Every single member of our community has a great story of where they have come from, where they are now and where they want to go. We would like to share with you two inspiring stories from our gym that have established confidence in why we, as coaches, do what we do; to make sure each one of our members receives the encouragement and support needed when they step into the gym. Mical Trejo just celebrated his one year anniversary at the Shop and Doug Tucker has been with us just over a month now. Both of these guys have already made a huge impact on the DBS fitness community with their drive, encouragement of others and determination to be better. WAY TO GO GUYS! We are so proud of your accomplishments. What brought you to DBS? DOUG: My wife and I had a long discussion about our future and what we wanted. My answer was a long life of enjoying my family. We realized that for my life to be long, I needed to take better care of myself. I needed more fitness discipline. I needed to eat right. I needed to get in shape, I needed the right gym. MICAL: It was April 2011 and I had just received a physical at my Dr.’s office where she voiced some concern for my overall health and fitness, and answered her concern with medicine, beginning me on that slippery pharma-slope. That’s the last thing I wanted for myself at my age and I believed that I could solve the problem by just eating better and getting over to the gym now and then, but where to go? Like many people I was paying for a gym membership I wasn’t using. At the time I was rehearsing a show next door at Hyde Park Theatre. During rehearsals, I would see the same class working out and noticed that the class never got smaller. Everybody was working hard and I knew I wanted to do that. I thought “There is something going on there that works. I want to feel like those people. I want to see what it’s all about.” What can you remember from your first class at DBS? DOUG: Pain. Thinking “I am so out of shape” Matt explaining the vinyasa positions in the fitness fundamentals class. When he explained that I would go from “down dog” to “up dog”, I couldn’t stop snickering. He asked what was funny, and I said “What’s up dog?” MICAL: I remember Dane greeting me warmly and being introduced to Veronica who led the first few classes I attended. I remember feeling spent after the warm up. I remember hating the song “Sail” by Awol Nation. It played loudly as I laid on my back in the corner trying to catch my breath while the class “sailed” along. I remember not finishing the workout. I remember the encouragement I got from everybody there to come back and stay with it. I remember thinking “I bet absolutely everything is going to hurt tomorrow.” I remember being right about that prediction. What made you want to come back? DOUG: I knew that soreness the next day meant I had a good workout, yet I felt so encouraged. Matt took the extra time to explain all the moves and said it would always be the case, and that really made me feel better about not knowing all of the moves. Also, Matt and my other fitness classmates were really nice and not judgmental at all (I was scared everyone would be a “meathead” and I’d be getting funny looks because I was out of shape). I knew that reaching my life-long goal wasn’t going to happen if I didn’t keep it up, so I knew I was coming back! MICAL: The first workout was the hardest thing I’d done in my life and I survived. I figured it would only get easier. It would be another 4-6 workouts before I would finish an entire hour without retiring to the corner to catch my breath. I arrived at that point because the staff and community made me believe that I could. They encouraged, but didn’t push, they supported without pressure. That was so huge at such a critical time. What in your opinion makes DBS unique? DOUG: The sense of community, for sure. We are a close-knit family where the instructors know us all by name, they know our strengths and weaknesses, and we openly encourage each other (even if it’s their first class). Also, the fun activities we have every now and then! A big one: I love the fact that we always use free weight and not machines. Machines are good at isolating one muscle, but they’re clunky and would just slow things down. Because of the lack of that, I feel like I can move between exercises quicker. Also, using free weights works more than one muscle – it also forces you to use your stabilizing muscles. If I can work out other muscles for free, I’ll take it! MICAL: The staff and the community create an environment that is welcoming and not needlessly competitive. When I hear “Good work Mical!” or “You can do it Mical!” you can tell it comes from a genuine place. The entire DBS vibe is based on sincerity and it shows in every single workout. What is your favorite exercise or movement? Least Favorite? Why? DOUG: Favorite: Uh… is this a trick question? I don’t really have a favorite – they’re all good, except… Least favorite: Burpees, Spiderman Pushups, and 400m runs. MICAL: My favorite exercise is the pushup to downward dog. I can really get into a rhythm and I feel like a muscle machine. Least favorite is a tie between burpees and any form of running because my conditioning is still a work in progress, but I’m working on it! What goals have you set for yourself and what keeps you motivated? DOUG: Dane allowed me to paint a brick in the strength room. “Strict pullup”. When I started here, I couldn’t even do a pullup, even with the thick blue rubber band. I had to do some alternate exercise that was a little embarrassing for me. However, with the strength improvement and weight loss, I’ve moved up to the blue rubber band! Yes! I want to eventually get to the point to where my muscles are strong enough and my body isn’t heavy enough that I can do one unassisted strict pullup. Also, I want to wear a Large (L) t-shirt. When I walked in, I was wearing XXL. Right now, I’m starting to fit into some of my “larger” XL shirts. I still have half of a closet full of XL shirts I can’t fit in yet. My motivation is my wife, future family, and my health. I want to be able to be a good father that can teach my children proper nutrition and exercise. MICAL: My short term goal is to look 30 when I’m 40 and I’m off to a great start. My biggest motivation though is just to be healthy. A healthy lifestyle is so rewarding on countless levels. Looking great is nice, but feeling great has so many positive effects on your life I can’t help be feel motivated to keep it up. Doug, you have come to the fusion classes, strength and yoga, what do you like about each class? Fusion: I love the fact that it’s a different workout. Every. Single. Time. It keeps things fresh, and that’s one of the “excuses” I’ve used in the past for quitting a previous workout regiment – doing the same thing over and over again by myself. Yoga: For me, yoga does stretch me out, but more noticeably it usually leaves me in a large pile of sweat by the end of the class. Also, after yoga, my body has that relaxed feeling, almost like I just drank a glass of wine. Good stuff! Strength: Like I mentioned before, free weights. And let’s get real, you always feel like a boss after pumping some iron! MICAL: As a 5 a.m. warrior, what makes your class so special? Seriously, we’re all a little nuts. We all have a great sense of humor which is vital when you are waking up at 4:15 in the morning to go work out. I feel like we all wake up together at the shop so we’re all a little punchy when we get rolling. At the end of the workout it’s a special feeling to know that we as a group completed the hardest thing we had to do that day and its only 6:00am.
In one sentence summarize your experience at DBS.
MICAL: DBS embodies everything that I want to be: fun, strong, challenging, and encouraging. DOUG: Simply put, Danes
Body Shop is changing my life for the better.