Fit to Print Volume 25 Issue 1 March 2016 | Page 28
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Eileen (center) with last years
winning team and the big check!
understanding. Unless results—quick or
otherwise—are accompanied by learning,
the likely outcome ends up being shortterm change but long-term failure.
PS: Where do you stand regarding Fit 4
Summer 2016 as of this writing?
EJ: I am expecting to see ridiculous
results this contest. Typically the
contests have been eight weeks. In that
time, I've had men lose 60 lbs and
women lose over 40 and gain
tremendous lean muscle mass. With the
addition of four more weeks, the results
should be spectacular. That, coupled
with the third assessment at the end of
the summer, will ensure less weight
gain, less “roller-coastering,” and
greater lean muscle mass retention. My
goal for participants is a life-plan of
wellness. I want people to find a way to
reach their goals and maintain them
forever. This particular contest model
seems built to facilitate that.
PS: What have the contests meant to
you personally?
EJ: My goal with the contests is
thoroughness—to overlook nothing. Every
aspect of team training that contributes
to success has value. And I think the
teams recognize this. I continually focus
on the team effort, which fosters
accountability, every day. Truthfully, I
never really know how it's all going to
turn out. I've been surprised and
delighted so many times it's not funny.
I've been blessed with so many
wonderful participants in the contest. I
think they appreciate how serious I am
about what we're all doing together and
how important I believe health and
fitness to be, so I give it my all and they
all know I expect nothing less from
them.
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applies to the same 9-13 age range,
but I am now excited to be offering
training to both JV and Varsity
athletes. These athletes are at a
crucial age where it is exciting for
them to play sports to have fun but
also, and more importantly, to make
something of themselves. I am proud
to have been a student-athlete and for
me to be able to connect with young
athletes is so exciting. I find the
opportunity to mold them and help
them realize their full potential
extremely satisfying.
Over the past year or so, I have
steadily been incorporating myself into
more and more things at Fitness
Incentive. I started out subbing a spin
class or two, covering Fitkids for my
mom, and eventually made my way
onto the Main Floor. I've obtained
several certifications and am excited
to have more in store shortly. I love
that I can do so much at Fitness
Incentive. I'm now teaching my own
classes, both Cycle and Bootcamp...I'm
active as a personal trainer and am
spearheading the FITeens program. You
can also find me working behind the
desk. Having such diverse roles in the
gym makes for a more immersed
experience...one that FI offers as
opposed to other gyms.
PS: Discuss your personal
training/instructing philosophy in
detail.
JJ: My training philosophy takes in a
lot of what I have learned and
observed over the years at Fitness
Incentive and elsewhere. Granted, I
am only 22 years old, and sports have
single-handedly played the most
significant role in my fitness life and
have guided me to where I am today. I
want to see everybody succeed, and I
love to see the spark within a person.
Having somebody work to their highest
potential honestly ignites a fire inside
of me to keep pushing them—and me. I
want people to prove to
themselves...prove that they are
capable of doing anything they set
their minds to.
PS: Do you plan to participate as a
trainer in the Fantastic Four Fit 4
Summer contest this year? If yes, what
kind of opportunity do you see with
the contests?
JJ: This year, I decided to join with my
mom, and we'll work together to train
Spring 2016 FIT to Print
teams, which I am incredibly excited
about. She has had such success with the
Fantastic Four contests, and I think that
she has so much to teach me. I'd be
missing out on something if I were to be
her competition. I'm excited to learn
from her but also to add my own twists
to some of the workouts we will be
offering. And after all, I'm not sure how
she would handle me beating her!
PS: What is it about the contest format
that appeals to you?
JJ: As I think most V