Twenty years ago I stumbled on the path to fitness. From taping the ESPN fitness programs on my VCR to sitting on the floor of Barnes & Nobles copying workouts in a notebook I couldn’t afford to buy. This was before there was an internet, video on demand,  and 24 hour cable channels. Information was scarce.

I was in my 20′s and had no idea who I was. I only knew that I was not on a rewarding path. I was not treating myself, or my body, well. One day I took a hard sober look at myself in the mirror and I didn’t like what I saw one bit. It was that seminal moment when you make a decision. Either I stay on this path I know and defend why I deserve to be this way or I make a u-turn. I needed to snap out of this depression and I changed overnight.

• I quit my 1am drinking binges with my friends.
• I threw out all the junk food.
• I committed to exercise DAILY.

Be. Move. Do.
Erwin

20 years in Fitness from Erwin Gonzalez on Vimeo.

The KINETIC Sculpt® method of training centers around the Be. Move. Do. manifesto.  The Be in our fitness equation relates to INTENTION.

• Have you ever wanted to train but didn’t know how to start?
• Have you ever worked as hard as you can and produced little to no results?
• Have ever done all the “right things” and still missed the mark completely?
• Have you ever worked your butt off, met your goals but were unable to maintain the rewards of your labor?

I have been in all of those emotional spaces at various times. I realized I was missing a crucial step. I was missing inspiration and chasing an imagined ideal. I was focused on “having” “doing” “moving” and not “being.”

It is said we repeat cycles to repair them. When I learned to be intentional and Exercise Consciously, the cycle of dysfunctional repetition was broken. I stopped spending mindless hours chasing trends and being comparative. I became a better athlete and a secure, not defensive, person.

How did I learn to relate to INTENTION?

• I created goals that inspired me.
• Then I embarked on purposeful training thereby gaining greater clarity and purpose.

Here is an excerpt from the KS® playbook. This is a kickstarter guide to generating a mindful exercise practice. Grab a notebook, or as I call a Perspiration Journal, and start writing. Think of this as an opportunity to get your actions and intentions aligned. Produce measurable results based upon a positive checklist and save yourself time.

1. Make A List

What do you like about yourself? 
Our exercise choices are always led by our truest thoughts about ourselves.

You can not control how people view you. Clear your mind. Change the game. Focus on what you want to achieve, who you want to Be and not what you think you deserve.

• Make a list of 10 Things that are GREAT about You and none of these things can be based on anything material or on your physical appearance.

You now know that you are whole and complete and the work ahead can build upon your strengths. If you can celebrate you than you won’t feel the need to look like anyone else, or even some past incarnation of yourself.  Be here now. There will be no awkwardness or making excuses. You got this. Next, get disciplined.

2.Take yourself on every day.

Who do you want to Be?

In our lives, we will have multiple careers, and people will come and go. You are never too old or too young to reinvent yourself. This is a simple fact.

You have your list of strengths. Build upon these. To move past plateaus we all must constantly choose to let go of our old thinking. “Who do you want to Be?” is what you need to reflect on, and anyone, or anything, that interferes with this you need to get out of your head.

• Surround yourself with NEW and inspirational people.
• Do NEW things and don’t be afraid to spend time alone.
• Let go and take yourself on every day, in every way.

If you are going to move, you better know where you are going. If an action does not progress you closer to who you envision yourself to be, re-think the energy you are investing in it.

3. Give Up Perfect

In case you are wondering, twenty years ago, my Be was simple. I was out of shape and lost. I hated the perpetual feeling that I deserved better but didn’t know how to get it. I wanted to Be Different.

I couldn’t change my life circumstances but I could change the basics. I could take charge of my health. This attitude allowed me to redefine my life and never turn back. This continues to evolve and every decade brings something new.

Here is my Be today.

• I want to walk past every mirror with my head high approving of what I see.
• I want to work SMART so I can live pain-free and be able to move my body powerfully on-demand.
• I wish to go to bed at night and wake up in the morning with a clear conscience.
• I want to be an inspiration to myself and share my passion authentically with others.

My life has been blessed in many ways and the rest has been grace in the face of true hardship. It is not always easy. I always make mistakes and must renew my Be, my promise and commitment to myself.

