Thinking about getting in shape? If you’re interested in working one on one with a personal trainer the small niche fitness boutiques located in and around Santa Barbara provide an abundance of choices both in the environment and training approaches featured in the different facilities. Recently I visited a number of these studios, looking for a new place to train my clients, and was amazed at what Santa Barbara has to offer.

Instead of the muscle isolation machines, typical of the traditional gym setting, most studios are filled with stability balls, medicine balls, bands, cables, foam rollers and all sorts of other tools designed for a more functional approach to fitness. These facilities don’t only cater to strength building athletes; they’re filled with everyone from youthful competitors looking to improve in sports, to seniors working to build stronger bones. After visiting a few of the local hot spots and exploring some of their diverse training approaches, I zeroed in on a few of the highlights.

The Fitness Studio on Middle Road

Platinum Fitness, located on Middle Road in Montecito, is a small, bustling studio where you’ll find individuals of all shapes and sizes, including plenty of ultra fit, highly competitive endurance athletes. Peter Park, owner, competes at the elite level in running, cycling and triathlon, so it’s no surprise that his studio attracts many of the local endurance athletes, including Lance Armstrong when he’s in town. Platinum’s an upbeat facility; walk through the doors on any given day and you’re surrounded by a profusion of natural light, inspiring hip music and a variety of energetic trainers helping clients realize their goals through “functional training.”

Functional training, the latest trend in fitness training, prepares you for the specific activities you perform in your daily life. Maybe your job requires you to do a lot of reaching, lifting, bending over or standing and your back, your knees or your shoulders suffer. Or maybe you find yourself parked in front of a computer all day and your posture needs a little work. And then again you might be rehabbing an injury and find that you need a little help in returning to work and life successfully. Whatever you do in your daily life, functional training can make it easier.

Unlike the traditional approach of working one muscle at a time, functional training involves combining exercises to get all your muscles – from your calves to your shoulders – in on the action. Stepping up on a bench with dumbbells in hands and then pressing the dumbbells overhead, for example, will prepare you to step up on a chair to put a box on a shelf.

The idea is to work against the resistance in such a way that the strength gained from the exercise “transfers” to the specific movement in your life.

If you’d like to improve your ability to get up from a chair you might choose leg extensions to build leg strength. But the squat would be a much better exercise choice because it’s more like the actual movement of getting up from the chair. So the squat develops more functional leg strength.

Functional training also improves your performance in sports. If you’re a distance runner and you’d like to improve your time in the 10K, Peter Park advocates “strengthening the prime movers so that you don’t get as fatigued in the long races.” He puts his endurance athletes through a grueling workout specifically designed to improve strength and endurance, or muscular endurance, for competition.

Peter’s lower body program consists of a series of exercises done back to back: a set of 25 repetitions of squats, with bands (for constant tension); followed by a set of 25 repetitions of leg press, with bands; followed by a set of 15 repetitions of step ups; followed by three different 12-15 repetition plyometric (jump) drills. And that’s just one round. He’ll have his athletes do that three times! As you can see, Peter’s program mirrors both the movements and volume of the endurance competition… the functional approach to fitness.

The Fitness Studio on lower State

Perhaps the idea of training for the activities of daily life isn’t enough to get you motivated to start an exercise program. And you’re more interested in sculpting your body to look great in your bathing suit or bikini for the beaches of Santa Barbara. Then the “bodybuilding” approach to fitness may be more for you.

Specifically designed to increase lean muscle and reduce body fat, this method has additional rewards… like increased confidence, greater sex appeal, reduced stress and more energy for everyday activities.

Key 2 Fitness, one of the newer fitness studios in town, located on lower State, features the bodybuilding approach. Owned and operated by bodybuilders, Jeff Harrison and Leif Tiahrt, Key 2 Fitness is loaded with muscle isolation machines and free weights and is ideal for the strength athlete looking for a place to “pack on some serious muscle” according to Jeff Harrison. They also offer membership keys for individuals looking for a little camaraderie with other strength athletes in the community.

While the goal of bodybuilding is to develop a symmetrical physique, keep in mind that not everyone responds in the same way. Mother Nature, or your genetic make-up, determines, to a large extent, how you react to any training program. Factors such as muscle fiber type (strength or endurance), the ratio of testosterone to estrogen, and where your body fat is stored, all influence your capabilities. And in considering your vision of the ideal physique, remember that you can’t hide from your body type. Are you a slim and small boned ectomorph, a muscular and lean mesomorph, a heavy and big boned endomorph, or a combination of all three?

Although these genetic factors affect both men and women, there are still a significant number of women who won’t consider the bodybuilding approach for fear of getting too big. The truth is: most women put on a relatively small amount of muscle, even with hard work and dedication because of the estrogen to testosterone ratio. Unfortunately, this fear of being too muscular keeps a lot of women from reaping the benefits.

Many factors are involved in bodybuilding, but the one thing that really matters is that you progressively overload your muscles. Leif Tiahrt suggests using the “individual body part approach” and “maximizing the exercises for each body part.” He advocates a three day split in which the individual does “push” exercises (chest, shoulders and triceps), on Monday, “pull” exercises (back and biceps) and legs, on Wednesday, and a full body circuit, on Friday. He uses three to ten repetitions per set and finishes each exercise with a drop set to failure.

By using moderate to heavy loads and moderate to high volume, Leif’s program effectively increases the size of the muscles to create a more aesthetically pleasing physique… the ultimate goal of bodybuilding.

The Fitness Studio by the Arlington

Maybe you’ve put on some muscle through bodybuilding. And now you’re ready for a more refined approach to your training… one that considers the specific demands of your sport and your goals… like achieving peak performance. Following a well-designed “sport specific” training program can help you reach those goals and attain the success you desire.

