The Club at Morristown Welcomes Life Coach Andrea Ruchelman to Its Staff

Her Story:
Andrea started her career in sports entertainment with the grand enthusiasm of any other sports fan.  After many years of helping put smiles on the faces of thousands of fans, she wanted to help make a greater difference in the world.  
Andrea moved on to work for a defense company that provided products and services to the brave men and women on the frontline fighting for the freedom our country has.  Her role was to ensure employees made the right decisions when being faced with tough challenges.  She provided training on ethical conduct, employee relations, and communication in the workplace.  Andrea focused on helping employees conquer their fear and intimidation, and openly communicate with confidence, in any situation.  

Her Mission:
Andrea’s mission is to rid the world of fear and intimidation, one person at a time.  That is why after many years in the workplace she is now following her passion for people as a life coach. She partners with people on an individual or group basis to overcome their fears and/or face what intimidates them.  The result is for everyone to recognize the world of opportunities that await them and live life to the fullest extent possible with no regrets.

Her Focus:
The partnership developed with Andrea helps you understand and conquer your personal roadblocks to success.  The result - Changing “I can’t” too “I DID IT!!” Whether it be a fitness, personal or other goal you “have always wanted to do but are just too afraid,” Andrea takes you through the Core Energy empowering process to create a new perspective resulting in “I can, I will, and ultimately I DID!”
Do you have a goal and just need a path to get there?  Schedule a complimentary session with Andrea and see the unlimited opportunities that await you.

Barbell Complexes for Fat Loss

A barbell complex is a series of exercise performed with a set number of  reps, essentially not putting the bar down until all exercises are completed. After a rest period, the same series of exercises is performed again, either for the same amount of reps or lower, based on the specific program.

These high volume complexes are extremely challenging. The exercise selection is especially important. Big, compound movements that hit several muscle groups, and use explosive power are best. When put together, these compound movements create a grueling, full body workout that elevate metabolism, increase caloric expenditure and pushes your body to the limit.

An example of some of the best exercises to use:

Deadlift
Push Press
Squat (any variation)
Clean
Row (any variation)

Always remember to maintain good form throughout the set. If your form begins to break down, rest.

The Club Welcomes Kristina Kurdyla to It's Staff

Kristina is the founder of Elemental Health, which is dedicated to empowering children and adults to make healthy decisions regarding their health and well being. She uses a holistic approach, emphasizing the necessity of looking at the whole person-body, mind, emotions, and environments- rather than at an isolated function or organ.

She received her training to practice Health Coaching at the Institute for Integrative Nutrition, which is the only nutrition school integrating all the different dietary theories—combining the knowledge of traditional philosophies with modern concepts like the USDA food pyramid, the glycemic index, the Zone and raw foods.

Based in New Jersey, Kristina works with clients in person and over the phone, reaching out to clients across the the U.S. Private and group sessions available. To read more about tips and tricks and to see what Kristina's up to, check out her blog.

Kristina is also the site coordinator for Girls on the Run NJ East, a non-profit organization geared towards preteen girls, teaching them healthy living, self- resepect and empowerment through running.

Her Approach

I practice a holistic approach to health and wellness, which means that I look at how all areas of your life are connected. Does stress at your job or in your relationship cause you to overeat? Does lack of sleep or low energy prevent you from exercising? As we work together, we will look at how all parts of your life affect your health as a whole.

My approach is not to dwell on calories, carbs, fats, and proteins. It is not to create lists of restrictions or good and bad foods. Instead, I work with my clients to create a happy, healthy life in a way that is flexible, fun and rewarding.

Together we’ll work to reach your health goals in areas such as achieving optimal weight, reducing food cravings, increasing sleep, and maximizing energy. As we work together, you’ll develop a deeper understanding of the food and lifestyle choices that work best for you and implement lasting changes that will improve your energy, balance and health.

Here are some concepts that we will explore during our work together:

Bio-individuality™:
The concept of bio-individuality is that each person has unique food and lifestyle needs. One person’s food is another person’s poison, and that’s why fad diets tend to fail in the long run. Working on the principle of bio-individuality, I’ll support you to make positive changes that are based on your unique needs, lifestyle, preferences, and ancestral background. I use a personalized, holistic approach to ensure that you will have great success!

