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Brian Copeland's
Core Fitness Newsletter

Issue #15 - 12/01/2007

1. Lessons On Life: "Celebrities"
2. Holiday Specials: "Give to Receive This Holiday!"
3. Training Tip: "Functional Fitness"
4. Nutrition Tip: "Holidays And Gratitude"
5. Hall of Achievements: OUTTA CONTROL!!
6. New Article 1: "From Pitbull Attack to Full Recovery"
7. New Article 2: "Preventing Calluses"
8. Personalized Program Design: "Tired of Not Reaching Your Goals?"
9. Charity in Focus: "Precious Ones Outreach International"

1. Lessons On Life: "Celebrities"

Being a functioning, normal and productive member of our society (well member of our society at least) I frequent the grocery store to buy sustenance that will fuel my body...

In this grocery store is a funny single-file packing of humans and funny metal carts with wheels into orderly ranks and files called "checkout lines."

In these "checkout lines" I find my senses overwhelmed by sights of candy, tooth whitening gum, best selling books, Oprah and of course Hollywood celebrities.

Tabloids with all of the latest news about Tom, Katie and baby, Angelina, Brad, Brittney and K - something stupid I don't care to remember, Lindsay's firth rehab session; and many other productive members of society.

I often wonder who buys this stuff, I mean who cares about some narcissist's pampered life? What do normal people possibly have in common with most of these celebrities and what on earth could there be admirable about the majority of them and the way they live their lives?

Well I'm not sure about you but I'm not very star-struck. But if I were to be my celebrities or "Stars" would be the people over in Afghanistan, those buried in Arlington National Cemetery, the folks putting out fires, driving ambulances, arresting criminals, volunteer workers building levies. Basically anyone who gets paid a low wage with high risk allowing me to live a pretty pampered American lifestyle.

But what about volunteers at food banks, homeless shelters, or perhaps the parent that reads a book to their child?

I idolize these people. People who make this world a better place rather than people who seek nothing more than to fulfill their own selfish desires.

The next time you feel unappreciated, do something nice for someone. Spend some time with your children and teach them how to be future parents. Ask your wife or husband how their day was and if you can do anything to make them feel better. Volunteer at a homeless shelter. Use your unique skills, help someone build a home for a victim in New Orleans or whatever.

You may not make the cover of some useless tabloid (not that most people would want to) but you will be a celebrity to someone, you may not ever even know about it.

2. Holiday Specials: "Give to Receive This Holiday!"

I can't believe I'm doing this.

I don't discount my services. In fact I'm thinking of raising most of my prices soon. Not for existing clients mind you only for new clients.

But on to the point of this Holiday Special.

From now until New Year's Day I am discounting all services by 25%.

You heard that right, I'm taking a 25% pay cut because I love you ;-)

Why am I doing this?

Well maybe because I am out of my freaking mind!

Maybe I should be on one of those used car commercials where I'm wearing some stupid super hero outfit slashing prices so that all services must go!

THERE IS ONLY ONE CATCH...

It is better to give than receive. In the spirit of the holidays in order to receive this discount you must give a little of your over-abundance to the needy.

You can do one of the following:

Denver Area:
• Bring canned goods, clothes or an old cell phone to me at the studio and I will take them to a local charity of my choice. Food and clothes will go to the Denver Rescue Mission and old used cell phones will go to the battered women's shelter.

I have a box set up for this.


Non Denver Area:
• Donate to a local or national food shelter, homeless shelter, Boys and Girls Club, Toys for Tots, Katrina disaster relief fund, or other charity organization.
• Scan your receipt or a copy of your credit card transaction, screen shots of your credit card transaction will work if you donated online, and email it to me. (You can cover your credit card number or any sensitive information.)

The charity organization must use the food, clothes or funds to give to the needy; either locally or internationally. Donations to political or similar organizations do not count.*

*To avoid issues contact me before hand to see if the charity is approved or not.


If you are dropping off clothes, food, etc. at a local charity they should always write you a receipt. I've been doing this for years with multiple charities and I have always been offered a receipt but you may have to ask for one.

If you have already purchased a service please do not ask for a retro discount. The discounts starts... today and goes until January 1st 2008.


GIVE IT AS A GIFT!

