3 Great Things About Running My Own Gym
July 27, 2015 by danny · Leave a Comment
Starting up a business (in any field) can be very tough, time-consuming, and RISKY. Many small businesses fail within the first couple years of their start-up. The main reason being a lack of experience. So there is definitely a ton to consider before starting up a business, and it’s not for everyone. I could continue with some of what I’ve learned over the years about running a training facility/new business, and talk about all those risks as well as some of the stress that comes along with it.
But, I’m going to look at the positive today.
What I love About Having My Own Gym
1) Music
I get to pick the music I listen to when I workout. I really like hip-hop. I really like country. At times I’m in the mood for some rock. My lifting partner brings his I-Pod of songs that we put together and like to listen to when training. At any given moment you may hear Run-DMC, Tom Petty, and Blake Shelton, to name a few.
In the video below you’ll see what I mean. This was on a day when my training partner was out of town so I bounced around on Pandora between Eric Church, Jay-Z, Rolling Stones, and Beastie Boys radio. Much better than getting stuck at a commercial gym running the same loop of the same old songs over and over and over and over and over…
2) Equipment
Before opening my facility, I thought about all the equipment that I would want to use in my own training. As well as all the equipment that would put our members in the best position to reach their goals. There is still some pieces of equipment I want to add, but I have a pretty kick-ass set-up… Glute-Ham Developer, Safety-Squat Bar, Football Bar, Suspension Trainers, a Rig, etc. etc. It is great to have “variety with a purpose.” In other words, I do NOT throw new equipment into the space just to have more “stuff.” Every piece of equipment is there for a reason, and I get to be the mad-scientist making the choices! Pretty sweet!
The video below shows the Pandora music example I listed above, as well as some of the “specialty equipment” (along with some of the “regular” training essentials) I’m using during one of my recent training sessions.
In the first exercise I’m using a Football Bar performing the bench press. In video numero dos I’m using a Suspension Trainer while performing rows. In the third video good old Dumbbells for hammer curls, and finally a Barbell with a Hampton Thick Pad while doing hip thrusts in last video.
3) Basketball
I’ve watched, played and studied basketball all my life. Obviously the ability to shoot, handle the ball, and shoot off the dribble are huge components in the game of basketball. The skill-side anyway, as I could also mention athletic ability, toughness, size, “basketball-smarts,” strength, hustle, etc etc. But on the skill-side, shooting and dribbling make up a good portion of the game. The question is, what are the best drills/moves to help develop these skills? Well, this is where I get to be the mad-scientist again. I try to give the basketball players I work the best drills while teaching them a number of very effective moves that they can work on to help develop their game. I don’t take this lightly, and I’m also trying to improve. But yeah, it is pretty great to be able to give them my spin on this whole thing! A few examples below…
Bonus - I get to play/dribble/shoot whenever I feel like it, rain, sleet, or snow…
These days I don’t play a whole lot of basketball. But it is fun from time-to-time to work on my moves and get some shots up…
2014 Basketball and Training Videos
January 6, 2015 by danny · Leave a Comment
I hope everyone had a great New Year’s. I had a great time with family and friends and am ready to kick 2015 in the ass! This is usually about the time when I say, “it has been awhile since my last blogpost, but I promise to update it more frequently going forward.” But no. I’m not gonna give you any false promises. Between all the hours I spend training people in the weight room and giving basketball lessons and trying to keep up with 3-year old twins, no such promises will be made. But I did want to share with you some videos from the past year to officially close out 2014. I FINALLY took a bunch of videos that I recorded over the course of the year and got them up onto my computer. So, below you’ll see a bunch of what goes on inside our walls at MVP Training. These videos represent only a fraction of the time I spent working with people over the course of the year. However, I plan on breaking out the video camera more this year and sharing them here on my blog, on facebook, youtube, and on twitter. So if aren’t already a friend/follower/subscriber, just look up and to the right above “Recent Posts,” and let’s connect. Like I said, I know I won’t be posting as many blogposts/articles on here as I used to, but I plan on including more fitness and basketball videos, so be sure to check back for those. With that said, here we go…
The video below starts with the young guns and works up to the middle schoolers …
More Videos, Pictures, and Thoughts from Inside MVP Training…
Here’s another quick update from inside MVP Training
In case you missed my post on Facebook (add me on FB if we’re not already friends as I put a lot of training, nutrition, and basketball posts there, throughout the week), I filmed the new Move of the Month for March… “The Kevin Durant” …
Me hip thrusting 425 pounds…
345 pounds is still the female hip thrust record at my gym. But there are some other females closing ground! We’ll see what the numbers bring over the spring/summer.
