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Game Day Nutrition with Gary Roberts

May 4, 2012 By 1 Comment

With playoffs underway and many OT games having been played already, recovery for players becomes all the more crucial to prolonged success.

I’m often asked:

  • “What should I be eating the day of a game to have the most energy possible?“
  • “What should I be eating post activity to make sure I’m recovered for the next time I play?“.

First of all let me start off by saying that if you’re thinking or asking these kind of questions you’re already on track.  Awareness, knowledge, and preparation are all you need to start making a huge difference in not only sport but life.  The benefits of nutrition are widely known but from my experience: I maximized my gains from training, had more energy, healed faster and thought more clearly because of what I put into my body.

The above being said, I wanted to use my first blog post as an opportunity to share examples of my ideal game day meals and snacks in hopes that it inspires readers to think about what they eat and how it affects their performance!

Enjoy!

Game Day Breakfast

 

 

Game day breakfast:
Three soft boiled eggs with a pinch of sea salt and two pieces of
whole grain toast with organic butter, small Greek yogurt & fruit mix with flax seeds.

 

 

 

 

 

 

Pre-Game Meal

 

 

 

Pre-Game Meal:
Grilled skinless chicken breast with brown rice, broccoli and a salad dressed with extra virgin olive oil and balsamic vinegar
 

 

 

 

 

 

Pre-Game Snack

 

 

Pre-Game Snack:
Oatmeal with ground flax seeds, walnuts, banana, unsweetened shredded coconut and a drizzle of pure maple syrup!
Try this 1.5 hours before a game or practice and let me know how you feel!

 

 

 

 

 

Post-Game Recovery Shake

 

 

 

Post-Game Recovery Shake:
Six ounces coconut water, six ounces water, 2 scoops BioSteel Recovery Formula [or other good quality protein (protein and carbs with no added junk)] and one banana.

Have this within 45 minutes of work to give your body the fuel it needs to recover!
 

 

 

 

 

 

Post-Game Meal

 

 

 

Post-Game meal:
Grilled skinless chicken breast, sweet potato and asparagus
A good blend of lean protein, complex/nutrient dense carbohydrates and veggies. The foods your body needs to repair itself!

 

 

 

 

 

I’m hoping this provides a guideline for people and I want encourage you to try these recipes, see how they make you feel and adjust as each individual is different.  I’m looking forward to hearing your comments and answering any questions you may have below!

 

 

 

 

 

Gary

Filed Under: Hockey, Nutrition Tagged With: , ,

The importance of being a good pro

September 13, 2011 By Leave a Comment

June of 2011 saw the opening of the Gary Roberts High Performance Training Center, located in the Fitness Institute on Sheppard Ave in Toronto.

My relationship with Gary goes back to 1986 with the Ottawa 67′s, when I was the 67′s Conditioning Coach. In those 25 years I have amazing experiences with one of the games most dedicated athletes to physical conditioning. Gary used that drive and dedication to a very successful NHL career with over 1,200 games played and 900 points.

Since his retirement he always knew he wanted to be in the hockey training industry, and in developing the GRHPT he wanted to make sure that everything was created to be the best – training-nutrition-treatment-coaching. It all started back in the spring of 2010 when Gary and I started training over 25 NHL and OHL players at his home gym in Uxbridge Ontario. Word spread around pretty quick with names like Stamkos and Skinner having the success they achieved after a hard summer of training. Skinner particularly when he gave thank you to Gary and I at the NHL player awards where he won the Calder Trophy for rookie of the year.

Jeff had worked with me in Ottawa at the ACC since he was 15 years old on my take away programs, training on his own at home with his brother Ben. With Gary opening his training facility in his home and being located so close to Jeff in Markham, he was able to continue under our program design and the excellent coaching, motivation and nutrition advice by Gary.

