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BACK TO THE GYM by Coach Jim Massaro

Eight years ago I left the so-called mainstream gyms where I had trained my whole adult life. Dealing with the bodybuilders and the rest of the fitness world, man, did that drive me crazy! I was always amazed watching some of them prance around with their bodies shaved and the funny little outfits they wore and their inability to walk by a mirror without looking at themselves from ten different angles. Please don't get me wrong. I understand that it's a tough "sport"-I have friends who have won the Mister America contest but I don't get the mindset that goes along with it. As for the rest of the fitness world, they also make me laugh when they buy into all the trendy gimmicks like fancy sports drinks and sexy workout clothes, but neglect the most important investment: a plan of attack on how to get into shape.

So eight years ago, after having a disagreement with the owner of the gym where I worked out and did personal training, I decided to open my own small personal training studio. I equipped it like any good powerlifter would: with power racks, chains, rubber bands, and many other fun items. My wife reminded me that this was not my playroom but a place to make a living. With that said, I had to add some conventional equipment, and with only eight hundred square feet we were able to get a lot of work accomplished. Many of the athletes that have come through these doors have gone on to have successful high school and college careers. Coming to the gym they knew that they had to bring IT every day or it was "Tombstone" for them. Yes, I was Wyatt Earp, and if you did not work hard enough you were asked to leave, or else "we buried another in Tombstone." Many athletes simply gave in to the Tombstone because they did not have the drive or dedication to be the best. As you know, as Renegade Athletes our goal is to be the best prepared and conditioned athletes on the field of play. A high school female field hockey player I trained was getting ready to go off to college to walk on to her school team. I would threaten her with Tombstone each workout. She always promised she would never end up there and three years later she still has not been buried, but many macho guys have been. When my regulars came to the gym there was a plan for them to get into shape as long as they were willing to make the commitment. They too have seen great results.

With the need to expand our business, I moved the personal training studio to a smaller, upstairs area and we opened a women's fitness center in the old space. What was I thinking of? In making this move the athletic training area was not equipped anymore for heavy-duty lifting. With this expansion, not only were my athletes going to be affected, but even I could not work out here. So here we go back to the gym! I needed to find a place to go where we could still take it to the outer limits of training, certainly not the corporate gym environment, you know-the dreaded big chain. What I had overlooked was that eight years later THEY were still there. That's right: the bodybuilders and those without a clue. My nightmare had begun all over. You see, the biggest problem I have is that most of the bodybuilders I see training are doing the same lifts over and over and always afraid to come out of the box. I see some doing the same routine they did eight years ago. What really bugs me the most is when I watch these so-called experts give advice to the young impressionable kids, the kids that are athletes, not bodybuilders. Bad advice is totally ruining the kids' sport preparation. Remember, everyone doesn't need big biceps. It is very hard at times to get kids to work out, so when they are making the effort it is the job of a sports conditioning specialist to make sure that proper training is taking place. As an athlete the focus is to become a better athlete. Remember, Coach Davies refers to it as the "wheel or conditioning." Sports Specific Skill, Drive-Dedication, Range of Motion, Agility, Balance, Linear Speed, Strength, and Work Threshold: all these areas need to be addressed, not whose traps or biceps are bigger. Bodybuilders: please stay in your world and leave the strength and conditioning to us specialists. As for the rest of the people in the gym, I guess their purpose is just to get in our way. Oh, how I long to get back into a facility full of nothing but athletes. As I tell myself as well as those who I train, "put your blinders on, go in there and bust your ass to get the job done." Remember, as Renegades we can Live the Code in any environment.

 

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