"Death is Winning. Do Something"

The title is a quote from Paul Carter who owns the Blog titled "Lift-Run-Bang."  I recently saw a facebook buddy quote the title and mention his wife had signed this on a card to someone. Since I browsed through that post on my newsfeed I have had the quote stuck in the back of my head, waiting for a time to use it for something.  This has some deep meaning to it and with the fact that death wins 100% of the time, we do not have to sit idle and let it. Where is the fight?

Nothing in this world is more predictable or apparent then the fact that "Death is Winning" and it will always win.  Everybody dies.  There is absolutely nothing you can do about the fact that one day your body will shut down and the end of days come for each of us.  Death is undefeated and unbeatable...

But.. we can fight it.  That's the "do something".

I can see in many places the fact and fear of defeat has crippled us and led us to believe a battle is useless.  Do we care enough to fight the only fight our lives should engage in?  We fight cancer with the will to win and throw every single cell in our body to try and destroy it.  Do we do this before we know we have cancer?  We wake up and go about the rat race every week day trying to get ahead to enjoy life but are we actually just losing the battle?

A major portion of the societies across the world are becoming more and more sedentary.  Diseases that should not exist are rising faster each day with the top of the charts not even in sight.  Why are we allowing ourselves to fall victims here?  Why are we not standing up and fighting the battle?  Death is winning, and we are letting it happen.

Just because it is 100% guaranteed that one day you will die does not mean you need to fall to your knees in front of the beast and raise your weak hands in defeat. What happened to your sword and your will?  Why are we not fighting back like we should be?  The power to fight Death and stand up for our lives is inside each and every one of us.  The will to fight seems to be lost.

Don't let Death win.  Do Something.

This blog post is dedicated to all the people who feel exercise is too hard and eating healthy is too expensive.  It's harsh to say this but it's the truth.  If you don't exercise because it's too hard or because you'd just rather not you are accepting the fact that Death has defeated you long before Death actually grabs you and takes you away.  You lost already, without a fight.  I know you're better than that.. 

For more info on Paul Carter and Lift-Run-Bang please visit:
 http://www.lift-run-bang.com/

Activate Fitness

Fitness: (n) The state or condition of being fit; suitability or appropriateness.

Fitness is something that is lacking in society.  Everywhere you look you can see people far away from the state of fitness, lurking in the danger zone of serious health issues.  Almost every person on Earth knows quite a few people who are very out of shape.  Our society as a whole is not Fit and this creates problems everywhere we look, from taxes to health insurance premiums.

Fitness is a hard thing to achieve.  It takes extreme dedication, motivation, and a burning desire.  How many people have a burning desire so hot that they engage in diet and exercise while giving it their all?  We see this throughout the economics of diet and exercise. 12 second Six Packs, 12 weeks to a new body, 12 pounds lost in 12 days, and the money spent on these gimmicks increases everyday.

Fitness is not a quick fix.  The lack of fitness in society and maybe even yourself should be considered before wasting money on these programs or materials that promise fast results.  We have no right trying to dance around for 60 minutes to burn as many calories as possible and call it fitness.  We have no right dedicating 90 days to a program we are not fit enough to engage in.  We have no right trying to get fast results and THAT IS WHY WE FAIL... over and over again.

Ask the average middle aged man and woman what their main goal is when it comes to diet and exercise and you'll get the answer of "I want to be more toned." or "I want to lose this stomach.".  Then ask them if they are willing to count their calories if they needed to do so and you'll most likely hear "That's too much work."  So then we ask them if they are willing to dedicate 12-24 weeks of basic stretching and mild conditioning to get to the point where they are ready to engage in Activating their Fitness and you'll most likely hear "But that is boring."

"I just want to lose weight and lose it fast!!" Ok, eat less. Done.

BUT... That won't make you "fit". Fit is being in good condition and good health.  Losing weight alone doesn't create that condition.

