upfit

Joe loves Goblet Squats

Do Older Adults Need to Strength Train?

Published by on February 17, 2020 | Leave a response

Anyone remember the Silver Sneakers program?

Think seniors moving torturously slower than they wanted to doing choreographed moves over a chair.

“While there are instances where low-intensity, low- volume programs are appropriate (i.e., beginning programs for individuals with frailty or CVDs), the greatest benefits are possible with progression to moderate to higher intensity programs.” (Fragala et al. 2019)

Our progression to that Silver Sneakers program would be going home.

It’s almost as if we put a glass ceiling on our older adults, put em in a bubble.

“No they shouldn’t lift that.”

“They’re going to hurt their backs.”

We say forget that.

Our UpFit Master’s program members put a lot of young bucks to shame.

 

Joe loves Goblet Squats

It took courage, patience, consistency to get here, but these badasses know what it means to be anti fragile.

To be strong.

To be tough. ✊️✊️

To be resilient.

And they’ve earned it..through good ol’ fashioned hard work.

Pat loves to train!

Ask about our UpFit Master’s Program, and let us show you how to start believing that age is truly just a number.

“Maintaining a high muscle force-generating capacity into older age is related to beneficial effects on functional performance, which may not be achieved with recreational activity, thus highlighting strength training as an important contribution to healthy aging.” (Unhjem et al. 2019)

Learn the fundamentals of strength and power training and how to put on muscle at ANY age.

“Despite what could be interpreted as a blunted ‘physiologic reserve’ in aged skeletal muscle, numerous studies provide encouraging evidence that older muscles adapt vigorously to resistance training with marked myofibre hypertrophy.” (Hunter et al. 2004)

The program is here, the community is here, the coaches are here. Are you?

-Coach Paul

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Fit shaming, ever heard of it?

Fit shaming, ever heard of it?

Published by on February 11, 2020 | Leave a response

Obesity is killing us! Stop the fat shaming!

How about Fit Shaming?

You ever heard of it?

“Jeez you’re so skinny, you have to eat more. ”

“Just have a cookie man.”

Yeah these are things that have been said to me, as I sit at a normal (albeit a lower than average body fat percentage #shredlife), a normal BMI (body mass index or height to weight ratio), and probably taking in more calories than said shamer.

 

Shred Life

 

“That girl looks so silly.”
As an overweight girl tries to figure out how to follow along with a youtube dance video.

“What the hell is that guy doin?”
As the baby boomer gentlemen who has never exercised is attempting to do kettlebell swings for the first time.

Things I’ve heard in commercial gym settings.

Cut

it

out.

The biggest reason we might die as per the newest research is not that we’re fat, its that we don’t MOVE.

“Findings from a recent meta-analysis suggest that poor cardiorespiratory fitness is an independent and a better predictor of mortality than obesity, and that the risk for all-cause and cardiovascular mortality is higher in individuals with normal body mass index (BMI) and poor physical fitness, compared with individuals with high BMI and good physical fitness (Silverman and Duester, 2014).”

Fit shaming, ever heard of it?

– Your Fitness Liason

Paul W. Park Co-founder/Owner

UpFit Training Academy

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When Exercise Is NOT Good For You

When Exercise Is NOT Good For You

Published by on July 23, 2019 | Leave a response

 

The ability to bounce back.

To learn from our mistakes.

Our bodies ability to build bone density with weight lifting.

Our immune system’s natural way of vaccinating us against diseases.

It’s what makes the human being so resilient.

More specifically anti-fragile.

As Nassim Taleb explains in his book “Antifragile”, antifragility is better than resiliency, because it allows for gain from stressful events.

We have the awesome ability to get better and stronger, physically and emotionally after recovering from stressful events.

Our hardships develop our character. As does exercise for our physical bodies. As does going outside playing and rolling around in the dirt as a kid fortifying our immune systems as adults.

We have that ability, but we’re not bulletproof, there’s a Goldilocks zone. Where the soup is not too hot, not too cold, but just right.

