How To Turn Back The Age Clock

This past weekend in New Jersey the weather was perfect. I spent the entire weekend outdoors. On Saturday I worked on prepping my garage for contractors to come make repairs this week. I've hired a mason who is set to fix the foundation and painters scheduled to give it a face lift. I dug a deep trench along the entire foundation on three sides a few feet down into the dirt. I had to remove a lot of rocks and small boulders to expose the foundation so the Mason can get in and repair the cracks. It is saving me a good sum of money by doing this work in advance myself.

I also replaced a bunch of siding that was beyond weathered. It was a big job, but I got it all done and I feel great about the fact that I had the strength and stamina to work this hard all day. It was a a perfect Spring day. In fact, it was the first day of Spring!

It's very gratifying to be able to do this type of work for yourself. It's difficult to put into a few sentences what took 10 hours to do. But trust me that I moved well over a ton of rocks by hand. And I had to dig each one out first!

I'm not trying to impress you with my feat of endurance. But I would like to "impress upon you" that being able to work this hard is what our bodies are meant to do.

In contrast to the human body, a car can last ten years and easily rack up 100,000 miles and it will not perform better or go faster. The more you push it and work it, the more it wears out. But the human body is a very unique machine. When you work your muscles they actually get stronger and unlike a car, the harder you push your muscles the stronger they get and the better your body performs. In addition, you can eat more and not gain weight. Muscle is king!

Pretty cool, eh?

I turned 52 this past February and I don't think of myself as being "old". I prefer to go by my "fitness age" not my biological age. "You're as young or old as you feel". True, but you are also as young or old in what you can or cannot do! So make sure you CAN DO!

My message to you is simple. You're going to get older, that's inevitable. But your muscles (and other body parts) don't have to yield to gravity. If you are willing to put up a fight by exercising strenuously on a regular basis, then you will age gracefully and maintain improved health as well as keep disease at bay.

That's one of the reasons I developed Body Basics Boot Camps. I was once a victim of circumstance. I commuted to NYC everyday and worked in a job that required me to sit on my butt all day long. I was a "weekend warrior", but it wasn't enough, and before I knew it a decade had passed and I had become a back pain sufferer and a knee pain sufferer as well. At first I accepted my fate and chalked it up to getting older, and possibly bad genetics. So I began to "avoid" activities that might hurt me. Boy, was I ever WRONG!!!

I didn't find the "fitness solution" till age 42, so I suffered for quite a few years. But even at age forty-two I began to turn the clock back. I am now 52 and I can still do pretty much the same things I did a decade ago. Can you?

I want to get a message in your head that if you can't do some things that you want to do, or that others your age can do, maybe you need to stop, figure some things out and make some changes.

I created Body Basics Boot Camps for this very reason. As a "teaching trainer" I consider movement omnipotent, and correct movement patterns to be a top priority. And if you learn how to move properly, you'll begin to get stronger, you'll feel better, and thus be able to do more. Growing older doesn't have to mean settling into doing less.

Our fitness boot camps are designed to get your body moving in dynamic ways so that your brain and muscles coordinate better. By activating more muscle you also fire up your metabolism which is your body's fat burning furnace of sorts.

Most of the time I talk about fat burning and weight loss as that is what people want to know more about. But lets not dismiss the fact that getting older is a factor too. BTW, I'm not so arrogant as to deny the aging process. But I am determined enough to be an advocate for mobility and being as active as I can for as long as I can. I don't know about you, but I want to die young...at a VERY OLD AGE!

Press on!

P.S. We are a week away for our Spring Boot Camp Season. I would like nothing more than to see more of you (get out of your own way and) come to boot camp classes! See below for the updated schedule of classes and events for April 2010.

Where Are You?

It's a simple question, but let me be more specific.

Where are you...

• in your fitness,
• in your diet,
• in your personal commitment,
• in your self discipline
• in your LIFE?

Where ever you are, are you where you want to be?

Here's an interesting view of human nature.

There is one's "intention" and then there is one's "action". Everyone has good intentions. For example, nearly everyone I know has started a diet or a fitness
program at one time or another. That part is easy.

You might say to yourself, "I'm going to go to boot camp and finally get fit". That's the having good intentions part. But having good intentions won't get you in great shape. That part takes action.

