Omni Fitness- As I welcome in the New Year I think it is appropriate to reflect upon the year that has passed.  The year 2011 will always be held close to my heart, as it was the year I took the leap and started Omni.  I still remember the day I filed the papers with the city to apply for my business license.  I was nervous – yet confident, I was hesitant – yet eager, and I was patient – yet ready to bring my talents to the Tri-Valley (sorry LeBron, just could not pass it up)area.  There was so much I had to learn; from logo designs, web-site layouts, business card styles, advertising, the use of social media, finding locations to train; the list can go on and on. It was surely a year of ups, downs and constant evolution but when the smoke cleared I could not be happier with how things turned out.  They say behind every great man is a great woman and I would like to take the opportunity to thank Carleigh for helping me with all of this.  You were truly the brains behind the operation and without you none of this would have been possible.

Location. Location.  Location.  If I had to choose one thing that was the most challenging for me, it was where to train.  Did I want to be in San Ramon or Pleasanton, inside or outside, sub-lease or rent my own space, empty warehouse or full functioning gym?  I started out by sub-leasing a 1 hour time block 3 days a week in a small empty commercial building in San Ramon.  By the next month I was also doing a nighttime outdoors class at a park in Oakland.  A couple months later I moved my San Ramon class outdoors to a local park during the warm summer months.  As summer ended and the nights started earlier I had to look for an indoor location for my Oakland class.  After nearly a month of searching with little results I decided to put the class on the shelf for a while and concentrate on just one location.  I moved the San Ramon class to Pleasanton where we worked out in the freezing cold at a local tennis center.  It was during this month that I really began to doubt if this bootcamp was going to be able to work.  With winter upon me and my back against the wall an old friend came calling with a golden opportunity.  He knew of a place in Pleasanton that had a full functioning gym as well as plenty of floor space to run Bootcamp classes.  He set up a meeting with the owners and as they say, the rest is history.  I now have a permanent indoor 18,000 square foot facility to train out of day and night.

The first month of class was what I would like to call a soft opening.  It was just me and a handful of faithful friends training together 3 days a week as I got my teaching style down.  With their constructive criticism and suggestions it was amazing how much class evolved from week to week.  Simple suggestions such as playing music, writing the workouts a week in advance(as a personal trainer I like to make up the workouts on the fly depending on how the client is reacting that day) and appropriate rest intervals.  At the end of the month I felt confident that class had become organized enough to warrant taking on paying customers.  And just like that I was officially open for business.  Things started slow with one new client the first month then another one the next month.  Slowly but surely I began to have a dedicated group of campers who stayed together and welcomed in new members each month.   I would like to thank both Vi and Laura who were not only loyal campers who helped me welcome the new clients but were also instrumental in spreading the word and recruiting new clients.  I will always remember that you ladies were there for me.  While I was trying to grow the San Ramon class two more long time friends, Elaine and Naseem, gathered a group in Oakland and asked if I would make the trek out there to run a camp 3 nights a week.  Of course I agreed and the business began to grow.

Though Bootcamps make up a large percentage of what Omni has become I still reserve a few hours a day to take on personal training clients.  Though she will be embarrassed to see her name in writing I need to thank Jodee who was my first client and the one person above all else who got me motivated to take on training others as a career.  For those who don’t know – Jodee came to me as a friend asking for help to get in shape.  I had the free time so agreed to help her out, never thinking it would become a career move.  After months of hard work and amazing results I was in love with the idea of helping someone else reach their peak potential and made the decision to start Omni.  For this Jodee you will always have a place in my heart and a time slot open for you to train.  I would also like to thank Marya for all of her support of my business and dedication to training.  You are one of my favorites (and at times most difficult projects) and I will stick with you until we finally reach your potential.  No one deserves it more than you.  I now have a couple handfuls of one on one clients and I must say those are some of the greatest hours of my day.  There is just something about the bond formed in the one on one training relationship that cannot be duplicated.