To perform at your best in tennis, for example, you need enough aerobic endurance to maintain your stamina for a game that may last several hours; anaerobic endurance (energy is produced without oxygen) for a high intensity rally that may last 6-10 seconds; speed and agility to be able to get into position to make the majority of your shots; power for serves, forehands, backhands, and volleys; and an element of prevention to avoid injury and overtraining.

Conditioning Specialists, located in a historic building a few doors up from the Arlington, features the sport specific training approach. Doug Holt, owner of Conditioning Specialists and SB Fitness Magazine, gained his experience at competitive sport through soccer, which he played at the collegiate level. His studio has the look of an upscale New York loft and features a personal training studio downstairs, and, private rooms for a MAT (Muscle Activation Techniques) and massage therapist upstairs, in addition to an office for the magazine.

When asked about sport specific training Doug says “it’s training for a particular goal… not only mimicking the actual demands of the sport – like hip abduction, knee flexion – but also the energy demands.”

To prepare for the sport specific demands of tennis, the strength training program is broken down into three phases, or mini training programs, each designed to develop a specific type of strength with the ultimate goal of developing the sport specific strength that tennis demands, power and muscular endurance.

In the first phase, “foundational strength,” the goal is to build a solid well-rounded base of strength, and, prepare the ligaments and tendons for the more demanding activity that will follow. The second phase is for building “maximal strength,” a measure of how much weight you can lift for one repetition. If you can squat 225 lbs for one repetition and your friend can only squat 205 lbs, then you have more maximal strength, in the squat. The goal of third phase is to convert the strength you developed, previously, into sport specific “power” (a combination of strength and speed) and “muscular endurance.”

Just as the preparation for the competitive season is broken down into phases, so too the overall training program is split into periods to promote long term improvements in strength and avoid overtraining. This program, which is usually an annual plan, consists of the preparation period (pre-season), discussed previously; the competitive period (in-season); and the transition period, when the season is closed.

By coordinating the phases of the training program with the different periods of the competitive season, you can maximize your strength and reach peak performance right on time for competition.

In Conclusion

So if you think you might be interested in working one on one with a personal trainer, explore the abundance of training studios around Santa Barbara to find the one that’s right for you. Be sure to keep in mind that while each facility may feature a particular training method, most studios contract to a variety of personal trainers, each with his or her own unique training style and approach.

Feel free to use this article in your publication or website. The only requirement is the inclusion of the following, after the article…

Article by Mikki Reilly, BA, MFS, of FitnessTransform. Visit her web site, http://www.fitnesstransform.com for the the most up-to-date news, information and tips that will help you transform your health, fitness and overall quality of life.

The most sensible way to think about weight loss is as part of an overall effort to get and stay fit. In this chapter, we’ll look at the components of fitness and why they are important to overall health. We’ll consider the roles that the heart and other muscles play in fitness. Making the choice to lose weight is an important part of choosing to get fit.

What is fitness?

To keep it simple, physical fitness is the ability of your body to do the work required of it. Although all body systems contribute to fitness, the muscles are the primary actors. In order to do their work, muscles need oxygen. They get it from blood, which is oxygenated by the lungs and pumped by the heart. Fitness depends on healthy lungs and a healthy heart supplying plenty of oxygen to strong muscles.

The components of fitness

There are three main components of physical fitness, all of which are related.

Endurance: Also called cardiovascular, cardiorespiratory, or aerobic fitness, endurance depends on the heart, lungs, and blood vessels delivering oxygen-rich blood efficiently to all tissues in the body, including the muscles, and carrying away carbon dioxide and other waste products. To put it simply, aerobic fitness = endurance. Aerobic exercise increases your endurance.

Feeling out of breath is a sign that you’ve come to the end of your aerobic endurance.

Strength: This is the ability of your muscles to exert force to push, pull, or lift an object, including your own body. To put it simply, muscular fitness = strength + endurance.

The number of times you can lift a given weight (or the number of exercise reps you can do, in weight-training lingo) is a good way to measure your muscular fitness.

Strength training with light weights increases your muscular fitness, as you’ll see later in this chapter.

Flexibility: Also referred to as range of motion, flexibility is the ability to bend and stretch easily. Muscles, joints, and the tissues that connect them (ligaments and tendons) all play a major part in how well you can bend and stretch.

Feeling stiff when you try to touch your toes is a sign that you lack flexibility. Stretching exercises increase your flexibility.

Bodybuildingfactory is one of the United States leading Protein Powder website. First established in August 2005, its mission is to become the number one site for Build Muscle Fast searches.

An online fitness program is an effective and affordable way to get in shape. Online fitness programs provide customized, expert advice on exercise and nutrition in a convenient, interactive, and dynamic environment. Video demonstrations, exercise instructions, guidance and support are all available at the click of a mouse.

Online fitness training is much less expensive than hiring a personal trainer, and a personal trainer can typically only offer advice related to his or her individual field of expertise. Most online fitness programs offer the advice of multiple experts in various fields of expertise. And online fitness programs are also frequently updated, providing you with the latest research and information in the health and fitness industry.

If you’re new to fitness, it’s oftentimes difficult to know where to begin, and designing your own fitness program can sometimes be frustrating and time consuming. An online fitness program can help you eliminate unnecessary time and confusion by providing you with the most effective and enjoyable methods for achieving the exact results you want. And the more effective and enjoyable your fitness program is, the more likely you’ll be to stick with it for the long term.