Are we getting enough SLEEP? Are we eating nutrient dense foods? Hydrated? Are we over-stressed from our demanding bosses, bills, relationships? People forget that stress is not just a mood but a physiological response.

Stress is not a mental thing that can be wished away but a physical part of your being at any given moment.

That’s why we ask these questions to new clients during our initial UpFit Assessment. Because we might need to dial back the first week.

There’s been more times than I can count as a young ambitious coach when I put new clients through hard workouts their first day. No matter how much sleep they got, no matter their fitness level, never asking how they were feeling.

2 days later they would text me saying they’re sick, and can’t make the next workout.

80% of the time I would never see them again.

We forget exercise is inherently a stress as well. And to an unfit, over-stressed, and under-slept trainee it can put them into the too hot “goldilocks” zone where you end up burning your tongue.

Bring out those anti fragile capabilities of our body. As we become more fit, our physical anti fragile abilities will fortify. Just make sure you’re hydrating, prioritizing your sleep, and telling your boss to shove it.

-Coach Paul is a master trainer and co-owner of Upfit Academy – Small Group Fitness and Personal Training Specialists proximal to Midtown NYC.

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How To Create Motivation

Published by on May 28, 2019 | Leave a response

 
summer fitness motivation
 
Facebook.
Instagram.
Twitter.
Snapchat.
The digital boom is upon us.
Data is the new commodity.
If you look at the most valuable companies today, data hoarding companies like Facebook and Google top that list. Compare that to 20 years ago in the 2000’s, it was the big oil companies, Exxon-Mobil, BP, and Shell.
This cool video shows that transition over time.
I’m thinking there’s a couple reasons how “big data” became the new “big oil”.
One, companies like Facebook feed into our primal need for social validation.
For the majority of the 300,000 year old history of our species, if we didn’t care what our direct network thought of us, we were lone goners.
Two, social media services give us direct and immediate feedback whether we are getting better at using their apps.
That cool ”so adorable” post you put up of your growing dog family getting more likes than before.
Your friend count list going up, as you expand your social digital network.
With every well done and interesting instagram post, your follower count going up.
This sort of improvement drive is how the once in a generational mobile internet game like Fortnite made over 8 billion dollars.
With the more time you play, your characters level up, get stronger, gain more powerful skills, and obtain newer weapons.
This makes you want to KEEP playing.
WE like getting better at things.
We feel accomplished.
We feel in control.
We feel like success is in our hands.
And with success meters easily seen and available, we become more motivated to keep making that progress.
It relates to the pathways in our brain.
The act of doing something, and then receiving an anticipated reward (accomplishment) sends our brain a hormone hit, making us feel good.
How does this relate to getting and staying motivated to keep making those gains?
By keeping track of your workouts and training program!
Writing down the weights we lifted today as compared to last week.
Seeing our mile run times get faster.
Marking down the two extra reps we did on that weighted squat.
Compare this to the casual once in a while gym goer looking to  “maintain”, as they come in for a few sets of air squats, jogs on the treadmill for a little while, stretches a bit, and works up a light sweat.
Or even worse, that person consistently going through brutal workouts that have no structure and plan, but are frustrated because they don’t seem to be looking any better.
How long do you think these person will stick to their routines?
And usually they’ll blame it on a lack of motivation.
Well, there was no direct and readable meter of progress.
Logging and tracking your workouts is a truly simple way to CREATE motivation.
This is why at UpFit Training Academy we love our TrainHeroic software, and use it with all our clients;
We encourage them to get comfortable using the software app during classes, reading, comparing, and logging their sets, reps, weights, and conditioning times.
This has them see the extra set they did this week as compared to last.
And the way we coach and work, for 9 out of 10 people, the current week’s performance is better than last weeks.
Want to create motivation?
Start keeping track of your workouts!
Yours in good health,
Coach Paul

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How To Create Motivation

How To Create Motivation

Published by on May 28, 2019 | Leave a response

 

summer fitness motivation

 

Facebook.

Instagram.

Twitter.

Snapchat.

The digital boom is upon us.

Data is the new commodity.