ACTIONS are very different. Let's say you intend to take a Free Trial Boot Camp class, or come to a Saturday morning boot camp, or join us on a Sunday morning hike, but week after week, you never make it to an event.

So what happened?

On Saturday morning you couldn't get up, or just decided to sleep in. Perhaps you wanted to do something else altogether. Perhaps you live farther away than you realized. What ever your reasons, there is a "disconnect" between what you intended to do and what you actually ended up doing.

There are many of you who have attended boot camp and some of you have traveled from a great distance to do so. I am so very appreciative of your energy and drive and I wish you much success in all of your fitness endeavors. In short, you rock!

Many of our Saturday boot campers have been dedicated and solid athletes too. Always a pleasure to have you join us when ever you can. And many of our daily boot campers are long term dedicated members that are also my friends and "family" at this point.

For those of you who have been intending to come to boot camp, but have not yet taken action I have a small favor to ask of you. Write to me. Yes, please write to me and tell me any or all of the following.

1. Why you have never attended a boot camp.

2. What you expect or need from a fitness program.

3. What can I do to help you?

I have two main objectives. First is to get people into awesome physical shape. Second is to have them become raving fans about our program and tell the world!

But I can't do that unless you show up. So let me hear from you! To our newest members Jessica, Ricardo, Denise, Amy Arup, and Domenick, I want to hear from
you too!

I want to share with you something from my own life's experience. You see at one time I was a mess.

I was 35 pounds "over fat" with bad knees, a bad back, and a bad disposition. In short, I was miserable. You see, life had not turned out as I expected and I blamed

people and circumstances for everything. I was also a complainer. BTW, have you ever complained or blamed someone else for something? Right, silly question.

One day it dawned on me that no one was going to show up, take me by the hand and lead me to a solution. I eventually developed enough pain in my mind and body
that I absolutely had to change. I could no longer go on living this way. I was terrified when I realized that it was up to me and only me if I was going to change my life.

Common sense told me to get some exercise, so the first thing I did was join a gym and begin to work out. It was a slow and painful start, but within a few months
I began to feel better. Boy was it hard. My shoulders felt like they were 90 and my knees were on fire. I injured myself multiple times too. But the one thing that kept
me going was that in spite of the pain, I felt good inside. I had a renewed vitality. There was something chemical going on in my body and my brain and I wanted more of it.

Here it is 12 years later. I am a full time fitness professional with my own business and connecting with people. I'm far away from where I started and life gets better all the time.

You have a story too. Maybe you are where I was, or worse. Maybe you think no one cares. Some one does care and that someone is the most important person in your life. IT"S YOU SILLY! And BTW, the person who looks me in the eye and says, "NO Larry, I really don't care" is either lying to me, themselves, or both.

The next thing you need to do is make a decision, a decision to change once and for all. No more BS. It's time to stop making excuses and start getting BUSY getting

results. Making a decision is HUGE! Don't underestimate the power of it. It's also an "action" :-)

Once you make that decision, send me and email and tell me that you have once and for all decided to stop and get off the merry-go-round. I'll read your email and I'll personally write back to you. I really do care that much.

Then, plan on coming to a Free Trial Boot Camp or a Saturday morning boot camp. Plan on it being challenging. Plan on being sore and feeling uncomfortable at first.
But also, plan on transforming your health and your life.

Think you've got it tough?

Our new trainer Andrea was once 310 pounds. I kid you not. Now she is a force to be reckoned with. She is also training to be a body building competitor! How awesome is that? Talk about doing a 180!

Andrea's journey is one of triumph. She is a strong willed and determined woman who has faced her fears and found the courage and tenacity within herself to
change her life. Her story is nothing short of amazing.

I'm not trying to impress you, I'm trying to impress upon you that Andrea is just like you. I am just like you. If we can overcome our adversities, so can you. And now you will have the benefit of our experience to help you along the way.

A good place to begin.

- Believe in yourself.

- Believe you can do this. (because you can.)

- Believe that we have a system that works, (because we've proven it over
and over again)

- Begin and follow through.

If you want our help, we're here for you. As we move into 2010 our members will be comprised of individuals who want health, a dynamic life, and an awesome body.

So now where are you?

Press on!

What Do Happy Hour and Boot Camp Have in Common?

