Archive for the ‘Instructors’ Category

Daly City Workout Launch Party a great success!

We’d like to give a great big THANK-YOU to everyone who showed up and helped out at the Daly City Bootcamp workout kick-off party!

Because we’re still such a NEW location, this week we’ve decided to let in 10 more people on the $1 for 2 weeks of bootcamp deal!

Just text “BOOTCAMP FOR A BUCK” to 650-771-5149 and if you’re one of the first 10, you’ll get 2 weeks of our Daly City bootcamp for just a buck! (applies to our Daly City location only).

Last Tuesday we did a couple of hard-core rounds of our bootcamp circuit training and we followed it up with a high-energy obstacle course.  It was awesome!

Theresa, Beau, Ryan and Myself were there pushing everyone to go BIG with the workout, and the group gave 110%.  It was truly an incredible energy to be a part of!

…And it was great to have DJ Luna (and Paul) there bumpin’ hip-hop tracks, and Vince was there supporting us, and even Grandmaster Ralph Castro and his wife came out to support us!

…And also, BIG thanks to Elaine, Jolly, Rachel, Esperanza, Mrs. Byron, Christina, Ian, Alberto, Bonnie, Anna, Nicole, Athena, Chanel, and everyone else who showed up…you know who you are!  THANK-YOU!!

We’re excited about this NEW location in Daly City.  This spot is going to bring the community of Daly City the greatest fat loss, weight loss, fitness lifestyle program it’s ever seen!  And if you want personal training or TRX or kickboxing, the Daly City location has that, too!

Also, if you haven’t had a chance to meet Theresa yet, here’s a video where you can get to know her better!

…and if you want to see how the event turned out, check out this quick video clip!

The bootcamp birth of Dan Semke – The man, the myth, the legend

Let me start this off by taking it back a few years.  Back when our bootcamp was in it’s infancy, and back when Roy and I did all the training…and probably over-tortured a few people in the process.  ;  )

On this particular day, Roy and I just finished a grueling training session with some very dedicated bootcampers.  We had brought them through a barrage of exercises – mountain climbers, push-ups, burpees – with all-out intensity.  Then, Roy hits them with an announcement.

“The last round we’re doing 2-minute stations!”

2-minute stations?  Did he really just say that?  (Roy did a great job in those days playing “bad cop” while Forrest was always the nice coach.)  It turns out the group we had that day wanted to take it to that next level.  We made it optional, and for beginners, they got to do 1.5 minutes then rest before the next station.  But for everyone else, it was on!

Bootcampers were smothered in the racquetball court, four towering white walls closing in, nowhere to go but inside yourself where you had to push your limits and dig for something deeper when you physically had nothing left.

This was what made the day today.  Nothing else existed.  Life-problems like losing your job, paying the bills, taxes, deadlines at work – all of it was completely shut out by the lung-labored breaths, the clutching pain, and the collective rivers of sweat that pooled onto the mats.

Yes…that was in the beginning (our bootcamps started in May 2008) and they were great times.

In more recent times (starting in 2010), a new “personal torture enthusiast” had arrived.  Weathered by over 10 years of fitness industry experience, and sparked by a sadistic charm, Dan Semke stepped in as head bootcamp instructor at Fit For Life Bootcamp in Foster City and our Fit Body Boot Camp in Mountain View.

With fresh new ideas and our tried-and-true system, Dan, our new “Facilitator of Madness” went to work, sculpting and molding soft, clay bodies into hard steel champions.  Or something like that.  ;  )

But the point here is this.  Out of the name “DAN” came another 3-letter word using the same letters that really made our bootcamps work.  This word is “DNA”.  Roy, Forrest and Dan literally co-created the DNA of what was to become the Fit For Life “Before and After” Fitness Formula.  

Our fitness formula has so far helped hundreds of people create and maintain a life rooted in fitness, healthy living and contagiously positive attitudes towards life…and we’re dang proud of that, too!!  Just look at the before and after photos of our last two 6-Week Body Transformation Contest winners!