Primary Food™:
It’s easy to overlook all of the things that contribute to our sense of nourishment and fulfillment. It’s not just the food we eat, but all of the other factors present in our daily lives. Healthy relationships, a fulfilling career, regular physical activity and a spiritual awareness are essential forms of nourishment. When these “primary foods” are balanced, what you eat becomes secondary. I will support you in achieving all of your goals, from eating the right foods for your body to living an inspired, fulfilling life.


Integrative Nutrition Pyramid™:
The Integrative Nutrition food pyramid includes a balance of high quality vegetables, fruits, grains, proteins, healthy fats and water. To complete the picture, the pyramid is surrounded with lifestyle factors that create optimal health: relationship, career, physical activity and spirituality. I’ll introduce you to some of the healthiest foods on the planet and teach you how to find what’s healthiest for your unique body!

You can learn more about my training at the Institute for Integrative Nutrition.

Are you ready to start feeling better than ever? Schedule an initial consultation with me today!

100 Days til Summer Challenge Results

It was a long 100 days. After all was said and done, over 320 lbs were lost and a lot of members at The Club at Morristown were well on there way to their weight loss goals. The 100 day competition, which combined exclusive boot camps, nutrition consultations and weekly meetings with trainers, ended in a surprisingly close finish, with just 1.5 lbs separating First and Second places.

The winner, Tim Jabbour, lost a total of 40 lbs, surpassing his original goal by a large margin. Tim will be celebrating his first place finish with a trip to Atlantic City's Borgata Hotel & Casino courtesy of The Club. Tim worked with Matt Kovacs over the last 5 weeks of the competition. "Tim's focus and drive throughout the entire contest was inspirational, "says Kovacs. "He'd make weekly goals and consistently hit them. He took everything I showed him and completely changed the way he trained. I'd see him every morning at 6am on the power racks or the treadmill. It's a great feeling to have contributed in a small way to his success." Tim and his wife, Katie, who recently became parents for the first time, are already looking forward to the next weight loss competition.

Second place finisher Cathi Hewston lost a total of 39 lbs. According to Cathi, her journey has just begun. Training with Greg Pompei, mostly in the boxing studio, Cathi's plan is to lose another 40 lbs by Christmas.

Rounding out the top 3 was Rachel Collins, a native of Ireland in the U.S. on an internship. Rachel lost a total of 16 lbs, and more importantly, has a newly found healthy lifestyle.

Kovacs says the success of the program can be attributed to the dedication of all the contestants as well as the training staff. "Seeing the reactions at the weigh ins every week was great. The participants really pushed each other. We're all proud of everyone involved."

Look for the next competition this Winter.

The Female Strength Training Movement

There's a movement that's sweeping through the fitness community. Although it's not a new concept, it's finally reaching the masses and making it's way into gyms and studios across the country. Thanks to resources like Girls Gone Strong, women are finally realizing the role that strength training should play a role in their training routine. Hopefully the days of steady state cardio routines and going to the gym just for the spin classes are over.

I'd like to say the myths associated with women strength training are gone as well. Statements like 'I don't want to get bulky' and 'I don't want to put on muscle, I just want to get toned' are unfortunately still heard by trainers every day from new clients. I always stress the importance of strength training as a key component on transforming their bodies, getting healthier, moving better, and just generally feeling better about themselves. Progressing through squat and deadlift variations, I always enjoy the reactions from my female clients when they hit a PR, or are finally able to squat past parallel. Accomplishments that they couldn't realize pounding away on the treadmill or working on machines. Big, compound movements such as some variation of the squat, deadlift, clean & press and pull ups should be incorporated into a program that also includes conditioning.

The self confidence and excitement I see from most of my female clients when they finally squat their body weight, or get through a set of heavy kettlebell snatches with perfect form, or are finally able to do a strict pull up makes my day. When a client hits her PR on deadlift and tells me to throw on 10 more pounds or hits a sticking point on bench press and tells me not to touch it; I know she's caught the bug. I know that coming to the gym means something different to her now. She's set goals for herself. She sees the changes, feels different, more healthy and confident. It's a great transformation to witness, both physically and emotionally.

Some strong women to follow. These are the founders of the Girls Gone Strong movement:

http://www.niashanks.com/

http://www.myomytv.com/

http://www.jencomaskeck.com/

http://www.negharfonooni.com/

http://allimckee.com/

http://www.julialadewski.com/

http://mollygalbraith.com/

Superfood to be Super Fit?

