Why Breaking Down your Boundaries will Help you Reach the Next Level in your Fitness Journey

There have long been myths about how men and women should train. I have seen countless cases where a client will come to train in a group or one-on-one session and give me a smirk or funny look when I have them take a step out of their comfort zone.

But taking a step out of our comfort zone is the only way we can grow, and that doesn’t just apply to training, but everyday life as well. Setting goals is all about pushing yourself to a new threshold, a breaking through a plateau and surpassing limitations that either yourself or society have placed on you.
When it comes to limiting yourself, more often than not, taking a close-minded approach to training will prevent you from creating the best possible version of yourself, inside and out.

This past Sunday I took a number of my clients to Norwalk,CT, to watch the annual Battle of the Belles strong woman competition held at Punch Gym by my friend and colleague Stefanie Tropea. My clients, both male and female, were impressed by the sheer athleticism – and surprisingly unique body type – that these athletes had. I expect a number of my clients to take part in this competition next year and by showing them first-hand what these women do, I was able to shed some lingering misconceptions they may have had.

I use that anecdote to show how the idea that women cannot be power lifters or if they do they will become inundated with muscle should go the way of the dinosaur. Women will swear by their static cardio routines, whether it be running on the treadmill, wasting away on an elliptical, or even attending spin class, women have this mentality that the second they pick up a dumbbell, they will look more like Arnold Schwarzenegger than Halle Berry.

The fact of the matter is that compound lifts and movements with heavier weight will help you tone up, burn fat and create a shapelier, lean body that will be the envy of everyone you come across.

And guys, you are just as guilty. When I walk into a gym I can just smell the testosterone and the machismo oozing from all of you with every rep, every clang of the weight serving as a statement of your dominance over the next muscled-up gorilla in the room. Sure building big bulky muscles may look cool…if we were in the last millennium trying out for American Gladiators.
The truth of the matter is trading in the massive barbells and dumbbells for lighter weights and different tools and techniques will benefit you in the long run.

By focusing on band resistance training, proper form, foam rolling, stretching and incorporating other aspects of fitness such as yoga and high intensity interval training, you will create the sculpted look that will have you looking and feeling better than you ever have before.

There are no hard and fast rules when it comes to training and reaching your goals. My job, and the job of all fitness coaches in general, is to make sure my clients reach a level of happiness not just with their physical look, but also in how they feel mentally as well.

By limiting yourself and approaching your training with the stubbornness of a mule, you are not just making my job that much more difficult, but you are also preventing yourself from reaching a state of fitness bliss as quickly as possible in a satisfying way.

So the next time you right off a routine because it doesn’t seem like the conventional approach, remember, the only way we become more happy with who we are and expand our horizons is by taking a tiny step out of our comfort zone every so often.

Contact us today@917-432-9418  to start your unconventional way of training for maximum results.