If you look at the most valuable companies today, data hoarding companies like Facebook and Google top that list. Compare that to 20 years ago in the 2000’s, it was the big oil companies, Exxon-Mobil, BP, and Shell.

This cool video shows that transition over time.

I’m thinking there’s a couple reasons how “big data” became the new “big oil”.

One, companies like Facebook feed into our primal need for social validation.

For the majority of the 300,000 year old history of our species, if we didn’t care what our direct network thought of us, we were lone goners.

Two, social media services give us direct and immediate feedback whether we are getting better at using their apps.

That cool ”so adorable” post you put up of your growing dog family getting more likes than before.

Your friend count list going up, as you expand your social digital network.

With every well done and interesting instagram post, your follower count going up.

This sort of improvement drive is how the once in a generational mobile internet game like Fortnite made over 8 billion dollars.

With the more time you play, your characters level up, get stronger, gain more powerful skills, and obtain newer weapons.

This makes you want to KEEP playing.

WE like getting better at things.

We feel accomplished.

We feel in control.

We feel like success is in our hands.

And with success meters easily seen and available, we become more motivated to keep making that progress.

It relates to the pathways in our brain.

The act of doing something, and then receiving an anticipated reward (accomplishment) sends our brain a hormone hit, making us feel good.

How does this relate to getting and staying motivated to keep making those gains?

By keeping track of your workouts and training program!

Writing down the weights we lifted today as compared to last week.

Seeing our mile run times get faster.

Marking down the two extra reps we did on that weighted squat.

Compare this to the casual once in a while gym goer looking to  “maintain”, as they come in for a few sets of air squats, jogs on the treadmill for a little while, stretches a bit, and works up a light sweat.

Or even worse, that person consistently going through brutal workouts that have no structure and plan, but are frustrated because they don’t seem to be looking any better.

How long do you think these person will stick to their routines?

And usually they’ll blame it on a lack of motivation.

Well, there was no direct and readable meter of progress.

Logging and tracking your workouts is a truly simple way to CREATE motivation.

This is why at UpFit Training Academy we love our TrainHeroic software, and use it with all our clients;

We encourage them to get comfortable using the software app during classes, reading, comparing, and logging their sets, reps, weights, and conditioning times.

This has them see the extra set they did this week as compared to last.

And the way we coach and work, for 9 out of 10 people, the current week’s performance is better than last weeks.

Want to create motivation?

Start keeping track of your workouts!

Yours in good health,

Coach Paul

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Click on the picture for the video!

The BIGGEST problem with the fitness industry

Published by on December 5, 2018 | Leave a response

This is the biggest problem with the fitness industry

Click on the picture for the video!

Wes and I started UpFit Training Academy with one thing in mind.

To be the most people focused fitness company in the industry.

Having spent a combined couple of decades working in fitness, we’ve seen it all. The trends, the fads, and the reasons for what most fitness companies do.

Don’t get me wrong. There are some great services out there with awesome coaches/trainers, but most of them just seem to fall short on what people like you really need to succeed.

We’re working hard to create the type of fitness community that you would be proud to be apart of. Somewhere where you can finally work towards the goals you’ve been dreaming about.

Check out the video for what we have in mind, and feel to comment below with any thoughts or suggestions on what YOU would want in a gym of yours.

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Show of hands, who wants to get fit and strong??

Why did we start UpFit Training Academy?

Published by on October 14, 2018 | Leave a response

Why did Westley and I decide to start our own fitness company?

Because there’s not enough services out there to give people what we REALLY need for success in health and fitness. Most commercial gyms actually model their businesses so that you DON’T show up.

What drives people to keep working hard and doing uncomfortable things (the two most important factors of success in fitness)? A sense of togetherness and accountability to a team and tribe bigger than themselves.

We at UpFit Training Academy strive to create an environment of support and mutual encouragement, and our signature small group training program drives that sort of culture. We find that through facilitating a team atmosphere, our clients practice the most important drivers of success in fitness/health: consistency, self-reliance, and self motivation.