Every wonder how superman is super strong? I bet he ate his blueberries. Yes I said it blueberries. A nutritious superfruit that has been around for ages. Did you know that blueberries can help the body dissolve fat cells and allow the body to fight off any other fats that are ingested into the body? I bet you're saying I'm going out to get a pound of blueberries right now, but waiiiiiit......there's more. Polyphenols which is a chemical found in blueberries can prevent type 2 diabetes. So not only do you lose weight, but can prevent one of the worlds most deadliest diseases. I think killing two birds with one stone is the appropriate saying for fact.

In terms of U.S. fruit consumption, blueberries rank only second to strawberries in popularity of berries. Blueberries are not only popular, but also repeatedly ranked in the U.S. diet as having one of the highest antioxidant capacities among all fruits, vegetables, spices and seasonings. Antioxidants are essential to optimizing health by helping to combat the free radicals that can damage cellular structures as well as DNA. We recommend enjoying raw blueberries — rather than relying upon blueberries incorporated into baked desserts — because, like other fruits, raw blueberries provide you with the best flavor and the greatest nutritional benefits.

" One small step for nutrtition, one giant leap towards living longer" - Jesse Jeffers

Training Alternatives: Swim

Swimming is not just for tri-athletes and lap swimmers. Swimming can be a great alternative to the treadmill and elliptical machines for those of you who are looking to cut down body fat for the summer!  For a 30 minute session of swimming, an average person would burn 136 calories. When you use the elliptical or treadmill, you are actually burning more calories that may eventually lead to your muscles breaking down. Swimming offers the same amount of cardiovascular benefits while increasing muscle endurance and strength with light resistance.  Swimming is a full body, low impact, high VO2 exercise.

 

A great workout to start off with is what I like to call the “500 Pilates swim.”

 

          How this breaks down is an easy 500 meters (20 laps), really concentrating on tightening your transverse and rectus abdominals,  focusing on tightening your abs on each exhale. This will not only work on getting that well desired six pack, but it will also strengthen your oblique’s and is perfect for developing overall core strength.

 

       Next, you want to complete 10 x 100 meter (4 laps) sprints within 2 minutes.

 

          So you would break that down as follows…

 

·         4 laps and rest within 2:00 minutes. Making sure you are sprinting every 2 min.  

 

Afterwards, there is a 200 meter cool down to end strong!

Boxing Fitness

When people think of fitness, they tend to think of free weights, machines and running. But beyond the gym basics there are many other conditioning tools that can be used to improve athletic performance, burn fat and gain strength and endurance. Among the top tools is boxing.

In the past, boxing was seen mostly as a male activity. A testosterone driven activity that was not meant for the typical female athlete. This mindset has definitely changed.

In the sporting world, Boxing is known as “the noble art of self-defense”. It is a classic fistfight with gloves. But to box doesn’t necessarily mean to enter the ring and knock each other down. There are different ways to work on this art of self-defense, and if you are open to try out boxing, you will find that you will gain a lot more than just a toned body.

Boxing is an intricate way of working out, that incorporates all of the important aspects of fitness, including strength, endurance, speed, and coordination. During training, every movement will be worked on properly and systematically and you will build stronger and more defined arms, legs and abs.

Classical workout methods in boxing include running, jogging, intervals, jump ropes, and sparring, in addition to core work and agility drills. If you prefer to keep to yourself, boxing is very versatile and you can use heavy bags, focus mitts or shadow boxing to practice your fighting skills.

Calories burned per 30 minutes of boxing:

50 kg 240 kcal
65 kg 270 kcal
75 kg 300 kcal
85 kg 330 kcal
100 kg 390 kcal

In addition to working on your physical strength, boxing will improve your mental strength, leaving you with a sense of emotional balance. It is a great platform to develop your self-motivation, as it leaves you wanting to push yourself to the limit each and every time.

Boxing classes will let you push yourself to the limit, in a motivating and safe environment. Different levels in classes will let you work out on the level that you are comfortable with. You will learn self-defense skills that can turn out to be very valuable in many ‘unwanted’ real life situations. But most importantly, you will get an energy boost that will enable you to keep on top of your game in your day-to-day life.

