Center Grove gym owners share advice on setting and meeting fitness goals, exercise routines that work. And, nutrition musts!
Compiled by Nancy Price
Nearly two-thirds of adults who set New Year’s resolutions have set fitness goals as part of their resolution, according to bodybuilding.com, but 73 percent of them give up before meeting their goals. Why do these resolutions fail? Of the respondents in the online study, 43 percent say it’s too difficult to follow a diet or workout regimen; 38 percent say it’s too hard to get back on track once they fall off; and 36 percent say it’s hard to find time.
Local fitness experts have shared their advice on setting and meeting realistic goals, why nutrition is an important key to success and how workout regiments, including CrossFit, Brazilian Jiu-Jitsu, BodyPump, High Intense Resistance Training and High Intense Interval Training can provide variety in a routine while burning calories in less time.
9Round Kickbox Fitness
What is the key to being successful in your fitness goals?
We believe that there are four things that give you the best chance to meet your fitness goals. 1. Define and write down what it is that you want and WHY! The WHY is very important and helps to motivate you when you don’t feel like exercising. 2. Clean up your eating habits! Don’t diet … that could kill your metabolism. Small changes make a huge impact if done right. 3. Don’t get hung up on the number you see on the scale! In fact, we would suggest not even looking at a scale more than once a week. 4. Find a workout program that is fun and works for YOU! If it’s not fun, you will dread going to the gym and eventually will stop.
Describe your preferred exercise routine and why it works.
It really depends on what your goals are. Our preference is High Intensity Interval Training (HIIT) because you can do more in a shorter amount of time and it maximizes your metabolic rate. Thirty minutes is all you need. In fact, from a fat burning perspective, we recommend not exceeding that with HIIT. We also like to use a combination of strength, resistance, cardio and core exercises to ensure a full-body workout. In doing so, you also improve your balance and coordination while toning your body. With the 9Round system, you’re not going to bulk up, although we have many members who lift outside of our gym and come to us for their cardiovascular and fat loss goals. As mentioned before though, exercise alone will only get you so far. You need to compliment any routine with a solid nutrition plan.
What advice would you give to someone who is new to fitness prior to them choosing an exercise regimen?
Try it out first to make sure it is something you like and will have fun doing. Most places (9Round included) offer a free workout to make sure it’s a good fit so take advantage of that. Come with a friend. Not only does this help keep each other accountable, it lessens the nervousness of trying something new. Don’t feel like you have to go “all out” your first time in. Take it slow at first to learn the techniques and good form from the trainers. This will pay huge dividends in terms of staying injury free and enjoying the workout. If you’re not used to working out you will be sore for a few days after your first workout. Make sure you stretch immediately after and come back in within a couple days to work out the soreness. It’s totally normal. One of the biggest concerns we hear is that “I’m not in good enough shape to work out with you guys.” Don’t let that be a barrier! We welcome and work with all fitness levels, all body types, all ages … you’re coming to us to get in shape.
9Round
239 S. State Road 135, Greenwood, Indiana 46142
(317) 300-1830
9round.com
CGX CrossFit
What is the key to being successful in your fitness goals?
Although I would like to say the No. 1 successor in workout goals is consistency, I would say even more is nutrition and community. Yes, consistency is a huge key to someone’s success to achieve goals but if you are not being taught the basis of nutrition on top of that consistency, you are being set up for failure. You have to have fun on top of this as well. Community and building those friendships with your trainers and gym members can make or break someone’s success at times. If you don’t trust what your coach is telling you, why keep coming back?
Describe your perferred exercise routine and why it works.
CrossFit is constantly varied functional movements performed at high intensity. All CrossFit workouts are based on functional movements, and these movements reflect the best aspects of gymnastics, weightlifting, running, rowing and more. These are the core movements of life. Routine is the enemy at CGX CrossFit. We want to teach you things that will translate into your everyday life. Picking up that heavy bag of dog food and not using your back to load the weight, but instead, loading your legs and tightening up your core. I truly stand behind my values of teaching my members the importance of breaking down each movement and to move with a full range of motion.