Losing weight or Building Muscle is not Fitness.You can be an overweight person who can barely walk up a flight of stairs without resting, start a diet and exercise program, lose 100 pounds, and in the end- still be short of breath from a flight of stairs- IF you just want to lose weight. This is not Fitness. This doesn't cure unhealthy states in your body.

Sure the majority of our society can afford to lose a few pounds but what we need to do first.. is:
Activate Fitness.

Is society too Out of Shape for exercise?

Almost everybody knows of one person who hates to exercise.  We probably all know at least 5 or 6 people who laugh at exercise and say the most they’ll ever do are Curls.  12 ounces, with a beer can.  America’s waistlines are expanding everyday and consumption of food is rising even faster.  What is frightening is that exercise and mobility participation has been left in the dust without a second thought.

Until one day when disease or illness strikes causing the emotional pain of being sedentary and unhealthy to create feelings of embarrassment and sadness.  It is at this moment that most people decide to start an exercise program.  But is it already too late? Or, are they doing it wrong?

Most people who are overweight, unhealthy and sedentary will first look to books at Amazon or articles online to find out what they should do.  Every day they see ads for a diet program or a piece of exercise equipment that promises immediate results with a carved midsection.  Some people read a little smarter and further so they join their local Health Club to use the treadmill, stair climber, and lat pull down machine.

With the fast paced society we live in, new and exciting information is released almost daily.  People starting an exercise routine see this information and are sucked in by the headlines promising something better than what they currently are doing.  Wanting the fastest results possible we jump from 4 week program to 4 week program before we even finish the first week.  All of the information coming out so fast creates chaos in the eyes and mind of the consumer.  Mixed feelings about what is right and what is wrong cloud their thoughts and make the possibility of committing an error much more likely.  Some people get so overwhelmed by the information that they quit right there on the spot and say “it’s too complicated.”  Others keep skipping across the internet going from program to program and end up hurt because they went too far with something they had NO business doing.

In the past 20 years there has been an alarming increase of injuries at the workplace, on the sports fields, and at home.  Knee injuries, back injuries, and headaches are 3 of the most common types of complaints heard in the medical field.  These increases are causing overwhelming situations at many doctor’s offices and hospitals.  This doesn’t even include the vast increases in diseases such as cancer, heart disease, and obesity.  What is even more disturbing is that a majority of these cases are sedentary people who do not exercise.  What will happen when these injured and sedentary people decide to get fit, hire a personal trainer, join a gym, or buy a product they saw on television?

Over 60 percent of Americans are too sedentary to begin exercise programs.  A huge number of gym members have no business spending their money at a fitness center.  We do not have the proper conditioning to engage in a fitness program aimed at losing weight or building muscle nor should we focus on mainstream fad diets and quick fix solutions.

What should we do then?

Here is a simple test.  Go in your home where you have a stair case and walk up and down it for five minutes.  At the end of the five minutes if you are barely standing with your hands on your knees, gasping for air, you have no right doing any type of weight training or cardio machine workout.  You need to develop your base of conditioning and this will take some time.

This example, sadly, is the normal outcome for a big portion of our country. Participating in an exercise program with a body that has a poorly conditioned state is risky and will most likely lead to injury. We need to step away from the gyms and weight training articles and look at the big picture here.  The biggest reason to exercise in this country is no longer about looking sexy and thin.  The outcome we all need to focus on instead, is becoming healthy enough and conditioned well enough to start an exercise program.

Priming the muscles, the heart, and the lungs for more intense exercise is the first step most fitness professionals take with their clients.  When a person hires a trainer they expect to see immediate results which compromises the fitness professional’s ideal program because they know taking the time to get the body ready is not what their client is paying for.  Pass this over or risk losing your client.  Simple fitness tests and researched protocols are set forth by Certification Associations but often get ignored as soon as the professional passes the test.  When someone wants to get in shape, and they start off on their own without the guidance of a professional, this quick fix mentality takes charge.  It does with almost every aspect of our daily lives, so why would it be different in fitness?

