The Perfect Workout Blog

Jack White has been on many journeys in his life, some positive, some challenging, but they’ve all taught him a lot about himself and his potential. At 75 years old, Jack has been active for many years, often going on walks and practicing the shot put for senior athletic competitions. It’s that competitive side that got Jack interested in getting on a regular workout program to increase his strength. His wife had started at The Perfect Workout’s Mission Valley studio in January 2016, and was constantly telling Jack how great she felt doing the slow-motion strength training. But Jack wasn’t sold. “I figured it was just another gym. My wife’s fitness needs are different—I thought there was no way it would work for both of us. I wanted to be a competitive senior athlete!” Still, Jack agreed to go in for an intro session. That’s when he realized this was what he needed all along. “I was surprised it wasn’t a big smelly gym! I liked the small, personal atmosphere, and the trainers knew how to work with my individual fitness goals and help sculpt my body.” Jack quickly saw results. His muscles evolved and toned up, and the twice-a-week workouts worked in tandem with his shot put training—so much so, that he ended up winning the shot put competition for his age group at the National Masters Championship in 2017.

The most challenging journey of Jack’s life came when he was recently diagnosed with APL, an often deadly form of leukemia. Instead of letting it get in the way of his fitness and his happiness, Jack faced it head-on. He kept training at The Perfect Workout, pushing through the discomfort in order to keep his strength up through the chemo treatments. While he has worked with many great trainers in the two years he’s been with the studio, he especially credits Pat Kelly with helping him push through the hardest period—January through June of this year, when he was in remission. At the end of June, Jack was declared cancer-free. “My doctor told me that the fact that I was fit when the cancer struck aided greatly in my ability to recover from the cancer.”

The Perfect Workout has been invaluable to Jack both in sickness and in health, and he sees the 20 minutes, twice a week regimen as a lifelong pursuit. He can now lift 450 pounds on the leg press, and wants to get to 500 by the end of the year. Another goal for the near future? “I want to qualify for the Senior Olympics in Albuquerque next year.” With The Perfect Workout by his side and his love of the shot put, there’s no doubt he’ll make it happen.

Other workouts didn’t cut it for her, and she wasn’t seeing results. But the personalized training with The Perfect Workout set her on a new path. “I had never worked with a personal trainer before, and it’s been amazing having someone who’s really watching my form and looking out for me.”

“I was a non-believer.” When Kelly Gaynor first heard about The Perfect Workout on the radio two years ago, she thought it was too good to be true. How could 20 minutes, twice a week make a difference? Still, Kelly was intrigued. She stopped into the Walnut Creek studio for her first workout, and asked some tough questions about slow-motion strength training and what the average client looks like. “She looks like you,” the trainers told her. Knowing that she fit in to The Perfect Workout environment put Kelly at ease, and made her confident that she could do the training. Trying slow-motion strength training for that first day was a challenge, but Kelly faced it head-on, and she’s been a believer ever since.

One of the biggest things Kelly was looking for in a workout was something that would keep her youthful as she got older. “As one ages, you see people who are older and you know you’re going there. They can’t do things they used to do. I didn’t want that to be my future.” At 61, she knew she needed to keep active. Other workouts didn’t cut it for her, and she wasn’t seeing results. But the personalized training with The Perfect Workout set her on a new path. “I had never worked with a personal trainer before, and it’s been amazing having someone who’s really watching my form and looking out for me.” Kelly had torn her ACL and had three knee surgeries in the past, so she prioritizes safety when working out. Her two trainers, Rob and Danica, always respond to her needs and adjust each exercise to make sure she isn’t straining or hurting herself. Their care and motivation have paid off. When she started with The Perfect Workout, Kelly could lift 155 lbs. on the leg press. Today, she can lift 235! She’s also gone from 50 to 75 lbs. on the lat pull down, and increased significantly on every other machine.