This video is at my previous facility…
I love training people (and myself) at the new (not so-new anymore) facility. But up until this past Saturday, I haven’t been able to enjoy one of the features that I’ve been really looking forward to using. And that’s rolling up the BIG garage door to really open up the place. It was great to finally do this! You can see Drew off to the left (see the orange med ball?) getting ready to perform some explosive medicine ball “stomps.”
Hopefully the weather continues to cooperate so that the door will be open more and more…
Finally, tonight is the finals of the NCAA tourney. If Kentucky ends up winning it all, I don’t know if you’d call it the most impressive run in the history of the tournament.?. Or the best run. Or that they are the best team ever. But they are on the most exciting run ever. I can’t believe the finishes of their games!!! Each one has been a thriller, and I’m not even a UK fan. I can’t even imagine the roller coaster that Kentucky fans have been going through during these games!?! I’m sure my boy Jeff Rinaldi has already suffered about 8 near heart attacks! Hopefully tonight’s game will be just as exciting!
Who do you think is going to pull it out?
Enjoy…
Basketball And Training Videos From Inside MVP Training…
February 4, 2014 by danny · Leave a Comment
Hello all. It has been awhile since I’ve given you a peek inside some of our training and basketball sessions at MVP Training. So I thought it would be a good time to do so again…
First up, I recorded my second installment of “The Move of the Month.” For January, I went with the reverse spin…
Next up is an athlete performing sumo deadlifts and another performing band resisted push-ups.
Ty’s push-ups are looking really good! And Madison is new to deadlifting so I am happy with her form. But as she gets more experienced I’ll continue to work on her form… she needs to get a little tighter in her set-up and stay tight throughout the entire set. But overall, nice work!
Next. Box Squats and Push-Ups.
Ryan is in 7th grade and I recently allowed him to “graduate” to barbell box squats after he showed me consistent great form with his goblet squats. He did a great job of nailing that set! And then we have Kaden in 5th grade performing push-ups. We almost have him down to the floor doing full range of motion push-ups. His form is good in the video but he is still extending his low back a bit much. So I won’t have him going any lower ’til he masters that flaw. But again, overall really good for a 5th grader!
Here’s me trying to practice what I preach. Trap Bar Deadlifts with Chains…
And finally, another basketball video of players from a wide range of ages (5th grade through 9th grade)…
So there you go, we’re building healthy, strong bodies in the weight room, and improving games on the court.
Gotta love it!
Have a great week…
Deanna’s GREAT Before And After Pictures
November 6, 2013 by danny · Leave a Comment
The first time Deanna contacted me was via e-mail. While reading this e-mail, to be honest, I thought to myself, “oh great, another one of those, ‘I’ll do WHATEVER it takes to get results as fast as possible,’ types.” When she told me her goal (and they were very aggressive goals. Not your typical, I want to lose 1-2 pounds per week, type of goals), I had to e-mail her back, telling her to slow down and ease into this thing a bit more. But she swore to me, that once she puts her mind to something, she TRULY sticks to it. Anyway, I was still a little apprehensive and thought that maybe she was setting herself up for disappointment.