The growth of Gary’s success working out of his home grew very quickly, and we were soon trying to find a new location that would accommodate the interest in his program. Finding the Fitness Institute was the best location for us to be and working together with the FI President Steve Roest, the GRHPTC was created. No expense was spared on this facility. Top equipment from Magnum, Sorinex, Perform Better, Twist Conditioning, Fitness Depot, along with an amazing artificial turf area resulted in an amazing facility.

The players lifted 4 times per week, completed plyometric, speed and agility work twice per week with Tony Scott, and had their nutritional concerns taken care of by Nature’s Emporium and Biosteel.

Steve Stamkos pushing the hay


Gary hugging Steve Downie


Gary having some fun

As you can see from some of the pictures, the athletes had an amazing summer and learned how important it is to be a good pro, and to do everything they can to be the very best.

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Filed Under: Fitness, General, Hockey, Nutrition

Humans Race

June 20, 2011 By Leave a Comment

Live a Racing Life

Since the beginning of human existence, we have raced. For early humans it was literally a race to eat and not be eaten. Our ancestors’ days were full of struggles and challenges just to survive. Today we seek comfort, easy challenges, and avoid reaching beyond our comfort levels.

Take a moment, right now, to imagine some of your best successes, when you performed at peak state and delivered results that surprised and fascinated you. It was really about racing. You raced to complete an exam at school, or an athletic event.

We race at a different level than we practice. So why shouldn’t we race our lives forward? Look at people like Richard Branson. He’s living life to extremes in every way. He has over 200 businesses under the Virgin brand and is constantly seeking out new challenges and amazing experiences. There are countless others. Oprah. Bono. Obama’s Race to the White House and the Race to the Moon are all examples of incredible racing achievements.

The race has been a theme throughout my life. The lessons I have learned from each race over the past four decades have culminated in The Business Race Program. Using unique processes, programs, and delivery systems, we are currently racing our clients to a combined total of over $10 billion. It took me a long time to understand the importance and significance of a racing mindset to create the best results in our lives.

On Your Mark!

At age seven, I was instantly hooked by the thrill of downhill skiing and everything about it; the magic of speed, momentum, and challenge. Ski racing soon became a passion. At age 14, I won the Canadian Juvenile Slalom Championships and decided that winning had a clarity and finality that I liked. Being up against the competition and the clock left no room for excuses. Then at age 17, I achieved my biggest goal to date by making the Canadian National Ski Team Development Group. At 18, I switched to the downhill team and raced in my first two World Cups. The next year I was on the National Downhill Team, training and racing in Europe. Again, I’d achieved another important life long goal.

Get Set!

As skiing wound down for me, something happened that changed my life. I was given the chance to accompany my father to the high Arctic on his expedition to search for the world’s northernmost shipwreck, the Breadalbane. We successfully put a man on the deck of the Breadalbane who taught me a valuable lesson about the race. Phil Nuyten radiated a quiet confidence when talking about confronting any challenge. He told me, “softly, softly; go at it with respect, full understanding and work on winning the situation.”

This adventure spawned a thrilling idea for an expedition of my own. Excited and inspired by what my father’s team had accomplished I decided to sail the Northwest Passage as they had originally sailed it 400 years prior, by wind power alone. I envisioned an 18-foot Hobie Cat as the ideal boat. Fortunately, I was among people who knew that encouragement was how to fuel any endeavour. It was just what I needed!

Go! Racing Through the Northwest Passage

My father was a big catalyst in my early efforts to get this project going. One of his friends knew the president of Hobie Cat in California and helped get them excited to sponsor the expedition.

My biggest, quiet fear was that I had never been on a Hobie Cat before they sent one to us. Being a skier, I knew almost nothing about sailing. I’d never captained a boat but I was coachable, which I learned much later was the most important thing to be.

I spent the next 18 months learning and growing the team. Over 130 people signed on to help. Some were world experts in Hobie sailing, extreme exposure diving suits, and Arctic logistics.