We focus on cardio and weightlifting at CGX. Cardio movements are great, obviously, to get the heart rate up and the metabolism going but then adding a value of strength and toning what you are losing. It doesn’t always have to be a barbell that we are putting in your hand; a lot of the time we use kettlebells or just plates to do the trick. I want you to walk into the gym and take the guessing out of it for you. We will help you move efficiently and effectively throughout the hour you are in the gym and then at the end of the hour leave you feeling great about your ability to move. I always preach to my members that going into a gym and doing a workout should not be a punishment for the food you have eaten or the choices you have made, but a celebration of what your body can do. Just move, sweat, laugh and learn new things. I promise you will leave feeling that much better about yourself and want to keep coming back day after day.
What advice would you give to someone who is new to fitness prior to them choosing an exercise regimen?
I would definitely say trying different gyms and seeing what is out there. What works for some people does not always work for others. I do feel that anyone at any age can do and be successful at CrossFit. If you have never followed CrossFit on social media, I encourage you to look it up. We have people well into their 60s, 70s and 80s just coming in and moving with proper range of motion. I give people who walk into my gym a good week or so to come in and just try different classes out, free of charge. I don’t see it as giving away my coaching for free but allowing them to see for themselves if this is a fit for them with no added pressure of signing up after one class. Do your research. Check out their reviews and ask around.
Knowing that you are going to have to step out of your comfort zone and just fail sometimes at things (not being the best at something the first time you try it). Failure is not a bad thing; it humbles you and feeds that desire in people to keep coming back to learn and push themselves. I promise you will get that at CGX CrossFit and it will make you a better version of you because at the end of each day, that’s all we want: just to be a better version of what we were yesterday. Step out of your comfort zone and try it.
CGX Crossfit
571 Industrial Drive, Bargersville, Indiana 46106
(317) 435 7125
Evolutions Yoga
What is the key to being successful in your fitness goals?
Consistency: in your actions and in your mind. People often choose one broad goal or “loose” goal, like to lose weight. Then they choose a particular activity or agenda which they think will get them there. Often the activity or agenda has worked for someone they know or have read about. The key that makes any particular path successful for anyone is the ability to stay on course every day, regardless of how you choose to get there, as well as being consistent on your rest days. A goal that starts out with a high expectation like working out six times a week, or one that is too loose, like “go to the gym more”, will often fail very quickly because they are not necessarily a good match for life circumstances or mentally engaging for long-term consistency to reaching your goal. Picking two-four days per week that you will be consistent to engage with your goals for 30 minutes or an hour a day is critical to success. On your rest days you must also be choosing actives and food that will support consistently working toward your goals. Over-indulgence in food or non-goal-oriented activities on your rest days will make it harder to perform or motivate yourself on your activity days. Create a life that is consistent with reaching your goals; you’ll see the little steps add up to big steps and milestones on reaching your goals.
Describe your preferred exercise routine and why it works.
My preferred exercise routine is to cross-train with lifting weights, yoga and hiking. The activities I choose complement each other and help me to make daily steps in maintaining consistency in improving my fitness and keep me mentally engaged for the long-term. I have achieved a significant change in my body size, shape and fitness improvements by staying consistent to my chosen activities years from now. My body continually changes, increases muscle definition, reaches deeper levels of range of motion and flexibility and hiking provides me with an outdoor cardio activity, allowing me to still be working on my goals while being in nature.
What advice would you give to someone who is new to fitness prior to them choosing an exercise regimen?
When you are new to fitness it is important to start out with reasonable expectations and choose an activity that interests you, even though you might not be naturally gifted to do it well at first. Many people new to a fitness routine choose “safe” activities that they already know they are naturally good at. This can be a good thing and a deterrent to long-term success. When you are good at something or feel you understand it, you can achieve a high level of motivation to start the activity, which is good. Long-term you may struggle with choosing something you are good at because there is limited motivation to push yourself to increase your competency or go to a new level; it’s safe to stay at the level that works and you know.
Choosing an activity that you may not be so good at or understand very well can be scary and intimidating at first and lower your motivation to take the plunge or to stick with it and learn to get better. If you can stick with something you are not good at in the beginning through dedication and consistency to keep trying there is a higher chance of success for reaching your goals because you will be learning a new skill and your brain is better engaged to keep registering your successes as wins, which keep the tendency for long-term engagement higher. Take chances and try some new activities as part of your goals. If you are not good at first there is always potential for getting better and that translates to success in reaching your goals.