It is not hard to see that the Beginner Program for the vast majority of our nation needs to be something much less than what is currently offered.  Promises of quick fixes need to be ignored and the use of equipment can wait.   The average Sedentary American should spend the first few months of exercising doing nothing more than going for simple walks and basic stretching.  Walking is the most useful tool (besides proper nutrition) our body can use to getting healthy and in shape as fast as correctly possible.  Stretching can wait for a few weeks after the walking distances and occurrences increase.  Sedentary individuals may not be ready to stretch because of highly tight muscles and may cause injury from performing a simple stretch.  The first step to becoming healthy and in shape is now developing yourself a walking program.  Start with one day a week for 20 minutes and continue to add a day each week.  Keep going with nothing but a walking program for at least your first 12 weeks and try to understand the basics of proper nutrition.  Do this and you will feel much better and healthier, and it’ll be as safe as possible.

The Negative States of America

It's sad watching people bitch about taxes, politics, having to work, being involved in drama, not having this or that- I tune this out everyday but sometimes I sit back and can't help myself from watching this and then I feel disgusted with the need to help them- an incredible burning desire to just help people turn their views around and see how well off their lives really are. Why do people insist on bitching about a state they live in or a job they work at?  What about the good things that they seem to overlook each day?  Take New Jersey.  A lot of people are wasting their time bitching about Chris Christie and the Budget bonanza going on at the moment.  Hardly is it ever seen someone complimenting the state for it's hidden beauty, such the Musconetcong River or the incredibly thriving Black Bear population. What about the beautiful waters of Spruce Run and the fancy boardwalk in Wildwood?

Talks about people receiving Medicaid and Welfare benefits who spend their monthly checks on crack and booze litter public forums and taxpayer debates.  Where is it on the public forums that talks of the over abundance we have in our lives and how NOW is the best time ever to make a lot of money and do good things- fun things in our lives?

Why do people always shut their eyes off when staring at positive events, emotions, and outcomes?  Front page on newspapers or breaking stories at 7pm are always about death, bankruptcy, disease, crime, pollution, or politics.  The highest rated TV shows are always criminal in nature or shows where people can point out flaws, mistakes, or simply laugh out loud to something "stupid".  Facebook posts and creative little pictures litter our Newsfeed and 99.99% of them have some sort of negative comment or something that will do nothing to better our lives.  Twitter tweets mention being stuck in traffic or the fact the line at McDonald's is stretched a little too long for their patience.

Drug epidemics, Obesity skyrocketing, and Foreclosure News litters the streets and talks inside bars and diners across America.  "When will it get better for us..", said the Cowboy from Texas.  "This country needs a change..", said the voter at the town's school.

This needs to stop before we destory ourselves and the future of this country.  Instead of asking for change or asking when something will get better we need to speak about the positive things in life.

"Things in this country are great for everybody.  Most of the population walks around with a smart phone, drives a car, eats dinner- sometimes with enough food that there's leftovers for tomorrow, and hundreds of millions are watching television tonight. Best yet, our kick ass Military is protecting my ass while I sleep."

Sounds better right?

Get more playing time, become a starter.. Improve your strength.

Every Little Leaguer or Pop Warner athlete dreams of one day being the star of the big show, the last man standing, the go ahead run in the World Series Game 7, or the Super Bowl MVP.  Every kid that laces his or her cleats and puts their football pads on hopes that this Saturday they will play a lot, have a big time play, and be cheered for by their teammates and the crowd.  Winning that one wrestling match to put them into the State Finals in Atlantic City is a dream most young wrestlers have for when they hit the High School level.

Becoming a great athlete takes time and practice.  Dedication and commitment top the list also and the best kids on the field know this.  A freshman in High School wants to be invited to wrestle the State's best in Atlantic City and so they work their ass off.  They attend camps, clubs, seminars, private training sessions, they eat well and sleep good.  Same goes for the kid that wants to continue his football career and play in college, preferably Division 1.

Having their name highlighted in the local newspaper is something most athletes think a lot about and more importantly have the want and the desire to achieve.  Some do, some more so than others, and some kids seem to be in the paper everyday or at least weekly.