 

 

…And the point I’m trying to make here is that Roy and I would never have had the opportunity to positively impact so many wonderful people if it wasn’t for the consistent and loyal hard-work of Dan Semke.  Thank-you Dan, WE APPRECIATE YOU TO NO END!

So, without further ado, here’s a video of Dan “the Man” Semke, where you can understand more about why he does what he does, his fitness philosophy and most importantly, you’ll see if he can do 30, one-leg push-ups in a challenge in front of all the FC bootcampers!  This could be really embarrassing.  ;  )

…And don’t forget to show your appreciation to Dan by giving him a comment below!  Thanks!

 

Holiday Gifts – FREE for YOU!! …and meet Beau Byron!!

Well, it seems that time of year has come around again…

You know, it’s the time that keeps coming around faster and faster each year, and we always seem less and less prepared for it!

Yes, it’s Holiday time, Christmas time, Hanukkah time, Kwanzaa time…it’s basically Celebration time!!

…oh, and if you’re still shopping for gifts, why not give the gift of health.  You can buy our gift certificates here at this link, but you don’t have much time, we’ll be taking this link down soon!:

http://www.fitforlifesolutions.com/giant-holiday-sale-and-meet-our-new-trainer-ryan-dantes/

However you celebrate this time of year, the big thing is to remember that GRATITUDE and GIVING are the most important thing.  Love your neighbor, love your selves, love your differences.  You may not agree with someone else’s way of celebration…or life.  But that’s ok!  We don’t have to agree to understand and to respect each other. It’s an interesting world with so many differences, and if we were all the same…well, I think we’d be like a bunch of clones or something.

Ok, so I’m off my soap box now. On with the festivities!!!

Every year on our blog Roy and I like to give away a bunch of FREE stuff in the spirit of giving!  So, to show our gratitude and appreciation to YOU, our loyal Fit For Life Newsletter readers, we want you to have these 3 E-Books as a gift!

WE AT FIT FOR LIFE SOLUTIONS WISH YOU A HAPPY HOLIDAYS, AND WE’LL SEE YOU IN THE NEW YEAR!!!

By the way, have you met Beau yet?  He’s our NEW “Service Ambassador” and he’s taken over a lot of the day-to-day on-site operations that I used to do.  Beau is a great asset to our Fit For Life Solutions team.  Here’s a video so you can get to know him a little better.  If you need anything, he’s there to help YOU!

 

 

GIANT HOLIDAY SALE!! – AND meet our NEW trainer, Ryan Dantes!!

We here at Fit For Life Solutions want you to know that we’ve got you covered when it comes to meaningful gifts for you this holiday season.  When you give the gift of health, you give someone the opportunity to make a real change in their life, to have more control, self-esteem, and to gain tremendous amounts of energy.

Do you have a brother, sister, parent, friend, or work-buddy you’d like to give a gift to this season?  How about your girlfriend, boyfriend, wife, or husband?  Wouldn’t you like to give them a gift this year that really means something?

Well, we’ve got you covered!  Here are 4 choices of gifts you can download and print RIGHT NOW to give away as a gift to your friend or loved one!

 

You can gift this to ANYONE who has NOT taken our Fit For Life Bootcamp in Foster City or Fit Body Boot Camp in Mountain View before!

4-Weeks of Bootcamp Gift Certificate – Only $49!

3-Weeks of IGT Small-Group Personal Training Gift Certificate – Only $49

3 One-on-One Personal Training Sessions- Only $199!! 

12 One-on-One Personal Training Sessions – Only $599!!

 

• For IGT and Bootcamp, first time participants only.
• Can be purchased for multiple people, but not for the same person.
• IGT and Personal Training at our Foster City location only

Instructions:

1) Click on one of the links above and make your purchase.

2) Then, send an e-mail to forrest@fitforlifesolutions.com to request your gift certificate to print out right at home!

Your gift certificate will look something like this!

…And now, without further ado (drum roll please…..)

We’d like to introduce the NEW Fit For Life Solutions All-Star Personal Trainer, Ryan Dantes!!

