Jordan Thomson, Author at

What Happens When Personal Trainers Go Above & Beyond

Angela Kading grew up overweight, except she didn’t realize her weight was affecting her health until her parents took her entire family to Weight Watchers.

After losing 55 pounds at age 18, Angela felt like her life changed for the better. She decided to learn as much as she could about fitness and nutrition and how she could use it to her advantage – now she uses her knowledge to help transform her clients’ lives.

Angela dove head first into her own nutrition research, creating healthier eating habits and even began adopting new cooking techniques. Making these shifts in her life ultimately helped her lose 55 pounds! After the first 30 pounds, Angela reintroduced strength training into her routine and the pounds continued to fall off. Her successful physical transformation led her to understand that with the right kind of diet and strength training, she had a formula for fat loss.

Angela had dual passions for fitness and food so she followed both! She got a degree in Culinary Arts as well as a Personal Trainer Certification through the National Academy of Sports Medicine.

After working for 3 years as a lead cook at the Jazz Kitchen in Downtown Disney, and simultaneously training clients on her own, Angela decided she wanted to put her two passions and skills together in a more ideal environment for her goals. When she found The Perfect Workout, she knew it was a perfect match.

She became certified at The Perfect Workout and joined our Mission Viejo studio in 2015.

Angela’s success with clients and her growth-driven mindset landed her the role of Certification Supervisor where she certifies new Personal Trainers in Orange County, Ca. After a couple of years, an opportunity presented itself for Angela to expand into yet another role, and she was chosen to lead the Tustin studio as Facility Manager.

Above & Beyond Personal Training

“I've worked with clients with brain disease, cancer, obesity, those who are severely underweight, 90-year-olds, and 14-year-olds. Everyone that steps through our doors is a success story because they made a choice to do something to live a longer, healthier life.”

Currently Angela is working with a client who has polio. His doctor is pleasantly surprised he just keeps getting stronger and stronger and stronger.

One of Angela’s clients lost 90 pounds (some prior to The Perfect Workout). Naturally she began to gain strength and muscle as a result of her 20-minute workouts.

One day she came to her workout feeling down on herself. Angela reminded her of her weight loss journey (because we all kind of forget from time to time).

Angela encouraged her client to walk around the studio with 90 pounds of dumbbells – back and forth, back and forth, back and forth.

“I told her ‘This is the weight you were carrying around for years. And that's how hard you worked just to walk across the room.’ And her mind was blown.”

Working with a trainer helps people not only make progress, but also objectively SEE and celebrate the progress they’ve already made.

Another client’s goal was to be “sexy for her 60th birthday.”

“I went to Sprouts with her. I went to her house. We had cooking parties. I made her a shopping list. I literally went to Weight Watchers with her!”

And in six months Angela helped her lose 40 pounds. Angela says, “she's a whole new woman now.”

“We get to see all walks of life. So I love my job. And that's why I’m here.”

Angela plans to continue her education in Nutrition and Corrective Exercise. As a Personal Trainer she hopes to inspire people with her caring approach and her knowledge of food and fitness, to make a positive change and have a lasting impact on their lives.

Aside from training clients, certifying trainers, and running a studio, Angela is still super active in the kitchen. “If I'm not working, I'm COOKING. I still absolutely love to feed my family and friends healthy, vegan food.”

Angela’s goal is to improve every day. She intends to make her studio a place where clients look forward to coming and want to share it with all of their family and friends. ”My goal is to make my studio thrive to its fullest and to help our trainers and clients meet their full potential.”

Jordan Thomson

Jordan Thomson is passionate about fitness and helping others live sustainably healthy lives. Jordan joined The Perfect Workout in 2013 as a Personal Trainer in Newport Beach, CA. Since then she has helped expand our company with new studios in Chicago, IL and led teams of trainers in Philadelphia as well as Los Angeles. Now she serves as a creative mind within the Marketing team to help spread our mission to revolutionize the way people exercise.

www.theperfectworkout.com

Exercise with Neuropathy, Diabetes, & Arthritis: How She’s Stayed Active Through it All

Posted on by Jordan Thomson

When lifelong athlete Bryna Rifkind found herself struggling to exercise with neuropathy, type II diabetes, and arthritis after cancer treatment, she tried something new.

She found slow-motion strength training, and for over 6 years has been religious about staying consistent with her workouts.

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In 2001, Bryna Rifkind was diagnosed with cancer. Throughout her treatment she developed neuropathy in her feet. Neuropathy is a “disease or dysfunction of one or more peripheral nerves, typically causing numbness or weakness” (Oxford).

She could not wear shoes, certain items of clothing, and her activity was limited.

“I couldn't even do swimming because the mere action of moving your feet back and forth felt as though somebody was whipping my feet.”

As a self-proclaimed “jock,” she had always exercised and knew she needed to remain active. But her limitations and level of pain made that challenging.

After doing research, Bryna found that strength training was the smartest exercise solution for her. She began to lift weights at her local YMCA, but she experienced pain in her knee and the workout just didn’t “feel right.”

In 2013 Bryna was diagnosed with type II diabetes and she realized she couldn’t do this alone. She needed help.

“I needed to have something formal, something that somebody could help me with.”

Bryna came across an article about a doctor who used to bicycle and run but traded those methods in for a different way of exercising: slow-motion strength training. The doctor’s personal story and affirmations saying this method was good for cardiovascular health was just enough to get her to try it herself.

In August 2014, Bryna joined The Perfect Workout’s San Mateo studio.

