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