Don’t forget to leave a comment below…

Bo knows fat loss – NLT at it’s finest!

When it comes to fat loss, our bootcamps and personal training programs are THE BEST in the Bay Area, and I say that without the slightest hesitation.  Why am I so confident with that statement?

Is it because we’re the most creative with our training methods?  No…but we are pretty darn creative.

Is it because we have the most fun with our clients?  No, but laughter and smiles are a major part of our training.

Is it because we have the best equipment and facility available to us?  No, not that either…we use minimal equipment in our training.

Well, maybe it’s because we always shaking things up?  Well, it’s true that we always have something going on here, from 6-week body transformation contests to bootcamp marathons to NEW training programs such as IGT and NLT.

The real reason I’m so confident to say we’re the best, is that we have the best people.  That means our trainers AND our clients.  We have amazing, wonderful people in our programs and our trainers are pure heart.  Our trainers are trainers to the bone, and they bring the energy, the knowledge, the passion and the results.

Here’s a video of one of our all-star trainers, Bo Kelley, showing us NLT at it’s finest.  NLT is our premier one-on-one personal training program.  See for yourself!

If you’re ready to step it up, you can reserve an NLT training spot with Bo or one of our other rock-star trainers right NOW by clicking on this link. —->  http://www.fitforlifesolutions.com/next-level-training-program-launches

 Spaces for IGT are also available.  Bo has 2 spots left in his 5pm IGT class (small-group personal training), Dan has 5 spots in his IGT 3:45pm class, and Ryan has 2 spots left in his 6am class.  Get on it!  First to text “IGT” to 650-771-5149 gets a free trial week test drive!

Our NEW Trainer – Bo Kelley!

I’d like you to meet our new trainer, Bo Kelley, and man is this guy a personal training bad-ass!

This guy’s got it all – experience in the industry, double certified, former high-school and college athlete, great personality, has “the fitness look”, gets his clients results, gives 110% in all he does, and is one of the smartest, most humble trainers I’ve ever met.

Needless to say I was super-impressed with this guys knowledge, skills, his confidence and his abilities.  I’ve been in the industry for over 10 years, and I predict this:  If Bo Kelley continues to elevate himself in the fitness industry with the same sincere dedication to helping others that he shows right now, he has the ability to be one of the top trainers in the nation – of this I have no doubt.

Of course, it remains to be seen what Bo is to do with his talent, and he will have to prove himself here with our clients and among our staff, but I’m sure you’ll agree that the more you get to know Bo, the more you’ll see how humble (yet confident) and talented the guy is.

Keep in mind, my intention isn’t to try to over-hype the guy, but let’s just say I have a strong intuition about these things.  ;  )

Here’s a video of Bo where I interview him about his approach on fitness.  He also shares a couple exercise tips at the end.  Enjoy!

 

 

Meet Trainer John!

Do you know John?

He’s one of our trainers, and you can get to know more about him in this post. John isn’t just amazing because he’s a 73 year-old bad ass. He’s amazing because he is incredibly knowledgable and passionate about fitness. He’s here to help YOU succeed!

Here’s John’s Bio

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John T. Ficarra

John holds certifications as a Personal Fitness Trainer, Sports Nutrition Consultant and as an Older Adult Fitness Trainer from the American Aerobic Association International and the International Sports Medicine Association.

John has developed a Path to Wellness program and has taught it at Samtrans and San Quentin with excellent feedback from the participants. He is currently working on converting his course into book form. He is dedicated to preventing obesity which leads to diabetes and high blood pressure. His mantra is that “inch by inch anything is a cinch”

John was an instructor at the Empire Military Academy in New York State and was responsible for the training of National Guard Officer Candidates in physical training and academics. He is also a lifetime California Community College Instructor in teaching Management courses. He loves to teach and share his knowledge about improving ones health overall.

John is also a licensed professional engineer and approaches each client with the discipline of analyzing each clients individual goals and turning them into a reality. He is dedicated towards getting the most out of every moment you spend with Fit For Life Solutions.

