2010 - Just about done!

Hi EFMers

I wanted to take this opportunity to quickly review what we have achieved this year at EFM Geelong.

Since March we have been pretty busy with a couple of climbs up the You Yangs, Indoor Rock Climbing, and planning our inaugural Kokoda Trek for 2011. We supported the Mother's Day Fun Run and Cotton on Run Geelong and it was fantastic to see so many members participate in both. We have also commenced tracking every member's visits, with Norma winning the race to firstly 100 visits, then 200! We now have 17 members of the 100 Visits Club with more to come! We've kicked off Pilates, yet another thing I'm crap at!!

We've had a few challenges, with Geelong reaching number 10 in the EFM Nation in the EFM Interclub Challenge (out of 60 clubs), which was an awesome achievement. We had our own 6kg in 6 Weeks Challenge, and I have to say keeping those bathroom scales from some of you was a challenge in itself. Some great results in that challenge led us to the EFM 8 Week Challenge in which we had some awesome results: Jacqui White losing 9.1kg, Cassie losing 18.5 cm in girth measurements, Simone W losing 5.5cm even though she couldn't train half the time because she was sick.

We have had fitness testing in which just about all of you have improved your strength, fitness and endurance. We've had a Train the Trainer Day (and I'm still suffering!). We've had plenty of Members of the Month as well, all for different achievements.

We've had new members join, some old members move on to do different things, and we've been able to develop a great culture around the Club that makes everyone feel welcome. We've celebrated everybodys' achievements. To me it was just as exciting to see our youngest member Tate lose 1kg of body fat as it was to see Christina bench press her body weight. Whatever goal you chose, it was awesome for me to be part of helping you achieve it. The Club isn't the building, its the people who choose to be part of a group working toward that goal of being healthier.

2011 will bring new events on the EFM Geelong calendar, with more challenges including the EFM Health Revolution in February, EFM Tennis and Netball Days, a new Interclub Challenge, some Fun Runs...heaps more to come to keep you guys motivated and inspired. We hope to get out and about with some Friday Happy Hours, so any ideas you have will be thrown into the mix.

For me, 2010 has been a challenging year both professionally and personally. I want to thank all of you for your support, and the fact that you show faith in me to help you achieve your health and fitness goals. The effort you guys have put in at each session helps keep me inspired, and reminds me why I get out of bed at 5am! I hope that I can repay that support in 2011 with continuing to help you all continue to be happy and healthy.

Owning an EFM Franchise is not a job - it's a passion, a lifestyle, and without the members constantly pushing me, I don't get the opportunity to learn and be a better Coach.

Whilst Christmas is usually a busy time for us all, it also affords us an opportunity to reflect on the past year and what we have been able to achieve, and look to the next year and the challenges and opportunities it will bring. Lets' face it, we're never going to run out of challenges, the key is to turn them into opportunities for growth! Surround yourself with people you love and who love you and enjoy it!

That's enough philosophisaling!

Have an awesome week, make sure you get in for a few more sessions before Christmas. Check your last newsletter or in Club to see our hours between Christmas and New Year.

Cheers

Matt

Bah...humbug!

Cookie at the You Yangs on Saturday 4th December 2011

Hey guys

We're nearly at Christmas, so time to get some stuff tidied up and squared away...

Please, please RSVP for the BBQ lunch this Saturday and also for the drinks at The Barking Dog from 3pm. This is our end of year event, so please make every effort to get along and see what the other members achieved this year. Some of you guys have achieved amazing results, and it would be great if you were around to be congratulated on your own achievements.

Train the Trainer day is this Saturday from around 10.30am. We'll have regular Fitness Coaching from 9am to 10.30am, so make sure you set your alarms for this one. Plenty of members have come up with exercise ideas, however are yet to put their name on the sheet next to the white board. Please ring/sms Jill Craig on 0408 030 859 to give her your exercise. Each exercise you want the Coach to do will cost you $5 which goes towards the village of Kagi in PNG. If you don't pay before Saturday, your exercise doesn't get done. Simple as that!!

