Dear Everyone Who's in Search of a Gym,
Today was my before and after picture day (3 months) and I've never felt more compelled to write a review than today and share my experience. I am one who never writes reviews but if I'm going to do it, nobody deserves it more than the Body Culture family.
Let's face it, younger people go to the gym primarily for aesthetic reasons, to get in shape for the summer and show off their beach bods, to seek revenge on their exes, or to look more attractive to find their next significant others. Older people like me who are married and on the verge of a mid life crisis, also ironically go to the gym predominantly for the same reasons. It's the ultimate confidence booster when others comment about how great you look or even check you out. For me, while I love getting compliments, I needed to find more consistency in my life and my sole goal was to quit smoking. So instead of buying a sports car or getting a tattoo, I decided to give Body Culture a shot.
When I first walked in, the space seemed welcoming but nothing special yet. I got an initial tour, an explanation of schedule, and a summary of equipment. Then, I was brought into a room to discuss my goals, habits, diet, workout out history, the whole nine. Last, I got my measurements done and took pictures. On that day, I weighed in at 163 which was on the scrawnier side for my height. I'm not blessed with Herculean genetics, even if my ancestor may have been Genghis Kahn. And at my age (32), there's no diet that can bulk you up without risking tremendous weight gain. So when I was shown the before and after pics of current clients, I was skeptical. I thought, "oh, here's another infomercial where their models are all on steroids or taking dangerous diet pills." Nonetheless, I decided to trust BC.
The first week I was even more skeptical. The routines seemed a little too passive than what I imagined and my body during the first week actually didn't feel sore at all. But what I immediately noticed was the level of attention and detail trainers discern in your movements. My whole life I've been working out wrong. The trainers told me that I needed to first learn proper form and technique to mitigate the potential of injury. Consequently, this would maximize my mobility and strength. I saw the logic so I decided to trust the trainers. As I got better with form and movement, the workouts got more intense. It was like all the trainers knew exactly how I was progressing. Whatever routines were on the chalkboard, trainers altered some for me to make it more challenging and more catered to my weak points. All you have to do is take initiative and ask a lot of questions and all the trainers give you a plethora of information. After two months, I decided it was time to kick it up a notch and try personal training to accelerate my goals and keep me even more disciplined. I chose to work with Thomas only because he has my ideal body type and similar frame. I thought to myself, "maybe if I work with him, I can look like him." Little did I know that this would be the worst and best decision I've ever made.
Thomas got me started by using the Body Culture App which can be the devil. The app is so detailed and so precise in documenting what you eat and what you do, one is forced to be accountable. And then you have Thomas who sends you sarcastic remarks when you're not logging properly or documenting enough. Trust me, the last thing I want to do is input a log of meals or take pictures of food when all I want to do is devour it. But the app keeps you responsible. It reminds you why you've invested and what you're bound to gain. So when my coworkers order pizza for lunch, I stare with eyes glistening, mouth salivating, stomach grumbling, and conflicting thoughts flurrying. And when I'm about to gorge into the pizza, Thomas's angelic voice with a hint of sarcasm reemerges and asks "are you sure?" I'm brought down to reality and instead of having 5 slices of pizza, I have 1 out of spite and wash it down with my kale smoothie. We're all human, and we're all going to falter in our diets. But trainers like Thomas and the Body Culture app make it very realistic to fulfill your goals. I know in the future, I'll learn how to fly on my own.
My wife is my biggest critic and cynical in nature, but even she is turning into a believer. She's meticulous with every penny we spend and during tax season, I saw all the useless crap I bought, and the eating out, and drinking I did last year. I've spent 4 times as much on these social habits than I will spend on Body Culture this year. Recently, my wife has even commented that my performance in bed is better: happy wife, happy life.
I saw some reviews disappointed about the lack of mirrors and inconvenient schedule. But the trainers are your mirror (if you're a narcissist like me, check yourself out at home) and nobody works at 5:30am. We all can make time. Thank you BC family for changing my life! read more