“I believed in weightlifting, so I joined. After I read everything [about the science] and went through the practice workout, I said, ‘Yep, this works.’ And I've been very religious about it.”

And she wasn’t kidding! Ever since joining, Bryna has trained with her Personal Trainers twice a week, every week, even when she traveled to the East Coast.

At the time we didn’t have Virtual Training, which allows you to train from anywhere. Luckily we had studios in Bethesda, MD and Alexandria, VA to keep her workouts consistent week-to-week.

“This has been really, really an important part of my life.”

In addition to battling cancer treatments and diabetes, Bryna has faced a number of ailments. In 1992 she injured her hip in a car accident which developed into arthritis. She’s also had injuries in both shoulders.

But no matter the injury or issue, her Personal Trainers adapted her workouts.

Bryna’s 20-minute workouts have also:

Helped her get stronger
Increased her stamina for daily life
Become a tool to combat depression

“This is a gift I give myself.”

Bryna believes the quality of the Trainers at all of the studios she’s visited has been exceptional. She’s always felt close to them and appreciates that they make accommodations for how she’s feeling.

“I really do feel cared for. And, that is exceptional. I expect to be doing this for a long time.”

Jordan Thomson

www.theperfectworkout.com

Personal Training for Men vs Women

Posted on by Jordan Thomson

Everyone seeks personal training for a different reason. We surveyed some of our clients and found some trends for why men and women wanted to work with a Personal Trainer.

The MEN wanted:

Injury prevention
All the focus on them
Time efficiency
Personalized coaching
Evidence-based exercises

The WOMEN wanted:

Accountability to stay consistent
To be coached and led throughout the process
A customized workout tailored to their injuries or limitations
Someone/something to help improve muscle and bone strength

Though some of the initial reasons for them seeking a trainer overlapped, others varied. But this brought up more questions:

When men and women receive personal training, do their bodies respond to the exercises the same way?
Should personal training for men vs. women be the same?
Do men and women gain muscle the same way?
What should men and women look for in a Personal Trainer?

We uncovered answers below…

Are Men Stronger Than Women?

The average adult man is stronger than the average adult woman.

But it’s not an apples to apples comparison.

Size and weight correlate with strength. Larger people generally carry more muscle tissue than smaller people. This is true in the case of men versus women.

The average man is 10% taller and weighs about 24 lbs more than the average woman [1].

The average man also has about 40 to 48 lbs additional fat-free mass (muscle, bones, water, etc.) than the average woman [2].

One factor that helps men produce more muscle is testosterone.

Testosterone increases a little as a result of strength training (which helps in the process of adding lean muscle tissue), and men and women have similar gains in testosterone when factoring in their sizes.

But the average woman has half to two-thirds the amount of testosterone that men have.

As far as overall strength, women are generally about two-thirds as strong as men.

When adjusting for the differences in fat-free mass between men and women, overall strength is approximately equal between the two genders.

In other words, saying men are stronger than women is similar to saying three-story houses have more rooms than two-story houses.

So, short answer: Men and women typically have amounts of lean muscle tissue that are relative to their overall size.

Should Men & Women Train Upper or Lower Body?

Women’s lower bodies are proportionally stronger than their upper bodies. Lower body strength in women is about 75% of that found in most men, and the upper body strength ranges in women are 43% to 63% less than men on average.

On average, women are proportionally on par or are stronger than men when it comes to lower body strength. However, average upper body strength is lower.

So, it’s a good idea for many women to make upper body strength exercises an important focus of their exercise program.

And men should most definitely not skip leg day… or at least the leg press.

Muscle function wanes with age, so strength will only get worse for both men and women if strength training isn’t regularly performed.

This means you shouldn’t see your own sex as an advantage or hindrance to training. Train consistently with every set fatiguing to the point of “muscle success,” and you’ll see benefit relative to your own body.

Does Strength Training Cause Women to Bulk Up?

The vast majority of women should not worry about “bulking up” as a result of strength training.

Is it possible for somebody to get more muscular than they want to be? Yes, but it's highly unlikely that it can happen to you.

In fact, studies indicate that adults who don't strength train lose on average at least a half pound of lean muscle tissue each year starting at about age 25 (this part of age degeneration is called “sarcopenia”).

So women (and men) are battling muscle loss most of their adult life, if not actively strength training. This makes getting “big & bulky” with muscle even more challenging.

There are rare individuals who inherit the genetic potential for their muscles to grow excessively large from strength training (like professional bodybuilders do). However, inheriting those genetics is RARE.

Out of the tens of thousands of real life clients we’ve worked with over the years, we can count on one hand the number of individuals that we’ve seen even one muscle group get too muscular for their goals. (And in the rare case that a muscle group becomes too large, it's a super easy problem to fix – just reduce the intensity of exercise on that muscle group.)

What Should Men & Women Look for in a Personal Trainer?

There are a lot of myths floating around when it comes to male trainers vs. female trainers. Women are more caring, men push you harder, you should work with a same-sex trainer, etc.

There are a number of credentials you should expect from working with a trainer, which we will outline below; but none of those myths are true and are generalizations that could prevent men and women from working with an ideal trainer.

So, what should men and women look for in a trainer?

One of the most important factors in your decision to work with one should be your comfort level.