With the addition of the private boxing studio, The Club At Morristown has recently introduced private boxing and kickboxing training. You have the option to train in a small group or privately. Your first session is complimentary so you have a chance to see what level you are at and if it's a right fit for your goals. Every session is an hour in duration. You will be instructed on the basic techniques of boxing/kickboxing where you will learn various punch and kick combos and self defense tactics while engaging every muscle group in the body. Come relieve some stress while getting an intense total body workout at the same time. Speak to Greg for more information and to schedule your complimentary session today.

100 Day Challenge

100 Day Challengers?? Can you hear me? I'm here to make an announcement.

Want to lose weight and not gain it back? Want to make your time in the gym valuable? Let's workout and eat right. Eating right is the key to better and quicker weight loss. We've heard of diet pills and crash diets, but all they do is delay weight gain. Let's increase our carbohydrate intake with more vegetables and fruits and decrease our grain intake. Our bodies do not digest grains so well if we aren't doing marathon activities. Let's increase our protein intake by using protein shakes and lean meats such as chicken and fish. Protein allows our bodies muscle recovery to faster and more efficent.

I have a challenge for you. I challenge you to go to your local GNC, healthy shop, or The Club@ Morristown's supplement shop and get a protein shake to increase your protein. Let's put a snack in between your meals to keep your metabolism going. Let's also increase your serving intake of vegs/fruits to 5 servings a day. At least have an apple or blueberries with every serving you eat.

I challenge you!!

Let's Build Efficiently

Lean muscle building can get expensive. You have that gym membership, personal training, and of course food. You can't build lean muscle without the proper nutrients from food. I can give you one food which is very cost efficient and very high in protein. Tuna is a cheap fish that has a very high protein source. It contains 20% of your protein intake and has the essential oils that contain the healthy fats you need. Also, tuna contains little amounts of creatine that can create strength for you. If you buy it in bulk you will have enough to make at least 20 meals. Now how efficient do you want your muscles to be? Get tuned in with TUNA!

How Do You Train?

I see it every day in the gym. Rows of members line the cardio area. The ellipticals are full. The treadmills are packed. Every bike is in use. And on all of those pieces of equipment, the tv's are on, headphones plugged in, and people churn away happily, watching Sports Center or catching up on the latest episode of Real Housewives of Blah Blah Blah. For the last eight years I've witnessed this. Many of the same people. I recognize them because they look exactly the same as they did eight years ago. No progress has been made. No changes in their bodies. Some look even softer than they used to.

On the other end of the gym, I see the same group of lifters that I see every day. I know them pretty well because they're here 2-3 hours a day, five days a week. Mostly they fill the flat benches, or take turns doing bicep curls in the squat rack. They're top heavy because they don't have an actual leg day. But they spend 15 hours a week in the weight room. They're dedicated. So exhausted at the end of their marathon sessions that they're too tired to put their weights away or wipe down the equipment. So tired that they need to drop the dumbbells they were using on their fifth set of concentration curls or kickbacks. They have to let everyone know how hard they're working.

What do these two seemingly opposite types of gym-goers have in common? They lack something that is a key to success in any type of program, whether it be for fat loss or muscle gain. They lack intensity. They not only lack intensity, they drain the intensity levels out of the room. Whether it be the slow, monotonous grind on whatever piece of cardio equipment that happens to have HD channels on the tv monitor, or the long social gathering in the middle of the weight room, interrupted only by a quick set of the chest/bicep/tricep exercise of the day, these groups will never make the progress they seek. They'll blame it on genetics or an injury that set them back. I hear it every day.

It has nothing about the amount of time you spend in the gym. It's what you do with that time. Spinning your wheels on the elliptical for an hour, or pounding away on the treadmill until your knees ache over a long period of time will have the opposite effect of what you're looking for. High cortisol levels, inflammation, oxidative stress (which causes decreased reproductive size. Sorry, guys.), and a compromised immune system are some of the things you have to look forward to.

Intensity is defined as exceptionally great concentration, power or force. Think about your last workout. Does this definition fit? Did you give everything you had? Were you focused on having the perfect set, or breaking a personal best in a lift? Did you push through when you thought you didn't have anything left in the tank? Did your training partner/s motivate and inspire you to be better? If not, you need to rethink how you train.