Kelly’s newfound strength paid off when she traveled to Peru recently to climb to the famous valley of Machu Picchu. “It was the hardest thing I’ve ever done. I had never hiked before, and this is one of the toughest hikes in the world!” But because of her newfound muscle and energy, she knew she could conquer it. A few times on the trek, her husband suggested they turn around, but Kelly wasn’t having it. Eventually, she reached the top and it was all worth it. Ultimately, she climbed over 2,100 feet—the equivalent of climbing the Empire State Building 1.7 times. “Thank you Danica Cramer, Rob Wight, and The Perfect Workout. You helped me climb Machu Picchu!”

Karen says, “The Perfect Workout gets down to the mechanics of the muscles, to make sure they’re working correctly every time.” Now that Karen’s lost 12 lbs. in three months, she’s a believer. Her confidence has increased, and at 49, she has more energy than ever.

When Karen Edwards started going to The Perfect Workout’s Park Cities studio in February, she didn’t expect such rapid results. A friend had told her how effective the training was, but Karen was skeptical. Karen works a high-stress job as a nurse, and before The Perfect Workout, “My body would be so tense all the time, it was hard for me to keep up.” Her back issues used to prevent her from doing strength workouts—she gave up lifting weights because it made the inflammation worse. She tried going to a physical therapist, but “they only focused on the now— how my body felt in the moment. The Perfect Workout gets down to the mechanics of the muscles, to make sure they’re working correctly every time.” Now that Karen’s lost 12 lbs. in three months, she’s a believer. Her confidence has increased, and at 49, she has more energy than ever.

With the help of her trainer, Emily, she’s been able to overcome her back issues to take on all of The Perfect Workout’s strength exercises. In fact, slow-motion strength training has made her pain disappear altogether. “Emily knows me so well. She always works hard to balance my workouts and respond to my body’s needs. Her personal attention has been the biggest help in getting rid of my back pain.” One of the biggest surprises for Karen was realizing she actually enjoys working out. “I love how much Emily pushes me to be my best. The arm workouts are my favorite—they stretch out my shoulder blades and make me feel great. Muscle success? Bring it on!”

Karen is seeing the results of her training outside the studio, too. Her clothes fit better, and she’s happier with the way she looks. Plus, she has more energy to do the things that give her joy, like playing with her ten nieces and nephews, and going out to dinner with friends. Her newfound strength has also made her more effective at refurbishing furniture, a favorite hobby she taught herself how to do a few years back. Not worrying about throwing out her back in the process has made her more focused on the work, which she finds enjoyable and lets her show off her toned muscles. The people in Karen’s life have noticed the changes, too. They see how energetic she is now, and have commented on her slimmer figure. “I’ve told everyone about The Perfect Workout. Even my boss wants to go!” Karen isn’t stopping here. “I want to keep up my momentum and stick to my two workouts a week with Emily. I know I’m going to get stronger and stronger!”

Michele Rosenbloom, 51, has lost 15 lbs. and 3 dress sizes and says, “I used to come
home exhausted (after work), but now, I still have energy after a 10-12 hour day.”

When Michele Rosenbloom went to Hawaii last March, she wanted to cry. Even though she had been working out, she didn’t feel good about herself. As she put it, she had saggy “chicken arms” and her legs were “jiggly” all the time. “At age 51, I shouldn’t feel embarrassed. I was worried that I’d end up wearing old lady ‘fat’ clothes!”

By August, Michele had had enough. Another upcoming trip to Hawaii to celebrate her 28th wedding anniversary made her realize that she needed to do something this time. She saw an ad for The Perfect Workout in the paper and thought, “Yeah, right!” Like most people, she figured she needed to spend hours in the gym to look good. Skeptical, Michele looked it up online and got more information. It sounded good, but she still put it off. Finally, her girlfriend who lived next door said, “We need to do this,” and they went in together.