“We assessed 2 types of workout goals: supportive goals and self-image goals. Our subjects strongly indicated that they were much more interested in supporting their fellow exercisers (e.g., camaraderie and support) during their group workouts than being concerned about self-image goals (e.g. sense of competition, physical appearance). Supporting
others while working out was positively related to intrinsic motivation, self-efficacy, satisfaction in small group individualized training, well-being, and self-reported health and energy” (Wayment & McDonald, 2017).

Show of hands, who wants to get fit and strong??

We are at a point in human history where we are overly connected, but yet so isolated. It’s mind blowing that we can go a whole day in one of the most dense cities in the world, and not talk to anybody on a similar journey as us. The path to success is not through solo workouts in a crowded gym with your headphones on. It’s through a high positive atmosphere, where mutual support and teamwork empowers us to push past our perceived limits.

“The results of our study suggest that, at least for some individuals, an individualized group exercise setting may yield benefits beyond what is achieved by workouts performed in solitude. Our results suggest that combining individualized training in small groups provides a context that supports basic psychological needs. Furthermore, an exercise model that combines individual attention in a small-group setting may facilitate what Sandstrom and Dunn argue are the important “weak ties” that facilitate well being and sense of belonging and well being” (Wayment & McDonald, 2017).

Ask us about our signature small group training program! Get inspired by your fellow members, and see how as a team we can achieve more than as individuals. ✊

-Coach Paul

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The Prowler Sled Push will get you mentally strong

How to be Mentally Strong!

Published by on July 3, 2018 | Leave a response

The Prowler Sled Push will get you mentally strong

What separates the mentally strong from the mentally weak?

Happy July, and more importantly a happy official midpoint of the year 2018.

These are some thoughts that I have come across that have kept me personally in check and strong mentally.

What are the bad habits holding you back?

Did you know that studies show how our negative thoughts make up more than 80% of all our thoughts for the day?

We are geared toward being negatively biased in the name of survival.

What do mentally strong people not do?

They are conscious of the theme of thoughts that rents space in your head.

The thoughts that impede your acts of greatness and courage.

What are these thoughts that you tell yourself?

Maybe you are…

Throwing a pity party for yourself, “why does this always happen to me?”

or,

Comparing yourself to others, making others the cause of your problems, feeling superiority, feeling less than.

or,

Feeling entitled, saying life is unfair.

The truth is, life is not fair, and stuff will not always happen the way you want it to.

These thoughts seemingly feel so little in the moment, are what we call rationalizations. It’s how we cope when are actions don’t line up with our intentions.

But they can cascade.

Into who you are, the way you act, how you carry yourself.

Instead, go through the discomforts, own it, teach yourself you can handle anything.

You have everything you need to move forward.

What’s one small 1% you can take today?

What do mentally strong people not do?

Make a note of it and take action on it today!

-Paul

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Is Your Personal Trainer Ripping You Off?

Is Your Personal Trainer Ripping You Off?

Published by on February 21, 2018 | Leave a response

5 Traits to Look For in Your Personal Trainer

By: Paul W. Park M.S. CSCS

Winter is nearing its end, and the hibernation and take out foods from Seamless that have kept you feeling snuggly and warm have started to peek through in the mirror and on to the scale. All you can think about now is how you’ll look on the beach in a few months, and that June wedding that you’re going to be in. “Let’s get that gym membership and lean the hell out!”, you tell yourself as you book that free consultation the gym has provided you.

The trainer that works with you seems nice enough, and he’s confident he can get you in tip top shape by the time Memorial Day comes around. “My health is worth it. Everyone is going to be amazed at how I look for the wedding.” So you commit to a 3 month training package worth a down payment for that new car you’ve been eyeing, and start getting ready to put in some hard work.

3 months have passed and not much has changed except for the nagging pain in your back. You think to yourself: “I’ve done everything my trainer asked me to. What’s going on?!” Your trainer says, “Not a big deal, let’s up your frequency to a couple more times a week. This will really boost your progress, and soon we should be hitting all the goals we talked about”, while charging you for the next round of sessions, as you say good-bye to your BMW. You start reflecting, “What happened? All those burpees and kettlebell swings must of done something!”. And then you remember your trainer’s texting habit during sessions, his constant tardiness, and inattention to detail.

