Everyone knows that January is the month of people flooding the gyms. Even though the pandemic is going on, there will still be new people entering your local gym. New people will mean that there will be people who don’t exactly know what they are doing, so this is a time where a lot of people who’ve been consistently partaking in the Iron Temple decide that these newer people need tips. In this article, I’ve collected a few ways you can offer your own unprofessional and unsolicited advice: ​

Have you ever watched MythBusters? Well welcome to the online, shortened version of that. I asked the AYN2K producers if I could come up with a 45 minute long episode to hypothesize, test, and conclude whether these gym and nutrition myths were busted, plausible, or confirmed, and I was immediately and unsurprisingly shot down. So instead of sitting back and watching a video about them, how about a little mental workout? Read through these myths and facts below!

​Nutrition
•       Myth: Genetically modified fruits and vegetables are bad for you.
•       Fact: Honestly eating any fruit would probably be better than what you’re doing.

•       Myth: High Fat Foods are unhealthy.
•       Fact:  I’ve been eating cake for every meal, and haven’t died yet.

•       Myth: Breakfast is the most important meal of the day.
•       Fact: Let's be honest, breakfast is your least favorite meal out of the eight you normally eat.

•       Myth: White Potatoes are unhealthy.
•       Fact: Potatoes are straight up starch, who cares, just eat it.

Gym
•       Myth: You can target your fat burn.
•       Fact: We’d be lucky to burn any fat at all.

•       Myth: You should stretch before you workout.
•       Fact: The only people who stretch are the unprepared people.

•       Myth: Lifting heavy weights makes you bulky.
•       Fact: I have been lifting heavy weights for the past 8 years and have gained no bulk.

•       Myth: You can’t workout sick.
•       Fact: You can’t.

Photo Credit: treehugger.com

When people see me in the gym, they always run up to me and say things like “Adam, you just look so motivated today, what is your secret?” or “Adam, you’re my hero, I wish I could stay as motivated as you!” Luckily for you guys, I have found the surefire way to stay motivated while you're exercising. Today I will share with you my simple 6-step plan that will help you stay motivated with your workouts.

1.     Go Outside
2.     Find someone you think is attractive
3.     Talk to them
4.     Ask them on a date
5.     Get denied
6.     Go exercise

I’ve been using this little technique for a while and it has always kept me motivated. Also, this plan is great because as soon as you start to become complacent with your physical appearance, there is always someone out there who is ready and available to keep you motivated. Trust me, I’ve learned this from personal experience, and it has worked wonders for my personal health. Try it today!

Photo Credit: 123rf.com

What are exercise fads? Should I hop onto these trends? What are some possible exercise fads that I could possibly get ahead of the game on? Don’t you worry your little head. I have the answers to all your questions. Exercise fads have come and gone through the years, with some managing to stick around longer than others. CrossFit is an example of a fad that stuck around so long that it has become a permanent part of the fitness world. People are always trying their best to either stay ahead of the current fads by being the first of the friends to adopt the new ideas, and this article will help you be the “Dude” or "Dudette" of your friend group.

Some of the past fads have been something short of comical with inventions like the infamous “Shake Weight,” which had its own episode on the cartoon TV show Southpark. The entire 20 minute run time focused on how ridiculous the motion that one has to make to get the workout from the device. Sauna suits were another fad that brought more comical value than actual health improvement. The Sauna suit was something that would cover your entire body except for your head, and the suit resembled more of a trash bag than a suit.

Let’s talk about the 2020 exercise fads so far. The beginning of the year was much like any other year with people flooding gyms with their New Year’s resolutions, then people began exercising for the possible World War that America almost started in February. This evolved into at-home workouts leading the charge thanks to A WORLDWIDE PANDEMIC.

Luckily for you I have a pretty good idea on what the next exercise fad that will sweep the nation. This fad will see a lot of
people exercising their “Right to Vote” later this year in all levels of government. This fad will be great for those people who want to see a total change in the health of the community rather than just their own physical health.

​Thanks for reading guys and gals, and always remember “Lift Heavy and Grunt Heavier."

Photo Credit: hellodoctor.co.za

A Gym Bro is someone who is altruistic in nature and understanding of their surroundings. For example, it is common practice for a Gym Bro to always rerack his weights whenever they have finished their training. Gym Bros are always there to offer a spot for fellow gym members when requested. They are always helpful to beginners, offering advice when solicited, and helping people understand the importance of taking care of yourself. A true Gym Bro understands that a life of fitness is something similar to a hike, in that you have a goal and sometimes it can feel like you are walking up a steep incline, sometimes you can be gliding downhill, or sometimes you have to double back losing some progress on your hike in order to make sure that you stay safe.