If you want to buy a package of personal training, unlimited group kettlebell classes for a month, phone consultation, Personalized Program Design or other contact me ASAP Contact Page. We can discuss the details of how to get the "Gift" to the recipient. Pretty in a box from you or via email from me.

Want to give yourself a gift? What the heck, tis the season to be jolly and what a better way to be jolly than to get yourself the gift of fitness.

Once again, contact me for the 25% discount. Prices on my Training Services page WILL NOT reflect this special limited price.


The fine print: Not to be combined with any other offer. All judgment calls and final decisions are made by Brian. "It's good to be the king."
- name the movie that quote comes from and get an extra bonus "kudos" from me ;-)

3. Training Tip: "Functional Fitness"

I almost can't stand to say "functional fitness" except for the fact that functional fitness is what I provide to my clients.

There are too many silly, stupid and downright useless exercises in the fitness world today. One of my clients told me about a trainer that had her stand on one leg on a balance ball while turning around at the waist and then having to catch a ball that was tossed to her... "And that did exactly what for you?"

Apparently it didn't do anything for her because she doesn't use that trainer anymore.

Let's talk about what "functional fitness" is and then what it is not.

Functional fitness IS: anything that will make you better at achieving your goal.

If you are a sprinter, anything that will make you run faster. If you are a martial artists that requires a variety of athletic qualities then it is any exercise that will help you get better at one or multiple qualities. If you are an every day Joe or Jane who just wants to be healthy, it is anything that will help you be stronger, leaner, more mobile with healthier joints, heart and spine.

Additionally, functional fitness means working on your weaknesses. I know everyone loves to do that, right? Typically people stick to what they are good at and avoid what they are not good at... bad choice!

Functional fitness IS NOT: Stupid exercises, machines or idiotic maneuvers invented by some trainer who felt the need to show how creative they can be. A.K.A. exercises that don't help you achieve your goals.

Below is an example of a time wasting and potentially embarrassing exercise that is definitely "not functional!"

Have you picked your stomach up off of the floor yet? Good good.

Ok so aside from the embarrassing ending, just exactly what is not-functional about this piece of equipment?

Well first off, when in life do you do anything even remotely like this?

Second, the person is using a machine, that should have been your first answer. If it was, then give yourself a gold star. If it wasn't then go do 20 squat thrusts!

Third, lying down. Sure, there are some movements that are functional while lying down; you perverts that isn't what I meant! But generally speaking all athletics and non-athletic every day movements are done on our feet.

Fourth, the guy isn't picking up an external weight or using his own body weight. I'm sorry but name a sport or daily movement that does not require you to move an external object or your own bodyweight. In yoga you at least control your own bodyweight, the same with gymnastics. With bodybuilding at least they lift external objects, weights. 1 shaky thumbs up to bodybuilding for that one. Don't push me or I'll take it away! For the record I've seen some amazing yoga and gymnastic feats of strength using bodyweight. I'm not sure I'd be impressed if the person used all of the resistance on this lying piece of crap. In fact I'd probably lift it over head, then break it over my knee and say that I got a good workout. Sorry I'll put my raw meat back in the fridge now.


Functional Exercises Made Simple:

1. Picking up something heavy off of the ground (standing on 1 or 2 legs)
2. Squatting down, preferably arse-to-grass, rock bottom (on 1 or 2 legs)
3. Pressing something heavy over your head (using 1 or 2 arms)
4. Pulling something heavy toward your upper body (using 1 or 2 arms)
5. Grabbing something and holding it for a little while
6. Dragging something heavy around
7. Picking something up on one side of the body, then the other
8. Finding an intense activity that will challenge your anaerobic threshold (make you huff and puff), rest, repeat. Note: not aerobics, anaerobic cardio!

Barbell, dumbbell, kettlebell, sandbag, bodyweight, bucket of water, your kids, wife, husband, etc. It doesn't matter, just pick something up and put it somewhere. If if is your wife or husband, pick them up and carry them to the bedroom. The rest is your private business. ;-)


Until next time, train like an athlete not a hamster!

PS. If you are watching late-night infomercials and are thinking of buying the "Ab Gizmo 3000" or "Dance Your Way to a Super Six-Pack" don't bother. Save yourself some hard earned deblunes and instead purchase my Personalized Program Design. I'll get you better results with your own body weight and you won't have to make installments on an expensive piece of crap that sits in the corner collecting dust for the next 10 years for crying out loud!

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