clevermanka: default (i am so happy!)
clevermanka ([personal profile] clevermanka) wrote2010-07-08 10:20 am
Entry tags:

Next Level

You guys, you guys! I found it! I found the gym of my dreams and it exists here in Lawrence! Holy shit, you guys! It's right here!

Last week, I wrote this entry, but never posted it publicly:

I would love to have a group like this in Lawrence.

When the movie 300 came out, and the accompanying articles on how the actors got in shape for their roles, I was smitten by the techniques and philosophy of GymJones. Bodytribe seems to support similar attitudes towards movement and practical fitness. Why are groups/gyms like this so difficult to find? Seems to me, it would be a terrific way to build your gym. Spare tires, sand-filled hoses, broken down cars to push (ha!). The DIY options are endless and appealing.

Do people really prefer the commonly accepted notion of a gym, with mirrors, weights, Nautilus machines, etc.? Or is it just that they don't know any better?


Now, fast-forward to this week: When I asked the girl who did my body fat testing if she had recommendations for a local trainer that didn't work in affiliation with the local gyms (I am not joining a gym), she gave me the contact info for a Chris Dellasega. I sent him this email:

...are you willing to work with someone who is stubborn about her eating habits? I eat mostly paleo, the exceptions being wine a couple times a week, and cream in my coffee. I occasionally do intermittent fasting. I hope this doesn't sound bitchy, but I have G.I. problems (under control, finally) and I'm afraid I don't work well with people who tell me I need to eat grains and/or several small meals a day.

I would like to split my fitness focus between strength-building for bone health and general fat loss. I would like to use circuit-training and alternatives to cardio-for-cardio's sake. I know myself, and I know I would rather lay down and die than jog around the block even once. Don't even talk to me about cardio machines. Kettleballs look fun (and good for fat loss). I wouldn't mind investing in some if you can show me how to use them properly. I'm not afraid of lifting heavy things, although without a gym membership, I realize my options for that are limited (hence my TRX). I would love some advice in regards to form on the TRX, too, if you have any experience with using those. I dream of being able to do an unassisted chin-up one day. Does that help give you an idea of what I'm looking for? It's a mixed bag, but I get bored doing the same thing every day.


He responded back very positively, and I set up a coffee date with him to chat about my fitness goals and preferences (he drinks coffee--already a sign in his favor). That was last night.

Today, I am on cloud nine! This guy is a perfect trainer for me. He's smart, open-minded, interested in sharing information, stresses body awareness and interconnectedness, loves compound movements and whole-body fitness, hates most guys' focus on bench-pressing and big biceps for the sake of big biceps, etc. I got the impression that he left his previous employment at a local gym because he couldn't stand watching people use the weight and cardio machines any longer.

He also hates smack talk and boasting about any one particular style of training. "We don't claim to know everything about everything. We're always interested in learning and experimenting with new techniques. That's why we're the best." ::love::

When he asked "Have you heard the term 'functional strength'?" I about wept for joy. He's excited to work with a woman who looks forward to being strong. I'm excited to work with someone who has a fitness philosophy similar to mine. And he says he can totally get me doing unassisted chin-ups.

\m/ >_< \m/

I'll be meeting with him at the Next Level facility every other Tuesday through mid-December. This is the final nail in the financial coffin of the yoga training, but I'm okay with that. It's a good trade. A very good trade. Considering where I am now, and where I hope to be a year from now, this is the better option.

Yay yay yay! I'm thrilled!

[identity profile] fairgoldberry.livejournal.com 2010-07-08 04:37 pm (UTC)(link)
That's really awesome! I'm gla you found someone who respects your fitness boundaries and can push you without pushing his agenda!

Much love,
Rowan

[identity profile] clevermanka.livejournal.com 2010-07-08 04:40 pm (UTC)(link)
push you without pushing his agenda

Yes, exactly! What a perfect phrase. Thank you!