You should always feel comfortable with someone you work with. Being able to trust your Trainer is important and below is a checklist of things you should look for when shopping for Personal Training:

A Trainer who values safety. It’s easy to perform exercises incorrectly without someone watching your form or correcting bad habits. A Certified Personal Trainer should have extensive education on how to safely coach others through an effective workout.
Someone who is time efficient. A good Personal Trainer will help you use your time and effort wisely by putting you through efficient exercises, not just filling up your session time with any type of movement.
Effective sessions together. Too many of us know firsthand that it's very possible to workout - a lot- and see no results. One of the many valuable things about having a good Personal Trainer is they will coach you through exercises that have the potential to get you great results.
Someone who is detail-oriented. Believe it or not, there is a method to exercising safely and effectively. A Personal Trainer will analyze your ability and your performance to decide how to continually challenge you. This includes how to properly adjust your body to workout equipment, whether or not to increase or decrease range of motion on an exercise, to lower or raise the weight, etc.
A Trainer that pushes you to do your best. Any challenging workout, like slow-motion strength training, is a physical and mental feat. A Personal Trainer is the coach in your corner pushing you to give your absolute best. They become the voice you need when your own starts to deceive you.
An accountability partner. By keeping you accountable, they ultimately keep you consistent and consistency breeds results.
Someone who takes the time to teach you. There is science behind exercise and why it works. A Trainer should teach you how your workouts directly apply to your body, your health, and your habits. The more you know, the more opportunities you have to make changes you may need to reach your goals.
A non-judgemental space. A Personal Trainer is devoted to helping you look and feel your best. You shouldn’t have to worry about what you look like, how little you know about exercise, or how many times you’ve failed your diets in the past.
Someone who customizes your experience. A Personal trainer makes your workout personal. Everyone’s body, fitness level, and abilities are different.
Someone who cares about more than just your weight. When you hire a Personal Trainer you sign up for an overall transformation. Losing weight and gaining strength may be the biggest reasons why people start a new program, but gaining confidence, improving mental health, and learning to love their bodies are some of the biggest and best benefits of working with a Trainer.

What Have We Learned?

The principles of Personal training for men vs. women remain the same:

Exercise (for men and women) should be safe, efficient, and effective
Work with a Certified Personal Trainer to achieve the principles listed above
Men are generally stronger than women, but only because they are generally larger
Women’s lower bodies are generally stronger than upper body
Men average more upper body strength than lower body strength
It is rare for women to get bulky as a result of strength training because of low testosterone production
Both male and female trainers can help you achieve your goals, and you should always work with someone you trust.
Know your goals and the science we’ve outlined above

Thinking about working with a Personal Trainer?

Let us help.

References

Holloway, J. B., & Baechle, T. R. (1990). Strength training for female athletes. Sports Medicine, 9(4), 216-228.
National Strength and Conditioning Association (1989). Position paper on strength training for female athletes. National Strength and Conditioning Association Journal, 11(4), 43–55; 11(5): 29–36

Jordan Thomson

www.theperfectworkout.com

10 Healthy Habits to Start (They Only Take 20 minutes!)

Posted on by Jordan Thomson

Creating a healthier life, diet, mindset or relationship can feel very motivating this time of year – and also a little overwhelming.

But a healthier you can happen now with just the slightest shifts in behavior.

Master of transformation Tony Robbins teaches something called the 2-millimeter rule. It’s the idea that an ultra-slight, 2mm change in behavior can yield drastic results.

We took that approach and applied it to healthy habits. How can we continually shift our health: body, mind, and spirit just 20 minutes at a time?

Here’s what we came up with…

Practice Gratitude

Studies show that practicing gratitude can actually improve your physical and psychological health. By feeling grateful and appreciative, you can alleviate stress, reduce toxins in the body, and improve sleep and overall feeling of well-being.

Guess what? You can feel grateful and appreciative about ANYTHING. It can be about something in the past, something you are currently experiencing, or even something you desire to happen.

In fact, the brain does not know the difference between reality or imagination.

Director of Cognitive and Affective Neuroscience Laboratory at CU Boulder, Tor Wager said, ”Imagination is a neurological reality that can impact our brains and bodies in ways that matter for our wellbeing,”

This means you can reap the benefits of practicing gratitude, even by dreaming up something that hasn’t happened yet!

And the best part. You can do it any time, anywhere.

Although it may not take 20 minutes to feel grateful, we encourage you to take the time so it truly becomes a practice.

Spending 20 minutes a day on gratitude and is easy.

Take a Walk

Move your body by doing what it’s made to do – walk!

It’s probably no surprise to you that walking is good for your health. You simply feel better when you can be up and about, moving around.

Harvard Health shared research that outlined some enlightening benefits to walking:

Supports weight maintenance and helps prevent weight gain
Can help reduce sugar cravings
Reduces joint pain
Lowers risk of breast cancer
Boosts immunity

You’ll want to be consistently strength training for exercise but walking serves as an excellent activity to do on rest days.

Bodies in motion, stay in motion. Take a break from the computer today and replace it with a 20-minute stroll.

Grounding to Recharge

Grounding, also known as earthing, is a direct contact between the earth and skin to “recharge” or heal the body. Most commonly, grounding is done by simply placing your bare hands or feet on natural ground.

Grounding “enables free electrons from the Earth’s surface to spread over and into the body, where they can have antioxidant effects.” (NCBI)

Research shows grounding can help improve sleep, reduce stress, heal wounds faster, and more!

“Aaron Rodgers, Green Bay Packers Quarterback added Earthing to his optimized wellness and fitness routine aimed at extending his active playing days and overall health.”

— Milwaukee Journal Sentinel

We encourage you to take 20 minutes and get your grounding on outside but here’s a cheat for those who are stuck inside all day…

You can find tools such as grounding mats that simulate the experience of grounding so you can get the benefits of this electro-recharge while working at your desk.