Looking deeper into the expedition, I realized that the early explorers had never actually sailed by wind-power alone through the Northwest Passage. All 130 people were excited about doing something that had never been done. I later called this Great Goals: goals that are important to the people who are trying to achieve them.

It took professional photographer, Mike Beedell and I, 100 days to sail the 4000 km Northwest Passage. We were challenged constantly by massive amounts of Arctic ice, ever changing winds, numerous polar bears and our own difference in personalities. I learned that if two people think exactly the same way, one of them isn’t necessary. Mike and I disagreed many times, yet I think the Great Goal that we were trying to achieve was bigger and more focusing than our differences.

National Geographic published my story and Mike’s photographs, and a Rolex print ad was featured in Time, Fortune, and The Economist magazines. At the same time, I had just finished my Honours Business Degree from the University of Western Ontario. This was a case study based degree using mainly Harvard business cases. For the next few years I was meeting, interviewing and then delivering motivational speeches to hundreds of companies. I found this challenging because I had to be “on” for every speech. It reminded me of being in the starting gate of a World Cup Downhill course. Just because I knew how to turn right and left, I still needed to be “on”. It was a race.

Having had the chance to interview several hundred CEOs and senior executives taught me many things. I wanted to be more useful to them. I liked their energy and the challenges they had to meet, not just once, but every month, every quarter and every year. Their race was truly an endurance race.

The Overland Challenge

In the winter of 1994, I was invited to join a team led by the brilliant documentary filmmaker, Richard Creasey. He had an idea that became a $7 million dollar live-action television series called, The Overland Challenge, a journey across Russia. It took us two and half months through the depth of winter to cross the former Soviet Union.

I was fascinated by the compelling human stories that we filmed while visiting the Gulags, the Soviet Camps, where Stalin had sent an estimated 25 million people to die. The human and environmental devastation that I learned about empowered me to demonstrate that humanity has grown and evolved since the time of Stalin.

We had three weeks when the temperature didn’t go above -50 Degrees Celsius. A difficult crossing of the Bering Straits resulted in us sinking a 14 ton amphibious tracked vehicle and we continued by snowmobile through Alaska and back in the vehicles for a sprint to New York City.

Vera was lead translator between the Russians and the English. Her magic was to understand what was being said and translate the context and feeling as well as the words. My lesson was that we are all translators even when speaking the same language. The better we are at interpreting the context and desired result, the better our communication.

Racing Eco-Challenge

Most recently, I’ve raced in the last three Eco-Challenge World Championships. This championship is an all human powered race with co-ed teams of four. If one person quits the race is over for the entire team. Eco-Challenge is considered one of the toughest races ever conceived. You race nonstop, sleeping only when you’re willing to get passed by other teams, over some of the most challenging terrain imaginable. The race takes 7 to 12 days and covers 500 km. 80 teams from 30 countries start, yet fewer than half the teams ever reach the finish line. The course is designed to be an equal opportunity destroyer.

Quitting is Not an Option

My first Eco-Challenge was in Borneo, Malaysia with an all rookie Canadian team. Discovery Channel was covering our team. The heat, leeches, snakes, jungle, and distance all combined to make this a challenging race. Yvonne, our female athlete, fell on her wrist on the fifth day in a brutal section of the jungle. She kept trekking for eighteen hours to get to the next checkpoint to receive medical aid. Her wrist was broken. The doctor recommended that she quit the race. In one of the most courageous moments I’ve seen in any race, she said, “That’s not an option”. I’ve learned from all these races that there is an entire world of possibility on the other side of where most people quit.

For the next five days, Yvonne struggled through the pain to ascend a 200 foot rope climb, followed by a 600 foot rope repel. We relentlessly paddled, trekked, and constantly talked ourselves into not giving up. We crossed the finish line 9 days and 23 hours after we started.

I was so moved by the courage, grace and tenacity of Yvonne in all areas of her life, that I asked her to marry me! Lucky for me, she said “yes”. We now have a four year old son named Nathan.