The list of people I would like to thank for making Omni such a success could go on and on.  From Lukas who joined in my first open Bootcamp class and has not missed a month since, to Leahn and Marianne who each put in 3 solid months of Bootcamp together and saw results and improvements that shocked even me, to my youngest client Tori who at 15 years of age is stronger and more determined than most adults that I meet.  For them and all the rest of those whose names I did not mention thank you all so very much for entrusting me with your health.  I truly hope you have received as much from me over the past year as I have from you all.  Without you there would be no Omni!  I look forward to taking all of the past year’s experiences and using them to grow Omni in the years to come.  I finally have an amazing fitness center to call home and I will utilize it to transform as many lives as possible.  For those who have already experienced what Omni has to offer I welcome you all back for another amazing year.  For those who are curious if Omni is right for you, I invite you to come by and meet me and take a tour of the facility.  I promise you will love what you see and never look back…

Omni Fitness-  The month of November has brought with it tons of change for myself and Omni Fitness.  I have continued with my 90 day challenge but moved to an entirely new workout.  A new facility has finally been found, lease signed and training begun.  Bootcamp has been moved from early mornings to early evenings and with it has come new clients.  I have also moved back into the personal training world with one old and a couple new clients.  A lot has happened in the last 2 weeks and I am excited to share some of the stories.

My 90 day challenge is now 2 days shy of the half way point and some of the physical changes are finally starting to show.  My arms which have always been the hardest muscles for me to grow have definitely filled out.  I even received a few comments from people I had not seen in a while, saying that it looked like I had been hitting the gym hard.  These small comments are all the affirmation I need to continue to push.  My chest and back have broadened and I am starting to get  my legs back.  Now I need to really focus on my diet over the last 45 days so my abs can break through.

While the search was long, brutal and at times I felt like giving up, a new indoor facility has finally been secured.  The long wait was well worth it, as I am absolutely in love with the location.  It has roughly 15,000 square feet of functional training space, a full gym, ample open floor space, sprint treadmills, plyomtric boxes and platforms, all the resistance bands you could ever need and a whole lot more.  It even has a batting cage for crying out loud.  As if 24 hour access to the entire facility was not enough I also have access to a few of the best physical therapists and trainers around.  I have already begun sitting in on a few of their group performance training sessions and have learned more in those few hours as I could have by reading for weeks.  I feel truly blessed to have all these new tools to help me grow my craft.

Bootcamp has moved from 7Am to 6PM this month and so far I am happy with the change.  The class has a few familiar faces(Marianne and Lukas) and a few new faces(Michelle, Pauline and Praj) as well.  The first day of class was admittedly a bit to hard, but I wanted to test everyone and see just what I was working with.  I was afraid I had pushed a little too hard but when they all showed up the next night I knew I had a group of troopers that I could work with.  While I am serious about class and it is hard, there are always a few moments of humor mixed in.  The leading laugh getter thus far came from Michelle.  As I was explaining to Praj why the exercise was called mountain climbers, Michelle chimed in with “she  would prefer Mountain Mikes(this is a pizza parlor for those who don’t know).”  I tried to stay serious but had to laugh and take a minute break to compose myself as well as the class.  Well played Michelle, well played.

Marya has decided that personal training is a better fit for her as opposed to bootcamp, so has switched.  She has also recruited Lacy to train with her.  Poor Lacy had no clue what she was in store for, but she has listened to what I have said and is progressing nicely.  On a whim this past Tuesday I asked Marya if she had been going to her spin classes on “off” days and she admitted she had not.  After the workout I put her through afterwards I will bet she never misses another one.  I have also begun to train my youngest client(13-14 I believe) to date.  Tori may have been forced there by her mother but she has amazed me with her strength, determination and ability to trust what I say and go all in.  Though she is a lot younger than my other clients I do not take it any easier on her and expect just as much.  In turn she has proven that she can handle whatever I throw at her and come back for more.  It is these things and people that keep me going.

I am only 2 weeks into my new beginning and have never been more inspired or excited about the future of Omni Fitness.  I will continue to dedicate myself and my time to changing the lives of the people around me.  Fitness is what I know and what I love and I now have a place where people can come to share my passion with me.  If you would like to come tour the facility or experience an Omni bootcamp class, e-mail me for a free pass.