Something a Gym bro doesn’t do is protest the closing of gyms due to uncontrollable disease in the midst of a pandemic (shown in the picture above). As we are all upset about what is currently happening in the world, refusing to follow clear guidelines established by medical professionals is something that a true Gym Bro would not do. 

In reality, being a Gym Bro is more of an idea than anything. It means to be someone that is willing to help others when they can. It means that you are able to share your knowledge to help others in fields that you are more experienced in. Following established and sensible rules and helping others get through these rough times that we are all experiencing is what being a true Gym Bro is all about.

Photo Credit: newsbreak.com

Why is being active virtually impossible for some, hard for others, and even sometimes challenging for people like me?[1] Sometimes the alarm goes off in the morning and I sit there and think to myself “I could just roll over and pretend like the alarm never made a sound”. I’m human, and I’m not afraid to admit that sometimes it just sucks to do. But you have to.

​Recently, I got the pleasure of teaching a class to a group of individuals we call “The Silver Sneakers”.

I didn’t get exact ages, but they are an elderly bunch and now a new spark in my flame. Seeing the twelve I did that day, it almost mimicked a classroom growing up; all different kinds of souls and personalities that came in with the same objective, get shit done and have fun doing it. But this wasn’t a high school classroom, it was an exercise class for elders. A room filled with positivity, energy, comradery, and desire. I’m not going to hold back. I think it’s fair to say, typically as we get older the majority of us get negative, lethargic, and just flat grumpy. These folks have managed to fight that off, despite all the potential excuses they could have. I was lucky enough to get to talk to a few after the session, and I believe there is just a lot we can learn from all of our Silver Sneakers.

An older person’s mind could potentially be littered with excuses. For example, the body betrays you as you get older, I think it’s okay to say that’s just common knowledge. Some of the Sneakers have carpal tunnel syndrome, damaged shoulders, different illnesses, etc. But damn it, they are there week in and week out. A lot of people eventually just throw in the towel and let themselves go, because they ask the deadliest questions “What’s the point of this?” or “Why waste the time?”. That’s so easy to do when you hit a certain age, I’m sure. Hell, I see it with eighteen to twenty-two-year-old college kids that just stop completely after high school and put on the infamous freshman fifteen. I just think “man, you got about fifty to sixty years left of this life and your tapping out on yourself now?”. Think about how easy it is to say F exercise when your seventy-three and have had a knee replacement, hip surgery, and currently plagued with arthritis. But damn it, THEY STILL COME! What’s our excuses again?

After the class, I pulled aside three lovely ladies and just had a conversation with them. I flirted a little bit (had to, sorry) and got them talking about why they come to the class. I predicted they would say they enjoy the social time, and the relationships they have built; which they in fact, did say. But to be honest, I did not expect the first words out of one of the ladies were “remaining active”. I realize that sounds silly that I didn’t expect that, but I just figured they enjoyed the friendships and exercise was just something they had to do. No, not them. They understand that if they want to remain productive, they must take care of themselves; despite all the potential excuses they could make, like an aged body. So again, I ask, what’s our excuse?
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This story, or whatever you want to call it, deserves to be shared. Why? Because we can learn so much from our Silver Sneakers. First off, it’s never too late. If you feel like life is a constant uphill battle (which it is no matter what you do, but there are ways to make the hill smaller), try taking care of your body and your mind, work from the inside out. Our Sneakers have mastered this concept in my opinion because they could just easily sideline themselves and no one would say a thing. They understand that if they want to be productive quilters (some of them quilt, I talked to them. This isn’t some harsh stereotype I would throw out there for people to say “is he assuming all old people quilt? How rude!”), if they want to be able to play with their grandchildren and be a valuable part of their lives, they must start with themselves so they can continue to have positive experiences.

Let this be a little inspiration to us all. When that alarm that you set the night before thinking “Man, I’m gonna do this!” goes off, and you contemplate that extra hour of sleep even though you got a smooth eight already, remember The Silver Sneakers, and ask yourself “If they can, why can’t I?”.

[1] People like me meaning a marathoner and a guy that goes to the gym five times a week. It’s crazy I know but I just love it. 

​Photo Credit: Alec Raboin

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