What was the end result? I’ll let her tell the story. Deanna, it’s all you…
I lost over 40 pounds in 4 months with help from Danny McLarty. Sounds like one of those ads on TV but it’s true. I did not use diet aids or magic pills. I used hard work and self discipline while Danny guided, recommended, and encouraged.
Why did I choose to lose the weight? January 2nd I stepped on the scale at the doctor’s office and was so disgusted with my weight that I couldn’t even concentrate on what the doctor was saying. I realized my clothes were too tight. I noticed that the steering wheel was rubbing on my belly when I drove. I’m over 40 and I have had two kids – that’s just what happens, right? Avoiding the cameras should have been the first clue for my true problem…I was not happy with myself and excuses were not fixing my problem.
I joined a corporate-wide “Biggest Loser” contest through work on January 4th. My first weigh-in was tough. I had to get on a scale in front of one of my co-workers. My stomach lurched as she leaned over to read the scale, stated my weight out loud, and wrote it down. I was embarrassed at my weight and even more determined to change myself.
I was referred to Danny by a dear friend that had been going to him already. I contacted him by email through his website and we scheduled an appointment for an evaluation. I was surprised that his evaluation had absolutely nothing to do with a scale. He checked my flexibility and had me do a few exercises and ran some measurements that had to do with range of motion. There was no measuring tape around the waist. I liked that. We also discussed eating and accountability. He gave me a list of recommended food choices and alternatives to what I was accustomed to eating. We also discussed portion control.
After the meeting, I obtained a calendar and religiously recorded exactly what I ate throughout the day. I made sure to measure my portions and I kept track of both the calorie count and the grams of protein for each item. I even measured salad dressing. By doing this I soon realized how much I used to consume because I liked the food rather than for what I needed to feel full. I learned that by eating a reasonable portion of protein I felt more satisfied than I had with an oversized portion of pasta.
Danny created routines specifically for me. The routines consisted of weight lifting, circuit cardio, and core exercises. He demonstrated the routines and then monitored me while I performed them.
Final weigh in was March 1st. With a loss of 14% of my body weight, I won the corporate wide contest. Besides winning the contest, I also discovered that I enjoyed weight lifting; perhaps not the process so much as the invigorating feeling afterwards. My clothes were baggy and I noticed that I had more energy. I went to a follow up appointment at my doctor and found that my blood pressure had gone down and I was happy to report that I hadn’t needed a medication to prevent heartburn in nearly 2 months.
I continued with my twice per week training and by April 1st I had lost even more weight. I wasn’t being nearly as strict with my food choices but my food preferences had changed. I prefer fruit to sweets. Peanuts are now one of my favorite snacks. I still love pizza but I stay away from the pasta except on special occasions. It’s now November 1st and I’m still down just over 40 pounds. My weight has been steady and so has my lifestyle which includes regular exercise and continued training with Danny. I’m comfortable with how I look and I love how I feel. Thank you, Danny!
-Deanna Wolfe
Thanks, Deanna! GREAT job!
The secret? There is no secret. Hard work. Determination. Consistency.
Let’s take another look at those pics! …
Still Stuck On 3 Sets Of 10?
September 10, 2013 by danny · Leave a Comment
I wanted to share a quick article/video with you all. I still use 3 sets of 10 reps… occasionally. If you’re like many people, that’s about the only set/rep scheme that you use. Time for a change! For more info on the topic, check out this video that I made for FitStudio …
Are You Still Doing 3 Sets Of 10 Reps?
How Sarah Lost 10 Pounds In 30 Days
February 27, 2013 by danny · 2 Comments
My friend and client, Sarah Herschlag recently finished her “30 days of perfection.” The end result has her down 10 pounds! Before these 30 days, Sarah had done a “pretty good” job with her eating. Enough to make modest changes … her clothes were starting to fit looser, you could see her face start to lean out, etc. But as I tell people, if you want to make a REAL physique change, you need to go ALL OUT for about 30 days. Then you can get back to “mostly good.”