Sun Exposure

Getting regular exposure to a little sunshine helps your body absorb Vitamin D, an important vitamin that isn’t found in a lot of foods.

Why do we need vitamin D?

By getting enough Vitamin D, we keep our bones, muscles, and teeth healthy and strong, and help prevent deficiencies and diseases like Osteoporosis.

Weather not cooperating? Sun lamps can be a great alternative for those who don’t live in sunny climates or want to bring the sunshine inside.

Power Napping

We realize that not everyone can fall asleep like a baby on demand, but for those of you who can – it may be time to start power napping!

Research shows, “An ultra short period of only 6 min of napping is already sufficient to significantly boost declarative memory performance.” (Journal of Sleep Research)

Not only does a very quick power nap help improve memory but it also has the following positive effects on our health…

Power napping (a nap typically under 30 minutes) can:

Reduce overall sleepiness throughout the day
Improve memory
Improve learning
Boost emotional stability

Consider this your permission slip to take a little siesta this week. 20 minutes might be all you need.

Eat Slowly

Anyone else inhale their food?

Research shows that eating rapidly is linked to individuals having a higher body-mass index.

Why?

It can take up to 20 minutes (there’s that magic number again) for the “I’m Full” signal to reach the brain.

Slowing down the process of eating at meals by taking 20 minutes per meal or simply adding 5 more minutes per meal a day could be an extremely easy, yet impactful shift to help you lose weight.

Digital Detox

Email, text message, FaceTime, Zoom, Instagram, Facebook, YouTube, Instagram, Netflix…. The list goes on.

On any given day, we are consuming hours of digital information and for many, that consists of social media platforms.

Although technology allows us to connect with others worldwide, social media usage affects everyone differently.

Some studies show too much time spent online, particularly social media can lead to addictive behaviors, self-esteem issues, narcissistic tendencies, and feelings of isolation.

While a recent Harvard article shows that social media usage can have a positive impact on mental well-being.

And it varies across different demographics, races, age and socioeconomic statuses,

If you struggle with intentional social media use, we suggest a 20-minute digital detox each day. Put the phone down, close the laptop, turn off the news, and replace it with one of the many healthy habits we’ve outlined here.

Need help with your digital detox? Try the free Forest app It helps you stay focused and be present by setting time limits. When you don’t want to access certain platforms or websites on your digital device, it gives you incentive by planting or “killing” beautiful digital trees.

Laugh More

Do we really need to tell you to laugh more?

It feels downright GOOD to laugh and we could all use more of it. Laughter can increase dopamine and serotonin which may produce similar effects as antidepressants.

Take 20 minutes to play a game, tell some jokes, or watch some funny home videos and LAUGH a little.

Here’s a funny video we LOVE.

Meditate

Clear your mind, clear your energy, clear your stress.

Meditation has been shown to have significant improvements on health and aside from practicing gratitude, may be THE best 20 minutes well spent. (Outside your 20-minute, twice a week workouts, of course 😉 )

Studies have shown meditation can:

Prevent respiratory illness
Help people stop smoking
Reduce anxiety
Reduce chronic pain
Improve functional ability
Be a therapeutic option for those with illness and diseases

Meditation can take place anytime anywhere as long as you can remain distraction free.

Although tapestries and incense are welcome, they are not needed to get the benefits of this magic method.

One of our favorite meditation apps is Headspace which has several meditation options for your unique needs.

Strength Train

Exercise in general is necessary for a healthy body and mind. Safe, effective and efficient exercise is achieved with slow-motion strength training.

Here’s 13 Reasons WHY every adult should be doing it

Slow-motion strength training. 20 minutes, twice a week. It doesn’t get any easier than that.

Take 20 minutes for these 10 healthy habits to start improving your health:

Practice Gratitude
Take a Walk
Ground Yourself
Get some sunshine
Take a nap
Eat slower
Take a digital detox
Laugh more
Meditate
Strength Train

Let us help you start today.

References

https://www.forbes.com/sites/amymorin/2014/11/23/7-scientifically-proven-benefits-of-gratitude-that-will-motivate-you-to-give-thanks-year-round/?sh=bca261e183c0

https://www.health.harvard.edu/staying-healthy/walking-your-steps-to-health

Oschman, James L et al. “The effects of grounding (earthing) on inflammation, the immune response, wound healing, and prevention and treatment of chronic inflammatory and autoimmune diseases.” Journal of inflammation research vol. 8 83-96. 24 Mar. 2015, doi:10.2147/JIR.S69656

https://www.healthline.com/nutrition/vitamin-d-101#intro

LAHL, O., WISPEL, C., WILLIGENS, B. and PIETROWSKY, R. (2008), An ultra short episode of sleep is sufficient to promote declarative memory performance. Journal of Sleep Research, 17: 3-10. https://doi.org/10.1111/j.1365-2869.2008.00622.x

Leong SL, Madden C, Gray A, Waters D, Horwath C. Faster self-reported speed of eating is related to higher body mass index in a nationwide survey of middle-aged women. J Am Diet Assoc. 2011 Aug;111(8):1192-7. doi: 10.1016/j.jada.2011.05.012. PMID: 21802566.

