Oh, the comfort zone. They call it that for a reason, obviously. It’s cozy in that self-imposed zone; it’s safe and reliable. If most things were defined as such, we would consider them good things, right? I will weigh in here and say yes, but this imaginary comfort zone could be one of the most dangerous places in your life.

Janet Fitch said, “The phoenix must burn to emerge,” meaning that you must fail before you can achieve. But you must try before you can fail, and chilling out in your comfort zone time and time again for fear of failure will keep you strapped down, not able to emerge as the true you. I know that stepping out of that comfy, feel-good zone can be pretty scary, so you’re not alone. In a previous blog I discussed ways to be comfortable being uncomfortable, so what happens when real people reach their heights?

The Powerlifting Challenge

NIFS will soon hold its 6th Annual Powerlifting Competition, where individuals from all walks of life and all fitness levels come to see what they are truly capable of in relation to absolute strength. An even that has so many victories and so many lives changed in one single day. Individuals take that leap out of their comfort zones and put it on the line to test themselves—not against the competition, but against themselves. 

What Past Competitors Had to Say

This event served as a first for so many competitors who wanted to test their courage and to fulfill a dream and a goal of being the best. They stepped out of their comfort zone, and this is what they discovered:

"Fitness, for me, has been a journey. I have ups and downs. But on that day, it was me and the weight. It was myself versus myself. I only cared about lifting however much my body could. It wasn't about 'beating' the other competitors; it was about making sure I walked away knowing I did the best I could."      —Megan Gantner

"I loved how encouraging everyone was. Even though it was a competition, people were constantly saying 'you can do it' or 'great job.' High-fives were everywhere, and it was awesome."       —Madison Stewart

"Some of the highlights were being around a lot of like-minded people, getting to test my strength, and pushing past my normal comfort zone. It really meant a lot to me to compete. I have been lifting weights for a very long time, but I had never actually competed any kind of weightlifting comp. Actually putting myself out there really paid off a lot for me."      —Cody Martin

If you have been thinking about taking the leap and competing in this kind of a contest, this event is a perfect one to get your feet wet and see whether competing at this level is what you have been looking for. There will be a wide range of ability levels all trying to simply do their best and have some competitive fun at the same time.

NIFS 6th Annual Powerlifting Competition will be held on November 9th. The first step to getting out of your comfort zone is to get registered today!

This blog was written by Tony Maloney, ACSM Certified Exercise Physiologist and Fitness Center Manager. To find out more about the NIFS bloggers, click here.

I have recently been given the opportunity to participate in some very cool opportunities professionally and personally. And although these two opportunities are things that I have had goals of achieving for quite some time, it did not take away from me being pretty terrified to take them on. I had to get comfortable being uncomfortable—and fast!

Two Great Opportunities—And Some Doubts

The first opportunity was to speak with some of the nation’s greatest minds in health and fitness at the Indy Women Fitness 2015 event held here at NIFS this past month. Being on the same program as Mike Robertson, Molly Galbraith, and Bill Hartman was a dream come true, but it came with the following questions to myself:

• “Am I good enough to be next to these guys?”
• “How will the attendees respond to my content and approach?”
• “Am I in over my head?”

• “Am I good enough to be next to these guys?”
• “How will the attendees respond to my content and approach?”
• “Am I in over my head?”

How to Succeed in Anything

I would like to share some of the best ways I have learned to succeed in anything you want to achieve.

• Think BIG and tackle the BIG things first. When it comes to goals, if it doesn’t scare you, it’s not big enough. Set the bar high and do what it takes to reach it. Try to tackle the big things of your day first, and don’t multitask; focus all of your energy on one thing at a time. Set time limits if you have to, but do only one thing at a time.
• Practice, practice, practice. I don’t think it comes as any surprise that more practice on anything will make you better at that thing. But just as important is what practice can do to your anxiety level. Practice goes up, and anxiety will go down; and practice can include learning more, rehearsing, or simply visualizing your performance. I think it’s a good thing to be a bit anxious before a major event, but practicing will keep that anxiety from becoming paralyzing.
• Act awesome, be awesome. Martin Rooney told me once that it is okay to be tired, but it is not okay to act tired. It seems crass, but he makes a great point. If you act tired or anxious, you are more likely to succumb to the symptoms of being tired or anxious. But if you act confident and full of energy, you will eventually be that way, not tired or anxious. 
• Talk with successful people. One of the best ways to be great at something is to learn from someone who is great at that thing. Obviously they have done something right to be considered a “go-to” in the subject; they have been there, done that, and continue to do it because it breeds success. Find those people and learn as much as you can from them. Get a mentor, and learn everything you can.
• Do the right thing, at the right time, all the time, no matter what. For example, let’s say you are faced with the internal question of “should I go to the gym today?” Your immediate response may be, “hell yeah,” or it may be, “hell no.” No matter the response, go to the gym because it is the right thing to do. You will find that once you get started on the “right thing,” it gets easier and easier to complete. You know what the right thing is; be like NIKE and just do it, no matter what, all the time!

