July 2024

While I am not a fan of the Las Vegas (formerly Oakland) Raiders, I have always admired the slogan that former owner Al Davis used to capture the franchise's philosophy - "Commitment to Excellence." A sign was prominently displayed inside their old stadium and is featured at their training facility, and this statement reflects the team's dedication to maintaining a high standard both on and off the field. This is one reason that the Raiders were one of the winningest teams of the 1960s, 1970s, and 1980s, and they earned three Super Bowl trophies.

A commitment to excellence has nothing to do with natural talent and ability, but rather a willingness to do the things that are required in order to achieve success. Jerry Rice is the greatest receiver to ever play in the NFL, but he was neither the fastest nor the most supremely gifted player that we have ever seen. However, nobody worked harder. A quote attributed to Rice is written on the wall at Dominion High School (where I coach football) that says, "Today I will do what others won't, so that tomorrow I can do what others can't." Sure, one must have significant genetic gifts in order to play in the NFL, but this philosophy is not limited to athletic endeavors. It is about developing the mindset that anything worth doing is worth doing right, going for what you want in life, but also making some sacrifices and sticking to a plan every day.

Total Results has had a commitment to excellence for over 20 years. Day in and day out we seek to provide the best exercise experience possible for our clients by utilizing a philosophy with a proven track record. We strive to keep learning and improving, never being satisfied with where we are or what we know. One great thing is that we tend to attract clients who have the same mindset. One of our longest tenured clients is a successful attorney who is in his early 60s and travels quite frequently for work. Because of his hectic travel schedule, he makes sure to book his appointments a couple weeks in advance and very rarely misses a workout, even if he has just returned from overseas. He recently went on a fishing trip with some friends, and at the end of the trip they took a group picture to commemorate the experience. They are all roughly the same age, but our client looks considerably younger and fitter than his peers, due in no small part to the consistent work that he has put in over the last two decades.

We have a husband and wife in their early 60s that have been Total Results clients for a little over three years, and both have exercised twice per week consistently in that time. They were recently on vacation and decided to water ski, which neither had done very recently. Accompanying them on the trip was their nephew, who I believe is in his late 20s. Our clients had no trouble at all, while their nephew did not fare nearly as well. When asked how it was that they were able to ski so well, our clients told their nephew about the work they had put in at Total Results. Our oldest client is 93 years old and has been exercising at Total Results since 2003, yet she was introduced to high-intensity weight training by her son in the 1980s. While she uses a cane to walk much of the time, she does not use one during her workout, and she rarely misses a session. That is a commitment to excellence. I can think of countless other examples of our clients being able to do more in life while exerting less effort. This is a product of consistent hard work and having a mindset of, "I can."

Total Results is an investment in yourself. Sure, you are making a financial commitment, but you are also making a decision to focus on what is important so that you can reap the benefits of the work you are putting in. We at Total Results have a commitment to excellence and a standard that we set for ourselves that must be met or exceeded every time. We have a relentless enthusiasm, which we believe is contagious, and it is that drive that keeps us going every day. How committed are you? How badly do you want to succeed? It is all within your control. Together, we can't lose!

One should always take their mental health seriously. We live in a complicated age in which we are more accessible than ever, and we find ourselves subjected to distractions in the form of 24 hour news, the Internet, social media, video streaming services, and communication platforms. The near-constant exposure to technology can hijack our sleep schedule and darken our mood. Let's face it, who wouldn't be in a bad disposition much of the time if they constantly followed the 2024 presidential election? Mental health awareness has garnered an increasing amount of attention over the last few years, and rightfully so. One positive outcome of our current environment is that someone who is dealing with mental health difficulties is not branded with the same stigma that they once were. We all face challenges every day, and there is a good chance that someone you know is dealing with adverse circumstances, whether they show it or not. While actions matter more than words, people deserve compassion and understanding rather than a rush to judgment.

The mental component of exercise can never be underestimated. Remember that your brain controls your body, and that skeletal muscle is the only type of muscle tissue in the human body over which you have volitional control. Smooth muscle helps with digestion, nutrient collection, and removal of toxins, while cardiac muscle controls the beating of your heart. All of these are important actions but they are involuntary. Contraction of skeletal muscle occurs as a result of conscious effort that originates in the brain; it does not happen on its own. In order to get the most out of proper exercise, we need to focus as much of our brain's capacity on the task at hand. Don't get stuck in your own head!