Of all my races I was most proud of the Eco-Challenge in New Zealand. In only our second World Championship, our Canadian team raced with the top teams in the world, 60,000 feet up and down the magnificent, yet brutally tough Southern Alps. Racing relentlessly for 5 days, 18 hours, we finished 10th in the world.

The Business Race Program

I’ve learned that we humans are capable of so much more than we ask of ourselves. My heroes are those who dream, dare and do; those who step, repeatedly out of the comfort zone in all aspects of their lives; those who are relentless and realize that there is no better time to be an explorer and discoverer than right now!

From my racing experience I’ve evolved Six Race Rules that have proven to accelerate my corporate clients forward in their professional and personal lives. The Business Race Program has increased our clients’ businesses by millions of dollars using the following concepts.

Six Race Rules

1. Great Goals. Pursue goals that are hugely important to the people determined to make them happen. Many people thought our Northwest Passage Expedition was crazy, yet for me and my team it was important. I believe you should have Great Goals in all aspects of your life.

2. Vivid visualization. Things happen twice, first in the theatre of the mind and second in reality. Ski racing was all about the hundreds of times I skied the race course in my mind before the race was run.

3. Gather Greatness. Gather genius in people, technology, ideas and solutions. We ended up with 130 people who helped us stay alive and succeed in sailing the Northwest Passage. Why try to fly solo? Great Goals attract great people. It takes just as long to accomplish small goals as one big one.

4. Encourage Everyone. We learned racing Eco-Challenge that when your teammates deserve encouragement the least, is when they need it the most. I don’t believe confidence is cumulative. I believe we need to protect it and grow it. I grew up ski racing with lots of feedback. I naively thought everyone wanted feedback. Actually, they want encouragement.

5. Course Correct. Your car never goes in a straight line. You are constantly adapting and correcting the course. The most successful people and organizations make more small mistakes that are quickly course corrected towards success. Remember that small positive changes over time create huge results.

6. Momentum Matters. A body in motion stays in motion, while a body at rest stays at rest. It is true in science and in life. If you want something done, ask a busy, determined person. If we ever stopped long enough in an Eco-Challenge race to realize how much our bodies were destroyed, we’d likely never get started again. Seek momentum in all you do.

One final challenge ~ Race your life forward.
Race On.

Filed Under: Fitness, Staff post

Spinning takes on new meaning at holiday time

January 11, 2011 By Leave a Comment

Audiences love the message that Jeff MacInnis delivers. As the leader of the first team to sail the Northwest
Passage, captain of a top 10 Eco-Challenge Team, a World Cup downhill ski racer, avid cyclist, best-selling author and entrepeneur, Jeff makes time to teach the Wednesday morning spinning class at the Fitness Institute. Come rain, or shine, sleet, or snow, he makes the trek from Mississauga to the club at Victoria Park and Sheppard, to get in by 6:00am. He’s built an avid following of regular spinners, and has coined the term “Team Wednesday” to give new meaning to getting up to make a break-of-dawn fitness class.

Annual 'Team Wednesday' Christmas Spin

Each Wednesday morning is a treat for those of us who get up early to make his class. But holiday time is always a special time. The group pulls together a spin class of epic proportions. And this is probably the 4th year we’ve been doing it. Jeff brings the decorations and Santa costume, and people chip in with champagne, egg-nog, baked treats, and other goodies. And the background spinning tunes change their beat. You won’t hear the typical Madonna, Yolanda Be Cool, or techno-music pounding at this morning class, but rather, the beat of Christmas songs with a much gentler rhythm. And heart rates still get up over 140 beats per minute. It all seems to work.

And so it was, this past Wednesday, December 22nd, when all 25 spin bikes were taken, and there was standing room only for this annual event. No tickets were sold in advance. The party wasn’t subsidized by the club. It was just a bunch of people who love to spin, doing a bit of planning, and getting together to make it happen. That’s how things seem to work at the Fitness Institute.

Until we do it again next year!