I still get anxious when new opportunities come knocking at the doors that are sure to take me out of my comfort zone, and I should. But utilizing the preceding strategies has made me more comfortable being uncomfortable!

This blog was written by Tony Maloney, ACSM, Certified Exercise Physiologist and Fitness Center Manager. To find out more about the NIFS bloggers, click here.

Cue DJ Jazzy Jeff and the Fresh Prince because it is summer time—FINALLY! This is the time of year when we get to enjoy more sun and more fun, and smiles and laughter are abundant.

With the energy level rising as the temperature rises, we tend to look for new and fun ways to challenge ourselves somehow in our lives: decluttering the house (a must, by the way), updating the landscape, spending more time with the kids, or taking on some kind of physical challenge to help keep you moving forward. 

Tons of events are popping up all around with the arrival of the nice weather, designed to challenge any and all fitness levels. Finding the physical challenge that is right for you is a fantastic way to spice up your current fitness routine and challenge your limits, perceived or actual. 

Besides some of the obvious physical benefits from creating and completing a fitness challenge, such as improved body composition and an increase in strength and endurance, accepting a fitness challenge can provide so much more. Here are just a few.

Inspires You to Return to Your Drive Toward Excellence

It can be easy to lose some fire over the course of a long year. Even the most committed fitness enthusiast (yours truly included) can be unable to find the drive sometimes to stay vigilant in striving to improve. Taking on a new challenge can provide the spark that will reenergize your commitment to excellence.

Establishes a Timeline

One important characteristic of a well-stated goal is to have an established timeline to reach it. Without a specific date for completion, it is not a goal; it is a dream. If the challenge is on a certain date, and you have 6 weeks to train for it, you have yourself a well-defined timeline. This will not only allow you to complete your current challenge, but also hammers home this important concept of a timeline for future goals.

Incorporates New Movements and Modes of Training

If you are planning on taking on a challenge that you have never done before, there’s a very good possibility that you will have to perform brand new movements and adopt a new training idea. This could be just what your body and mind need to push your limits to create new ones.

Creates Powerful Personal Bonds with Fellow Athletes

The power of working with a group of likeminded individuals is colossal and life changing. When you take on a challenge together, the relationship that will be formed is long lasting and built on mutual respect. I have seen countless strangers join together to complete an event or training program, only to become the best of friends and continue to work toward improvement.

This blog was written by Tony Maloney, Health Fitness Specialist and Fitness Center Manager. To find out more about the NIFS bloggers, click here.

This is a milestone year for me, so I have decided to do a workout of the day using my new age as the number of sets, reps, or length of time of the workout.

Why did I decide to do this? As I have gotten older I look for confirmation of my youth not being lost. I still feel I can do workouts that I did in my collegiate basketball days. This motivates me, and I hope it will motivate many of you as well. I am not signing up for this “muscle leaking” phase that we all fall into as we age.

My Exercises

The bases of these workouts vary so that I get a fine mix of strength, endurance, and recovery days. I have had some struggles finding variety in each, but given my job, this is a problem I can work through. After 1½ months I cannot say I am in “such great shape,” though I do feel stronger since many of the workouts have included bodyweight exercises.

The easiest place for me to start was with pushups, and then the moves spin off. I also wanted to include legs since they are big muscles, which burn big fat. The back needs consideration as it is key to a good posture, in addition to the core. So of course plank exercises take care of this. Who doesn’t love a great plank?

As for the off days, some good yoga moves have been rejuvenating (though 50 downward-facing-dog stretches into pushups was tougher than expected and had to be broken up a bit).

There have been days when I realized I had not attempted anything close to 50 of something. A quick set of bridges one day, a pike plank the next, and 50 mountain climbers after a workout quickly filled the quota.

The Power of Group Workouts

I do need to thank my workout girlfriends who have been willing victims to these Power of 50 Workouts. Albeit begrudgingly, they do the work with me. Of course those older than me love it; those younger wish they had picked their own age for the repetition scheme.

My suggestion is to pick your number and #challengeyourself daily!