Check the newsletter I e-mailed you for our Christmas hours. We will be closed on the 25th, 26th, 27th and 28th of December and the 1st, 2nd and 3rd of January, which are all of Public holidays. We will have reduced session times on the 29th, 30th and 31st of December. You may remember that we were open on Geelong Cup and Melbourne Cup for you all to work out, so I'm taking the opportunity to freshen up for the New Year.

This is the last week of the EFM 8 Week Challenge - if you want to be in the running for the 12 months FREE membership check with me to see if you have already achieved or will achieve your goals you set at the start of the Challenge. Don't miss out on the opportunity to save yourself some money!!

Your Club is only as good as you make it, so please get involved in events, talk to other members, let other people know how much you enjoy training, how you are getting results. My goal is to make EFM Health Clubs Geelong one of the flagships of the EFM Nation. I met with some head office crew last week and they were blown away by how we have developed a true EFM culture since I took on the franchise in March, and I had to be honest and tell them that it was due to the effort and involvement of the members. Without you guys, there is no EFM culture. An example of your attitude is that we average over 8 visits per month per member, around 4 times the national average! Thank you for putting your trust in me!!

Thanks again for another great week!!

Matt

Patience...

We all want results, and we want them now! But that is rarely how life works. Sometimes you just have to be patient and keep working hard to get there. You'll have good days, bad days and just some days but ultimately, if something means enough to you, the results will come. The best thing about working hard consistently over time is that you'll appreciate reaching the goal more than if it was easy. Keep working hard, and putting positive thoughts out there and it will happen.

Don't forget the Club will be closed for the 3pm to 7pm session on Friday 26th November due to a Fitness Australia function. The morning and lunch sessions will run as normal.

Saturday 4th December will be another You Yangs walk, so the Club will be closed that morning. Meet at the Club at 9am and we'll head off to the You Yangs. Bring a drink, a snack, sunscreen and a hat and wet weather gear if the weather is lousy. Kokoda Trekkers and Machu Picchu Trekkers (all one of them) will be expected to ascend Flinders Peak twice, everyone else should be able to get up and down once. Feel free to bring the kids if you want to - be aware that kids under 10 will probably find the going pretty tough. If you bring the kids, they're yours to look after! Kokoda Trekkers - if it is raining, deal with it!! Last time it took approximately an hour to get up and down from the bottom car park, so allow enough time to complete that twice.

Speaking of Kokoda, we still have some people thinking about it - time to decide. The Kokoda Trekkers will be attending the Kokoda Brothers Christmas function on the Saturday night and will have a chance to talk to those who have already walked in the footsteps of heroes.

Train the Trainer Day is coming - see the sign next to the whiteboard in the Club to be part of it. Have you really got something that will challenge the Coach? Each minute of exercise will cost you $5 so make it count - proceeds are going to the village of Kagi in PNG. See Jill Craig if you need some ideas on exercises.

RSVP's required for the BBQ and the Barking Dog following for our end of year function - please let me know if you will be attending either/both for catering purposes. See Matt for more details.

Halfway!!! What does your report card look like?

Imagine if your Coach sent home a report card on your effort so far in the EFM 8 Week Challenge? Would you try to hide it from your parents, or maybe offer to do some extra chores around the house? Most likely not, since your accountability to our parents has diminished over the years. Unfortunately for most of us that means our accountability lies with ourselves...oh dear!

The beauty of the EFM 8 Week Challenge is that those of you who decided to participate completed a goal setting sheet, and gave it to me. Now you are accountable to someone other than just yourself.

I once heard Oprah say that the person we lie to most is ourself, and I think she may be right. We're always going to make a better effort next time, next Monday, the first of next month, next January...the list just seems to go on.

What's my point? Do I have one? You betcha.