There are a lot of online fitness programs on the market, so how can you tell the good ones from the not so good ones? Here are some of the key features that a good online fitness program will offer:

• A fitness program that is customized to your individual needs and goals, not a one-size-fits-all program. The program should include a personalized nutrition plan and a personalized exercise plan.
• Your own online personal fitness trainer who will oversee your progress over the entire program.
• Access to multiple experts in various fields of expertise who can provide you with any information or advice that you may need.
• Instructional videos and materials.
• A 100% money-back guarantee.

If you’ve been struggling to lose weight or to get fit and healthy, an online fitness program might be just what you need.

Jim Plummer is a longtime health and fitness enthusiast. His website, http://www.functional-fitness-facts.com, contains plenty of information, advice and resources that will help you get fit and healthy. Read his review of the best online fitness program on the market.

Most people might define being fit as having rippling muscles, superman strength, and a body-builders build. But in reality, fitness is less sexy and more fundamental. It means having the proper resistance level and stamina to endure sustained physical activity. Peak fitness is that point where you’re meeting your body’s potential in strength and stamina.

And physical fitness isn’t just for young people. All of us should maintain peak fitness – whether we’re the busy young parent, the middle-aged professional, or the older retiree. Keeping our bodies in peak condition is fundamental to good health and a long, quality life.

There’s more to peak fitness than a good build and having the muscles of a construction worker. It means adhering to healthy habits in what you eat, how much rest you get, and a variety of exercise to develop different muscle groups and maximum stamina. It means giving your body what it needs to perform at your fullest potential.

Giving your body a healthy balance of energy-building foods (and their calories) is essential to a good fitness program. That doesn’t have to mean cutting out calorie-rich foods to lose weight. You need calories to have energy. They are the fuel necessary for the most simple task. Fiber is important to a healthy diet and peak fitness. It promotes healthy digestion and waste processing. Fiber-rich foods like unpolished rice, fruits and vegetables, and stone-ground natural wheat fill you up and reduce the temptation to eat too much. Daily intake of green vegetables and fruits gives you the vitamins and minerals that build stamina and help you resist disease. You can’t achieve peak fitness without a healthy balanced diet.

Sedentary lifestyles make peak fitness impossible. Movement and exercise keep you active and interesting. Making physical activity and exercise a daily habit builds stamina and strength and promotes healthy living. People who aren’t active tend to gain weight from fat, and they’re more vulnerable to injury and illness than physically active people. Just ten minutes a day of active exercise will help you maintain peak fitness. That can be as simple as climbing stairs and stretching to working on the treadmill or exercise bike.

One caution: don’t abuse your body in your effort to get and maintain peak fitness. You can overdo it. Your body needs a balance of activity and rest to maintain health and peak fitness. Too much or too little physical exertion are equally dangerous.

Sleep is necessary for your body to refresh and renew tissues and organs, particularly your brain. While individual needs vary, you should probably get at least six hours of sleep every night. A good night’s sleep helps you recharge and helps your body function at its best. You’ll wake refreshed, full of energy and enthusiasm, feeling alive and ready to go. It’s a fundamental contributor to peak fitness.

One way to assess your level of health and fitness is to be aware of your body’s response to stress. First, peak fitness means you’re able to respond quickly to emergencies. Like a well-oiled machine, your joints won’t slow you down with creaks and catches when your at your peak fitness level. Motions will be smooth and comfortable. Second, stress produces illness in less-than-fit bodies. If you have colds, flu, headaches, or stomach problems, you probably aren’t at peak fitness. Stress lowers immunity, and healthy bodies have healthy immune responses that result in fewer, less serious illnesses. Some scientists believe that peak fitness is a great way to prevent more serious diseases like cancer.

So, if you want to get to and stay at your peak fitness level, be sure to eat a well-balanced healthy diet, get regular exercise, and adopt a positive active lifestyle.

Abhishek is a Health And Fitness expert and he has got some great Fitness Secrets up his sleeve! Download his FREE 111 Page Ebook, “Complete Body Fitness” from his website http://www.Fitness-Magic.com/71/index.htm. Only limited Free Copies available.

Finding the perfect balance of mens health and fitness is a daunting task these days. There are so many so called “fitness experts” telling you one thing, while the others tell you differently. So what men’s fitness tips are really proven to enhance a man’s life?

Let’s take a look at some of the major issues and how to best tackle them.

WEIGHT LOSS

So much crap comes out daily on this subject. The worse products are usually savvy marketed diet pills that promise so many results and almost ALWAYS under-deliver!

So what’s really the best recommendations for weight loss? I’ll cut right to chase here since I’m not one to sugar-coat stuff. The best way to lose weight successfully and keep it off is to get your lazy butt up and do something! Anything!! Just do whatever your able of doing.

Humans are inherently lazy and this often makes them gain weight with each passing chronological year that goes by. The best mens health and fitness ideals come from physical activity. I’m not saying it has to be hard work.

In fact, it’s not hard work at all when you make men’s fitness a lifestyle and not a chore.

I would highly recommend interval cardio training for 20-30 minutes, 3-5 days a week. That’s only about 3% of your entire day! Your seriously gonna tell me you can’t devote 3% of your day to your health and fitness goals?

It doesn’t have to be 20 minutes, 5 days a week off the bat. Just start slowly,take baby steps, you’ll get there eventually. If you value your life at all, you should equally value good health. These weight loss fitness tips are not that hard to follow and you will get used to them,like everything else in life.

BUILDING MUSCLE

As a rule of thumb, I like to go by lifting weights to build muscle every other day. And usually your entire muscle building routine can be done in about 20 minutes. Allowing one day’s rest in between allows your body and muscles to recuperate. Weight training is a huge part of optimal mens health and fitness.