• Embrace a Beginner’s Mind. No self-judgment or judgment of others.
• Focus on being interested rather than being interesting.
• Make better mistakes.

Life is a series of choices. Everything in your life will fade as you age but your sense of self. This is both timeless and limitless.

To Exercise Consciously you must want to carry your own weight and not be weighted down by expectation. You can choose power instead of asking for mercy and understanding. I glossed over this fairly quickly and I promise a more in depth guide is to come but there is enough here to get you thinking. You can’t build the body bypassing the brain.

Consciously yours,

Erwin

KINETIC Sculpt® enters its third year OUTSIDE. New Season. New Program. Our goal is to help you reach your full fitness potential.

In a great city like New York, why would you settle for cookie cutter bootcamp workouts.

Signed up for…
- Tough Mudder?
- Crossfit games?
- Endurance races?
- Weekend warrior?

The day of the competition is not the place to discover your vulnerabilities.
Take the next step in your athletic evolution. Our goal is to help you reach your full fitness potential.

NEW KINETIC Sculpt® O EXtreme Endurance Challenge

Run. Walk. Jump. Crawl. Climb. Lift. Push. Pull. Carry your own weight.

Everything you know and think you know will be tested.
You won’t be able to get away with “just doing it.”
You can’t advance unless you DO IT RIGHT.

All of NYC is our playground.

THREE Saturdays ONLY.

8:15 AM

June 15 
July 13 
August 10

12 Spots.
90-Minutes
$55

Be ready.

Want to try out? Apply Today.

KINETIC Sculpt® EXtreme – Training from Erwin Gonzalez on Vimeo.

Spinning, when taught responsibly, should be ideal for someone recovering from an injury or post-rehab. But as a fit pro, I can acknowledge that atmosphere often substitutes for instruction.  You may wonder how this can be. In short, business is about giving the people what they want, not what is always best for them.

Most people do not love to exercise. The data proves this over and over. To lure people to the gym sometimes you have to sweeten the deal and appeal to their sense of fun and pleasure. Learning and the delayed gratification associated with it isn’t fun. Theatricality, distraction and the promise that you can kill two birds with one stone is. This mindset has turned virtually every class into a fitness fusion of cardio, strength training, stretching, music appreciation, martial arts and meditation. In short, businesses respond to revenue. Asses in seats equals dollars and if the class is packed, no one is going to question the method.

What will happen is the program managers and owners will try to replicate the pilot program. The new “fitness formula” for building membership and revenue will soon make a once zany program the norm. For example, it wasn’t so long ago that Zumba and SoulCycle were hybrid oddities and now they are multimillion dollar businesses and for some people a religion.

This is why I caution when taking a Spinning class or any group class…

1. Inquire what the general makeup of the class is. To who is the class targeted? What is the general fitness level? Regardless of advertising, no class is for everyone. If in doubt, opt out until you find an instructor who can accommodate your needs.
2. Don’t hide. Position yourself up front and center. Introduce yourself to the instructor. Explain your exercise history.
3. Vet your teachers. What kind of training has the instructor undergone? Ask your instructor questions about the content of the class. A true professional will be happy to address your concerns. For example, is there a lesson plan and curriculum being followed? For example, are you walking into the middle of five-week training series? Is the class music and choreography driven?  If so, do you like that?
4. If an exercise appears questionable to you, sit it out. After the class, inquire about it. Learn the form. There should be research and outside references to support the exercises being lead.
5. Every class you take has impact on your body. Ask yourself, what do I expect to get out of this class and how will I use it in my life?

I cited  Zumba and SoulCycle as examples of fusion classes earlier. I use these examples because these are not scalable experiences that one can objectively monitor. It is hard to improve at either in any measurable way.  Taking either class over time will make you a better class taker but not necessarily a road cyclist or a competent salsa dancer. I would like you to put yourself first, trust your instincts and think of how your every workout can make your life better outside the gym.

Exercise Consciously.

Erwin

Years ago, I embarked on my first triathlon training season. It literally was a life changing experience. Through SMART training I made a new community of friends with common interests, learned body awareness, found my career calling, developed greater self-worth, and that’s just a little of what I learned.