Andreassen CS, Pallesen S, Griffiths MD. The relationship between addictive use of social media, narcissism, and self-esteem: Findings from a large national survey. Addict Behav. 2017 Jan;64:287-293. doi: 10.1016/j.addbeh.2016.03.006. Epub 2016 Mar 19. PMID: 27072491.

https://www.google.com/url?q=https://www.hsph.harvard.edu/news/features/social-media-positive-mental-health/&sa=D&ust=1611007812189000&usg=AOvVaw2inMG5N7zTBxigcBblOZ6h

Cha MY, Hong HS. Effect and Path Analysis of Laughter Therapy on Serotonin, Depression and Quality of Life in Middle-aged Women. J Korean Acad Nurs. 2015 Apr;45(2):221-230. https://doi.org/10.4040/jkan.2015.45.2.221

Barrett B, Hayney MS, Muller D, et al. Meditation or exercise for preventing acute respiratory infection: a randomized controlled trial. Annals of Family Medicine. 2012;10:337–346.

Carim-Todd L, Mitchell SH, Oken BS. Mind-body practices: an alternative, drug-free treatment for smoking cessation? A systematic review of the literature. Drug and Alcohol Dependence. 2013;132(3):399–410.

Chen KW, Berger CC, Manheimer E, et al. Meditative therapies for reducing anxiety: a systematic review and meta-analysis of randomized controlled trials. Depression and Anxiety. 2012;29(7):545–562.

Cherkin DC, Sherman KJ, Balderson BH, et al. Effect of mindfulness-based stress reduction vs cognitive behavioral therapy or usual care on back pain and functional limitations in adults with chronic low back pain: a randomized clinical trial. JAMA. 2016;315(12):1240–1249.

Gaylord SA, Palsson OS, Garland EL, et al. Mindfulness training reduces the severity of irritable bowel syndrome in women: results of a randomized controlled trial. American Journal of Gastroenterology. 2011;106(9):1678–1688.

Goyal M, Singh S, Sibinga EM, et al. Meditation programs for psychological stress and well-being: a systematic review and meta-analysis. JAMA Internal Medicine. 2014;174(3):357–368.

Jedel S, Hoffman A, Merriman P, et al. A randomized controlled trial of mindfulness-based stress reduction to prevent flare-up in patients with inactive ulcerative colitis. Digestion. 2014;89:142–155.

Lakhan SE, Schofield KL. Mindfulness-based therapies in the treatment of somatization disorders: a systematic review and meta-analysis. PLoS One. 2013;26;8(8):e71834.

Jordan Thomson

www.theperfectworkout.com

She Cut Her Workouts in Half & Dropped 26 Pounds

Posted on by Jordan Thomson

When your husband is a foodie and a chef who makes amazing meals, it can be a challenge to stay in good shape, especially at age 66.

But Judy was able to lose 26 pounds and drop from a size 12 down to an 8.

She says her clothes fit better, she has more energy, she sleeps better, her shoulder and neck pain is gone, and she has a more muscular, toned body.

How'd she do it? Slow-Motion Strength Training…

She Was Bored With Her Workouts

Judy didn't always take such a smart approach to exercise.

Before The Perfect Workout, she did the obligatory one-hour block at her health club, whether that was a spin class, on the treadmill, or some other aerobic exercise.

She got good results, but Judy describes that kind of exercise as being “a rat in a cage,” and thinks exercising inside for an hour is ridiculous and abhorrent for anyone who lives in beautiful San Diego.

“I did not look forward to it. At 20 minutes I was tired, 30 minutes I was bored silly, and 45 minutes I accepted it and just tried to finish.”

Making it to 60 minutes was gratifying but simply took too long.

She also wanted to increase her bone strength and density and change the way she looked.

“All my life I’ve had chubby thighs and hips. It ran in my family. I always felt like I wasn’t wearing clothes well. I didn’t look good in pants.”

Naturally, The Perfect Workout’s twice a week, 20-minute workouts were a big draw.

Did you know?

You can get the same strength gains, if not more, in 13 minutes than you can in 68 minutes
More workouts per week can actually hinder your results
Doing more exercises than needed in a session is an indication the workout may not be intense enough and you can be working harder
You can get a full body-workout in with just 4 exercises
More rest in a workout can reduce muscle growth and cardiovascular impact

LEARN MORE about 20 Minute Workouts

She Built Strength & Burned Calories

The slow-motion workouts fit perfectly into Judy’s schedule, and the Trainers at the Mission Valley studio made sure she got the most out of every session.

The key with slow-motion strength training is the emphasis on working toward “muscle success” on every exercise.

That’s the point at which you can’t possibly move the weights even a fraction of an inch further, after doing several repetitions for 10 seconds out and 10 seconds back.

If you continue maximally pushing or pulling for a few more seconds, you achieve this deep muscle fatigue, and that’s what brings results.

Judy started seeing the effects within weeks. Her pants started fitting better, she had more energy, she slept better, and she lost inches.

She also noticed her shoulder and neck pain from sitting at her desk was gone.

While gaining muscle everywhere (she leg presses 400 pounds now!), Judy lost 16 pounds while going from a size 12 to an 8.

Judy was able to lose fat more efficiently than ever before by adding lean muscle everywhere.

If you want weight loss, you must know this: Muscle burns calories.

Strength training adds more lean muscle to our bodies, which increases our resting metabolic rate, or the calories we burn on a daily basis.

In fact, strength training is more effective in burning fat than most “aerobic” activities because the added muscle helps you burn calories, even while you rest. Aerobics can burn a lot of calories but only in the moment of the activity.

Learn More about The Science of Losing Fat and Preserving Muscle.

She Debuted Her New Look

Judy had another goal, though – to get into a dress that her husband had gotten her.

“I tried it on and it had a lot of lumps and was stretched to the max.”

During a challenge at The Perfect Workout, she lost another 10 pounds, just in time for her 15th anniversary, where she debuted her new look.