Stop talking BS and just get it done! You have four weeks left in this Challenge. What's the worst thing that could happen? Lose some body fat? Drop a dress size? How absolutely awful that would be.

Whilst on the topic of EFM 8 Week Challenge, click the following links to check out some nutrition tips from Soren of EFM Nutrition, and also the Testimonials from some EFM members including our own Jacqui White.

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=IFpM97CErSA&feature=mfu_in_order&list=UL

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=H8m6ffalhiI

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=5q00e9hstZ8&feature=mfu_in_order&list=UL

http://www.efmgymandfitness.com/archives/378

http://www.efmgymandfitness.com/archives/380

The time to do anything is right now! If you leave things too long, it just gets harder and harder to do. So get into the Club today, don't leave it till tomorrow. Make your Coach work harder to help you achieve your goals. One of you could win a year's free membership to EFM Geelong!!

Don't forget that the Club will be closed for the 3pm to 7pm session on Friday 26th November due to a Fitness Australia function. No, not this coming Friday, the next one!

I hope to see heaps of you at the Cotton On Run Geelong on Sunday 21st November!!

Cheers

Matt

Thank You

We all have times when it's easy to get a little down on ourselves. Things aren't going great at work, we have trouble keeping focused on eating well, we don't get to the Club as often as we know we should. It happens to all of us, we can't stay on top of the world all the time. I'm the same, I suffer the same as you guys. But...

On Saturday morning, I was privileged to see a member achieve one of her EFM 8 Week Challenge goals. I say privileged, because to see the excitement on her face brought back to me why I get out of bed at 5am every day. I can honestly say that when times are tough, and let's face it, I'm in business so times are always going to be tough, the excitement on your faces when you achieve a personal best time, or achieve a long held goal all make it worth while. So...thank you.

Thanks to everyone for the early start and finish on last Saturday morning. Your understanding allowed me to complete my CPR Refresher. Normally I hate training as much as anyone, however I know that it is vital skill in the Fitness Industry. I sincerely hope I never ever have to use my CPR skills, but my First Aid accreditation is up to date.

Don't forget that the Club will be closed for the 3pm to 7pm session on Friday 26th November as I will be attending a Fitness Australia function. I'm looking forward to hearing the keynote speakers and seeing what I can add to EFM Geelong. Always looking for new ideas to keep you guys motivated and working to your potential.

The Cotton On Run Geelong fun run is on November 21st. See me to register for this event. Some of us are walking the 6km event which should give us time to stop for coffee on the way!

That's it, other than to say Thank You once more. Without you guys constantly challenging yourselves, my role would be pretty boring.

Cheers

Matt

Important Stuff - really!!

We are open for normal hours on Melbourne Cup Day - it's might be the Race that Stops the Nation, but it doesn't stop the EFM Nation - if you have the day off, get in for a pre-drinks workout. Ah...maybe not a post-drinks workout though!

Due to a CPR training session in Melbourne on Saturday 6th November, the Club will be open from 7am to 10am, not the regular 9am to 12pm. CPR training is required on a yearly basis to maintain my First Aid qualifications and unfortunately this is the only time available to me.

The Club will be closed for the 3pm - 7pm session only on Friday November 26th. Some of you may be aware that I have been involved in a Fitness Australia steering committee to arrange a Fitness Industry Evening to aid in Professional Development of Fitness Professionals in Geelong. Geelong has been very much under represented in the provision of suitable ongoing Professional Development for us. Professional Development serves two purposes - it ensures that your coach has maintained their accreditation with the peak registration body, Fitness Australia, and also ensures that your coaches have access to the most up to date scientific and industry knowledge in order to improve our service to you.

We are very excited to have arranged two fantastic speakers for the evening, Peter Lackovic of Impact Training Corporation, and Scott Pape, otherwise known as The Barefoot Investor.

Thanks in advance for your understanding.