Before you leave, spend a couple of minutes looking at the rest of the pictures from the party. Then you’ll get a first-hand sense of what it was like to be there.

If you were one of the spinners at this party, we’d love to hear some of your thoughts. Feel free to leave your comments below.

Filed Under: Fitness, Member post

Seven Tips to Enhance Digestion…And Get the Most Out of the Food You Eat

December 7, 2010 By Leave a Comment

There is a strong link between good digestion and good health. It is important to understand the connection between our health, the foods we eat and how well we digest those foods. Most of us have a very busy schedule. We often skip breakfast or just grab a bagel and coffee, grab fast food for lunch and eat it on the run or at a desk while working, have a coffee and “sweet treat” at work in the afternoon, and too often end up shoveling dinner into our mouths as we dash out to the kid’s game or even worse – in front of the television. As a result many people suffer from indigestion, “acid reflux,” gas, bloating, constipation, and painful hemorrhoids. So many of us today rush through meals without paying attention to the reason why we eat in the first place. Even if you make conscious decisions about the foods that you put in your body, it is just as important to take the time to truly eat and enjoy them. The following tips will help you improve your digestive habits–and get the most out of the foods you eat:

1. EAT TO NOURISH YOUR BODY
The purpose of food is to provide your body with the nutrients it needs to function properly–a simple concept, but hard to grasp in our fast-paced society. Rarely do people eat food with the intention of nourishing their body. Instead, most people just grab something quick and convenient to make the hungry feeling go away, or they binge on junk food out of habit, boredom, as a “reward,” or as a way to distract themselves from negative feelings. Eating for any of those reasons can lead to poor food choices, poor eating habits, and ultimately, poor digestive function. The first step in improving the health of your digestive system is to improve the quality of the food that you put in your body. The more natural your food is the better digested it will be.

The problem is that for most people, it’s hard to find the time to prepare nourishing meals. Still, we all need to make some adjustments so that we can eat real food. A good breakfast containing high quality protein and healthy fat is critical, even if it is just a yoghurt smoothie, some hardboiled eggs or almond butter on sprouted whole grain toast. Rather than grab fast food for both lunch and dinner, it would be better to take a simple lunch to work and then eat at the dinner table at home for dinner. Salads made with dark greens, sprouts and seeds dressed with balsamic and an olive oil/flax oil blend would be a first choice. Sliced veggie and avocado or tuna sandwiches made with sprouted whole grain bread are also good. Taking washed fruit from home for a snack would increase both nutrient and fibre intake. For dinner, have simple foods such as chicken, steak, legumes or grilled fish with vegetables or salad. Above all, try to avoid processed foods as much as possible.

2. RELAX
In today’s busy world, few people take the time to really enjoy the foods they eat. Instead, it is common to either skip breakfast or grab something quick while running out the door, eat lunch on the run, and pop a convenient prepackaged dinner in the microwave. Eating when under stress or in a hurry inhibits the production of hydrochloric acid and enzymes that are necessary for proper digestion. So it is best to entirely avoid eating when under stress. Wait instead until you can take the time to eat and enjoy your food!

3. SLOW DOWN AND CHEW
Chewing your food thoroughly begins the digestive process, breaking food into smaller particles and mixing it with saliva and amylase, (an enzyme in your saliva which begins breaking down carbohydrates). The smaller the particles of food swallowed, the better broken down it will be in the stomach and the more surface area for nutrient absorption will be available in the small intestines. If you really want to get the most out of your food, not only do you have to make good food choices, but you have to be able to break down and effectively absorb the nutrients from your food. It doesn’t make sense to invest extra time and money into preparing quality food, if you eat it quickly and forget to chew it. So, as you learn to relax and enjoy your food, really focus on completely breaking it down before swallowing, and pause before taking another bite and, most importantly, don’t forget to breathe!