Good luck! 

This blog was written by Kris Simpson. Read about our other NIFS bloggers here.

BOSU. Does that stand for “both sides utilized,” or “both sides up”? To some of us, it’s a half-blue ball thing that makes our crunches doable; to others, if done right, it can make some exercises downright brutal. Whatever the case may be, the BOSU ball is an intriguing piece of exercise equipment that won’t soon be tossed in the Shake Weight pile. The ball, being flat on one side and domed on the other, allows its user not only a vast range of exercises, but also progressions and regressions that are easy to follow.

How to Use the BOSU

Exercise on the BOSU can be a little tricky when you are first starting out. We like to classify BOSU fitness in two categories: BOSU Exercises and Exercises on the BOSU. Exercises on the BOSU are any exercises you can do without a BOSU ball; just do that exercise on the ball (for example, squat and press, lunges, and pushups). BOSU exercises are any exercises that require a BOSU ball to complete (for example, Get down Get Up and Plank Jacks). Depending on fitness levels, you can make your exercise program easier or harder depending on where you start. The more BOSU exercises you have in a workout, the more challenging that workout will become.

When we take a look at progressions and regressions for BOSU exercises, there are several aspects we can touch on:

• Balance: For balance, we look at stability points of contact with the ball or ground as our progression/regression tool. Take away a point of contact with the ground or ball and immediately whatever exercise you are doing becomes much more challenging (dead lift vs. single-leg dead lifts). If you add a point of contact with the ground, the exercise will become easier (such as using a dowel rod to help balance while standing on the BOSU with two feet).
• Senses: The other factor we like to touch on includes your movement senses (sight, touch, and hearing). For an easy demonstration, stand on one foot. Then stand on one foot with your eyes shut. On a BOSU, this would be exponentially harder. Movement also challenges the senses. Try standing on a BOSU and looking around left and right or up and down. Again, this makes your normal exercises harder. Combinations of balance and sensory progressions make for some of the toughest BOSU exercises.

Your BOSU experience may come in the form of a fitness class (check out our BOSU class video), or you may do it solo in the privacy of your own home. Fitness professionals can help you determine what progressions and regressions are right for you. The BOSU may be out of your comfort zone, but there are tools to make it easier and to build your confidence. The BOSU ball is a good tool for your fitness toolbox; take a moment and see how it can make a difference for you.

Ready to try BOSU or another group fitness class at NIFS? Not a member? Take a class for free!

This blog was written by Thomas Livengood, Health Fitness Specialist at NIFS. To find out more about the NIFS bloggers click here.

There is a fitness trend that has been bothering me for a long time, and in recent years it has gotten exponentially worse. There are exercise programs that have actually declared war on the human body, and by doing so, have widened the gap further between health and fitness.

I know that they are commonly linked, but please understand that health and fitness are not the same thing. You can have very healthy biomarkers and still be unfit. Likewise, you can have tremendous strength or outrageous endurance and be very unhealthy.

The Trend of Intense, Dangerous Workouts

This current version of “beating the body into submission” by the evil triumvirate of ego, willpower, and ignorance started with the media marketing experiment of P90X and its search for the limits of stupidity that people would pay for. At about the same time, there was the appearance of neighborhood boot camps that were conducted on strip mall parking lots and/or any available piece of grass that no one would be chased off of, led by unqualified trainers out to make a quick buck by riding the trend of selling pain to the fitness gullible. And then came the growth of CrossFit and its many copies selling to the male ego: SWAT Team, MMA, and Special Ops–inspired training so that “You can be the man!”

The common theme of this period is finding the limits of discomfort that the public can be convinced to invest their time, energy, and money into by marketing to the ego’s desire for quick and nearly impossible change by violating the basic laws of human biology and twisting logic to arrive at “the-end-justifies-the-means” training: No Pain, No Gain! Train to Failure. Train Hard or Go Home!

Currently, we have a cultural fitness myth that is doomed to fail because it is not sustainable. The human body cannot live on the “edge” for long without breaking down. The changes we desire actually occur during recovery as a result of proper exercise stimulus. More stimulus is not better; it is just more, and too much can retard recovery and greatly increase the risk of injury.

Jonathan Angelili wrote a very thoughtful blog published on Greatist titled, “The Massive Fitness Trend That’s Not Actually Healthy at All,” where he states that the fitness industry has come to “glorify exercise as an all-out war on the body.” Instead of living within our bodies and having fitness and health evolve naturally, the ego/mind plays the role of sadistic coach intent on whipping the lazy body to reach some arbitrary goal as quickly as possible, at which time another arbitrary goal is launched, so the beatings continue.