The EFM 8 Week Challenge is well underway with lots of you setting rocking goals, some of you have decided to sit this one out, which is ok as well. Make sure you keep a regular training regime, eat well and get plenty of rest to ensure you give yourself every chance of achieving those goals.

Train the Trainer Day is getting closer. This is actually a really important day to me as a Coach as I want to see how effective I have been as an educator since March when I took over the EFM Geelong Franchise. Yes, it is an opportunity for you to punish me for those horrible exercises I put on the whiteboard, but as a Coach I desperately need to know that I have been able to teach you the reasons why we do what we do, why I push you, why I ask for more when you think you can't do any more, why I believe in your ability to achieve. Please, please do not say you won't contribute on the day. I'm a big boy, I might surprise some of you with what I can achieve.

Trying to come up with an idea for a friend or loved one for Christmas? How about a 1 Month Membership for them? For Barwon Health staff this could be arranged via an extra Payroll Deduction, for our public members an extra payment via Ezypay. Time to tell them to put up or shut up!!

Come on in, the weather's nice, the day's are 'longer', those goals can be achieved.

The 8 Week Challenge is already 5 hours old!

What have you done to start achieving your goals?

Have you set any yet?

Do you need some help? That's what I'm here for.

It doesn't need to be fat loss, it can be to increase the number of chin ups you can do - endurance, power, muscle mass. Or it could be improve the time it takes to complete 350 calories - endurance, cardiac output, stroke volume. There is a name and a system to achieve each and every goal you may have. You just have to let your Coach know what it is, you have to commit to it for 8 Weeks, and you have to get started. That's how easy it is.

Here's my commitment to you: If you tell me what your goal is, and how committed you are to it, what it would mean to you to achieve it, I will do everything I can to make it a reality. I'll build the programs, I'll coach you through every session, I'll let you bitch at me about how hard it is and how much you hate my guts. I'm a big boy, and I deal with that BS every day, so don't think you're going to upset me. What upsets me more is to see people give up on a goal, give up on a dream, give up on themselves. Let's get it happening, and let's do it today. Tomorrow is going to mean one less day to achieve it.

That's all there is today, except to tell you to go back to the top of the page and read it again so you know how committed I am to helping you achieve your goals. It's the most important thing in the world to me, so it has to be the most important thing to you too!!

Matt

6 Kg in 6 Week Challenge is over!!

Hi everyone
I wanted to wait until today for the update so that I could remind you that the 6 Kg in 6 Week Challenge finishes today, so it's weigh in day!! Will you have lost the 6 kg? Or 1 kg? The important thing to take from the Challenge is that there will always be obstacles in the way when you want to achieve a goal, but if your goal really means something to you, you will find a way to go around those obstacles.
The EFM 8 Week Challenge starts next Monday and just by entering, you could win a 12 Month Free Membership at EFM Geelong. I have waived the $35 entry fee for all current and financial members, so there should be no reason not to set a goal and have a go. Remember that it doesn't have to be fat loss - it can be committing to training 4 days a week, improving your 5km fun run time, just about anything health and fitness related. It needs to be a SMART goal, so can't be too simplified, like get fit. Fit for one person is different for another. Get into the Club this week to talk to me about it.
Boot Camp kicks off next Tuesday morning at 6am at the Club - again, its FREE for members.
Pilates starts again on Tuesday evening at 7pm at the Club - please call me in the next 2 days to confirm that you want to participate. $90 for the 9 Week Term for members. Given that Karen is an Exercise Physiologist with 20 years Fitness Industry experience, this is ridiculously good value!
The EFM Family Fun Day will be held at EFM Hawthorn East on Sunday November 28 from 10am to 2pm. This will be a day where all the EFM Clubs in Victoria can come together to have a bit of fun, a little bit of competition and get to see how great the EFM Nation really is. For EFM Geelong members, you probably haven't seen how the other EFM Clubs operate, but we are really keen to show how magnificent the Geelong Giants are. More details are available in the Club.
The member of the Month for October is Glenn Barker. Glenn has only been with EFM for a short time, but the way he approaches every workout is fantastic to see. He asks the right questions about how the exercises will help him, and he could honestly say that he doesn't leave anything in the tank after every workout.
The Coach is in Training!! Given that you guys are going to try to smash me on Train the Trainer Day, I'm more than happy to jump in with you guys and join you for a training session, provided that it doesn't compromise any other member's safety. You never know, you might just find the Coach's weaknesses (there are plenty!)
That's it for today, too much to do to sit on this computer any more.
See you in the Club this week!!
Coach