Many of the clients I have train with me two to three days a week sometimes for 30 minutes at a time. In these sessions we get more done than either of the above groups. And they see progress. They know they've been worked. At the end of the session they're ready to quit. They push themselves to the limit, and then raise that limit and go farther. They deadlift, they squat, they do big, complex movements followed by intense conditioning intervals. They leave it all on the gym floor, and have a sense of pride and accomplishment. This is how I train myself and this is what I expect from my clients. No matter their age or ability level, I get the most out of them as they can give. No less. And they have fun doing it.

I challenge you to make a change. Instead of spending an hour doing steady state cardio, spend 15 minutes performing sprint intervals. Turn off the tv and push yourselves. Instead of spending three hours getting in 5 half assed sets, push the sled for 20 minutes as hard as you can. Put forth some effort and you'll see positive changes. It's gonna hurt and you may want to throw up or cry, but at the end of the day you'll be healthier and stronger, both physically and mentally.

Matt Kovacs
Fitness Director

The Assessment

Although all of the Personal Trainers and Strength Coaches out there are certified and should have the same basic knowledge of how to train clients, we all have our own opinions, theories and styles that we believe are the best way to help our clients reach their goals. The one thing that shouldn't be different, but often is, is the assessment. In my opinion, this is the most important step for your possible new client. This is when you start to develop a relationship with this potential new person in your life and figure out what this person is really looking for, what they are interested in, and most importantly, what this person actually needs.

Step one is to never let your new client wander around the gym looking for you. This makes you look unprofessional and just like another “trainer” on the fitness floor. You are not just another “trainer” to this newcomer of the gym…you are THEIR trainer! If you have never met this person yet, do the best you can to be available and easily noticed as soon as the person enters the gym. Once you have met, do the best you can to make your new client as comfortable as possible. Chances are he/she is gong to be extremely nervous.

Step two of the assessment could be the most challenging part of the process. What questions should I ask? Does this person already not like me? Do they really want to be here? These are only a few of the thoughts that will run through your head as the assessment starts. Let me offer a few hints for the new coaches out there. You should already have all of the questions and what you want to say ready to go. If you made yourself available, a conscious effort not to let your client wander, and made this new person comfortable there should be no reason they won’t like you. As the coach, it is your job to make this person want to come to the gym and show them the benefits of hard work.

Step three of the assessment is determining what made him/her finally join the gym, getting them started off on the right foot, and what your new client is really looking for. The hardest part for most people is admitting that they need to join a gym and start working out. Most people don’t like the feeling or the pain of working out, so there will be at least one reason, usually more, that this person is now seeking your help. Sometimes they see a picture of themselves and don’t like it, or maybe a friend has said something and the person didn’t like it and wants to make a change. Those are two of the more popular reasons, but those may not always be the reason, or there could be a bigger reason they have now joined a gym and are too embarrassed to say it. For example, a young male is looking to burn fat and gain muscle. To an ordinary person, that may mean he wants to improve at sports, or get faster. But to you, the professional, maybe he is getting bullied in school and wants to be able to stand up for himself, or maybe he’s trying to impress someone he likes. One more example is an elderly person comes in and says “I want to work on mobility.” Again, to an ordinary person, that could mean they are having trouble moving around, or just walking is painful. The first thought that would come to my head, the professional, is maybe they have a new grandson/granddaughter in their life and they would love it if they could get on the floor and play and not worry about not being able to get off of the floor.

Setting goals is a huge part of the assessment. You need to have something to work for and be able to achieve. In ALL of my assessments I make my client set short and long term goals. I believe the short term goal is the most important, so I help them set it. To be honest, all of my clients have the same short term goals. I believe the short term goal is the most important because he/she needs to start off right and make sure they are actually coming to the gym. So, the first goal I have them set is “getting into a routine of coming to the gym.” The gym needs to be a part of their schedule. I always make the comparison of the gym being like a business meeting, you have to go to see the benefits. It’s not always fun, but it is necessary. The next goal I have them set is “good decisions.” That means eating healthy, making better/healthier everyday decisions, and learning how to choose the gym over going out. Food is probably the one thing that will make or break you. I’m not a nutritionist, so I won’t go into how to eat healthy.