What do I mean by that statement? Getting stuck in your own head can take on several different forms. One scenario often happens when clients return after a couple weeks off, either because of a vacation or some other absence. They will often struggle in their first workout back, in part because I think they lose sight of the amount of effort that is required during a Total Results workout. I saw a phrase that I really liked in an article I read this morning that said, "Prepare for a high level of discomfort." The article had nothing whatsoever to do with exercise, but I thought it was appropriate for what a Total Results workout entails. Clients sometimes forget the manner in which our machines are designed, where the resistance is typically heaviest in the beginning of the movement and becomes easier once the cam falls off. I see this often on the Chest Press exercise; it's not that they are unable to move the weight, it's just that they are seemingly unprepared for the amount of effort that is necessary to overcome inertia at the start. This is a mental hang-up, not a physical problem. While you may lose some cardiovascular and metabolic conditioning if you take a few weeks off, you are very unlikely to lose muscle or strength during that time. The same scenario can present itself on the Leg Press. At the start of the exercise there can be a slight delay between the brain sending the message to your muscles to contract and when movement actually occurs. It is only fractions of a second, but in your perception it seems like you are suspended in time. Exercise some patience. If you contract your muscles, the weight will eventually move.

Fear and negative thoughts are also examples of getting stuck in your own head. Fear of what, exactly? It could be fear of exertional discomfort, fear of not performing well, or fear of being injured. Don't give in to fear; no matter how uncomfortable a Total Results workout is (and it is uncomfortable - making lasting physical improvements is not easy), it only lasts for twenty minutes. I believe that many people don't start with Total Results out of fear, or because they feel that they "need to get in shape first." They are missing the point. Putting the work in at Total Results is what will make the difference, not trying some less effective method first. Do not be fearful of injury; that is the main reason we go to great lengths to teach our protocol in the first few sessions and make sure all of your exercise settings are correct. It is why we painstakingly explain the preliminary considerations during an initial consultation. Yes, it may feel like we are throwing a lot of information at you at first, but it is necessary in order to optimize your safety. Our exercise protocol is safer than stepping off a curb, as long as you follow our instructions. Get out of your own head! You are capable of far more than you give yourself credit for.

In the last year or so I have started giving clients access to their workout spreadsheets so that they can track their progress over time. This is important because I believe that knowledge of results is a vital factor for keeping clients motivated, but also in terms of celebrating their successes. Sometimes, however, this can backfire because some clients will obsessively pore over each workout and fret if they don't add weight or increase their time under load (TUL) every time. Sure, you will likely experience rapid progress in the first several weeks, but part of that is because we estimate your beginning poundages conservatively at first in order to teach proper form. After four to six weeks any increases in weight and TUL are more the result of physical adaptations than they are the learning effect. Progress should be steady but change does not happen overnight, and it is also important to note that as a client becomes more experienced they will come across the law of diminishing returns. This means that it is unrealistic to expect that you will progress at that same rate indefinitely. Yes, we will still continue to be progressive in our approach, but the weight increments will be added less frequently and in smaller amounts. Consequently, if clients do not believe they are progressing fast enough they will often make the mistake of adding in more activity to their lifestyle, applying the fallacy of, "if some is good, more is better." Don't fall into this trap, and don't succumb to paralysis by analysis. We want you to think critically when it comes to exercise, but don't overthink it. Total Results clients should have as many tangible markers of their progress as possible, but please don't obsess over your chart.

Author Ryan Holiday says in his book "Courage is Calling" that, "All growth is a leap in the dark. If you're afraid of that, you'll never do anything worthwhile. If you take counsel of your fears, you'll never take that step, make that leap." He goes on to say, "Training is not just something that soldiers and athletes do. It is the key to overcoming fear in all situations. What we do not expect, what we have not practiced, has an advantage over us. What we have prepared for, what we have anticipated, we will be able to answer." Exercise should be hard, but once you tell yourself you can't do something it won't happen. Believe in yourself! Total Results is non-judgmental. We simply want to help you to become the best version of your current self. Put negative thoughts out of your mind, be a learner, and keep an open mind. You can do it!