“I got a lot of compliments on how the dress looked on me!”

While Judy would like to lose another five pounds or so, the increased strength and new look is paying huge dividends.

She’s able to hoist heavy bags of soil from Home Depot
She hits the golf ball a good 30 yards farther than the women she plays with
She isn’t huffing and puffing after pushing her golf bag for four or five hours

Even better, she’s now comfortable wearing whatever she wants – skinny jeans, skirts, sundresses, shorts, and sleeveless tops. And she doesn't have to think twice about trying her husband's five-star cuisine.

“I’m delighted! I don’t have the ‘wiggle wobble’ in my arms. I enjoy The Perfect Workout, and I’m very happy with what it’s done for my body.”

Jordan Thomson

www.theperfectworkout.com

The Strategy She Used to Feel Strong in Her Body Again

Posted on by Jordan Thomson

Christine Griffin was stopped in her tracks when she felt the searing pain of sciatica hit. She had a herniated a disc and with just the slightest bend in the back, the disc bulged, hitting a nerve.

Everything cascaded from there. Overnight, she went from living an active lifestyle to living in pain.

Learn how Christine went from living with severe back pain to feeling strong and capable – and the strategy she used to do it.

The Pain

For four years, Christine could barely walk without experiencing excruciating pain.

“When you have back pain like that, you twist your body to guard from the pain and try to keep it from hurting.”

Unfortunately, this created a new problem for her. She found herself leaning to one size, a result of overcompensation to avoid the pain.

Christine ultimately went through surgery and a lot of physical therapy. Finally, she was pain free, but her body was out of whack and her muscles had atrophied. She couldn’t pick up where she left off with her exercise routine from four years before.

She needed to begin again.

“Every time I tried to get back into that rhythm, I would hurt myself. I needed something in between physical therapy and full on workout classes. I needed a personal trainer.”

10 Reasons You Need to Hire a Personal Trainer

Imagine spending 4 days a week in the gym for over a year to end up with a knee injury and zero weight loss. Could

The Strategy

Christine knew she needed a Personal Trainer. But as a busy professional, she also needed a time-efficient solution.

After doing research, she found The Perfect Workout and was attracted to the 20-minute, twice a week program.

“I had special needs. And the trainers I've worked with have been able to accommodate them.”

It was a perfect fit.

Christine had tried traditional Personal Training before but there were two things that made her experience at The Perfect Workout different… and better.

First, she felt like she could “survive it”

“I wasn't pushed too hard, where I felt like I don't ever want to do that again.”

Second, it was effective.

“Some of my original level of function returned. And that was the proof that I needed that it works.”

See MORE proof 👇🏼👇🏼

Huntington Beach client weight loss results

Huntington Beach Client personal training results

Client increased strength in his 60's with 1-on-1 personal training

1-on-1 personal training Client says he is free to do an activity that was a big part of his life

Laguna Niguel client loses 70 pounds before and after photo

Before and after photo of Laguna Niguel client

Personal training in Huntington Beach before and after photos

Huntington Beach client getting results from personal training

Woman smiling in studio because she feels strong and toned

Personal training client says she has the endurance and energy she needs

1-on-1 virtual training client improved old injuries and is riding his bike

Personal training client smiling and no longer living in pain

The Strategist

One key piece to Christine’s strategy to feel strong in her body again was making sure she did her workouts the right way.

That’s where the Trainer comes in. They’re the strategist.

A Trainer will help guide you safely through each exercise as well as help reverse engineer your goals so they're more attainable.

After all, a Trainer is someone who specializes in helping people exercise the right way and getting results… and they’re passionate about it.

Even more than passion, our trainers are Certified through an extensive education process.

Most personal training certifications do not require any hands-on training to get certified. At The Perfect Workout, our certification goes beyond books and heavily involves hands-on training with real people.

We test our trainers’ knowledge and expertise with numerous written and practical exams. All Personal Trainers are AED/CPR certified and are required to complete continuing education as part of their employment with The Perfect Workout.

The Ability to Function

Now that Christine is without pain and she’s getting stronger and healthier, she finds she has an ever-increasing ability to function in her daily life.

“I can move my hips more easily. I can hold my body upright – I didn't have the strength to do that. I would always slouch back over because I fatigued almost right away.”

One of Christine’s biggest day-to-day challenges used to be the long walk to and from the train in Chicago.

“And that's easier for me now that I can hold myself better upright while carrying a backpack. I can walk. I know that doesn’t sound like an accomplishment, but it's huge.”

The Setting for Success

Christine got her start in one of The Perfect Workout’s Chicago studios, but now she trains exclusively on the Virtual Training platform.

“I've found that the virtual training platform works for me. It actually takes less time. And I don't have to drive there and back.”

The convenience isn’t the only factor that’s made Christine fall in love with Virtual Training.

She’s proud to develop her own toolkit of challenging exercises she can use to assist in her workouts – like lifting her own body weight in different ways.

“I see the advantages of the machines but I feel like I don't need an entire gym full of stuff to get more healthy.”

“I hear about people who are having mental health challenges and things like that during the pandemic. Here's something you can do that will make you feel good right in your home. You don't have to leave it. You can just put on some workout clothes. Who cares what your hair looks like? 20 minutes, you're done, and you feel better.”

No matter WHAT your goals are, feeling better is inevitable at The Perfect Workout.

Get started today!

Jordan Thomson

www.theperfectworkout.com

How The Perfect Workout is Pioneering the World of Virtual Training

Posted on by Jordan Thomson

When the first shelter at home orders were mandated, we pivoted from our in-studio personal training to online personal training.