When I decided I wanted to BE a triathlete, then I needed a training plan (MOVE) so that I could DO it well.

Here’s a few tips for newbies that helped me out.

1. Take out a calendar and set a training schedule. 
Tri training is very time consuming because you have to practice three sports and there is supplemental strength training in between. You really shouldn’t enter it with half a heart or you will risk injuring yourself.

You need to schedule training time. Time will dictate as to whether you can fully commit.  You can also choose one sport or biathlon to commit to if short on time. Don’t ponder the question too long.

Once you decide to do it, choose your race.

2. Choose your race, date, and distance first.
I have heard of people preforming triathlon training without having registered for any given race. This makes as much sense as going for accepting a wedding proposal and refusing to set a wedding date.

I believe it is pro-active to choose your major race first then create a training schedule around your deadline. Be aware triathlon racing is not cheap. Race fees are fairly high and you need gear.

3. Create a Workout Schedule to support your training with an emphasis on Strength, Endurance and Sport-specificity.
You have a schedule of availability and a race date. Now go join a group, a team or get some coaching. Also, schedule a few small races to get you accustomed to competitive racing.

There are many online coaches and training guides out there but nothing replaces human face-to-face contact. You will want someone to observe your technique and offer feedback in real time. You also will have a shoulder to lean on.

I joined a non-competitive small group. Having the support was invaluable. Triathlon can be very lonely. It is not a team sport but training can be. If you have a team, you have accountability partners, you can go to races together and celebrate after.

4. Race Day Prep.
Don’t do anything race day that you haven’t practiced before then. Here is my race day mental checklist.

On Monday April 15, 2013, the world watched as innocent people were targeted during what should have been a celebration of the Human Spirit. Within hours, people around the world mobilized, came together in solidarity, to say no to Fear and stand in love.

KINETIC Sculpt® is a system of movement exercises but its principles are larger than that. It is about building the human body without neglect of the spirit. Who will you BE in the face of a adversity? How will you MOVE when people are in need on your support? What are you willing and able to DO to make the world a healthier and more compassionate place to live?

On Sunday April 21, 2013 KINETIC Sculpt® came together with NYHRC, the Central Park Track Club, New York Road Runners, Tri Latino and hundreds of others to honor the human spirit that is the City of Boston. In our hearts, we are Boston Marathoners.

Exercise Consciously and Compassionately.
- Erwin

Every week I have a Spinning student inform me how (s)he has been taught to not hold on to the bar handles while riding so to train the abdominal muscles on the Spinning bike.  This is a complete fiction.

I have posted an Anatomy Chart above.

• Can you please illustrate where the abdominals are attached to the legs?
• If you can accept that the abdominal muscle inserts into the pelvis, not the legs, how does Spinning train your abs?

This is because Spinning does not train your abs. This is not a matter of opinion. This is a matter of science and exercise physiology.

1. Anytime you’re moving your legs, you’re not working your abs. Your abs are only serving as stabilizers.
2. When you are intentionally not holding on to the bar handles of your Spin bike, you are using your rectus femoris primarily. This is why you feel a burning sensation in your thighs and may experience that Spinning is causing you to bulk up.
3. Aside from overuse of the stressing your rectus femoris, another effect of intentionally not holding on to the bar handles is you tax the psoas and iliacus muscles. These muscles help form the iliopsoas. The psoas is mostly a fast-twitching muscle. The iliacus muscle helps in open chain movements to lift (flexing) the femur forward. In closed-chain movements, the iliopsoas bends the trunk forward and can lift the trunk from a lying posture (i.e. sit-ups) because the psoas major crosses several vertebral joints and the sacroiliac joint. From its origin in the lesser pelvis the iliacus acts exclusively on the hip joint. ^[1]  Please take note of this because I will come back to it.

What happens when you make Spinning an Open Chain Exercise?
Open Chain Exercises: Put simply, your hand or foot is free to move during an open chain exercise (like a chest press). These types of movements tend to isolate a single muscle group and a single joint.

Spinning with your hands free, or balancing, is a open chain movement.