No time to get to a gym? Invest in a home gym unit! I highly recommend a Bowflex home gym unit or a Total Gym. A Bowflex is ideal for ultimate muscle building while the Total Gym is ideal for toning up the entire body and building modest muscle mass.

Not to mention they are both incredibly easy to use. Having a home gym in your house saves you gas and aggravation of driving in traffic to and from the gym also!

You see guys, men’s fitness does NOT have to be hard or difficult.

So now that you’ve got a slim and almost-perfect body, where do we go from here?

FACE EXERCISES

To complete the ultimate mens health and fitness plan, I’d highly recommend face exercises for men. Why? Because most often,regular exercise and weight training won’t exactly build chiseled facial features. While building muscle will define your chest and shoulder area, it won’t target your face and neck muscles effectively.

What can be achieved through these exercises? How about a chiseled jawline, enhanced cheekbones, elimination of under eye bags and double chin? Not to mention the burst of confidence that will come from your new look. Just imagine what can come from a quick blast of fresh new-found confidence.

The nice thing about face exercises is that the results are super quick!

They only take up about 15 minutes of your day and can be done sitting in traffic, on a plane or practically anywhere! There’s over 50 muscles in the face and it would be naive to think that we couldn’t also manipulate these muscles and sculpt and define them for enhanced facial features without plastic surgery!

So here you have it guys! The ultimate mens health and fitness guide and men’s fitness tips all-in-one simple outline!

Men’s Fitness expert Joey Capone is the writer of “Face Sculptor” Face Exercises for Men which can be found at http://www.menslifezineultra.com

Joey Capone is also the editor of the popular mens health and fitness blog, http://www.menshealthzine.com which features cutting-edge men’s fitness tips and advice on enhancing your looks and so much more!

In the present day, the term ‘fitness trainer’ has come into frequent use with the growing health consciousness of people the world over. It may refer to an individual providing private sessions to clients at home or it could also be a person working at a gym or any heath centre.

A fitness trainer helps you exercise and improve your exercising techniques to stay healthy and fit. This may also include advice on lifestyle and food habits. These services have become popular among the general public and are no longer reserved for aristocracy. However, there are several questions to be answered before hiring a fitness trainer. The most basic ones are listed below:

Is he qualified and reliable? – An essential requirement for a fitness trainer is his qualification. When you do come across these, ensure that they are valid and credible. There are countless organizations that declare these fitness trainers as qualified, based on their own standards, so make certain that it is a highly regarded organization.

The ACE (American Council on Exercise), AAFA (Aerobics and Fitness Association of America), FIA (Fitness Institute Australia), NPTI (National Personal Training Institute), NCSF (National Council on Strength and Fitness) are reputed institutes to name a few. Completion of such certified courses may not assure an advantage, but it promises the understanding of fundamentals. Knowledge of basic skills such as CPR and first aid are undoubtedly mandatory.

Is the fitness trainer fit? – While hiring, the general tendency is to perceive appearance as a major factor. But make sure that you don’t amplify your expectations. Your fitness trainer does not have to be a major hunk to get you in shape. Remember that his role is to mainly guide and mould you. However, do not consider hiring at the other extreme. The general exterior does determine a lot in selection. A pot belly, signs of obesity or any sort of visible unhealthy condition is a definite no-no.

Does the fitness trainer have any references? – Never hire a fitness trainer without previous references. As convincing as he may look or sound or be certified, it is crucial to hear it from his former clients. Any prospective fitness trainer must be able to provide at least two or more references. Talk to them and ask them if they achieved what they aimed for. You can question them about the methods and the commitment level of the trainer. This will help you get a clearer picture about the trainer and also to decide whether or not he would be suitable for you to hire.

What is the usual fee charged and on what basis?- The prices for training are spread over a varied range. Do your background research well and make enquiries. A fitness trainer’s fee is based on his credentials, level of experience, the number & length of sessions and geographical location. Most of them charge hourly rates, but there may be other options as well. He should clearly specify what the training services or package includes. He must take a general overview of your health. This includes any medical history or health problems you may have whereby you may have to restrain from performing some exercises. Fees may range from about $20 an hour for basic trainers to thousands of dollars like the celebrity ones.

Can I work with him comfortably?- Finally and most importantly, you must be comfortable working with the fitness trainer. Always trust your instincts and analyze whether you will be able to work calmly with that person. Talk to him and find out more about his personality. Discuss your health goals with him and find out how he intends to carry out the training. Do not hire somebody whom you think you cannot trust as you will have to invest your health in them.

To sum it up, ensure that the person you hire has your health as the foremost objective in mind and not the money you pay.

Dan Clay is the owner of Dangerously Fit Personal Training. If you would like to book a free consultation with a Sydney fitness trainer or a personal trainer Maroubra contact us today.

You may have heard of them before. Perhaps you have participated in one. Whether you
have or have not, they are popping up all over the country and in Canada. Fitness
‘Boot’ Camps are extremely popular and have been for about a year and a half. And they
are quickly becoming the client and fitness professional’s mode of training. What’s even
more promising is that a very large range of clientèle are choosing this type of training
for their regimen. But what makes these so popular?

Time Friendly

Perhaps one of the greatest things about Fitness ‘Boot’ Camps is that the design of the
camp and the intensity is such so that you can achieve a full workout in less than an hour.
And that doesn’t apply to only the deconditioned. The seasoned trainee or athlete can
benefit greatly from the enrollment as well. There are endless
ways to accommodate almost all fitness levels.