Omni Fitness-  While I almost always blog about bootcamp and my clients, today I want to take time to tell you a little about myself.  If you happen to follow my blog, you know that at the beginning of the month I embarked upon a personal 90 day challenge.  My goals were both transparent and complicated.  Some were easily quantified, simple measurement and mathematical equation, such as gaining 7 pounds of muscle and dropping my body fat to as close as 5% as possible. I will either weigh 185 pounds and be 5% body fat or I will not.  My other goal is not as easily defined or determined.  To be athletic and “in shape” again.

How does one define, measure, or determine athleticism and being “in shape”?  Is it the ability to run a certain speed, jump a certain height, throw a certain distance, or maybe lift a certain weight?  Could it be regaining past abilities or accomplishing a new feat all together?  Maybe a combination of all the above or something completely foreign and different?  I will not pretend to have the answer for you, but I do know one thing for sure: it will be different for everyone and when the time comes to measure, then -  and only then – will you know for sure if the goal has been achieved.

Before I continue I find it relevant to say this;  I understand that my definition, or idea, of being “in shape” will most likely differ from the majority of readers.  I already have a 6-pack, I can still run a 5 minute mile, and I workout daily.  While these may be traits that some would only wish for, this is not the case for me.  I have been to the top of the athletic mountain and nothing short of its peak will be considered acceptable in my world.  We all have are own measuring stick of athleticism and I can not settle for good enough.

I have spent the past 24 days working out every morning and then again during most evenings.  There are days where I lift heavy weights and days I use nothing but my body weight to workout.  Some days are filled with abdominal exercises, while others involve distance runs or sprints.  I have been doing explosive movements, such as push-ups where my entire body (hands and feet) leave the ground, or box jumps on the 4 foot box.  Followed by strength/core moves such as planks on the balance ball and pull-ups with a 45 pound weight around my waist.  Then there are days when I just get crazy and combine all these things together.  Every day brings a new workout and new challenge to achieve or maybe even something to relive.

My diet has been far from perfect but I have found that keeping a meticulous journal of what I eat has really helped me turn away from bad choices.  There is just something about having to keep a written record that can be read by others that keeps me honest.  Though I have a pretty decent knowledge base of what a proper diet consists of, I have no problem admitting that I am not an expert.  Having said that, I have turned to a friend who is somewhat of an expert in this field for some help.  She will be writing me a meal by meal diet to follow over my final 30 days.  I know myself and if it is written for me I will follow it to the letter, no matter what the temptation.

This all brings me to a question I found myself pondering as I laid on the track yesterday gasping for breath.  I had just finished my 10th 200 meter repeat and the pedestrian pace of 35 seconds.  I remember doing this same workout a decade ago at 27 seconds and feeling like I had only just begun.  As I gasped for breath I watched a young, fairly fit guy doing a pretty decent workout.  I could not help but both envy his youth and pitty him for the reality of old age that will hit him a few years from now.  When all was said and done I was left with one question: Is is better to have once been an elite athlete and experienced all the highs of winning and have stories to last a life time,  only to let life play its course and bring you back to earth, leaving you with the gripping pain of what you were and will never be again?  Or is it better to have just been an average person who never reached a level of athleticism of any signifigance and no stories to share, never having to face the pain of having it all slip away?

I honestly think that the answer will be different for everyone and have yet to find my own answer.  I am not sure if I will ever have an answer, but today I do know this; I have 66 more days to see just how athletic I can be at 32 years of age and I will hold onto that level for as long as I can! Then I will be forced to ponder this question for a second time…

Omni Fitness Bootcamp-  October is upon us and with it has come rain, cold mornings and then warm mornings.  My first week in Pleasanton has surely been anything but routine.  Class is still being held outdoors while I try to make a deal on the indoor facility that I found.  I am really hoping we can find a way to make it work for both parties because I absolutely love the place and think it would be great for business.  I am almost positive I could pack a night class immediately and really get things going.  I will give it one more week and then I will have to move on to another location if need be.

The first week of class came with it’s own set of unique circumstances, a class first and a very proud moment for me.  The park we are at is right across the street from a row of houses, so I have to make sure not to do too much yelling as I do not want to awaken any sleeping giants.  The last thing I need is upset neighbors when I am trying to teach a class on public property.  As of now there has not been any issues and one of the residents even came over to ask about class.  This was actually pretty funny!  The lady came over asked what the class was and what time it was held?  I told her it was a bootcamp and it was held at “this” time 7-8am MWF.  She thought about it for a second and then said “oh yeah I have the kids at this time.”  I got a good laugh out of it.  I also had to cancel my first class due to 3 days of rain.  This about killed me, I was even up and dressed sitting on the porch just hoping the rain would stop.  But at last it kept coming so I had to send out a class is cancelled message.  I was not a happy camper.