We offered immediate support to our clients and a solution to maintaining health, boosting immunity when it mattered most and having jobs for our trainers.

We created an exciting new way of offering our workouts, with lots of help from our early adopters (both clients and trainers). This allowed us to develop a product and system that is our Virtual Training today.

The first iteration of in-home training was ingenious, and helped many clients stay on track with their health and fitness goals. Since then, we have invested more time, resources and innovation into our Virtual Training Program and are excited to share the next steps with you.

We’re Evolving: App Development

Moving all of our personal interactions onto platforms like Zoom added a layer of concern when it comes to security, privacy, and feeling safe.

Our clients also experienced frustrations when they couldn’t access account information, and it took too many steps, links and clicks to meet with their trainer.

So, we’ve decided to develop The Perfect Workout App featuring our own video software.

This will allow trainers and clients to connect 1-on-1 without third-party software like Zoom or Facetime for added security and convenience.

With The Perfect Workout App, clients will also get to see real-time workout progress, easily share the program with family and friends, receive nutrition coaching, and seamlessly manage appointments – all in one place.

It’s our way of giving clients access to more tools, more resources, and more education.

We’re Innovating for the Future: Couples & Group Virtual Training

Initially, our Virtual Training program offered immediate support to our clients and a solution to maintaining health, boosting immunity, and having jobs for our trainers. (We deeply appreciate our early adopters!)

Our clients can continue to build strength, get healthier, and improve their immune system during the pandemic and beyond – no matter where they are around the world.

We’ve also received many requests from our clients to add family members and friends from out of state train with them in their sessions.

And we’re excited to now introduce a new service to make your training experience more inclusive with Couples & Group Virtual Training!

Not only is this going to make training more fun and sustainable for a lot of people, it's going to bring families together, no matter where you live, during a time where that may not be possible. Now and in the future.

Learn More about our Virtual Training Program HERE

Jordan Thomson

www.theperfectworkout.com

Gyms are Dying. How The Perfect Workout is Thriving

Posted on by Jordan Thomson

Gyms are dying.

Many people are unsure how to safely keep up with their fitness when it matters most.

And they’re sacrificing their health and longevity by choosing to do nothing.

But, we’re not going anywhere.

And we’re deeply committed to helping more people get stronger and healthier through 2021 and beyond.

We're NOT a Gym

There’s one thing we need to get out there ASAP.

The Perfect Workout isn’t a gym. Seriously.

Our studios are Medical Fitness Facilities and classified as an essential health business.

The big reason we're classified as a Medical Fitness Facility and essential health business is because our methodology is so safe and effective for people of all ages and diseases or conditions.

With the Medical Fitness Association (MFA) guidelines designed in conjunction with the Director of the CDC, our safety practices exceed standard pandemic recommendations.

The MFA identifies our organization as a leader in proactive health care.

We’re developing a Medical Fitness Advisory Board to develop ideal protocols for different diseases such as osteoporosis and diabetes.

Our clients’ health and safety remain our number one priority and we’ve gone lengths to provide much more than a space to workout.

We're NOT a Franchise

It’s pretty common for people to think The Perfect Workout is a franchise because we have so many locations.

But we're not. In fact, we are the LARGEST privately owned 1-on-1 personal training company in the world.

The quality of our workout and our Trainers is very important to us. We feel strongly about having the ability to ensure we can provide exceptional training and customer service in all of our studios.

All Facilities OPEN for Training

You might be wondering why our Trainers aren’t training clients outside like a lot of gyms.

That’s simple. We are a medical facility for private members only, not a gym!

We work 1-on-1 with our clients to treat and prevent underlying health issues such as auto-immune, osteoporosis, sarcopenia, pre- and post-rehab, etc.

We are safe, efficient, and effective which means the training our clients receive is perfect and replaces any need to go to a gym or “exercise” in any other way.

We are 100% focused on helping clients better their health and improving underlying health conditions and we've been doing that for over 20 years combating all sorts of health issues.

You can help us fight this pandemic.

Stay in control of your health by keeping up with your workouts 20 minutes, twice a week. Share our method with your family and friends to impact the health of the population.

New to The Perfect Workout?

You now have two ways of working out with us:

Jordan Thomson

www.theperfectworkout.com

This 66 Year Old Proves Strong Bodies Are Built in 20 Minutes

Posted on by Jordan Thomson

Bob Jones, 66, was recently crowned “Client of the Month” at the Long Beach studio and the progress he made during 2020 (the craziest year ever) says it all.

Bob was referred into The Perfect Workout by his friend Cathy, a fellow client in November, 2019.

He came in with a vision to live a healthier life.

And the Long Beach team made that vision a reality through accountability, support, and a science-backed workout: slow-motion strength training.

Bob has been fully committed to his 20 minute, twice a week workouts. When his studio temporarily closed down during the first wave of the pandemic, he pivoted to Virtual Training with his trainers, never risking his health or his progress.

When the Long Beach studio reopened its doors for In-Studio Training, Bob hadn’t lost any progress. In fact, he was able to lift heavier on some exercises and his range of motion improved on others.

Bob joined The Perfect Workout to get healthier and improve his quality of life. Although there’s nothing stopping him now, we’re happy to say he’s hit some major goals in just one year:

he’s physically stronger
he’s lost 12 pounds
has better endurance hiking and bicycling
has better posture and balance

“I owe this to my personal trainer Ray. He pushes and encourages me to do my best. I highly recommend The Perfect Workout.”