Bottom Line: No more spending hours in
the gym hoping you did enough work for results. To quote Bruce Lee “Absorb what is
useful and reject what is useless.”

Easy on the Wallet

Fitness ‘Boot’ Camps are very cheap when you consider rates versus a gym membership
or a personal trainer. The average single class will run between $10-
$25 per session, and sessions run two to three times per week for four to six weeks. You
can’t find quality personal training for that price, let alone a gym membership!

Bottom Line: If a personal trainer is running a boot camp that you are interested in, ask about their
credentials and price packages to be sure you are getting a great deal and high quality
instruction.

Boost of Motivation

Perhaps one of the biggest benefits of Fitness ‘Boot’ Camps is the camaraderie of a group
setting. Not too often in our lives are we able to meet with a group of people all looking
for the same goal. The group dynamic is truly something to be witnessed. Teamwork,
companionship, encouragement, and a little bit of competition all mixed together
provides an environment very little get the opportunity to witness.
Many people have the need to find strength and motivation from within. Fitness Camps
provide that as well. With a multitude of group training sessions, there are also sessions
that force you to find the inner motivation and toughness to push on to success.

Bottom Line: Yes they are physically taxing, but throw mental strength
development into the mix, that’s when results happen.

Unique Locations

Everybody likes a change of scenery now and again. With Fitness ‘Boot’ Camps, you
have the opportunity to train outdoors (when the weather is cooperating), or indoors in
any area that is big enough to accommodate a group of individuals. What else is great
about this is in any location your surroundings become your equipment. Whether it is the
local park (benches, stairs), or indoors in a racquetball court (walls, benches). Creativity
runs wild when it comes to location and exercise tools. Many find this quite refreshing
since it is nothing like the normal dumbbells in a gym surrounded by a bunch of grunting
gorillas.

Bottom Line: Change of scenery is good and helps refresh your body and mind
to focus on results.

Results, Results, Results

This is the true bottom line. If you don’t get results then what do you have? Nothing. If
they were not providing results, they wouldn’t last. However, for over a
year this mode of training has been very popular all over the country. Some have even
started fitness studio chains exclusively for them. Provided the camp is
run properly and a highly qualified professional is running the camps, then there is a good
chance they will be successful. To tag along with that statement, if
you enroll into a successful camp and do not put your mind, body, and spirit into it, then
you will not last long.

Bottom Line: they are for those who are sick of
the normal training environment, want a change in their mind and body, and are willing
to do what it takes to succeed.

The popularity of Fitness ‘Boot’Camps is very popular for a good reason. It puts all the
positive aspects of fitness training into one package; quick, affordable, different,
motivating, and result oriented. This isn’t another fitness craze because of all of the
proven benefits it provides, so Fitness ‘Boot’Camps will be around for a long time.

For more articles and your free report on the 4 Hotspots to train on your body for optimal fat loss, go to http://www.bensbootcamps.com

So You Wanna Be a Fitness Model?

People that follow my stuff know I generally write about nutrition, supplements, training, and other topics that are more science based than subjective topics, such as what is covered in this article. I decided to shuck my science geek persona, and write on a topic I know will be helpful to thousands of would be and wanna be fitness models.

As well a known “hard core” science based no BS writer, why I am writing what some will perceive as a “fluff” article? Over the years I have gotten hundreds, perhaps thousands, of gals that ask me via email, letters, or in person “how do I become a fitness model Will? You have been in the business a long time, surly you of all people should know.” I get this from newbies and I get this from women that have been at it a while but have been unable to “break in” effectively.

The fact is, I have been in the fitness, health, and bodybuilding biz a long time, and though I am known as a science and nutrition based “guru” type, I have trained many a fitness athlete, and judged fitness and figure/bikini shows for the NPC, Fitness America, Fitness USA, and other federations as well as given marketing and business advice to all sorts of athletes, including fitness models. So, it’s not as far fetched as it might seem that I am going to use this space to cover a non scientific topic, which is, how one goes about being a fitness model.

This article will be useful to both experienced and novice types looking to “break in” to the biz. If you are already a professional and successful fitness model, I am sure you may still glean some useful information from this article.

First the bad news, there is no one way to become a successful fitness model. There is no single path or magic secret. There are however some key things a person can do to greatly improve their chances of “making it” in the fitness biz as a model, and perhaps using that success as a launching pad to greater things, such as movies, TV, etc.

Several of the top fitness models (Trish Stratus and Vicki Pratt come to mind but there are many others) have gone onto careers in entertainment of all kinds. Bottom line, though there is no magic secret to being successful as a fitness model, this article will be about as close to a blueprint for success as you will find.

“Do I need to compete?”

This is a question I get asked all the time and it’s not an easy one to answer. In fact, the answer is (drum roll) yes and no. The person has to deicide why they are competing in the first place to answer that question. For example, do you need to compete if your goal is to be a successful fitness model?

The answer is no. Many of today’s well-known fitness models have never competed, or they competed in a few small shows and it was clearly not part of their success as fitness models. However, competing does have its potential uses.

One of them is exposure. At the upper level shows, there will often be editors, publishers, photographers, supplement company owners, and other business people. So, competing can improve your exposure. Also, competing can make sense if you are trying to build a business that is related to your competing or will benefit from you winning a show.

For example, say you have a private training gym you are trying to build. Sure, having the title of say Ms Fitness America, or winning the NPC Nationals and being an IFBB pro, will help your reputation and the notoriety of your business. There are many scenarios were it would help to have won a show for a business or other endeavors.