P90X, boot camps, and CrossFit didn’t create this antagonistic attitude toward the human body, but rather they simply took advantage of it. We, as a culture, have had a very long history of the mind being separated from the body and the belief that success, however you define it, must be chased down and wrestled to the ground at all cost, including the loss of health. The belief is “the more you want it, the more you must sacrifice to get it.” Sadly, way too many people are quite willing to sacrifice their health for what they have been convinced is The Standard for Fitness, not realizing that health and fitness can be diametrically opposed.

Pain Is a Great Teacher!

Punch a shark long enough in the nose and it will eventually bite you. Living on the extreme edge of training because it makes the ego feel special and supported by the mistaken beliefs that more is better and more often is better yet, a breakdown is inevitable. If you want to put a smiley face on this situation, pain is a great teacher.

Pain gets your attention in a way that nothing else can. Movement can no longer continue without a constant reminder that something is very wrong, and more than likely, you are responsible.

The mindset that led to the pain happening in the first place will begin by muscling on: icing, taking OTC pain relievers, and even metaphorically just “rubbing dirt on it.” You know, just suck it up and move on. Next will come a quick trip to a doctor for the next level up pain relief so that the same training can continue without missing a beat. If none of that works, then comes the specialist with X-rays, MRIs, PT, and possible surgery. That same training that got you here has stopped and the search begins for “what can I do now?”

Like a shop teacher accidentally cutting off his fingers with a band saw: Oops! At least, you’re helping the medical economy.

There is inherent risk in exercising. Most waiver forms state that exercise can even cause death, extremely rare but still possible, but the injuries I’m referring to come under the heading of “Can Be and Should Be Avoided” with an eye toward injury prevention.

Reasonable goals, properly designed workout programs, and just some plain common sense can go a long way to safely reaching your goals with few injury setbacks. If you are involved in fitness for the long haul, these three elements can lead to an enjoyable life of fitness and health.

Just ask yourself two questions:

1. Is what I’m doing striving toward health and fitness?
2. Am I learning to live within my body and experiencing greater joy while on this journey?

If your answers are yes, cool, you’re on your way.

If your answers are no, then “Sir! Yes Sir! May I Have Another!”

This blog was written by Rick Huse, NIFS Health Fitness Specialist. To find out more about the NIFS bloggers, click here.

First off I need to say how proud of our team, the “Cast-A-Weighs” I am! They always give 110% no matter what craziness I throw at them. Coming into Slim It I was the new kid, having only started working here a month earlier. When I was asked to take a Slim It team I said “sure, what’s a Slim It team?”

Being the Group Fitness Coordinator you know I would end up throwing some of the classes into the mix of training. In addition to the regular style of small group training we also added in Bodypump™, CX Worx™ and a little Bodycombat™. I wasn’t sure how this would go over, but now feel confident that the Cast-A-weighs will without a doubt continue their workouts utilizing our amazing group fitness schedule and group training options.

At first look all classes and training programs look different and unique, but at the core many hold several things in common. The first is the effectiveness of the workouts. No one wants to come into the gym day after day and not see the results from their hard work. Every program at NIFS is designed to give you the maximum results for the workout time*. Another important aspect of group training is the accountability factor. As Slim It participants have seen, you instantly have a group of people you are accountaible to and everyone is responsible for  motivating one another; even on days you felt like staying in bed. Finally, and most importantly, is the “fun factor”! Let’s face it, exercise is challenging! No matter how great the workout is, if you aren’t having a good time doing it odds are you will stop. Here at the NIFS we are a community of people with common goals and together we can all achieve those goals!

Don't forget the Slim It Finale and spring launch is coming next Monday 4/28. This is going to be an amazing workout and celebration of all your hard work this year in Slim It. Its also a chance to try a variety of workouts, meet new people and plan out your ongoing fitness routine. As for the Cast-A-Weighs, they will not only be participating in the group fitness classes that night, but will be helping all of the Slim It participants in leading by example! The students will become the teachers! I can’t wait!!

*Weight loss claims and/or individual results vary and are not guaranteed.

Regardless of fitness level or goals, almost every member at NIFS could benefit from Group Training or enrolling in a NIFS program. See our Group Fitness Schedule for more information on classes and programming. If you are interested in trying a small group or HIT training session contact Tony Maloney today to get started!

This blog was written by Steve Koebcke, NIFS Group Fitness Coordinator. Learn more about the NIFS bloggers.