This guy does not care about your form

The responsibility of your trainer/coach is to get you to your goals as quickly and safely as possible. Unfortunately today, personal trainers and fitness coaches like the above example are more common than not. Our country has started to realize the importance of our health and wellness, causing a rise in demand for fitness instruction since the last decade. With this rising demand for trainers, and not enough qualified ones, a ton of “hobby” or “side-gig” trainers are getting into the field, and not providing us the quality coaching that we need.

So how do you make sure you’re working with a real professional fitness coach? Working in the industry for just over 10 years now, I’ve noticed some common differences between genuine, legitimate coaches worth your time, money, and trust vs. those who really have no business being in the industry. Here are 5 distinguishing traits between a high-quality fitness coach, and an inferior trainer that could possibly be hurting your health AND your checking account.

1. Attitude/Energy

A huge component of training is the mental aspect; traits like perseverance, grit, and discipline need to be developed to see consistent and sustained improvement. Does your trainer bring an enthusiasm into your sessions that help you grow these characteristics? Is he/she someone that brings your energy up and inspires you when you are around them?  These type of people have a genuine passion for their career, and don’t view their time with you as just another paycheck. They have made it their life’s mission to help their clients and it shows through their undeniable positivity and belief in their clients.

2. Professionalism

Is your trainer/coach punctual? Do they value your time with them and try to pack as much coaching, information, and learning into the session as possible, or are they distracting you with personal stories of how they spent their weekend? There’s nothing wrong with getting to know your trainer, but their time spent with you should be focused on getting YOU better. They should be giving you the attention to detail and technique that you need to get the most out of your exercises. If you feel like you’re doing an exercise wrong, and not getting detailed and actionable feedback, your trainer is being unprofessional and they are not doing their job.

Good trainer has a plan

A good coach should have a plan tailored to meet your specific needs.

3. A Plan/Program

Getting stronger, leaner, in better shape, and more energized requires a structured training plan with progressive overload, and SPECIFIC exercises that work for YOU. Anyone can work a trainee to exhaustion, making them feel as though they are getting a great workout, without any focus on technique or quality movements. There are no plans to progress or regress based off your fitness and experience levels, no tracking of your progress, and disregard of all of the other demands/stresses of your life. The human body needs a consistent progressive overload coupled with proper technique, rest, and nutrition to see sustainable improvements without injury. Ask to see at least a multi week training program based off the agreed upon training frequency for your fitness needs. If your trainer/coach does not have one, it’s time to reconsider your training and coaching options.

4. Genuine Empathy/Belief for Their Client

Much of the training process involves the mental effort and discipline it takes to continually improve and sustain growth. To have a coach who can understand and empathize with the pains, challenges, and obstacles of what you are going through can make all the difference, as this support can bring out the best in you. Imagine a trainer who constantly barks orders, and tells you do things you know he/she probably can’t do. The motivation to continue working hard with this trainer will run out FAST, and so will the realization of your fitness goals. On the contrary, a coach that completely empathizes with the difficulty you are going through and encourages you through those moments will make it easier for you to give it your all. Your consistent best efforts will guarantee the results you are looking for.

5. Continuing Education

The human body is a very complex entity; there is so much to learn in the realms of physiology, biology, anatomy, and psychology that directly relates to improving your health and wellness. The field of health, fitness, and wellness is constantly evolving, and your trainer should be looking to expand their repertoire of knowledge and tools to best serve you.. At the same time, your coach should not be training you exclusively with the latest trends and fads they that they have just learned, or the workout of the day from an Instagram fitness model for the sake of doing something new. A professional, educated, and well-intentioned trainer can filter through all of the information and choose which methods will be most applicable and effective for YOU!

The health, fitness, and wellness coaching industry is growing everyday. Learn the differences between an all star coach who can get you to your fitness goals with enthusiasm and professionalism, and the trainer who is more focused on his social media likes than your squat technique. There are plenty of career fitness coaches who have dedicated their lives to positively impacting their clients; use these traits to distinguish them from the rest of the pack!

 

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