Kevin Baker of Fitness Together® Talks About Systems

I believe Billy Joel said it best when he sang, “Everybody's talkin' 'bout the new sound. Funny, but it's still rock and roll to me.”

Take a moment and quickly think about the number of fitness fads you’ve witnessed through the years. A simple internet search can uncover a trove of come-and-go crazes, machines, equipment, and gurus. And, unfortunately, that marketing engine is ROARING now that everyone is locked down and in-home exercise has started an amazing comeback tour.

These fads defined the fitness landscape and, unfortunately, plant seeds of thought around easy results and fast weight loss (how many times have we heard “just minutes a day”?). It has given me a great deal of appreciation for the systems that we have incorporated into our fitness studios for decades.

Hearing that systems are decades old might lead you to believe that they are outdated or antiquated. On the contrary, we use the core components of these fitness systems because they have been consistent and stable, yielding more predictable and reliable results. They were forged in the study of kinesiology and exercise science while allowing for modifications as our experts deem appropriate. We encourage our trainers, who are all professionally certified, to use their skills and knowledge to build out unique and interesting programs, utilizing a blend of traditional and current exercise and techniques. Within the systems, we have created processes that measure and track progress for our clients, including weight, body fat, circumferences, blood pressure, pulse, posture, flexibility, and strength, using the latest technology, supported by proven science.

Our clients set specific SMART goals (you know… Specific, Measurable, Achievable, Realistic, and Timely) that we use as the milestones to build out customized resistance, cardiovascular, and nutrition programs. The system defines “how” to approach the solution, but the trainers still have the flexibility and responsibility to work with the client to define the “what” which will solve the problem.

As I’ve mentioned in previous posts, I went through different sets of fitness solutions before I became a client, and eventually owner, of my Fitness Together® studios. One of the last attempts included Shaun T coaching me on T25™ on at-home DVDs. Beachbody™, the creator of T25™ and other similar fitness programs, has done an amazing job of marketing a set of products that have a great appeal because they play on the reward system function in our brain.

As humans, we are naturally inclined to want more with less effort. It should come as no surprise that without a great deal of dedication to many facets of fitness (workouts, frequency, intensity, nutrition), I was just another consumer that failed to get results from a workout fad.

Things changed drastically when I discovered the system-based approach. It wasn’t just the benefits of having personal trainers, which helps immensely, but it was also the team using the continuous improvement model and working within my abilities while ensuring access to data that reinforced my knowledge of the gains I was achieving.

Through our proprietary workout system, captured consistently over time, and portrayed in a format that shows me my trends and areas of continued concentration, I have been able to stay engaged and surpass all expectations, effectively developing a fitness lifestyle. Additionally, the coupling of our ancillary systems, which provide specific nutrition and cardio guidance within customized client programs, was instrumental in helping me achieve lasting results.

The fads might help to get some short-term fitness improvements but, based on how many offerings are available and how often they get released, it is clear they don’t frequently create opportunities to get lasting results.

I tried the fads, and when I decided that it was time to make lifestyle changes that would permanently affect the way I handled my nutrition and exercise, the system-based approach was the solution that worked, and continues to work, effectively for me.

As always, I appreciate you taking a few moments to walk with me on our fitness journey.

Fitness Together® has two locations in the Milwaukee area: 18000 W Bluemound Road, Brookfield, Wis. and 2525 N Mayfair Road, Wauwatosa, Wis.

For more information, contact Kevin Baker, owner, Fitness Together®, at 262-444-3657, email at kevinbaker@fitnesstogether.com. www.fitnesstogether.com.