On the other hand, it must be realized that winning a show does not in any way guarantee success in the business end (and it really is a business) of being a fitness model. The phone wont ring off the hook with big offers for contracts. Also, it’s very important to realize that it’s common that the 4th or 6th or 8th place finisher in a fitness or figure show will get more press than the winner. Why? Though the winner might have what it took to win that show, it’s often other gals the editor, publishers, supplement companies etc, feel is more marketable.

I have seen it many times where the winner was shocked to find she didn’t get nearly the attention she expected and other girls who placed lower have gotten attention in the form of photos shoots, magazine coverage, etc. Something to keep in mind when you ask yourself the important question “do I need to compete and if so, why am I competing?” Answer that question, and you will know the answer to the heading of this section. Winning a title of some sort can be a stepping stone, but it is not in itself any guarantee of success in the fitness industry. It’s like a college degree; it’s what you do with it.

Now. If you compete for the fun of it, then by all means go for it, but the above is focusing on competing as it relates to the business aspect of being a fitness model.

Right body, wrong federation?

Ok, so after reading the above you have decided you are going to compete, or will compete again. If you don’t plan to compete, you can skip this section. The biggest mistake I see here is so many gals have the right body for the wrong federation. Each federation has its own judging criteria and a competitor will do poorly simply because they didn’t bother to research which show would be best suited for them.

I will give you a perfect real world example of this. Recently I judged a show whose criteria for the figure round was the women should be more on the curvy softer side with some tone, vs. being more muscular and athletic with less bodyfat that other federations might allow. At this show one of the most beautiful women I have ever seen came out. She was very proportional, great muscle tone, lean, and athletically shaped with narrow hips and waist and wider shoulders. How did she do at this show? She didn’t even place in the top ten!

Why? Because she was not what we were instructed to look for and didn’t fit the criteria. After the show I informed her that she looked great, but this may not the federation for her. I told her she had much more of an NPC type body, where a little more muscle, athletic build, and less bodyfat is rewarded.

The following week I was judging an NPC fitness, figure, and bodybuilding show and there she was. How did she do? She won the entire show with all judges voting her number one unanimously.

Conversely, if your body type tends to be more rounded and toned, but with a little more bodyfat, wider (but not fat!) hips, you may be better off competing in say the Fitness America Pageants. If you are going to compete:

(1) find out exactly what the judging criteria is for that federation and

(2) go see those shows as a spectator for several different federations and see which one your physique, style, etc will fit into best.

(3) You have to decide if you truly have the athletic abilities to compete in a fitness competition (which requires a routine) or a figure/bikini competition.

I often see women who would do well in a figure show but really don’t have the athletic abilities do the routines required to be competitive with other athletes in the show. Some shows will allow you to do both competitions and some wont.

Networking 101: dos and don’ts…

In so many respects, this is the area that will make or break you in any business, and yet, people in the fitness industry do an amazingly poor job at it. If you don’t network and market yourself properly, you can pretty much forget about having any real success as a fitness model, or a success in virtually any business. For the sake of space, we will stick to fitness.

When I first started out, I was a self marketing machine. I could be found at every show I thought might be an opportunity, walking the isles of trade shows, bodybuilding, shows, fitness show, and others. I gave out a zillion cards and I took a million home with me, and followed up on each and every one. I went to as many industry related meetings, outings, parties, etc. as I could get into. I now have the reputation and experience in the industry that I don’t have to go to such a show unless I feel like it, or have meetings, but they were quite helpful in the beginning.

I am always amazed at the number of fitness models who contact me who have never even been to the Arnold Classic Fitness Weekend, or the Mr. Olympia, or the trade shows like the NNFA Expo West and others. If you want to make it in the fitness business you sure as hell had better treat it like a business.

I have seen many a pretty girl who wants to be a fitness model who thinks if they stand there looking pretty long enough, someone is going to offer to put their face on the cover of a magazine. News flash, there are millions of beautiful women out there and to be noticed, you have to hussle to get that business like everyone else by networking your butt off, or having a good agent (if you can afford such a thing) who is doing it for you.

Pick a few major industry shows to attend (some of which were mentioned above) and go to them every year. Have a plan of attack of exactly how you plan to market yourself and network. Many fitness models, bodybuilders, etc see a show as one big party. If that’s you, then have fun at the party, but don’t think you are really marketing yourself as a serous business person or athlete.

Another thing that always amazes me is the number of fitness models who either have no business cards, or have some cards they printed up on their bubble jet printer at home! They ask me to help them or what ever and I say “give me your card” and they look at me like “I am so pretty I should not need a card you fool.” This attitude turns off editors, photographers, writers, and industry people faster then if they found out you were really a transvestite. Don’t do it. For every pretty girl out there who thinks the world owes them a favor, there are 100 who are ready to act like professionals.

Ever wonder why some fitness model you know is doing better than you are even though you know you are prettier than her? That may be why…never ever go to a show to network without good cards, bios, and professionally done head and body shots you can give to said editors, publishers, photographers, industry types, etc. Don’t stand around looking pretty assuming they will find you, find them first and introduce yourself. And of course it should go without saying you should be in good condition and have something of a tan to look your best.

You want to go to the shows and party? Fine, but do it in private after the work is done and don’t make a fool out of yourself at some industry sponsored get together. Hell, I was virtually poured into a cab at last years Arnold Classic after going to a sushi place with some well know industry types and companies owners (you know who you are!) but at least no one saw me! We had our own little private get together after the show to let loose.

Let me give you one final real world example of how NOT to market yourself. Last year I was on retainer as a consultant to a mid sized supplement company. The owner of the company asked me if I knew a couple of fitness model types that could work his booth for a trade show. In fact, he requested “unknowns, some new faces people had not seen yet but had real potential to grow with the company.” I went and found him two such gals I thought fit the bill.