Jordan Thomson

www.theperfectworkout.com

M.S., Fibromyalgia, Weight Loss: This Tear-Jerker Will Inspire You

Posted on by Jordan Thomson

As a model and actor, for years it has literally been Jeffrey Blockson’s job to stay in shape.

Jeff lives a simple but strict motto that no matter what age you are, or where you come from, you don’t have any excuses to not take care of what’s most important- your health.

Must be easy for someone who models, right?

Even though Jeff has put in hard work and dedication to stay strong and healthy it CAN be easy for anyone. Take it from some of his clients who have Multiple Sclerosis, Fibromyalgia, and lifelong weight loss struggles…

They are living proof that it only takes 20 minutes, twice a week to take control of your health, no matter what.

In college, Jeffrey noticed that a lot of his friends and fellow classmates lacked time and money, which made it challenging for them to exercise regularly and eat healthy foods. With his own experience staying in shape and a desire to help people balance a healthy life with a hectic schedule, Jeff’s personal training career began to bud.

When he learned about slow-motion strength training, Jeffrey became even more enthralled with the idea of only needing 20 minutes to get in a workout and care for yourself. This method makes better health much more accessible to those who struggle to get it.

After experiencing a workout at one of The Perfect Workout’s Chicago studios, he knew he wanted to be involved in the company.

Those with M.S. Can Do It

During his time as a trainer at The Perfect Workout, Jeff has helped many clients work through specific conditions. His client Pat has Multiple Sclerosis (MS) which causes her to use a walker.

But that doesn’t get in the way of her workouts.

“Oh, no, trust me, don't let that fool you. She'll get on the leg press and kill it.”

Pat and Jeff’s work together has helped her gain strength, improve her balance, and lose weight.

Just recently, she told Jeff that she surpassed her weight loss goals and she didn’t feel like she needed to lose any more weight.

Read more about some of our clients success working out with M.S. below 👇🏽

Mom & Daughter Prove What’s Possible, Training 1000+ Miles Apart

Believe it or not, it’s actually been on our list for some time to create a Virtual Training program because a lot of our clients

MS Didn’t Stop Her from Fulfilling her Dream of Walking On Her Own

“I just wanted to be able to walk.” Life has thrown some health curveballs at Adele Biancarelli and throughout her battles she’s kept one

Those With Weight Loss Struggles Can Do It

One of Jeff’s favorite college courses was Psychology because he enjoys diving deep into the psyche of people to understand them better.

As a Personal Trainer, he gets to use these skills to understand the real why behind his clients wanting to improve their body and health.

As certified Personal Trainers, we can better serve our clients and help them reach their goals when we know what motivates them.

One of Jeff’s clients was a little closed off when they first began working together. She came in looking to lose weight and tone up, some very common goals with new clients. But Jeff was determined to find out her deeper motivation.

After building trust, getting to know one another, and Jeff’s persistence to understand his client he finally found out why she wanted to reshape her body.

“She finally broke down to me. She said, ‘When I was a little girl, my father told me that I was overweight. He used to call me fat. He used to call me these names all the time. And here I am. I am 50-something years old and I'm still that same little girl.’”

“When you get to those moments, not only do you gain trust, but you can truly understand the client and I'm all about that.”

Those With Fibromyalgia Can Do It

Jeffrey began working with a woman named Nella in Orland Park, IL before he took over the SW San Jose studio in California.

Nella’s husband had been training with Jeffrey and had been trying to get her into the studio. Nella has fibromyalgia and was concerned it would get in the way of exercise. But she decided to try the workout one day and fell in love with it.

A symptom of fibromyalgia is chronic pain and stiffness, both of which she would experience often- even in workouts.

One day, she was on the leg press machine and stopped. She put her head down and it prompted Jeffrey to ask her if everything was okay.

Then, she started to cry.

“She told me that, with her condition, it always feels like spinning. And she said, for a short moment, it stopped. And she can't think of the last time she felt that way.”

And the progress only got better.

Nella used to come to her workouts using a cane, but eventually she was able to stop using it and began moving around much faster.

“These moments are just incredible.”

And one of the most incredible parts is that despite these challenges and conditions for clients like Nella and Pat, they are still able to change their lives with a 20-minute workout with a Trainer.

Anyone Can Do It, No Matter What

Whether you’re inspired by Pat getting stronger despite her MS and need for a walker, or Nella’s ability to ditch her cane, we want you to know this…

If they can do it, so can you.

All it takes is 20 minutes, twice a week!

Jordan Thomson

Author: Jordan Thomson

Above & Beyond Personal Training

Are Men Stronger Than Women?

Should Men & Women Train Upper or Lower Body?

Does Strength Training Cause Women to Bulk Up?

What Should Men & Women Look for in a Personal Trainer?

What Have We Learned?

Practice Gratitude

Take a Walk

Grounding to Recharge

Sun Exposure

Power Napping

Eat Slowly

Digital Detox

Laugh More

Meditate

Strength Train

She Was Bored With Her Workouts

She Built Strength & Burned Calories

She Debuted Her New Look

The Pain

The Strategy

The Strategist

The Ability to Function

The Setting for Success

We’re Evolving: App Development

We’re Innovating for the Future: Couples & Group Virtual Training

We're NOT a Gym

Strict Cleaning Standards

Social Distancing

Client Screening

Protective Masks

We're NOT a Franchise

All Facilities OPEN for Training

Those with M.S. Can Do It

Those With Weight Loss Struggles Can Do It

Those With Fibromyalgia Can Do It

Anyone Can Do It, No Matter What

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