Before Jake Blanchard joined the Powerhouse Gym in downtown Tampa Bay, Fla., he had been no stranger to exercise. A participant of triathlons, Blanchard knew how to workout at a high intensity, especially when it came to cardio. However, after he and his wife had their first baby, Blanchard’s workouts slacked off, and he gained some weight.
To remedy his unwanted weight gain, Blanchard looked for gyms he could join in the local area. Blanchard took a tour of Powerhouse’s facility, and was impressed by its state-of-the-art equipment and innovative amenities, which included a sandbox for resistance training, and a life-sized replica of the Santa Monica stairs.
“It’s a state-of-the-art gym,” said Blanchard. “There’s plenty of space to workout. The bathrooms and locker rooms are clean. The staff is courteous. Also, there’s such a large inventory of machinery. I never have to wait to use a piece of equipment. I didn’t have that luxury at other gyms by my house. That was a big selling point for me.”
Although Powerhouse Gym’s amenities and equipment are anything but traditional, the same can’t be said for the philosophy of one its personal trainers, Wade Abawi. Blanchard said he was drawn to hire Abawi as a personal trainer, due to Abawi’s emphasis on “tried and true, traditional fitness principles.”
“The results were great, but what I really liked about working with Wade was his adherence to the traditional principals of diet and weight training,” explained Blanchard. “Wade’s methods are time tested and effective. Wade did not have me jumping around looking like a fool, doing some new form of exercise that he saw on an infomercial. Instead, Wade developed an exercise plan with weights and carefully instructed me on proper form and technique.”
According to Blanchard, Abawi instilled in him the belief that he couldn’t be truly fit without incorporating strength training into his routine. “I used to do a lot of cardio, and not much else,” said Blanchard. “Wade changed my training of thought, by having me focus on strength training and muscle gain to lose fat. He also helped me understand that it wasn’t about how much I lifted, but how I lifted it.”
When Abawi first started working out at the age of 13, he had adopted the training techniques of famous bodybuilders, such as Arnold Schwarzenegger and Lou Ferrigno. However, Abawi soon realized that lifting heavy weights, at low repetitions, wasn’t the best way to achieve a high level of fitness, especially without injury. “I lifted heavy weights with lower reps because that was what was encouraged,” said Abawi. “But after sustaining injuries, and undergoing surgeries, I realized that the key is really in lifting lighter weights, with higher reps and good form.”
Abawi touted the benefits of strength training, in combination with diet and cardio. “I have proven time and again that this style of fitness will work for any individual by training over a thousand people throughout my career,” said Abawi. “The key to success in fitness is in the long term. There is no ‘quick fix’ or easy solution. If you eliminate any of those components — diet, cardio or strength training — you will never be able to fully reach your fitness goals.”
Although Blanchard said Abawi’s training methods were spot on, Abawi’s encouragement appealed to Blanchard as well. “Every exercise we did could likely be found in Arnold Schwarzenegger’s Encyclopedia of Modern Bodybuilding, which was first published in 1987,” said Blanchard. “But what the book doesn’t provide, Wade does, which is inspiration, personalized instruction and honest feedback, leading to great results.”
After working with Abawi, Blanchard lost 20 pounds, and gained confidence. “My triathlon times have soared and I can almost keep up with my 2-year-old daughter, who runs everywhere she goes,” joked Blanchard.
However, Blanchard said the hardest part about losing weight, is keeping it off. Fortunately, because of Abawi’s training methods, he feels that he has garnered the skills necessary to be successful. “Abawi taught me, and I paid attention, and now I can do it on my own, which is critical,” he said.
Do your personal trainers follow “tried and true,” methods for their client’s success? Sometimes, sticking to the basics of fitness — a combination of strength training and cardio — can better suit a member’s needs. Most importantly, are you setting your members up for success after their personal training sessions are over? Make sure your personal trainers are teaching members the skills they need to be successful on their own, and they will be more likely to refer friends, and return on their own for a little change up.
By Rachel Zabonick