4. EAT YOUR ENZYMES
Enzyme-rich foods are a great aid to digestion. But just because foods are raw does not mean they contain lots of enzymes. Tropical fruits like bananas, pineapple and papaya are high in enzymes. Raw honey is also a good source of enzymes and would be a suggested sweetener. Fermented foods like Kefir, yogurt, miso and Sauerkraut are high in enzymes as well.

5. LIMIT PORTIONS
Portions are way out of control in our “supersized” society. This is because the processed foods of today are so empty that no matter how much of them people eat their body is still starving for nutrients and never feels completely satisfied. This explains the intense food cravings that many people experience, cravings that lead to uncontrollable binges. One serious problem with bingeing is the tremendous stress it puts on the entire digestive system–and the rest of the body for that matter. The human stomach has a limited capacity for digestion. Overeating decreases the effectiveness of hydrochloric acid and enzymes, not to mention that the foods most people choose to binge on are processed, nutrient-depleted, junk foods containing high levels of processed vegetable oils. Not only do these foods totally lack any nutritional value, they also rob the body of vitamins, minerals and precious enzymes. One of the first things people notice when eating a diet of nutrient-dense foods is that they don’t have to eat as much to feel satisfied, and the uncontrollable cravings go away!

6. DON’T WASH YOUR FOOD DOWN
Most of the taste buds in this country have been programmed to enjoy certain foods, especially the denatured ones, with their liquid counterparts: coffee and a donut, pizza and an ice cold cola, or cookies and a nice tall glass of milk. In fact, a fast-food meal would be incomplete without the half-gallon-sized soft drink to wash it all down with. The problem is that drinking all that liquid with meals interferes with the whole digestive process, not to mention all the other problems created by the ingredients in the soft drink. But even if you make conscious decisions about the foods you eat, simply drinking too much water with your meals can affect your ability to properly breakdown your food. Drinking too much liquid with meals dilutes the concentration of hydrochloric acid and enzymes needed for proper digestion. So to get the most out of the foods you eat, it is best to avoid drinking lots of liquids 20-30 minutes before and after your meals. (If you take supplements or any other pills with food, try to use no more than 4-6 ounces of water to swallow them.)

7. ENHANCE YOUR DIGESTION
Following these tips will improve your digestive habits and optimize your digestive function. If you still experience symptoms of indigestion, try drinking one teaspoon of raw apple cider vinegar mixed with 2-4 ounces of water with your meals. Raw apple cider vinegar is loaded with enzymes and creates a nice acid environment for good digestion.
Another digestive aid is real bone broth—old-fashioned chicken soup. If you can possibly fit this into your schedule, learn to make simple chicken soup. Half a cup or so of chicken broth sipped with meals is a great digestive aid.
And what about those antacids? Contrary to popular belief, too much stomach acid is not the cause of indigestion and other digestive complaints. In fact, most digestive symptoms occur due to lack of stomach acid. Gas, bloating, indigestion, “acid reflux,” burning, diarrhea, and constipation are all signs that the digestive system is in need of repair. And rather than fix the problem, by making better food choices or improving digestive habits, it is common to pop an antacid to make the symptoms go away. The problem when we take antacids is that we neutralize hydrochloric acid, a substance that is critical for proper digestion. Stomach acid helps us assimilate protein–the building block for every single cell in the body. And if protein is not fully digested, it will sit in the gut and cause a heavy, bloated feeling after eating. Stomach acid is also essential for the absorption of important nutrients like calcium, iron, and B vitamins. A deficiency in B vitamins alone can cause symptoms like anxiety, depression, and fatigue. Stomach acid also serves as our first line of defense if we ingest anything in our food that doesn’t belong there–like bacteria, viruses, and parasites.

Make a commitment to improve your health by improving your digestion!

Do you have any other tips you can suggest?

Filed Under: Nutrition, Staff post

C.H.A.N.G.E.

November 30, 2010 By Leave a Comment

Your “body is always at potential – to change, and for new things to develop,” Dr. R. L. Shultz, D.O.
However, our thoughts and behaviour needs to be consistent with and supportive of the change we seek.
Here are some key things to consider in achieving your desired fitness and health change.