• You have placed weight at the distal (far away) portion of the limb (the foot) and you are flexing your femur forward fast (psoas function) while potentially compromising the knee (single joint) but you may also irritate the hip.
• This is where abdominal stabilization is necessary. You must fire your core to protect the hips. However, does the student possess the strength to stabilize the spine and hips? If he or she does not, then there is a greater sacrifice of strength and power than is already inherent.
• We can not underestimate the impact of momentum and a weighted fly wheel on proprioception and muscle contraction.

• An third factor I would like to introduce is the lack of hamstring recruitment. This open chain, hands-free, balance posture, limits the hamstrings’ ability to fire. You simply can not pull your legs off the floor. (You are breaking the third law of motion.) It is a one directional push with no pull. Thus you are not spinning your wheel. You are floating the fly wheel that really doesn’t need perpetual force from the rider after the initial start.

Now I hope you begin to see why anytime you are moving your legs, you are not ab training. The intentionally cued and marketed “ab work” is actually assisted stabilization training and a weak training at that.

The hip burning sensation that makes you think you’re strengthening the abs has very little adaptation, or benefit. What you will walk away with is

• big overdeveloped thighs
• weak hamstrings
• potentially damaged knees
• extremely tight hips and risk of hip injury (a tear or impingement in the hip labrum cartilage)
• compromised aerobic capacity
• inability to work holistically

If you want to work your abs, get off the bike and hit the floor. If you want to strengthen your Spinning close the chain.

Exercise Consciously and Move Intelligently.
Erwin

Advice on Losing Weight

Losing weight is never about the weight. No one has ever gotten fat strictly because they love the taste of food.

• Create an empowering context for yourself. If you can embrace that the word diet can mean “habitual nourishment” or “food and drink regularly provided or consumed” you can remove the limitations of strict weight-loss. Find a way you can eat to sustain energy and empower your daily activities.
• Weight loss and weight gain are a reflection of what is going on inside of you. Do you eat for nerves, boredom, fatigue, stress, lonliness, wanting, etc.? Do some self-reflection alongside calorie reduction. Diets work best when met with a resolve and honest desire to change your life. Dieting for attention is never gonna end well.

Before you can Move and Do, sometimes you just need to BE.

Exercise Consciously.
- Erwin

What do I do for exercise?

I have a friend who is model and actor. He is in his 40′s and in incredible shape. In fact, you probably have seen him on a commercial today. People ask him regularly why he’s not a personal trainer. His response is “just because I know what works for me, doesn’t mean I know what works for you.” I love his honesty particularly since he could get a two dozen training jobs in a day just based on his looks and no experience.

You have to got to figure out what works for your body. Most people don’t care to know what works for their body. They just want to show up for a class, a training appointment, buy a DVD and do what they are told. If they are sore, they think it is successful. If they are emotionally stimulated, that’s even better. I touch upon this regularly in the Go KINETIC blog on Tumblr.

The fact is, to be successful in exercise, you have got to dig in and get interested in how you MOVE and ask the right questions. One size does not fit all. You need to tailor your workout to fit you or prepared for the fitness ferris wheel I mentioned in the above video.

You have the power to change your life but for that to occur you need to have a vision for your life.
- Erwin

Virtually every gym has a foam roller and no one is using it. I swear by it. Foam rolling is an effective form of self-massage, neuromuscular facilitation and pain management technique.
Foam rolling uses deep compression to help roll out muscle adhesions, or knots, that develop over time.

Sometimes my knees hurt but after a session of foam rolling the muscles and tendons of my glute, quad, hamstring and hip, I am pain free.

You can also look to an article written by Mike Boyle on StrengthCoach.com that explains about the origin of foam rolling and includes more in depth instructional video snippets and an anatomical guide.

I included the same foam roller I have at home in the Sweat Shop.

Here’s what you want to remember

- Go Slow
- Move your roller by centimeters as opposed to inches
- Engage your abs, back, core so to control the amount of pressure you place on your roller
- Think of your abs as your brake. They control your rate of speed.
- If it is too much pressure and it hurts then lighten up or take a break.

Intro to Foam Roll Part 1

Intro to Foam Roll Part 2

Pain Prevention is active life extension.

Exercise Consciously.
Erwin