May 2012 Club News: Parties, Power Racks, and MORE!

Lose Weight Challenge Party:
Come join us as we celebrate the end of the 8 week challenge.  We will have prizes for our 1st, 2nd and 3rd place winners.  We will also have door prizes, a nutrition seminar and snacks for all.  Gifts of Love will be on hand to accept the "donate the weight" money raised during the 8 weeks.

 Party starts at 6:00 on Thursday May 3rd.

What  is a Power Rack anyway!?:
Join Brian, our head of personal training for an overview on the new power rack equipment in the free weight area and how to add it into your workouts.

Seminar is at 6:30 PM on Wednesday, May 2, 2012.

Refer a friend!:
If they try us out for a free trial you get a $5.00 gift card and if they join you get a free month!  Stop by the desk to find out more!

 

Wipe Down Equipment:
Please remember to use the pre-moistened wipes to clean off the equipment after you have used it.

 

Class Schedule:
Boot Camps -

M/W/F - 6AM

M/W - 6:30PM

M/SAT - 10:30AM

Want a class that we don't offer yet?  Email us to let us know.

 

Our Favorite Places:

Don't forget to support some of our favorite businesses in town.

The Meat House & Vitamin Shop are just a couple of our favorites.

Check them all out online here: http://www.snapfitness.com/avonct/club#MemberDiscounts

 

Facebook:

Like us and post a review on Facebook at www.facebook.com/snapfitnessavonct and get a free gift (plus you always stay up to date on events, classes and special offers).

 

Be Well,

Jessica Bergen - Club Manager

Brian Szmigiel - Head of Personal Training

Snap Fitness Avon

  260 West Main Street (TJ Maxx Plaza)

(860)581-4014 club, www.SnapFitnessAvon.com

Club Snappenings: April 29th - May 5th

ATTENTION LOSE WEIGHT CHALLENGE PARTICIPANTS: THIS IS THE FINAL WEEK TO WEIGH-IN FOR THE CHALLENGE!!

You MUST weigh in for the final time by April 30th.

Please keep in mind that that is MONDAY!

Sunday 29th:
NO staffed hours! Enjoy the warm Spring weather!
 
Monday 30th:
**Weigh-in for the Lose Weight Challenge during staffed hours!**
Boot Camp with Mike @ 6:00 AM;

Boot Camp with Mike @ 6:30 PM.

 
Tuesday 1st: 
Nothing scheduled.


Wednesday 2nd:
Power Rack Seminar with Brian at 5:00 PM
Boot Camp with Mike @ 6:00 AM;
Boot Camp with Mike @ 6:30 PM.

Thursday 3rd:   
Lose Weight Challenge PARTY for all members of the club and community!!!  We will be presenting Gifts of Love with their check, among other fun stuff!!! 6:00 PM 


Be there!!!
  
Friday 4th: 
Boot Camp with Mike @ 6:00 AM.

Saturday 5th: 

Equipment Orientation/easyFIT class with Jess @ 10 AM;
Boot Camp with Mike @ 10:30 AM.

Class Cards for Purchase: $100 for 10 Classes!

From Corporate: Stop In For Your Final Weigh In 4/26-4/30

CAN YOU BELIEVE THAT WE HAVE BEEN DOING THIS FOR 8 WEEKS NOW??? 

I am AMAZED at how far our participants have come, and how motivated you have all been!  We have lost some serious pounds, and are competing with the top in the nation in the corporate challenge.  BRAVO!!!  Now, don't start celebrating too early - final weigh-ins HAVE to happen between the 26th and the 30th to count for corporate prizes and awards!!!  So be sure to stop in over the weekend and check-in with us.  This will help us get a more accurate final count for our GIFTS OF LOVE donation!!

"It's week 8! Can you believe the end of the Lose Weight Challenge is here? Stop by for your final weigh in between 4/26-4/30 to see if you're a winner.

No matter what your results are, you can still be a winner. Just for completing the Challenge, you'll be entered for a chance to win $250. So make sure to get to your club starting this Thursday to weigh in.
Congratulations and be well!"

Read Chad the Trainer's tips for week 8.

© 2012 Snap Fitness

This was sent by: Snap Fitness
2411 Galpin Court Suite 110 Chanhassen, MN, 55317, USA 

This Just IN...