So, at the start of the new year, I e-mailed all of my clients and told them the plan that will help get them these NOTICEABLE changes in their body. Sarah had to start her 30 days sometime in mid-January as she had some things to take care of before she could really start to get after it.
And from day 1, she stayed with the plan to a T! No alcohol. No poor food choices. And no missed training sessions. Her 30 days just ended, and as she said, “it was SOOOO worth it!”
I won’t go into detail in regards to her training program. But I do want to mention that she really gave 100% at every session! Effort is always the X-Factor.
Below is the EXACT e-mail that I sent to my clients heading into the new year. As beach season approaches, maybe it’s something you want to consider?.? Anyway, check it out below, I hope you get something out of it…
“Hola everyone. Ok, here’s the deal…
Some of you in this e-mail have already said that you are committed to do this (I’ll explain below), and some of you are still considering this. And for those of you hearing about this for the 1st time, this will give you something to consider going into the new year. What am I talking about? …
Starting in the new year - 4 weeks of perfection! No cheat meals/days, no alcohol, no missed training sessions (AND 2-3 cardio sessions on your own each week). THIS is NOT a lifestyle! i.e. “be good most of the time, but every once in awhile have a few beers, or some pizza, or some candy, or some pop, etc. But most of the time be good.”
THAT is a pretty good plan throughout the majority of the year. But every now and then you NEED to make a couple runs (~ 4 weeks) where you are machine! THIS is how you see measurable, NOTICEABLE results!
Think of what a physique competitor (bodybuilder, figure athlete) does when he/she prepares for the final weeks before stepping on stage. Think about what a model does when preparing for a photo shoot. Think about what an actor does when preparing for a movie that he/she will be shirtless in or in a bikini. EVERY ounce of their focus for their training and nutrition plan goes towards fast fat loss!
Again, this is not a lifestyle approach. It is a 4-week “sprint” to REALLY make some great changes. THEN, you can get back to your moderation, “mostly good” lifestyle.
One more point: If you are 40 years old, you’ve lived about 2080 weeks on this Earth. All I’m asking for is 4 weeks of complete discipline and focus. This is a fraction of your life that WILL BE OVER BEFORE YOU KNOW IT!!!
OK, IF YOU’RE IN, HERE IS A LOOK AT THE NUTRITION PLAN…
Below you’ll see a sample day of eating. You’ll notice that I put the “fast fat loss” plan in red. So, think about eating the foods in red the majority of the time. And then if you OCCASIONALLY start to feel really sluggish/low energy, you can throw in a meal with carbs in there (maybe like once every 5-7 days).
Check out the sample plan with the food list below and let me know if you have any questions.
Breakfast
- Old-fashioned oatmeal with blueberries, scrambled egg OR
- Spinach omelet made with omega-3 enriched whole eggs
Lunch
- Turkey burger on whole-grain bread, salad OR
- Grilled chicken breasts, steamed vegetables
Dinner
- Salmon with grilled zucchini and squash OR
- Steak with plain sweet potato and salad OR
- Grilled chicken breasts (2) over large spinach salad, olive oil-based dressing
- (either dinner example in red will work)
Food list…
Protein: | lean steak, grilled chicken breasts, turkey breast, baked or grilled fish, protein powder, etc. |
Veggies: | large pile of mostly green veggies, steamed broccoli, spinach, zucchini, squash, etc. |
Starch: | small amount of dry sweet potato, whole-wheat pasta, or rice (these foods should not be consumed at all, or like I said, *maybe* once every 5-7 days) |
Salad: | large salad with olive oil and vinegar dressing — no cream dressings! |
Dessert: | small amount of fruit
Danny’s notes: End e-mail. So, props to Sarah for sticking with it for the entire month! It paid off! Now, there is more than one way to skin a cat, but the above plan works great for a quick fat loss burst. For anyone that I know that has TRULY stuck with it for the entire 30 days, they always see great results. If you decide to give it a try, or are about to “hit it hard” with your fitness/nutrition plan, let me know… what is your plan?
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