Let's GO!

Hey everyone and welcome to a brand new week.

Maybe this is the one where you achieve that long sought after goal, or set a brand new one!

We had a great attendance on Saturday morning with everyone getting to see the new Town Square at McKellar Centre, and experiencing a little pre Boot Camp exercise. Check out our Facebook page at EFM Health Clubs Geelong to see the photos of our new Boot Camp zone.

Only 9 days left in our 6 Kilograms in 6 Weeks Challenge - have you done what you set out to do? If not, don't despair. You still have 9 days to work as hard as you can to make the best of the challenge.

If you don't reach the 6 kilogram target, the chances are high that you have still lost fat and gained some muscle, and that will still be an amazing achievement. Maybe the warm weather and daylight savings might encourage you to get out some more after work, or maybe it was the amazing cycling from the UCI World Championships over the weekend. If you thought I made you work hard, imagine how much effort goes into becoming a World Champion.

Hopefully you all got the opportunity to see the cyclists in action - it was pretty exciting to see them flash past at 70kmh!

As we saw in the Grand Final on the weekend, you can't win a Premiership without achieving the small goals along the way, each week brings an opportunity to get closer to that big goal. How many times will you train this week? Once? Twice perhaps? Or as many times as you need to in order to achieve your goals?

Countdowns are on:

8 Week Challenge - 14 Days - make some time to talk to me about what goal you would like to set and achieve over the 8 Weeks.

Pilates - 15 Days - remember that bookings are essential

Boot Camp - 15 Days - let me know if you want to be involved. Can't wait to get outside after being inside all Winter!

Train the Trainer - 68 Days - finally...your chance to get some payback for some of the nasty stuff I have had you do over the year - I've deputised Jill Craig to look after collecting exercise ideas. Bring your best game everyone!!

Kokoda 2011 - 274 Days - it's getting closer and closer...!!!

That's it! Come on in today, bring a friend, let's have some fun and make that goal a reality

Matt

Hey EFM Geelong!

Here's something different for you - the EFM Geelong blog where we can upload photos, post weekly updates and generally muck around when we should be working!

27 Days ago we started a 6 Week Challenge to lose 6 Kilograms of fat. Lots of people put their hand up to say that was a goal worth working toward...how many of you can say that you have done everything required to achieve it? Attended every session at the Club they could to get stronger, leaner, fitter and more fabulous? Eaten only healthy food options? I'd suggest that only a few members have done everything possible. Why? It's hard, really hard to change old habits and to build new ones. Does that mean that we should give up? Well, you can if you want to but that would only put you back where you started. At times like this, we need to stop, think about what we are aiming at and do a quick check to make sure that we are putting our energy into the right things.

If you think you need a quick review of your goals and action plans come and have a chat to me about it...you might be closer to getting it right than you think. Consider how many times people try to give up smoking before they finally quit for good - learning how to achieve goals is like that - you might need to try several times before it all falls into place. The 6 Week Challenge is not over yet, there are still 16 days to go, so if nothing else you can get started on a fitter, leaner you right now. Today!

You might have noticed the photo of our little mate Cookie Monster - he's off to the USA (again) with Lyne this time and he's up for some more exercise. We'll be putting more photos of him up soon from his recent trips to Bali, Japan, the USA, Mexico, and sunny QLD. If you are off on holidays take Cookie with you so that he can get some exercise.