I found the following blurb in "Muscle & Performance" magazine from the Vitamin Shoppe.  And I have to say that the research has been around for a while -- people are just now beginning to pay attention.  As exercise science majors in undergrad, my friend Abby and I would pound black coffee before our runs.  Weird?  Maybe.  But it always got the job done! 

Article Title: Critical Caffeine

"Everyone who has ever had a cup or two of coffee in the morning can attest to caffeine's ability to boost energy.  What you may not know is that caffeine provides a host of other benefits, proved by research.  These  include helping to reduce body fat, improving strength and endurance in the gym, and enhancing mental focus.  An epidemiological study from Portugal even reported that subjects who consume caffeine daily have less risk of cognitive decline with aging.


In addition to supplying energy, caffeine helps reduce body fat by boosting the body's metabolic rate-- the amount of calories burned per day without factoring in activity-- and increasing the amount of fat that gets released from fat cells.  Research demonstrates that athletes also can lift more weight or lift the same weight for more reps when they supplement with caffeine.  One study from the University of Nebraska-Lincoln reported that trained subjects taking caffeine one hour before workouts were able to bench-press 5 pounds more than they could when taking a placebo.


While you can continue to drink your coffee, studies show that the best results from caffeine are achieved by supplementing with 200 to 400 milligrams of caffeine anhydrous one to two hours before hitting the gym."

My first issue with this little article, is that "proved" should actually be "proven," but I'm willing to overlook it at the moment.

Back on-topic, the caffeine supplementing idea is one that I have tried before a few of my workouts and the result is always a lot more energy and a better lift (and sometimes a better time for my mile-pace on my runs as well).  So it's definitely worth a try.  I just have to caution you to try to find something that doesn't have too many different things in it - you don't want to overload your body with things it doesn't need.  And once again, if you don't know what something is, don't consume it until you've asked someone knowledgable, or researched it yourself.  The last thing you want is to mess up your body or your metabolism due to ignorance of the facts.  Be informed, be safe, and get a great workout in! :)

From Hartford Marathon Foundation: Can't wait til Saturday!

thanks to LynnDamon.com for photo

 

 THIS SATURDAY, APRIL 14

BLOOMFIELD, CT

REGISTRATION ON-SITE:  8:00 a.m.

RACE START: 9:00 a.m.

Includes

 Turn Up the Heat Chili Challenge

The Post Race Party is a sanctioned event of the International Chili Association. 15 to 20 cooks from New England will compete for first prize in the "Homestyle" category. The winner will win $350.00 and a chance to go the 2012 US National Chili Cook-Off.

Burn Calories for Fuel 5K/10K runners and volunteers will be admitted to the Cook-Off for free. Friends and families enter for a $5 fee to taste the chili and vote for the People's Choice Winner.

Tasting will begin at 10:30 am and the winners will be announced at 12:30 pm. 

For more details, visit www.hartfordmarathon.com

Lose Weight Challenge: Final Week!

Here are our current standings for the top-ten of the Lose Weight Challenge!!!

Don't see your number?  Haven't weighed-in in a while?  Stop by the desk during staffed hours to get back on the board and donate your weight to Gifts of Love before April 30th!

Club Snappenings: April 22nd - 28th

ATTENTION LOSE WEIGHT CHALLENGE PARTICIPANTS: THIS IS THE FINAL WEEK TO WEIGH-IN FOR THE CHALLENGE!!

You MUST weigh in for the final time by April 30th.

Please keep in mind that that is next MONDAY!

Sunday 22nd:
NO staffed hours! Enjoy the warm Spring weather!
 
Monday 23rd
**Weigh-in for the Lose Weight Challenge during staffed hours!**
Boot Camp with Mike @ 6:00 AM;

Boot Camp with Mike @ 6:30 PM.

 
Tuesday 24th: 
**Weigh-in for the Lose Weight Challenge during staffed hours!**
Nothing scheduled.


Wednesday 25th:
**Weigh-in for the Lose Weight Challenge during staffed hours!**
Boot Camp with Mike @ 6:00 AM;
Boot Camp with Mike @ 6:30 PM.

