New Year’s resolutions are a staple for so many people. Putting together a list, vision board, etc. is a fantastic way to be intentional about what you want to accomplish in the upcoming months. As we enter the new year, we tend to see two different themes posted on social media:

1. Someone looking to better themselves and start a new lifestyle that involves going to the gym.
2. The average meathead bashing these “resolutioners” saying things like “stay out of my squat rack” and “if you need a new year to be better, you already lost.”

It’s the time of year where local gyms become flooded with hoards of new gym goers looking to live their new resolution. It’s also that time of year for the average meathead* (not to be confused for a true meathead or gym-goer) to be a dickhead to these resolutioners.

*Average Meathead = someone who has been lifting for a X amount of years and thinks they know everything. Someone who got swoll years ago, plateaued and never grew again.

**True Meathead = someone who recognizes that the gym is a sanctuary that should be welcoming to all, and who wants to share all the bro-science s/he has picked up over the years.

Now to be fair, “New Year’s Resolutioners” have earned themselves a negative rep over the years. This is because we have seen them come and go year after year. Every January they come in waves large enough to scare even Kelly Slater, and by February/March 80% of them have gone. There is obviously a reason(s) why 80% of New Year’s Resolutions fail by February (source: https://www.businessinsider.com/new-years-resolutions-courses-2016-12) and the fact of the matter is that most resolutioners have tried before and will try again.

So why would we love resolutioners if they aren’t going to stick to it? Why waste our time trying to help someone who will be gone in 6 weeks?

EASY!

We think we have the formula to help people stick to it, and the thought process to make strength a priority in their lives. If we can help a resolutioner understand the basics, they have a better starting point for success. A resolutioner is a clean-slate, THAT’S why we love them. We can help them achieve their goals over time.

I almost always hear the same version of this story from new years resolutioners that have tried and failed in the past…

“I did “insert fad diet” for “X amount of weeks” and started doing cardio on the “insert cardio equipment” combined with a weight machine circuit. I made really good progress in the beginning but hit a plateau. Or I got hurt. Or I ate 1 carb and lost it all.”

I am not here to sound like an “average meathead” or smack-talk diets, other trainers, cardio, etc. I am only here to tell you the tales of what I have heard in the past. All of these things have their place and time, and when combined/executed properly they can be very effective and efficient.

There is usually one major component that is missing from their resolution; strength. This is the basis for most resolution “failures.”

Strength is a relative term and doesn’t mean that you need to deadlift twice your bodyweight, or bench press 405 pounds. But if you start picking up, carrying, squatting, and pressing heavy things a few times a week, it is going to make all that other stuff (i.e. cardio, dieting, etc) mean a whole lot more. Strength gives us a base to stack everything on top of. So when we do hit a plateau on the scale, we can continue to build muscle, power and strength. We continue changing our body compensation and body fat percentage until we eventually break through that plateau (like the Kool-Aid man busting through a wall)! OH YEAH!!!

One of our all star clients, Jacqui Payne, can attest; “Justin got me strong. Before starting to work out with Justin I couldn’t get out of bed without back pain. After working with him, I could pick things up and my back wouldn’t hurt anymore. He taught me that being able to move, and being strong were both elements that I had been missing. I learned that things didn’t need to crack or hurt when I moved my body. My new normal was strong, and the more I moved, the more resilient I became. I learned how to build upon foundational aspects of strength and mobility. I also learned how to stay committed even through the plateaus and “slow” progress. I had too many goals and my body felt strong, so I never quit. Justin would explain that my body needed to take a minute to adjust to being stronger and that I would eventually crave strength. He was right. Every plateau would be short, and I would crave heavier lifts, or mastering harder and heavier complexes. Everything just began to flow better and my body never felt bored and the workouts never got old. I would get to the gym everyday, and be able to change just enough that I would get stronger but never more sore. My body changed in such an awesome way. My old workouts never did that. Pounds would drop, habits changed, and my life got better.”

Basically – we love resolutioners, because we love to see people reach for something. Hitting goals, and committing to a LONG TERM goal can (and is) super tough. Every single time that someone fails and decides to try again, they’ve won. Resolutions are a great way to start off a task that seems daunting. We’re the REAL meathead/gym-rats here. We’re welcoming and helpful. We’re really hoping that we can help a few resolutioners stick with their fitness goals in 2019. The 24/7 access gym, professional personal trainers, and overall feel of the facility was done/created to help people.