too high.

-Tighten everything and lift the bar from the rack

-One step back with each leg and then you’re in position to begin.

Before you begin:
-Chest up.

-Eyes forward – do NOT look at your feet.

-Again, bar on the muscles, NOT the spine.

-Straight wrists – your back should be supporting the weight, NOT your wrists.

-Elbows back.

-Feet at proper stance (depending on the style, I prefer at least shoulder width).

-Toes OUT.

Descension:
-Knees out. If your hip flexors/groins are weak, you may have a tendency to buckle the knees. Don’t let this happen – keep them out.

-Focus on sitting. Do not let your knees go past your toes.

-Get DEEP. Your hips should drop below your knee. I know it may FEEL like it is, but have someone judge it, or better yet, video yourself. Stopping before this is basically using the knee as your “brakes” – use the muscles and the natural range of motion.

Going UP!
-Torso angle should be like this: /

-Hips and chest go up together – this is a squat, not a good morning raise

-Keep your feet flat and “Grab” the floor with your feet to activate the glutes. Do NOT shift the weight to your toes!

-Keep those knees OUT! IF you are injured, you cannot train!

I always prefer the squat/power rack and free weight squatting. Locked machines and fixed routes are not optimal for developing the full and natural ROM, and will lead to the same imbalances and injury risks listed above.

Practice makes perfect. If you cannot keep perfect form and use a full ROM, swallow your pride and lower the weight. Performing lighter, proper sets will lead to better gains than heavy, improper squats and will keep your risk of injury lower.

Boyd Myers
Personal Trainer in San Antonio
Owner, San Antonio’s Top Personal Training Studio
16613 Huebner Rd (corner of Huebner and Bitters)
210.391.1454

IF you are looking for a magic pill

IF you are looking for a hardcore diet secret

IF you think there is an EASY way

IF you believe that you really don’t have time

IF you do not believe in yourself

IF you think that you really do have a valid EXCUSE

IF you aren’t willing to make sacrifice

IF you think you can make up for bad eating by simply skipping meals

IF you think the HCG diet is a good idea and you want to check out an HCG clinic

IF you think working late, not getting enough sleep last night, a birthday party, happy hour or anything close is a valid reason to miss your workout

THEN

Look elsewhere. Give up now. Look DEEPER inside yourself. Find someone who will coddle you and tell you it’s okay and you’re still going to reach your goals.

Excuses are crutches for the weak.

And, if it were easy, a) it wouldn’t be called workout and b) everyone would look amazing.

Boyd Myers
Personal Trainer in San Antonio
Owner, San Antonio’s Top Personal Training Studio
16613 Huebner Rd (corner of Huebner and Bitters)
210.391.1454

Mission Accomplished, sort of…

I have made no bones about saying this: I am San Antonio’s foremost expert on fitness training and performance nutrition. My track record of client success, whether it is simple fat loss, sports performance, figure/fitness/bikini/bodybuilding prep, injury recovery and everything in between is unequaled in this community.

I opened Personal Fitness Revolution in 2006 for several reasons:

-Professional. I was tired of seeing personal trainers in San Antonio (and everywhere else, for that matter), train their clients incorrectly. I have 15 years of personal training experience, hold advanced degrees, and have worked with over 2000 clients that range from housewives to professional athletes. Most personal trainers are in the career field for less than one year – it is definitely a field that defines “survival of the fittest”.

-I hated the idea of anything being before progress and client success. At the large gyms, there is one concern: Sales, sales, sales. Sell them the nutrition package. Get them to sign up for a year in advance. Sell this, sell that.

-Gyms are meat-markets and social clubs, and to many, they are overwhelming. I wanted a private environment with the real essentials, without the distractions of morons posing in the mirror and the dangers of people practicing their “stunts” in the corner, putting everyone within 100 feet in danger.

-Put the “personal” in personal training. Every individual is different. I do not train any two individuals identically, because no two people are identical. Most trainers are what I call “fad” trainers, and do what the newest craze is – to hell with it actually working, it gives them the chance to “seem” cutting edge. Nothing I do is cookie cutter. What my clients do depends on a) their condition and b) improving weaknesses while maintaining strengths, and c) their goals. Not what I saw in a book or what the CrossFit studio down the street is doing (incorrectly).

-Privacy. Never more than 2-4 people training at one time. No crowds, no waits.

-No memberships. We work by appointment only, and clients get the sessions they pay for. No time limits, no hidden monthly charges.

-Holistic approach. Simple diet and exercise are do not guarantee success; rather, one must integrate a synchronized and synergistic diet and exercise program that is focused completely on one’s needs and condition.