Challenge Yourself
Your comfort zone determines your results zone. In other words the greater your comfort zone the greater your results. Challenge yourself to be more active. Challenge yourself to start an exercise program and/or workout with greater intensity. Challenge yourself to eat healthier…

Healthy Eating Habits
These are eating habits that are supportive of the positive change you desire. So eating a double cheeseburger, fries and soda combo is NOT supportive of your goal for a healthy lifestyle.

Attitude Is Everything
Science has proven that the mind body connection is a very real and strong one. Behaviour starts with a thought. Thoughts stimulate emotions (feelings), which result in attitude and finally produce behaviour (action). A positive attitude then equals positive behaviour (actions supportive of the positive results/change you seek).

Navigate
Along with other members of your health and fitness team, a Certified Personal Trainer, like myself, is a professional trained to help you navigate your way towards your health and fitness goals. By serving you as a guide, a source of knowledge, positive support and motivation on your way towards your health and fitness goals.

Goal Setting
You can’t hit a target you can’t see. Specific and realistic goal setting is a key component to seeing the results/change you desire. What do you want to change? What makes it so important to you? How would you feel once you’ve achieved this change?

Enthusiasm
Change always comes bearing gifts. Get excited about the rewards of positive change. Get excited about an active, healthy lifestyle. Get excited about adding massive value to your life.

Are you ready to experience change?

Filed Under: Fitness, Nutrition, Staff post

It’s all about the friends we make along the way

October 30, 2010 By Leave a Comment

Fifteen years seems like a long time to be going to the same fitness club. Yet that’s how long I’ve been a member at the Fitness Institute. And my fitness needs seemed to have gradually evolved along the way.

When I first jointed the club, being an introvert, I had no problem working out on my own, managing my own schedule, and minding my own business.  No one bothered me.  But there was something comforting about the vibe on the gym floor.  It was never too crowded, people were always friendly, and the staff offered encouragement.  It didn’t take long before I got comfortable with the early morning routine, started to recognize the same “early birds”, and realized that many of the people around me shared many of the same values I did.   That’s important, because that’s what brings people together.

Flash forward 15 years, and not much has changed.  I’m still an introvert (but some of the members may think otherwise). Sure, there are new faces every month or so, but for the most part, I’ve built strong relationships with a number of the regular members.

Spinning away

I’m a “spinner”…I like spinning. That’s not to be confused with a “spin doctor” but rather, one of those people who is huffing and puffing on a stationary bike at 6:30 in the morning three times a week, to loud music and a motivational instructor.

Well, three people from my Friday morning spin class, always take off half-way through the class.  They call themselves “Team Hardcore”, and I’ll tell you, I’ve watched them in the gym a few times over the the past 3 years…the routine they do is truly not for the faint of heart.   It’s no wonder they call it “hardcore”.  Anyway, on one particular Friday morning last month, I’m seeing the hardcore group sitting out in front of the squash courts on the sofa, cracking open the champagne and orange juice, and doling out generous slices of chocolate cake.  You’d think they were celebrating someone’s conquest of a medicine ball, or the 100lb dumbells.  Rather, it was Gerard’s birthday – not even a major one…just a regular birthday.

'Team Hardcore' chilling

But for anyone looking on, the whole event was special.  6 people chilling right in the gym, in the early morning, with champagne and cake.  They didn’t even bother taking it over to the club restaurant.  They were just shooting the breeze, laughing, and kicking back right out in the open.

And for me, an observer from the outside, it felt just fine.  It actually felt right.  For me, that’s what the Fitness Institute is about, and that’s why I keep coming back.  It’s about the people, the fun we have together, the comaraderie.  No one judging, no one making anyone feel uncomfortable.  People can work hard when they need to, but can also unwind when they need to, and for all to share.

Filed Under: Member post