"Happy Hour is so much fun, you get two drinks and you pay for one!"

I don't know where I first heard this, but for some reason it stuck in my head. It's a little diddy about "happy hour". And yes, there's a tune that goes with it, but you'll have to make up your own for now.

Silly? Absolutely. But it perfectly symbolizes the " 2 for the price of 1" or what we have come to refer to as the "Two fer".

And that brings me to boot camp. We have a "two fer" also. If you are a new member you can join with a friend and "split the cost" of a one month membership. Two people, half the price, the perfect "two fer".

Register Here For "Two for One" Boot Camp

What's really great about this is that it gets people excited for "two" reasons. First, everybody loves a deal and to save money. By getting a perceived value, they feel good about their purchase and that's also a good thing. Second, they have established a low barrier of entry into boot camp.

First time boot campers are often tentative. They don't know what to expect and they have some reservations that they might fail or not be able to keep up with the group. It's easy for us veterans to know that their apprehensions are just FEAR or what is referred to as

False Evidence Appearing Real.

But within a week or so, their fears are gone and they know how boot camp works. Aside from some sore muscles everything is hunkey dory.

But then by the final week, they are beginning to feel awesome and their energy levels pick up. Many are getting their nutrition dialed in and their clothes are a tad looser. And many begin to realize that boot camp exercise works. I live for is the look on people's faces when they talk about how their lives are changing, how amazing they feel, and that they can do things they never could before.

But, they also begin to realize the appreciate the value of boot camp that is far beyond the price.

Here is a recent testimonial I received from a boot camper.

"I was getting ready to leave my office and head over to Boot Camp when I received a call from my boss advising me that our offices were going to be moving and I would have an hour-long commute. While I was driving to Boot Camp I could barely hold back the tears, I was a complete wreck at the thought of such a grueling commute. I got to Boot Camp and Larry put us through another great workout, which is always different and and fun, and always kicks my butt (in a good way though). Got back in the car to drive home and started thinking about work again, and realized that I was in such a great mood that even the thought of that commute couldn't bring me down. I just felt a sense of contentment that wouldn't go away. I was totally amazed that the power of a great workout had changed my mood from being completely miserable to being very happy, and changed my outlook to make a bad situation seem not so bad at all, or at least fixable. If I can change my body to make it better, then I can change anything."

Boot camp is about life. Everything we think and do adds up to the experience we call "our life". It's not complicated, but it is about our thoughts and our actions.

So let me get back on point. If you want to change your life, then you need to start working towards creating the life you want. Fitness goals should not take over your life, they should enhance every other part of it. Your body, mind, and diet aren't stand alone islands. Everything interacts and weaves together.

And boot camp is a place where all of this comes together. It's here for the taking if you want it and if you are willing to do the work.

And we're making it easier than ever because now you can join with a friend for half price. (new members, one month only).

Register Here For "Two for One" Boot Camp

Press on!


P.S. Please forward this blog post to anyone you know that might be able to benefit from our program and this New Year's Special.


Register Here For "Two for One" Boot Camp

The "Dirty Dozen" Workout

Here's a great workout for you. What I like about this workout is once you understand the rules you can make infinite substitutions and scale it for time and group fitness level. I use this workout for boot camps classes, small group training, and one-on one training too.

The foundation is 12 exercises for a 12 minute workout. Some of the exercises require dumbbells and some require just body weight. The protocol is :45 seconds work with :15 seconds rest / transition. Scaling it back will shorten these durations.

Note: In editing this clip I cut off some of the video at the back end of some of the exercises to keep the entire movie under You Tube's 10 min limit.

Scaling For Time and Fitness Level

Depending on the group size and overall level of ability, I will scale this workout accordingly. For example, I may ask the group to perform this workout in 6 minutes instead of 12. This way each exercise is performed for :20 seconds with a :10 rest. Another option is :30 /:10 which will make this an 8 minute cycle. In a typical boot camp class we will perform this routine up to three times. First round 6 minutes, second round 12 minutes, third round 8 minutes.

You might notice in this video that some people appear to have less than perfect form. They are working to improve their form and/or they are working around an injury. BTW, don't forget to give people options for making the exercises easier or more difficult so that everyone gets a "10" experience.

Good luck and please send me your comments and suggestions!