Boot Camp and Pilates start on Tuesday October 19 at the Club, and if you want to be a part of these you need to let me know ASAP so we can get all of the planning completed. Prices are as follows:

Boot Camp - Free for members (yes, the first Boot Camp is FREE!) and $265 for non members.

Boot Camp sessions will be Tuesday mornings 6am to 7am, Thursday evenings 6pm to 7pm and Saturday mornings 9am to 10am.

Pilates - Tuesday evenings 7pm $90 for EFM Members for the 9 week term, $135 for non members (check out prices elsewhere, you'll find our prices are fantastic, and our instructor Karen Binks is as good as they come)

As the weather gets warmer we need to remember that we are likely to get a bit hotter whilst exercising - so that leads me to two points:

Bring a towel to wipe down any equipment you use such as cardio machines, benches etc.

USE the towel! Seriously, it is pretty awful to go to use a bench that someone has dripped sweat on. Please respect other Club Members by cleaning as you go!

Don't forget to become a fan of EFM Health Clubs Geelong on Facebook and follow us on Twitter at @EFMGeelong

Cheers

Matt

Goodness me!! Some of the things you hear make you wonder some days. One of the best excuses for not coming in to the Club was that someone wanted to 'get fit before they go to the gym'!!! That's like saying you want to clean the house before the cleaner comes, or do a grease and oil change before taking your car in for a service.

Why do people think this? Perhaps it's the Fitness Industry that is to blame - all that advertising with beautiful people sitting on an exercise bike, and looking meaninfully into the camera. It's just not real...I've even been guilty of that.

The majority of our members are over 40, so the chances of us having that sort of rock hard body at that stage of our lives, post babies especially, is not that high.

All I want is for someone to train to the best of their ability, be consistent with their attendance and the rest will look after itself.

I'm not saying that 40 year olds can't have an awesome body, but by that stage we realise that the body is a vehicle to get us through life, and we're looking for reliability not the wow factor.

The wow factor actually comes from within, the way you present yourself when you feel healthier and more confident.

How can damaging the muscle cells be good for you?

You know that feeling you get a day or two after a solid workout? The one that makes you not want to go back to the Club for another workout? It's actually a sign that your body is repairing itself after the thousands and thousands of micro-tears that exercise have caused.

For the first 12 to 24 hours after a workout, the muscles actually work very hard to maintain their integrity before giving in and repairing themselves. The exercise you do actually causes tiny tears in the muscle cells. It's the process of repairing the damage that causes your metabolism to be boosted.

A workout that incorporates some weight resistance work such as push ups, crunches, squats etc will cause more damage to your muscles generally than a cardio session, so is better value. You still need to get a cardiovascular workout in on a regular basis, but the long term benefits of resistance training are amazing.

Come and see me in the Club for more info on how to maximise your results

Kokoda Trek 2011

EFM Health Clubs Geelong and Kokoda Bros are combining to provide members, friends, family and Barwon Health staff with the opportunity to follow in the footsteps of heroes.

Departing in May 2011, we will be trekking the famous Kokoda Trail, site of heroic battles fought during World War II by Australian troops to repel an advance by the Japanese, intent on controlling the Pacific.

Experience first hand some of the challenges that our soldiers faced, and challenge yourself to complete the 96km trek over some of the most amazing terrain you will ever see.

The Trek includes 8 days/7 nights on the track, with flights, accomodation, transfers, trek meals, and a comprehensive training program.

If you want to see just how tough you are, just how far you can extend yourself, just what you are made of, contact me to express your interest.

I completed my first trek in 2009, and for me it was a life changing experience. I came back believing in myself fully for the first time in my life. No more doubts, just a can do attitude.

Random thoughts close to the weekend

Those who think that something can't be done should stay out of the way of those who think it can.