Evolutions Yoga
2801 Fairview Place, Ste. I, Greenwood, IN 46142
(317) 881-9642
EvolutionsYoga.com
info@evolutionsyoga.com
Indiana Brazilian Jiu-Jitsu
Brazilian Jiu-Jitsu.
What is the key to being successful in your fitness goals?
I always encourage people to write down their goals. When it is put on paper, they have something tangible in hand, that they can touch and feel and review. It makes their goals into something real, not just in their head. Along with the goal itself, there needs to be an action plan. What steps are necessary to get to the goal? How will you achieve each step? How do I “course correct” if a step or goal is not met? The goal should also have a time frame. i.e. “I’m going to lose 12 pounds in three months”. This gives the needed insight to whether or not we are on the right path.
Describe your preferred exercise routine and why it works.
Brazilian Jiu-Jitsu. There is nothing that comes close. You are constantly pushing, pulling and stretching. You are learning to move your own body and how to control someone else’s. People can never believe how exhausting it can be. Outside of that, I don’t do much, but I find that high weight, low reps on Olympic lifts coupled with some other “explosive” movements and stretching are typically best for most Jiu-Jitsu athletes.
What advice would you give to someone who is new to fitness prior to them choosing an exercise regimen?
It’s always wise to get, at least, a basic checkup. Aside from that, know WHY you are starting an exercise regime. It’s important to know what your goals are in order to have a program designed to fit your needs and desires. Also, just put yourself out there. Starting anything new is difficult for most people. Just realize that you’ll probably be uncomfortable at first, but you’ll eventually get into the groove of everything.
Indiana Brazilian Jiu-Jitsu Academy
1140 N. State Road 135 Ste. P, Greenwood, IN 46142
(317) 946-9447
indianabrazilianjiujitsuacademy.com
Indy X Fitness/IXF CrossFit
Crossfit.
What is the key to being successful in your fitness goals?
A few keys to success that we use at our gym include mindset, consistency and nutrition. Changes to your body and your lifestyle don’t come without a shift in your mental attitude. If your mind isn’t up to the task, your body will never be. Whether you’re trying to lean down, gain strength or compete in a sport, mental strength will be the key to your success. Your goals may be physical, but your mind controls everything you do. Know what you want: Before starting on your journey, you’ve got to know where you’re going. What do you want to accomplish with your body? Surround yourself with positive people. Do what you hate! If you want to make everything else in your routine seem a little easier, aggressively tackle the stuff you hate the most.
Maintain momentum. For most people, training hard and eating right becomes easier the longer you do it. Like any other habit, they are tough to start, but even tougher to break. Set short- and long-term goals. Start with a long-term goal and break into small achievable goals. Tackle the small things and the big things take care of themselves.
Embrace failure! You should know that you are going to fail, and probably more than once before you reach your ultimate potential. Know that this isn’t an excuse to be undisciplined, but an understanding that you’ll have to stay in the game for the long haul. If you don’t understand the likelihood of occasional setbacks, every mishap will seem like the end of the world. Even if you exert the utmost control over your diet and training, you’re going to have setbacks like bad workouts, periods of low energy, injuries and external stress.
Describe your preferred exercise routine and why it works.
Although we have other programs as well as personal training, my preferred strength and conditioning program is CrossFit. CrossFit is constantly varied so you never get bored with the workouts and the movement is functional in everyday life. With the high intensity element of CrossFit the program is efficient and takes just one hour out of your day. The CrossFit method is also measurable, repeatable and observable.
What advice would you give to someone who is new to fitness prior to them choosing an exercise regimen?
I would advise them to research the owners and trainers of the gym. How long have they been training people? What is the extent of their education? What certifications do they hold? Go to the facility and talk with the trainers and members. Safety should be their No. 1 priority. If what they have to offer excites you, give it a shot. The facility should promote health and fitness, not just fitness.
IXF CrossFit
444 N. Madison Ave., Greenwood, IN 46142
(317) 215-4307
Ixfcrossfit.com
Martin Nutrition & Fitness
What is the key to being successful in your fitness goals?