When people call me or email me looking for the cheapest trainer, I’m not going to be that person. There is a difference between a typical personal trainer and a professional – if you’re looking for a rep counter with less than a year experience, you’ll definitely get what you pay for at other gyms, and I take it personal when people believe that all personal trainers are like the ones you see at the big gyms. When you’re ready for the best and you are serious about your goals, that is when you call me.

Boyd Myers
Personal Trainer in San Antonio
Owner, San Antonio’s Top Personal Training Studio
16613 Huebner Rd (corner of Huebner and Bitters)
210.391.1454

A note to personal trainers: it’s time to step out of the stone ages.

First and foremost, the most important meal is one of two meals: the last one you had, or the next one you will have. Calling one more important than others makes it sound as if some meals are ok whether you have them or miss them.

Truth: the same amount of planning and thought needs to go into every meal that goes into breakfast. I know, you don’t have time to eat right or be consistent. If that’s your case, go away, and please stop cramming the gyms right now because you aren’t going to make a change anyway.

Every meal has a purpose (fuel for future activity, recovery from past activity, simply curb overwhelming hunger, keeping stable hormones, etc). If you plan accordingly and choose nutrients that go hand in hand with the time of day you are consuming the meal, you’ll be eating in a more efficient way that will help you reach your goals in a more timely manner.

Boyd Myers
Personal Trainer in San Antonio
Owner, San Antonio’s Top Personal Training Studio
16613 Huebner Rd (corner of Huebner and Bitters)
210.391.1454

This is the time of resolutions. I have people calling me telling me they want to go from Rosie O’Donnell to Jennifer Anniston before March 1 and from Chris Farley to Jason Statham in a “realistic” timeframe – let’s say, by next Thursday (Read: IT AIN’T HAPPENIN’!)

While it is great to have specific goals, a goal isn’t worth much if it is not realistic. With that being said, many people do themselves a terrible injustice by trying to undo a year or a lifetime’s worth of unhealthy living in a few days or weeks. The biggest mistake that most people make is trying to do too much in too short amount of time, thus, overdoing it, becoming burned out, injured, or even worse (sick, dead, etc).

When the synergistic combo of training, nutrition and RECOVERY (yes, it’s that damn important) you can do amazing things with the body. The perfect examples are the bodybuilders and fitness competitors I train: their results from week to week (especially in the 12 weeks prior to a competition) are amazing. I know, most of you don’t want to be fitness competitors, but that level of fitness is MUCH more difficult to obtain and maintain then wanting to be “bikini ready” for the lake this summer.

When establishing your goals, it is important to know what is obtainable. That starts with a realistic evaluation of where you are beginning. It also helps to know the optimum way to get from where you are to that destination and how long it will take. Time is valuable, but the process of rapid body transformation does not happen overnight.

Don’t take this as a reason to go in and half-ass your workouts. Go hard or go home – but don’t try to workout 4 hours per day and expect to stay healthy and recover properly.

Boyd Myers
Personal Trainer in San Antonio
Owner, San Antonio’s Top Personal Training Studio
16613 Huebner Rd (corner of Huebner and Bitters)
210.391.1454

Late last week, I was invited to contribute to a soon to be released fitness and nutrition related book, and today, I received my first set of interview questions to fill out. Great timing, because they’ve definitely given me several worthy topics to discuss.

As far as the book goes, I’ll update everyone here as I learn more about future stages on the project. I have been involved in a few of these projects in the past, and this one looks to be a very high level project – I am definitely honored that they decided to include me as one of the contributing fitness experts.

How is 2012 treating you thus far? Remember, January turns to February quickly – be patient, stay focused and committed, and take one day, one step at a time!

Boyd Myers
Personal Trainer in San Antonio
Owner, San Antonio’s Top Personal Training Studio
16613 Huebner Rd (corner of Huebner and Bitters)
210.391.1454

As I pulled up at the gym to get my first workout of 2012 in, I’m sure I mumbled “Dammit, look at this place.” Of course, the parking lot was jammed pack – and I schedule my own personal workouts at common downtimes at gyms (9am or so).

Once my workout partner and I were up and running, I could see the irritation with the crowd growing on his face. People were being careless (not yielding to those who were lifting), not cleaning up after themselves (towels are free, nobody wants to lay in your sweat), and much of the same nonsense that goes on at most every gym during the first of the year.

Don’t worry: 80% of the people that are in there right now won’t be in there by the end of the month (and about half that number will fade in the next week or so). Don’t let the cluster that is the circus that is the gym kill your enthusiasm!!!