On the positive side of things Leahn continues to shrink and now has that great problem of needing to buy new clothes.  I noticed she was holding back a bit on liners and when I asked why she informed me  that her pants were now too big and kept falling down.  I am pretty sure my smile kept the rain away for the rest of the week.  She has worked her butt off (no pun intended) since joining Omni and the results are showing loud and clear.  She said even her mother keeps staring at her saying “your face is so thin” again a smile from ear to ear.  I can hardly wait for this month to end so I can take her 90 day pictures and put her on the results page.  She has worked hard and deserves to be recognized!

I would also like to mention the strides that Marianne has made.  She has now moved to the red bands for all of her resistance exercises, I think she even surprised herself with this one.  However, I was most impressed with the fact that she is actually doing push-ups now.  She has an extremely bad wrist and can not put any weight on it, thus has been unable to participate in any push-up drills.  This week I asked her to try them on her fists and she knocked them out.  I am sure it hurt like hell but I absolutely love the grit and heart she is displayed!

A quick update on my 90 day challenge:  I just wrapped up my 10th day and I am in full blown go mode.  I am starting to get some of the explosiveness back that left me a decade ago.  I am doing full court liners in 45 seconds and box jumps on the highest box in the gym.  Did I mention the explosive push-ups where I get my entire body( feet and hands ) off the ground?  That’s right, sets of 10 like they are nothing.  Pull-ups with a 35lb weight around my waist and dips with a 50lb weight around my waist.  I am starting to remember what it felt like to be an athlete.  And. I. Like. It!!!

Omni Fitness Bootcamp-   As the month of September came to a close so did bootcamp as we all know it.  I have officially ended all San Ramon classes and moved them to Pleasanton.  Omni was always meant to be in Pleasanton but since the first studio I found was in San Ramon I gave it a try there.  However, since we have moved outdoors lately, I figure now is the right time to pick up and take class home.  I am very excited about the move and have hired a leasing agent to find me an awesome spot.  I am equally as excited that Marianne, Lukas, Leahan and Laura have all agreed to follow me to Pleasanton and continue to train.  Your loyalty means the world to me and I will not forget it.

As for my Oakland class I will be taking a little break for a month or two to focus all my energy on making Pleasanton a smashing success.  I am going to truly miss this group and all of the laughter they brought.  It was a hard decision to make but I truly believe I owe it to the company to build one city at a time.  Mark my words, once Pleasanton is up and running I will be back kicking all of your butts.  So don’t get lazy!  I think I may have to stop by and observe my homeless crew once a week just to report their happenings.  After all what is this blog without the sports authority better known as The Frog Park Homeless Click?

Since they have agreed to stay dedicated I have agreed to still train Marya and Nas from the Oakland class privately.  How could I not?  They have remained loyal to me throughout and anyone who knows me knows that is all I ask.  You 2 were there with me, in the dark, late at night, by ourselves on many an occasion including the last day of September.  For that you now have my undivided attention and results we shall get.  I am going to miss the Ortega duo and my good pal Cynthia but I hope to see them all again when I make a return to Oakland.  Oh yeah does anyone remember when Pam used to come to class?  Those or should I say that was the day.  I love you guys.

On a personal side I have started a 90 day challenge that will end with the ringing in of the new year.  My goals are to gain 7 pounds of lean muscle and get my body fat down to the 5% range.  I don’t think I have been that low since I was still at Cal Poly.  Though I have been working out hard as of late my stats are currently 185 pounds and 13% body fat.  I want to keep the 185 but add the 7 pounds of muscle while losing the fat.  I have also taking all my measurements and before pics that will be posted at a later date.  I am just finishing up day 2 and I am loving the dedication that I am feeling.  I know the dedicated all in Ric and I love that guy.  It has been a while since I have been focused like this, but I still remember what it felt like to be the best and I WILL BE BACK….