Why?

Why are some student athletes so much better at their sports than others?  Sure genetics and skill levels are major factors but the biggest contributor is the DESIRE to be there.  The effort they put in to become a high level star is extremely in depth and hard on the mind and body- but WANTING to be great keeps them going.

Putting in every ounce of effort they can in every way possible will produce the best results they are capable of.  What sets All State athletes apart from the rest is doing the things other kids are not doing.  An All State Wrestler most likely goes to wrestling camps and seminars throughout the year and belongs to a club where he can wrestle weekly.  A football All State athlete is most likely doing the same things and takes every step seriously and with full out effort.

At Activate Fitness one of the advantages student athletes can acquire is an increased level of strength by doing the things other kids are not doing.  Activate Fitness has programs for student athletes ranging from 8 years old to college and even pro levels.  Training outside of a fancy gym or a corporate fitness facility, at Activate Fitness the athletes get right down to the basics in the same environment they perform their sports in.

When an athlete comes to Activate Fitness, their goals are found out, written down, and accounted for.  Taking the athletes priorities into consideration creates an extremely fun, hardcore, and effective workout program.  In turn this brings about the most success an athlete ever has and quite possibly ever will have when it comes to Strength and Conditioning.  There is no room for 50% half witted efforts.  Activate Fitness brings out the best in the Athlete and creates a more successful career for the Athlete when they commit everything to excelling.

If you're an Athlete or a Parent of an Athlete and you want to excel at your sport and become the best player you can be, in the shortest period of time, then call Activate Fitness today at 908-442-6763 or email us at ActivateFitnessPT@gmail.com

Your effort and Your Desire will dictate YOUR outcome.

Dedicated. Demanding. Determined.

Hackettstown Strength Coach aiming to get Athletes BETTER!

As owner and founder of Activate Fitness in the Hackettstown area, my main goal as a Strength Coach and Fitness trainer is making people BETTER.  Week after week, day after day my clients are coming to me and giving everything they have.  I do not accept anything less than 150% effort.  Being too tired, too busy, or too sore to get in a workout is an excuse and I preach this daily.

Being a newcomer to the Hackettstown area I do not know many people and most people do not know me.  That's okay.  In time that will change and the pace has already begun to pick up speed.  My goal is get the community up and running, active, healthy and to take charge of their lives.

I want to focus on helping this community get their athletes better.  Hackettstown Football had a 5-5 record last season, not too bad, but much room for improvement.  Having no idea how those athletes train in school is an issue for me, but what I know- and my current clients know- is that my programs WILL produce sound results.  Confident in abilities I am.  My programs are guaranteed to add size and strength to any athlete in High School, Middle School, and even College.  In fact- they are so good that I recently placed an ad on HackettstownLife.com offering 3 months of my training for $75 a month- almost 80% off of what I normally charge.

Why?

I want to get the kids in the surrounding schools better.  I know I can, it's just a matter of time.  There are not too many schools in the area- such as Hackettstown High School and Mount Olive Twp. High that are dominant in Football or Wrestling- even Baseball.  That is where Activate Fitness steps in.

IT IS KNOWN FACT that guys and girls in High School sports PERFORM better and go FURTHER when they TRAIN with a Strength Coach- in a hardcore, outdoors, warehouse style setting.  Give me a few tools and a park and I can make some badass athletes with TIME and EFFORT from those kids.

What is MOST IMPORTANT is not what I teach and preach but THE EFFORT given forth by the student athletes.  Some kids WANT it BAD and some can give really even care at all.  Some kids do it for their parents and really hate being out there- making THE REST of the TEAM look bad.  Activate Fitness does NOT want those kids.  The only people WORTHY of training for SPORTS at Activate Fitness are the ones that WOULD WAKE UP at 4am on a Saturday to get a workout in, the kids WHO BLEED a PASSION for their sport, the guys and girls WHO WANT to achieve a higher level of success and POSSIBLY go to COLLEGE and play D-1 ball.  If you're a complainer or a WIMP- go home.