He offered to pay their flights, room, and food plus a thousand dollars each for the days work. The two girls were told to be at the booth 9am sharp. The night before at the hotel, I saw the two girls getting in a cab at 11pm or so dressed to kill, clearly on their way out to party. The next day they showed up at the booth an hour and a half late and hung over! What was the result of this? (1) it embarrassed me to no end as I had recommended them to the company owner (2) they would never get work from that company again (3) they would never get any work from me again and (4) they would not get a reference from either of us for other jobs.

I see this type of thing all the time in the fitness biz, and it’s not limited to fitness models. Amazingly, a few weeks after the show they emailed me and the company owner wanting to know when their next job would be! Amazing…

Who loves you baby?

If there is one universal truth, it’s that the camera either loves you or it does not. Any professional photographers will tell you this. For some unknown reason, some people are very photogenic and some are not. Truth be known, there are some well known fitness models (who shall remain nameless as they would probably smack me the next time they saw me) who are not all that attractive in person. It’s just that the camera loves them and they are very photogenic, but not terribly pretty in person.

Conversely, I have seen the reverse many times; a girl who is much better looking in person than in photographs. Such is the fate of the person who wants to be a model of any kind, including a fitness model. If you find you are not very photogenic, keep working with different photographers until you find one that really captures you well and pay that photographer handsomely!

Now, to be bluntly honest, there are also some wanna be fitness models who are not “unphotogenic”, they’re just “fugly”! There are some people out there who have no business trying to be fitness models. It does not make them bad people, it just means they need to snap out of their delusions and find a profession they are better suited for, like radio personality….

“How do I get in the magazines?”

This section sort of incorporates everything I have covered above, and adds in a few additional strategies. For example, as I mentioned before, competing in fitness shows and or figure/bikini shows can increase your exposure, thus getting the attention of some magazine publisher or photographer. Networking correctly at the various trade shows may also have the same effect, and of course having a good portfolio done by a photographer that really captures your look, a good web site, etc., will all increase your potential for getting into the magazines, or getting ad work, and so on.

However, all of these strategies are still somewhat passive versus active in my opinion. It’s still the fitness model waiting to be “discovered.” As far as I am concerned, waiting is for bus stops and pregnancy tests. Success waits for no man…or woman as the case me be. So, after all the above advice is taken into consideration as having an added effect to getting you magazine coverage, what else can be done?

For one thing, you should read and be familiar with all the magazines you want to be in so you know who is who and what the style of the different magazines are. I can tell you right now, if say the Editor-in-Chief of a good sized fitness or bodybuilding publications and says “hi, I am the Bob Smith what’s your name?” and the fitness model has no idea who Bob Smith is, Bob will not take kindly to that. Why should he? You should know who the major players are in the publications you want to be seen in. He is doing you the favor, not the other way around. You should know who the major players are and actively seek them out, don’t wait for them to “discover” you.

If you look at the masthead inside any magazine, it will tell you who the publisher is, who the Editor-in-Chief is and so forth. The mailing address for that magazine, and often the web site and email, can also be found. What is to stop you from looking up those names and mailing them your pictures and resume directly? Nothing, that’s what. If you see a photo spread you think is really well done, what is to stop you from finding out who the photographer is and contacting them directly and sending them your pics? Nothing, that’s what.

My point being, you want a get a break in the business, make the break, don’t sit there thinking it’s looking for you, because it’s not. Be proactive, not reactive! Luck is the residue of design. Be successful by design. As my older brother used to say to me as a kid when I told him I was too scared to ask out a pretty girl “what’s the worst that can happen Will? All she can say is no.” That’s the worst that can happen to you also.

Beware of web idiots, schlubs, morons, perverts, scum bags, and sleazoids!

This part is sort of self-explanatory but worth mentioning. As with all industries that deal in entertainment based media (e.g., television, theater, modeling, etc.), the fitness industry attracts its far share of web idiots, schlubs, morons, perverts, scum bags, and sleazoids, to name just a few.

There is also the class of person known as the schmoe, but we will leave that for another place and time. Point is you want to meet the right people while not getting involved with that group of worthless types who will only drag you down, delay you, or just flat out screw you up and over.

For example, a guy comes up and says he wants to “shoot you” for the magazines, but what do you really know of this guy? He has a camera and some business cards, so that makes him a photographer right? Wrong! If someone want to shoot you and they are not a well-known name (and you should know who the well known photographers are because you researched that already!), find out who they are. Do they have references you can call? Girls you can contact he has shot before and were happy with the work? What magazines has he published in? Does he do it professionally or as a hobby? That type of thing.

Another thing I see is the big web scam. I’m amazed how many girls get scammed by these web idiots. Lesson here is you get what you pay for, so when some person wants to build you a web site for free, you are getting what you pay for. Yes, there is good money to be made on the ‘net, and the net can be great for marketing yourself and making contacts, but most of it’s a scam.

You are better off paying a good web designer and web master who has experience with other fitness model types and has references you can talk to. I can’t tell you the number of girls who have been screwed over by some internet thing that went to hell, like the “fan” who volunteers to build a free web site and either runs off with any money made from the site or puts their picks on porn sites and any number of other things that made them regret like hell ever agreeing to the site in the first place.

Clearly, I can’t go down the list of all the possible pitfalls of the web idiots, schlubs, morons, perverts, scum bags, and sleazoids out there to be found in the entertainment business, but you get the idea. Be careful!

Conclusion.