Learn about John in this video:

John gives you 3 simple and effective exercises while you’re traveling:

Forrest’s Story

It never really occurred to me to tell my story until I watched a video of a life coach yesterday saying that if you have a business, or a blog, you’ve got to tell your story…people want to know.

I thought about it, and it made sense, so here’s my story. If I put you to sleep, alienate you, or make you feel let down about me through sharing my story with you, I apologize. In fact, you may be shocked to know I wasn’t always positive and into fitness as people know me today. Actually, my life has been pretty screwed up at times. Ok…here it goes… (at least the short version).

I was born in Palo Alto at Stanford hospital in 1977. I was raised in San Mateo. I went to Bayside Middle School which was a rough school (I was stabbed in the hand with a pencil because I didn’t give some kid my last stick of gum). I graduated Hillsdale High School in 1995.

I was always the shy kid. When I walked I looked down at my feet, always avoiding eye contact with others. I barely graduated from high school with a 2.0 average. I drank and did drugs since I was 13. I had low self-esteem. My best friends were potheads and drug dealers. I was super-skinny, ashamed of my body, and didn’t have any direction in my life. I enjoyed playing basketball and skateboarding during that time, and my dad showed me how to lift weights.

At age 17 I was homeless. I remember walking down the street one gloomy night, when my grandmother pulled up in her car and rolled down her window. She said, “Forrest, take care of your body. If you take care of your body, your body will take care of your mind, and your mind will take care of your life.”

Her words hit me like a bell in the head. They wouldn’t fully resonate until a few years later. I was 21, working a dead-end job at a grocery store, and taking classes at CSM with no direction or end in sight. I drank beer at night, and rode my mountain bike in the day in the Belmont hills before I started the swing shift at 2pm.

One day, I was walking up the hill at CSM. (At that time I was smoking cigarettes, about a pack-a-day, and had been for 10 years. Sorry to share it…but it’s true). I got up to the top of the hill and I had to sit down, wheezing and coughing. I felt light headed. I barely made it up that hill. It was then I had the realization that my health is in my own hands. I was hitting rock bottom. I had no money, I lived in a flea-ridden house where I rented a small room, I used drugs and alcohol to hide away from the world.

That night I found a martial arts school in Foster City, signed up for a class, and changed my life forever.

I found fitness! I re-learned weight training. I trained hard in Tae Kwon Do. I drank protein shakes. I broke boards with my bare hands. I learned to meditate. I practiced Tai Chi. I played basketball again. I stopped eating fast foods (well, for the most part…). I quit watching so much TV and playing video games. I started training my mind to think in a positive way.

My grandmother was right. For the first time, everything started to feel right. I had energy. My mind felt clear. I looked at people in the eye when I spoke to them. I worked on developing myself, becoming a trainer, a communicator, a coach, a leader.

I earned a second degree black belt, and began a career as a personal trainer. I worked hard, training people all day long, 6 days per week for years. I eventually started my own business, and teamed up with my business partner, Roy. I had two kids in that time, and after a rocky 7-year marriage, got a divorce.

Today I have my two kids full-time, and I have a wonderful girlfriend who, “gets it” and “gets me”…I am very in love. I am grateful to them and we make an awesome family. Go fam-bam’s!

I’m blessed to have many incredible clients who show up to work out with me and our staff, and I love them all very much. They inspire me every day, and I am so grateful to them. They work on their bodies to improve their entire life – and it’s happening!! I’m so excited to be a part of the positive changes, and I am at their service always.

That’s my story in a nutshell. It’s not easy sharing my story with you, but hopefully you can understand from my story that out of struggle, obstacles and hard times comes success, appreciation, love and compassion.

Your Trainer For Life,

Forrest Folen

Special thanks to my mom and dad, Tom and Anita Folen, my brothers, Tommy and Doug Folen, to Arleene (love of my life) and my two great kids (Jesus and Jadalina). I’d also like to thank Roy, Dan, Rachel, and Bill, the Fit For Life Solutions staff and staff volunteers, and all my past and current clients. Thank-you!!