It is important to establish a long-term goal and then small, short-term goals. Those short-term goals should be realistic and can be achieved in pursuit of your long-term goal. To be successful, one must be consistent and prioritize & plan. Those that succeed are the ones who you see consistently at the gym at least five to six times per week. They’ve formed a consistent habit. They’ve also made it a priority in their lives to find time and plan out 60 minutes out of their day dedicated to fitness. They plan ahead by planning out their healthy meals and/or packing their gym bag the night before.
Describe your preferred exercise routine and why it works.
For the general public just looking to get into shape, I think a good combination of strength and conditioning will be very beneficial for those individuals. We call that High Intense Resistance Training (HIRT) and High Intense Interval Training (HIIT). By combining a primary compound strength movement with accessory anaerobic exercises and short bursts of aerobically challenging exercises to drive up your heart rate, you will not only get a greater caloric burn, but you will improve your strength along the way. This is how our daily HIIT and HIRT classes are programmed, so individuals can reap the biggest benefits and improve their overall fitness!
What advice would you give to someone who is new to fitness prior to them choosing an exercise regimen?
Establish a goal first. By establishing a goal, you are narrowing down the type of fitness or exercise routine that you should be executing. For example, if your goal isn’t to run a 5k, lots of running should not be a major part of your exercise plan. If you are seeking help from a fitness profession, do your homework. Make sure they truly have the knowledge and the experience necessary to help you out. There are SO many, what we call, “Instagram trainers” that claim to be fitness professionals, but they are not. There are also individuals that try to help by selling products (i.e. shakes, powders and magic pills) as part of multi-level marketing schemes. Those individuals also claim to be fitness professionals, but again, most of them are just trying to make some money for their “side hustle.” Look for fitness professionals who have a degree in a fitness-related field that have put in the time and hard work to educate themselves. Those are the ones that truly care about your fitness goals and genuinely want to help you succeed!
Martin Nutrition & Fitness, LLC
862 S. State Rd. 135, Greenwood, IN 46143
(317) 215-4570
martinnf.com
Studio 317 Fitness & Cycling
What is the key to being successful in your fitness goals?
Consistency: schedule time each week for yourself. Also, it’s important to find something you enjoy doing. If a family member or friend can join you, it will help keep you on track.
Describe your preferred exercise routine and why it works.
We believe in a mix of strength training like Body Pump; adding in some cycling and HIIT training is great because it is short and intense. Then round that out with some great stretching in an Urban Stretch class.
What advice would you give to someone who is new to fitness prior to them choosing an exercise regimen?
Take a moment and celebrate that you are putting yourself first and wanting to make a change to get healthier. Then take it one day, one class, one change at a time. You have to use the options and ask the instructor questions (that’s what they are there for).
Studio 317 Fitness & Cycling
500 Polk St. Ste. 24, Greenwood, IN 46143
(317) 883-7644
Studio317fitness.com
Studio You Yoga & Pilates
& Pilates.
What is the key to being successful in your fitness goals?
We have found that the best way for our yoga/Pilates students to be successful is to be realistic and honest with their goals. At Studio You Yoga & Pilates we listen to our students on what their health goals are and help them develop a plan to reach those goals. The combination of yoga and Pilates offers students many well-rounded benefits for both the body and the mind. These benefits include flexibility, core strength, increased muscle strength, weight loss, decreases stress, relieves anxiety, injury prevention, improved breathing and increased balance.
Describe your preferred exercise routine and why it works.
I prefer to exercise the same way we recommend to our students. I incorporate both yoga and Pilates as my weekly fitness routine. It works well because yoga and Pilates compliments each other with the benefits surrounding balance, flexibility and strength. I am able to maintain a healthy body and mind.
What advice would you give to someone who is new to fitness prior to them choosing an exercise regimen?
We recommend looking at some different options, ask questions and find a place that allows some trial classes. Studio You Yoga and Pilates offers one-week free unlimited Pilates as well as 21 days of unlimited yoga for $30.
Studio You Yoga & Pilates
862 S. State Rd. 135, Ste. 1, Greenwood, IN 46143
(317) 882-8733
Studioyouyoga.com