Michele was amazed with the results! “I had a personal trainer a year ago at another fitness center, and in the first month working out at The Perfect Workout I got more results than I did in six months with the other trainer. Within the first month, I saw huge changes in my body! After two months, I had already lost 11 inches and gone down three pant sizes, and I have more energy than before. I used to hate working out, but I haven’t missed a session yet.”

All that made for an incredible anniversary trip to Hawaii recently. “This time, I felt great!” says Michele. “Overall, my whole body looks and feels different. I used to ‘jiggle’, and I don’t have that anymore. Now I have definition.”

Slow-motion strength training at The Perfect Workout has changed Michele’s body, it’s changed her eating habits, and it’s even changed her attitude. “I feel very good about my body now. Overall, I look happier. My whole being is happier, and it overflows all areas of my life. My three kids are so proud of me, and my husband is, too. He called me ‘slim’ the other day, and he hasn’t said that in years!”

She’s come a long way in a short time since that first trip to Hawaii back in March. All from her quick, intense, 20-minute workouts every Monday and Thursday. “I love the program, and I love the people. You can have the body you want to have, at any age, without spending six hours a week in the gym! I think everyone should experience The Perfect Workout.”

“The Perfect Workout has delivered on every promise. They’ve done everything they said they would do for me. They give 110%.” And the best part? “My core strength is amazing now!”

Two years ago, Shelly Cates barely had enough strength to walk throughout the day. Working 60 hours per week at a private equity insurance company, she was always on the move, but didn’t have any energy left after work. Tired of feeling weak, she wanted a workout program that would fit her schedule and make her stronger. A New York Times insert for The Perfect Workout came to her office, and Shelly was intrigued with the whole concept of slow-motion strength training and 20-minute workouts. The Colleyville studio was conveniently nearby, and she booked her first session. It was much different than any workout she had done before, and she immediately felt its effects. She started toning up, and she no longer felt weak throughout the day.

From day one, Shelly was impressed with how friendly and helpful The Perfect Workout trainers were. Their coaching was encouraging, not “demoralizing” like she had experienced at other gyms. The positive atmosphere at the studio is one of the biggest reasons she keeps coming back twice a week. Having worked with four trainers, Shelly feels a connection with each of them, and loves how each one brings their personal style to the workouts. Her hard work in the studio, along with her trainers’ dedication to her growth, gave her results that make her proud. She now lifts 285 lbs. on the leg press, 50 lbs. on the arm press, and 70 lbs. doing bicep curls. In addition to her muscle growth, some of Shelly’s old health issues have vanished. She no longer needs to go to the chiropractor, and no longer struggles with colitis, something she took medication for before starting at The Perfect Workout. “The Perfect Workout has delivered on every promise. They’ve done everything they said they would do for me. They give 110%.” And the best part? “My core strength is amazing now!”

The Perfect Workout has given Shelly the freedom to do what makes her happy. Last year, she and her family took a vacation to Scotland and traveled 710 miles across Scotland’s islands and cities. Shelly had enough strength and energy to fully immerse herself in the trip, and she came back feeling alive and inspired. Two years ago, she would have been too burnt out to appreciate it, but now she feels like she has the energy to do whatever she sets her mind to. Shelly has no plans to stop, and she can’t wait to continue her impressive progress. “It’s going to be part of my life for a long time.”

When Diane Rand reached age 50, she got concerned that her weight was slowly creeping higher and her clothes were feeling too tight. As a practicing physician in San Diego, she knew the diagnosis. “Your muscles atrophy as you age, and this slows down the metabolism,” says Rand. “I knew it would keep getting worse if I didn’t correct it.”

The antidote? Effective weight training. But, she’d never lifted weights before. Plus, her full-time job as a physician as well as her family life left little time in her schedule for exercise. Fortunately, Diane read an article about “slow-motion” strength training, a revolutionary new exercise method promising a firmer, stronger, more shapely body from just two 20-minute training sessions per week. Even though the time efficiency and results sounded almost too good to be true, she decided to enroll with a personal trainer at The Perfect Workout, a local company with 11 private fitness studios in Southern California specializing in this unique approach.

