I don't mind lifting weights but I don't want to get too big!

Often when I am working with a client I am their first introduction to proper weight lifting. I encourage all of my clients to keep an open mind and almost always they are open to the idea of lifting weights. A lot of female clients' first question is "How do I get a bigger butt?" I almost always give them an immediate response of "Lunges!" Very rarely am I ever met with any resistance, but more often than not I get this response in one way shape or form, "I don't mind lifting weights, but I don't want my legs to get too big!"

They will usually reference a body builder or someone in the gym who has massive quads as what they want to avoid. I can completely understand that most people don't want the kind of legs that make it difficult to find pants that fit and force you to go everywhere in sweatpants and shorts. However, the reassuring statement I always give these clients is the same. "Do you think it is easy to be a bodybuilder?"

They of course respond with a simple "no." This is where I remind them that bodybuilders have to work EXTREMELY hard to get to where they are. It is not something that just happens on accident. They have to train day in and day out, coordinate their diets and meal times properly to get muscles that big and more often than not train twice a day. They eat excessive amounts of calories and have to invest a lot of money into buying the proper supplements.

If just by doing a few lunges your legs could balloon up to that kind of size, then everyone could be a bodybuilder! I explain how the amount of reps and the amount of weights you use play a key factor in the results you obtain. Nine times out of ten, after I introduce a client to weight lifting, they began to seriously enjoy it and keep it as part of their personal repertoire for the rest of their workout journey.

Which Style of Martial Arts is Best for Me?

This is a question which I have seen asked so many times over the years.

I have also seen many different outlets try to tackle the question, from magazines to books to online videos. I have seen some sources use it as an opportunity to merely promote their own styles while bashing others, while I have seen some articles which try to tackle the question in a more scientific manner breaking down your physical structure and what best suits you that way. However, I feel it really comes down to what your ultimate goal is.

Some people will say, "Well if you don't want to learn how to fight then why do you want to do martial arts?" Or, "If you can't use it in the street than it is useless." Or "traditional martial arts are useless, only MMA is worth your time." I believe these are all false and misleading statements.

Now I myself am one who started training in traditional martial arts and transitioned to real competitive kickboxing, but that is my personal journey, my vision quest you could say. Does that mean it has to be the same for you? Absolutely not. I still love and appreciate the traditional art forms and always jump at the chance to learn and absorb new techniques from masters and practitioners of the older styles. Just like I don't do a whole lot of weapons training at the moment, but there are some people who stick solely to arts such as Kali and Kendo and I think that is great.

At the end of the day you need to decide why you want to take up the martial arts. Is it simply for fitness and weight loss? Is it for self defense? Is it to find a new hobby and meet some new people? Do you like the beautiful movements of kata and forms?  Do you want to compete in full contact fighting?  Do you want a little bit of all of the above? There is no wrong answer. The great thing about the martial arts is they can provide all of these things. I always suggest people keep an open mind and see where their martial arts journey takes them. I was initially put into martial arts classes because I was shy with other kids when I was younger. Then, I fell in love with Kung Fu movies and Bruce Lee and wanted to imitate what I saw on screen. It wasn't till later that I decided I wanted to test myself and fight in the ring. Who knows where your journey might take you? There is only one way to find out, and that's to take that first step.

But I've only lost a few pounds!

When you first join a commercial gym, they often have you do an initial assessment. You fill out what is called a 'Par-q' so they can get a basic idea of your workout history, the status of your health, previous injuries, motivations for joining the gym, etc. One of the other things they often have you do is check your weight as well as your body fat percentage. Now most people have been checking their weight their whole lives, but not their body fat percentage. Rather than ask what exactly body fat percentage is, most clients are just concerned with whether or not they are at a good number. "Is that good?" "Am I normal?!" One of the main reasons for checking the body fat percentage is so that trainers have a reference point to go back and check after a few weeks of training with a client.

Everyone's body is different. Some people immediately start shedding off pounds, while others feel and see the results of working out but are discouraged when they scale hasn't moved that much. I was once working with a client who after a few weeks was a little concerned. She told me, "You know I feel way stronger than I ever have before. I feel way more energetic, I look slimmer and my pants are feeling way looser. But I have only lost like two pounds!"

As part of her goals I had her on a weight training program as well as a twice a week circuit training program built around helping her increase the size of her glutes and get more defined in her legs. So what I explained to her was that she was definitely losing fat, but also putting on muscle which is why her weight wasn't going down that much. To show her, we went back and retested her body fat percentage, and sure enough it had gone down three percent.

She was now in the healthy range for a female her age, and less of her overall mass was made up of body fat.  So, don't be discouraged if the scale is not moving too much. If you are still seeing results, feeling really good and notice your body changing, then you are definitely doing something right! If you began to plateau and are no longer seeing or feeling the results, then you can talk to your trainer about changing up your routine.