Activate Fitness's Athletic Training Systems are NOT for EVERYONE.  I will kick out the BAD INFLUENCES and the PISS POOR ATTITUDE kids faster than I can blink.  I DO NOT CARE ABOUT THE MONEY.  I want these kids, these STUDENTS, and these ATHLETES to understand there is more to life than what you LIVE NOW and it takes HARDWORK to get it and LIVE IT.

I want Hackettstown Athletes to DO what other schools ARE NOT doing- to EXCEL at a higher level and become BETTER.  Both ON and OFF the field.  Bad punk kids, horrible influences, NAYSAYERS, and UNMOTIVATED student athletes bring the rest of the team down and ruin the MOOD and DESIRE of the other guys- some WHO BLEED PASSION and DESIRE.  Those kids are not allowed to train with the Activate Fitness FAMILY.

When an Athlete comes to me and Activate Fitness to train- they need to pass my test-OUR TEST- to see if their worthy of being a member of OUR private club.  One bad apple spoils the bunch and I will weed those bum ass lazy complainers out FAST!

Bottom line is that if you want to become a Champion, a Winner, a Bigger and Stronger Athlete come train with US at Activate Fitness.  The influence I- and WE- will have on YOUR LIFE will last you forever and turn you into a MAN or a GREAT WOMAN.  If you want to succeed and will leave your guts with the barbells and weights then WE want you.  Training together- as a team- will only increase your abilities, desire, and competitiveness.  If you think you have what it takes get in touch with me ASAP.  If you're a parent and you complain and FORCE something out of your child- do not even bother.  Little Jimmy needs to come on his/her own.  Make a suggestion and leave it at that.

ActivateFitnessPT@gmail.com
www.facebook.com/ActivateFit
908-442-6763

DEDICATED. DEMANDING. DETERMINED.

The places these kids have nowadays....

Back in the day when I was a teen and new to weight training we didn't have places like the kids nowadays. If you were lucky you had a good Football coach and weight room in your school (if you even had a weight room) or a local hardcore gym where you could possibly go for a workout if you had the balls to walk with the monsters.  Most of us- we didn't have anything like that.  Throughout the Untied States and even the World, smaller Warehouse type gyms are taking charge in the gym business industry and I hope these boys and girls truly know what they have- and if it were me I'd treat it like Gold.

These smaller "niche" like strength and conditioning facilities that are becoming bigger and bigger every day are a Godsend to a teenage athlete and even just your Average High School kid looking to get bigger. For the reasonable fee most of these places charge for monthly memberships, the benefits far out weigh any cost involved, and to top it off- most are run or owned by some of the biggest names in the Fitness Industry.

Just like the Underground Strength Club in Edison, NJ.  A bunch of High School guys and Wrestling athletes have this place that I would've killed for right in their backyard.  Owned by Zach Even Esh this gym is a warehouse type strength based facility where the bullshit is cut right out and the member gets put to work on the right program- that will produce the best results for them- as fast as possible.  Best part is they work off of plans designed by a great coach and trainer and they have guidance the entire time.  Do know the kind of value that has right there? I hope Mr. Esh doesn't mind but here is something right off the front page of his gym's website:

“As an Athlete, You Get a SMALL Window of Opportunity to Take Advantage of Specialized Training to Help You Reach Your TRUE Athletic Potential. There are a Rare Few Who Take Action & Find Their Way to The Underground Strength Gym. As a Result, These Athletes Turn Dreams Into Reality & Experience Success Like Never Before. Not Everyone is Accepted into Our Program but Those Who Are Accepted Will Achieve Success in Sport AND Life that Others Only Dream About.” -Zach Even Esh Underground Strength Club.