Set your goals, make a commitment, and be ready to grind it out and do whatever it takes to get there. Do not settle, and know that at some point, there will be bumps in the road and you may become discouraged: the difference in reaching your goals and not depends on how you react to that adversity.

Boyd Myers
Personal Trainer in San Antonio
Owner, San Antonio’s Top Personal Training Studio
16613 Huebner Rd (corner of Huebner and Bitters)
210.391.1454

Health clubs and gyms in San Antonio are simply PACKED after the first of the year – not ours. Our private personal training studio is by appointment only, and there is NEVER a crowd.

All clients receive complete nutritional and supplement guidance, 24/7 access to their personal trainer (via telephone, email, etc), and complete directions on what to do on days when they aren’t with their trainer. For more information on programs and pricing, check out our Personal Training Programs or contact Boyd via email at boyd@the-personal-trainer.com or by phone at 210.391.1454. We have hundreds of references available by request.

Any personal training package is available as a gift certificate, but from now until Dec 31, 2011, we will be offering 15% off of any purchased package of 36 or more sessions!

Slots WILL BE limited after the first of the year, and our personal training studio operates on a first come, first served basis (by appointment). Beat the crowds at other health clubs at our private personal training studio!

No gift could be more precious or appreciated more than a healthy, lean body, and there is no better way to help someone you care about get a head start on their New Year’s Resolution with the help of a fitness professional that will drastically improve their chance for success.

Happy Holidays!

Boyd Myers
Personal Trainer in San Antonio
Owner, San Antonio’s Top Personal Training Studio
16613 Huebner Rd (corner of Huebner and Bitters)
210.391.1454

Hope that you are enjoying the holiday season. This foreign substance (rain) falling from the sky over the last few days has actually almost made it fall as if Winter is finally here, although it is muggy and should be in the 70s for a good part of the week.

If you have watched any television over the last month (and unless you spend all of your time watching those Kardashian losers), you have probably heard about the hysteria that is Tim Tebow.

A quick run-down, Tim Tebow is the quarterback for the Denver Broncos. He attended the University of Florida where he played in an unconventional offense, that traditionally has not transferred well into the NFL for quarterback play. Tebow is also a devout Christian, and openly displays his faith during the game.

As a player, I probably should hate Tebow. I am a die-hard University of Tennessee Volunteer, and Florida is one of our most bitter rivals.

From a mechanical standpoint, Tebow is often criticized for his basic fundamentals: his throwing motion is deliberate and slow. His footwork isn’t very good as he often throws off of the wrong foot, while moving, etc. He has the tendency to run before going through his progressions and finding the open receiver.

When he became the starter, the Broncos were then 1-5. Denver fans had been clamoring for the coaching staff to give Tebow a chance, while the coaching staff often explained that he simply was not ready, wasn’t performing in practice, and did not give the Broncos the best chance to win.

Finally, he received his chance. And while he hasn’t put up Tom Brady and Peyton Manning type stats, he does one thing very well: He WINS.

How can an individual with such flawed mechanics and limited experience have success in the brutal, super-athletic world that is the NFL?

First, Tim Tebow believes in Tim Tebow. He believes that God has given him great gifts (he is an amazing raw athlete, built more like a fullback and bodybuilder than a traditional quarterback) and that with those blessings, he can overcome the people that have told him since he was in 6th grade that he can be a great football player.

He believes that he is in every game, and that it is never over as long as there is time on the clock. He may be right – since he took over, he is 7-1 with 5 of those wins coming in the 4th quarter. A few of those victories were almost indescribable, overcoming circumstances that seemed extremely overwhelming.

His team believes in him – their defense understands that he isn’t going to score 42 points per game, but if they are able to keep Denver within striking distance, he will pull through when it matters.

So, what does any of this have to do with fitness, losing fat, changing your body and changing your life?

I realize that many people have tried to accomplish these things. In less than a month, many more will try for what may be an annual ritual for them. Of course, several will fail to uphold their resolutions through the first month of the year.

Repeated failure breeds doubt. Many have no idea where to start or how to go about it, and while that is limiting, it can be overcome. The negative reinforcement of repeated setbacks can be much more difficult to persevere through.

Find motivation that is deeper than “it is a new year!” Search for reasons that make your objective too big to fail. But more than anything, believe. It WILL get tough, it will be challenging, but understanding that rewards come with tribulation is a big step toward the right direction.

There is a reason that most successful people have self-confidence and strong beliefs about the things they can accomplish – it is no coincidence.

Make 2012 the year of the best you – let nothing stop you!

Boyd Myers
Master Fitness Trainer – San Antonio
Owner, Personal Fitness Revolution
San Antonio’s Top Personal Training Studio