The long term goal is where it can confusing. This is when you ask your client what they are looking for in the end. They will probably have a laundry list of things they want to have happen. Your job is to pick the most important and most achievable goals they spit out. Along with picking the best ones, your job is to interpret what they actually mean. After we agree on the long term goals I always end with saying “There’s a difference between what people want and what people are willing to do.”

The fourth and final step to the assessment telling and showing your new client how you’re going to help them achieve their goals and why you are the best option for them. Everyone will have their own styles and ways of doing this last part. I normally start off by performing the FMS (Functional Movement Screening). This shows the areas that are weak and unstable. From there, I will introduce my new client to functional training and kettlebells.

Those are four of the basic steps/tools every fitness professional should be performing in an assessment. Obviously, you will go into more once you get to know this person. But, at the very least, those four steps should become apart of your everyday assessment.

Bryan Wehman
Personal Trainer

100 Days til Summer Challenge

March 15th will mark 100 days until the first day of summer. It will also mark the first day of the 100 Days til Summer Challenge at The Club at Morristown. For the first time at The Club, a team competition will take place between members, guests, and whoever else wants to be involved. With the help of the entire Training Staff, contestants will be challenged to lose weight and improve their lives. You don't have to be a member of The Club at Morristown to compete.

This isn't your typical 'Biggest Loser' competition. Contestants will be assessed on an individual basis, with a focus on mobility, flexibility and range of motion. In order to get the most out of the 100 days, you have to be able to perform the movements before you're just thrown into the fire. You will learn the movements, develop better flexibility to perform the movement, and learn any inbalances you may have to better help you perform the movements.

Each week, contestants, who will be divided into teams, will have the chance to attend an exclusive Boot Camp class led by one of The Club's Trainers. Following the class will be a nutrition seminar by our Certified Nutritionist Jesse Jeffers. All contestants will be assessed on their progress on a weekly basis by the Trainer they are assigned to as well. Following each Boot Camp will be a team weigh in, based on percentage of weight lost for the week.

Weekly prizes will be awarded for the contestant who loses the highest percentage of weight for the week. Among other prizes, free sessions with a Trainer will be awarded. The Grand Prize Winner will receive, among other prizes, a voucher for a weekend at the Borgata in Atlantic City.

There will be special pricing on Personal Training, exclusive to contestants. All packages can be purchased at a reduced rate, and there will be Small Group Training rates available if you'd like to train with your team. To reach your full potential with this contest it is recommended that you work with a Trainer at some point. The knowledge and guidance you will receive will be invaluable, not only to help you in the competition, but you will take that knowledge with you long after the challenge is over. Nutrition Consultation packages are also available at a discounted rate.

For only a $25 fee, you will receive 3 months of special classes, assessments and consultations with the chance to win some great prizes, and more importantly, get your body ready for the beach. Sign up today at the front desk, or call 973.644.9590.

Powerlifting as a Fitness Tool

Over the last year, I've been training and coaching a few clients to compete in powerlifting competitions. I had the good fortune to coach one client to State and National Championships. I was training as a powerlifter but didn't have any desire to pursue it further than the coaching of others. I entered a few small meets and, along with The Club at Morristown Powerlifting Team, competed in my first full meet last month. The success at that competition prompted me to enter another meet in May, and possibly competing at the national level in August. I owe the success my team and I have had so far to Westside Barbell's conjugate method.

The Westside conjugate system is the best of two advanced training systems: the Soviet system, where several special exercises are used to advance the training of superior lifters and athletes, and the Bulgarian system, where near-max lifts are performed every workout. The Westside system is a combination of the two.


My previous training involved focusing on the big three lifts (squat, bench press and deadlift) simply because they are the three lifts performed in meets. With Westside, more focus is put on accessory exercises and speed work. This combination hits every aspect of each lift, strengthens lagging muscles, and puts an emphasis on core strength which is a key piece of any successful powerlifter. According to Louie Simmons, founder of Westside Barbell and creator of the conjugate system, he has trained world class sprinters using this system. Not once did he have his athletes perform a straight sprint. Instead, he focused on strengthening the hamstrings, core, and utilizing bands with resisted sprints.

What I found is the Westside system is not a program designed specifically for the sport of powerlifting. The speed work, combined with max effort days, is a perfect system for training any athlete in any sport. In all my years of training, the progress in strength and speed through this program has been unmatched. Coupled with a conditioning program on the off days, the conjugate system can be utilized to suit the needs of anyone whose goal is to improve overall general fitness.