http://www.undergroundstrengthclub.com/

Not to far from Edison is Warren, NJ and a place that is run by one of Strength and Conditioning's most viewed bloggers and a man I look up to and follow daily because he understands how life should be and what it takes to be successful in the gym and out..- The Renegade Gym run by Jason Ferruggia. Renegade and it's Coaches have helped a ton of young men and women excel in their sport of choice and the workouts they perform also cut the bullshit right out of the question and the work being done produces the best results possible.  These two places have some things in common and I would be honored if I was a member at either one.  Working out in groups helps motivate you and helps you learn even faster.  Here, you don't waste any of the time spent training and it's done the right way.

http://therenegadegym.com/

Now also in New Jersey is DeFranco's Training Systems in Wyckoff that follows suit with these new aged strength and conditioning facilities.  Actually not following suit as Joe DeFranco can be considered a pioneer of these types of gyms, especially in New Jersey. Some big name people train up at Joe's place including New York Giant football players, Triple H from the WWE, and even some NFL stars.  Most of these guys started as High School athletes and train with Joe DeFranco religiously! Right on the front page of DeFranco's website it states "Not for Everyone" and damn right it's not- but if you live near this place and go to 24 hour gyms you should be ashamed of yourself.

http://defrancostraining.com/

Stepping outside of New Jersey you have places like Brute Strength Gym in Virginia that is a huge facility with some seriously strong lifters.  They have everything you need to build massive muscle and serious strength- from powerlifting to strongman to classes that'll teach you everything you need to know.

http://www.brutestrengthgym.net/

Throughout the United States there are places that are meccas for some serious strength training and balls to the wall workouts. At Activate Fitness this is the mission I am striving for and Activate Fitness will one day be a Strength and Conditioning Facility that will go head to head with any of these awesome gyms. Big Chain Gyms like 24 Hour and Bally do not stand a chance in competing with these gyms.  Sure they will always have the customers that just want comfort- who do not take exercise seriously and just dilly dally inside the gym going through the same workout they have for the past year.  Strength gyms and Conditioning Facilities are the future of the fitness industry and these kids who have these places to go to are very lucky and need to understand this. They need to shut the hell up and listen to the guys who have lived in the trenches for YEARS and stick with their programs.  They are, they will, and High School Sports have just become much more competitive because of it.

Get out of your comfort zone inside a GoldieLock's or a 24 hour facility and find your local strength training gym and make progress faster than you ever imagined. If you don't know where to look... ASK!  Find the above mentioned guys on Facebook or Twitter and ASK!  Don't be afraid to ask.  We want you to succeed and We want you to do it right.

Some other places that are just as good as what I have mentioned are as follows:

Elite Fitness Training Systems in Ohio.  http://www.elitefts.net/ I can't find any info on the Facility Dave Tate has over there and I do not know if it is invite only but this place is TITS!

Evolution Tucson In Arizona http://www.evolutiontucson.com/

Genuine Training Systems in Aliquippa, PA run by a Facebook friend of mine Luke Barber https://www.facebook.com/pages/Genuine-Training-Systems/126842457359036 From what I see Luke Barber has some quality High School athletes there everyday kicking ass and becomer much better.

Results Fitness in Santa Clarita, CA run by the famous Cosgrove family. http://www.results-fitness.com/

Mike Boyle Strength and Conditioning in Winchester, MA

Strength and Honor Fitness in Somerville, NJ http://strengthandhonorfitness.com/

Parisi Speed School in Fairlawn, NJ

Peak Performance in New York, NY

Westside Barbell in Ohio

Quad's Gym in Chicago, IL

Average Broz's Gym in Las Vegas, NV

And throughout the country there are many many more.  Some are Hardcore type facilities for serious Powerlifting and Bodybuilding and some are for Fat Loss and General Fitness.  Whatever the case is- make sure you find somewhere that feels good for yourself and is out of your comfort zone.  Stop going to a Retro Fitness or your local gym where cardio machines are everywhere.  Find a place that teaches you and teaches well- get into a nice Group style fitness facility and watch as your results blow you away. Realize that these places are made of Gold and should be treated with the utmost respect and you'll never wonder anymore.. why it's not working.