Well that pretty much concludes my down and dirty guide to the basics of “making it” as a fitness model. Of course there are tons of business related issues I could cover and tricks I could give, but the above is the best advice you are going to find in s small space and will do more for you-if properly followed-than you may realize.

Good luck and see you in the magazines!

More articles like this at:

FIGURE/FITNESS MARKETING EXPLAINED

Author Bio

Shape your body, add strength, learn proper nutrition, and supplements:

Find out more at http://www.bodybuildingrevealed.com.

Lacking motivation hurts anyone who has thought about starting an exercise plan. Personal Training can change all that.

Many individuals believe that they are stuck with an unwanted body – but this is not the right way to think. Anyone can change the way they look.

This is certainly not true.

Personal Training Secret #1: Gaining That Motivation

Firstly, it is important to look at yourself in the mirror to gain that motivation required for personal training.

While you are looking in the mirror, think of the following:

I can get into shape

I can drop those pounds.

I can become a happier person by getting into shape.

I can motivate myself to start a fitness plan.

I can improve my health.

Finding the motivation to start personal training is important.

Personal Training Secret #2: I Can Get Into Shape

You will never gain the motivation to start a fitness plan if you believe that you will not be able to get into shape. Since the idea of working out is based on the fact that you are trying to get into shape, you will be less likely to start a fitness plan if you believe that you can’t get into shape, which is why Personal Training is so important.

Believing in yourself and that you can reach your fitness goals is very important.

Personal Training Secret #3: I Can Drop Those Pounds

If you believe that you will exercise and not lose the weight, then you are making a big mistake. You will not be motivated to start exercising if you believe that it is impossible to lose the weight.

It is important to remember that if you start exercising, you will automatically start to lose weight.

Personal Training Secret #4: I Can Become A Happier Personal By Getting Into Shape

Yes, many people believe that exercising will cause them to become sad. This is not true. You can remain happy while exercising if you find the exercise regiment that is right for you. Additionally, you can improve your level of happiness by using a combination of mental and physical health techniques which you can learn through Personal Training.

Personal Training Secret #5: I Can Motivate Myself To Start A Fitness Plan

If you don’t have faith that you can motivate yourself to start a fitness plan, then you will never start a fitness plan. Simply, you must believe in yourself that you can be successful at improving your level of fitness.

When you can reach your fitness goals, you will feel better about the rest of your life.

Personal Training Secret #6: I Can Improve My Health

Finally, it is important that you believe that you can improve your health. By starting a fitness plan, you will really be adding years to your life and start getting healthy. Starting a Personal Training plan is something that you need to do and knowing that participating in a fitness plan will add years to your life, you will be even more motivated to complete your goals.

Use That Motivation For Personal Training Today Well, now since you have the motivation to start and finish your fitness goals, it is time for you to put your wishes into action.

Get started today by visiting your nearest personal training coach and put that motivation to use.

Zach Hunt is a motivational fitness training Spokane personal trainer and owner of Physzique, a fitness coaching service in Spokane, WA. Go here: Personal Trainer Spokane for more fitness tips.

Do you desperately want to improve your health and fitness, but do not like the thought of jogging, or having to travel to and from a pricey health centre. Then the good news is that there is plenty of quality total gym fitness equipment available for you to use in your home, anytime you like. Having your own gym equipment at home is the perfect way to get started on your fitness regime and you do not have to worry about gym memberships, what you look like, what to wear, or having to share your equipment with others, unless you choose to do so.

For those who are interested in setting up a gym of their own at home, here are a few things to consider before making any major purchases:

1. You will need to buy the right kind equipment to suit your home

Space, or lack of it, is an important factor to consider when buying your total gym fitness equipment. You will not want to buy machinery that is too large if you only have a small space in which to do your workouts. Thankfully, there is a heap of effective gym equipment available that is compact, foldable and does not take up much room. This means that you will never have to lose out on getting quality equipment because you do not have enough room at home.

2. Make sure you check out what kind of equipment suits you personally

There is a heck of a lot of total gym fitness equipment out there, with more and more new brands and models coming on the market all the time. Choosing the right kind of equipment for your personal needs is important. Think about what it is you would like to achieve – is it to lose weight, increase your fitness levels or build up some extra muscle? Perhaps you could get some advice from an expert in the bodybuilding/health and fitness field, or try out some of the equipment at a store, or at your local gym first, to see which kind of equipment will help you best achieve your goals.

3. Think about how much you can afford to pay

It would be easy to blow a lot of money on total gym fitness equipment without carefully planning for what you want. The last thing you need is to have a lot of equipment that you have paid good money for, sitting around your home unused, so the best thing to do is to purchase what you specifically need to begin. You can always add more total gym fitness equipment later on as you progress with your fitness regime. Also, be wise in looking for the best deals, do not just buy the first bit of equipment you see (unless it is super bargain, of course), but shop around a bit. You can talk to an expert, or there is also a stack of information online, to guide you in what to look for.

Some of the most basic and best pieces of total gym fitness equipment, which are affordable and do not take up a lot of space, are: treadmills, exercise bikes, elliptical trainers, stair climbers, gym balls and weight benches. These items are great for cardiovascular workouts, body toning and shaping and for, generally, improving your overall health and fitness. There is also a huge range of bodybuilding equipment systems available, some of which do not take up a lot of space, and these can be found in stores or online.

In combination with a healthy diet and better lifestyles choices, the purchase of good quality total gym fitness equipment, which you can use at your leisure in your own home, can help you on your way to having the fit, strong and healthy body you always dreamed about.

By the way, you can be sure to find what you need [http://www.gymequipmentworld.com] in the enormous range of total gym fitness equipment at [http://www.gymequipmentworld.com]