Right away she noticed immediate increases in her muscle tone and energy. After several months she’d also dropped 1 to 2 clothing sizes and was fitting into the clothes which used to be too small.

LEAN MUSCLES – THE KEY TO RESHAPING YOUR BODY

Many people – especially women – have a fear of “bulking up” like a bodybuilder if they were to start strength training. In reality, if you’re older than 25, it’s much more likely that too little muscle is a problem rather than too much muscle. Research performed by William Evans, Ph.D., and Irwin Rosenberg, M.D., demonstrates that adults who don’t strength train lose an average of a half pound of lean muscle tissue each year starting at age 25. As an example, a typical 55-year-old woman will have 15 pounds less lean muscle (and significantly more fat) than what she had at age 25. Muscle takes up less space than fat, so this typical 55-year-old woman has arms and thighs that are softer and less firm, wears a larger clothing size, and has a slower metabolism that burns fewer calories each day.

Effective strength training changes all of this. It increases your body’s metabolism, causing you to burn more fat and calories all day long, even while sleeping. Strength training reshapes and tones your legs and arms. And since muscle is denser than fat, adding muscle and losing fat will make your body firmer, smaller, and more shapely. As Diane’s muscles got stronger and more toned, her faster metabolism helped her burn the extra inches around her waist, hips, and thighs.

“My trainer pushes me in a safe way, and I walk away feeling great after each session,” says Diane. “This is the wave of the future.”

Before hearing about The Perfect Workout, Debbie Michalski tried many different workouts and diets to lose weight. “Nothing was working,” she says, though it wasn’t for lack of effort. When Debbie first made the decision to shed some pounds 11 years ago, she motivated herself to work out regularly and eat better. She tried gym after gym but didn’t want to commit to any of them because they didn’t help her understand what was really needed. Beyond the ineffective workouts, regular gyms wouldn’t give Debbie any nutritional guidance, something she wanted to focus on but didn’t know how to start. “I knew, somehow, I was failing. I wasn’t helping myself.”

Finally, enough was enough. Debbie decided to give The Perfect Workout a chance after hearing Chicago newscaster Bonnie Greene rave about it on her radio show. After her first slow- motion strength training workout at The Perfect Workout’s Orland Park, Illinois, studio, she could tell this was something different. “I couldn’t believe it! I never realized how beneficial strength training could be.” The short, powerful workouts and nutritional advice from her trainer were both easy to incorporate into her daily life. It drastically improved Debbie’s health and erased her doubts about finding a workout program that worked for her.

The biggest change Debbie noticed right away was her arthritis pain decreasing. “When I started in April, I couldn’t untwist a water bottle top.” A few weeks later, not only could she perform physical tasks her pain used to make impossible, but she started fitting into her old clothes better and standing with better posture. People started complimenting her slimmer appearance, and she felt happier and more confident. She always made sure to tell them right away about The Perfect Workout and slow-motion strength training because “it’s the best thing ever.” Debbie attributes her success with The Perfect Workout to the incredible personal attention she gets from her trainer. She says that unlike personal trainers at the old gyms she tried, The Perfect Workout trainers allow you to “focus on yourself.” Instead of having to fumble with the machines and worrying about logistics, “you can concentrate on really breaking down the muscles.” She also praises her trainer for being attentive to her individual needs. “Jeff is always looking to help. His suggestions turn out to be solutions.”

Now that she’s lost 15 pounds and dropped a size, Debbie is committed to The Perfect Workout for the long term. She describes it as “life-changing” and “a lifestyle, not a fad.” Seeing the great results slow-motion strength training has had on her weight, appearance, and comfort, she looks forward to going all the time. “It’s a great way to start your day. I always say, The Perfect Workout – it’s in the name. It’s perfect!”