What makes the Westside conjugate system unique is the variety, not just between speed training and max effort days, but the variation of exercises performed every two weeks. Because of this variation, this is one of the only programs that doesn't have to be substituted when you hit a training plateau. By adding bands and chains for accommodating resistence, a must when using this program, each session is unique and concentrates on hitting different "sticking points," such as the bottom of a squat or deadlift. By adding bands or chains, the load increases as the bar is lifted. This forces the lifter to exert more at the top, and stabilize more at the bottom of the lift.

Besides my powerlifting team who is currently on the Westside Barbell program, I train other clients with this method, from a Division I lacrosse player to a middle aged attorney. Both have greatly increased their speed and strength. There isn't one perfect program out there. In fact, there's a saying that the best program is the one you're not currently doing. But Westside is a great program that, when properly followed, goes way beyond your typical powerlifting program.


Matt Kovacs
Fitness Director
The Club at Morristown

Diet Like a Plant

Everyday we go through life eating fruits and vegetables, but who knew that living like a plant can help us with fat loss? What exactly does living like a plant mean? And how can this help with fat loss? In a word: Chlorophyll.

Our body's hemoglobin consists of carbon, nitrogen, oxygen, and hydrogen. These four elements are organized around a single element of iron. Chlorophyll has the same elements, but is organized around the element magnesium. Chlorophyll has the power to regenerate our bodies at the molecular and cellular level. It is known to help cleanse the body, fight off infections, heal wounds, and promote the health of the circulatory, digestive, and immune systems. Chlorophyll consumption increases the number of red blood cells and increases oxygen used by the body.

In terms of losing weight, chlorophyll helps your body get back to peak efficiency. When we're young, our body's metabolism is high at all times. It kills toxins and burns up fat because our energy levels are higher when we're younger. As we get older, our energy decreases because our metabolism slows down, therefore our toxins increase in our bodies. That's when weight gain begins to occur. Chlorophyll helps detoxify the body so the body can rejuvenate and speed up the metabolism again, peaking energy levels like when we were kids.

You can find chlorophyll in any health food or supplement shop. If you are looking for it in foods, wheat grass and barley grass are the two organic foods that contain it in high doses.

Jesse Jeffers

Welcome to The Club at Morristown Strength & Conditioning Blog

I’d like this first post to be an introduction to the Training Department at The Club at Morristown. The mantra of the staff has been “We train you smarter, not harder.” With an emphasis on form and technique, our number one priority is improving the lives of our clients, as well as keeping them safe and healthy. By training the movement, not the muscle, we can focus on re-teaching clients how to move properly. Mobility, flexibility and activation drills are a key component to the sessions. Improving one’s range of motion, specifically in typical problem areas such as hips and shoulders, will immediately increase the client’s health and well-being. From there, a safe progression is determined based on each particular client’s abilities and goals. Following an in-depth assessment where the client sits down with a trainer to discuss those goals, as well as the trainer explaining our training methods and philosophy, a program is designed for the client. During the second assessment phase where the program is introduced to the client, movement patterns are noted and problem areas are pointed out. Sometimes these are quick fixes. Other times, drills or exercises are incorporated into the client’s routine to assist in correcting the movements. The goal of every one of our trainers is to improve the lives of their clients.

Our staff comes from a diverse background, and clients are carefully matched up with trainers best suited to help them. Our trainers have worked with Division I athletes, national level powerlifters, ex professional athletes and people from every walk of life. Each trainer takes pride in his or her own training regimen as well. The entire staff believes it’s important to “walk the walk.” Three of our trainers have competed in State level powerlifting competitions, one has competed in several marathons, another has played semi-professional football, and another competes in several high level soccer leagues. I believe the competitive nature and athletic prowess of all our trainers carries over to how we train our clients. Education and experience are a must, but having specialized athletic skills is what gives The Club’s staff an edge over other gyms. Knowing what it takes to achieve fitness goals and overcoming personal obstacles is something that can’t be taught.

Going forward, the purpose of this blog will be to provide information and insight ranging from exercise, nutrition and overall general health. Each week a different trainer will contribute advice or experiences that will hopefully help you on whatever path you choose to improve your life.

Matt Kovacs
Fitness Director