Thursday 26th:   
**Weigh-in for the Lose Weight Challenge during staffed hours!**
 
Friday 27th: 
**Weigh-in for the Lose Weight Challenge during staffed hours!**
Boot Camp with Mike @ 6:00 AM.

Saturday 28th: 
**Weigh-in for the Lose Weight Challenge during staffed hours!**

NO RUNNING CLUB Jessica is in Delaware for a field hockey tournament (WISH HER LUCK!)! 

Equipment Orientation/easyFIT class with Josh @ 10 AM;
Boot Camp with Mike @ 10:30 AM.

Class Cards for Purchase: $100 for 10 Classes!
Lose Weight Challenge Members: Don't forget you can participate in one free boot camp per week!

Photo Caption Contest!

 

Give us your best "shot" :)

(Did I just ruin a caption option?)

Two Weeks of PRIZES for the LOSE WEIGHT CHALLENGE!

Hey Snappers!

We've been late getting some very important information to you!  We have our Week #7 and Week #8 winners for you!  Sam S. won a Car Wash from Russell Speeders, while Jane G. won the $50 Organic Spray Tan from Aloha Tanning!!  CONGRATULATIONS!!!

Now, don't forget that this week is the final week of the challenge!!!  Be sure to weigh-in by April 30th to get your final weight in to win corporate prizes!  And on May Day, we are going to see how much money we raised for Gifts of Love!!!

Mike's Video of the Week - April 20, 2012

If anyone has been following our Lose Weight Challenge, then they know that Carly ruled the first 4 weeks of the Challenge, back in March.  She was coming into the club twice a day, morning and night.  She'd participate in Boot Camps, and joined the club team at the Hartford 5K on St. Patrick's Day weekend.  She was owning her weight loss.  Recently, she was dethroned by another girl, and Carly was not happy.  She is highly competitive and HATES being stuck at #2.

Because Carly has a very specific goal in mind, and wants to continue to lose weight, she has opted to start participating in one-on-one personal training with Mike Josephson, a NASM certified personal trainer here at Snap.  She's highly motivated and ready to work.  You'll have to check back in after April 30th to see how she does!  In the meantime, enjoy this video of one of Carly's workouts with Mike.  Hopefully it'll inspire you to go after your dreams, and improve your health and fitness. 

Interested in Mike's use of the unstable surface of the BOSU ball here in this workout?  Ask him why he chose this type of training for Carly the next time you see him in the club, and see if he can come up with something for you!

Run Orange! Live Green! Free Swag!

Celebrate Earth Day and register for the

October 13th ING Hartford Marathon,

Half Marathon or 5K and we'll send you a FREE 100% recycled poly technical training shirt.

Offer valid only for new registrations on April 22, 2012.

 

Simsbury Free Bike at Snap (Round 2)!

 

Well, I successfully managed to embarrass myself while I was checking out the Adaptive Cycle bike that Pattie brought with her last night.  For your sake (certainly not for mine), I hope she got my little venture on the bike on video.  This particular adaptive cycle was created for a left-brain stroke victim (see the above photo), so the battery-powered motor controls are on the left side handlebar.  That being said, I accelerated a bit TOO much last night, and almost crashed it into the club wall.  Pattie was taking some photos, so hopefully if she managed a video, that will surface soon.  I'm sure you'll enjoy watching me throw my hands into the air instead of looking for the typical location of the hand brake for any bicycle (yes, my friends, right on the handlebars).  In fact, you can see the brake in this photo.  Silly me...

On a much happier note (for me, at least), we have trail maps available at the club now!  For a $1 donation, you can have a map that shows you all of the parking spots, wheel chair access points, trail surface information, water fountains, and porta-potties and lots more all the way along the trail from Granby to New Haven!  Ask at the desk and we'll be happy to supply you with one for your next excursion!  Here are some snapshots of the map:

The New Power Rack is READY!

Busting it Open!

Okay, so if you follow our Facebook page, you know that we've slowly been assembling a new Power Rack!  Brian and I set to work on it this morning, and I have to tell you, after seeing it arrive in three small boxes, I was worried.  I've never been good at puzzles (nor paint by number..) or anything else involving the following of strict instructions.  I let Brian lead, and as you can see in some of the photos, we started off strong, moving the equipment around so it would fit in the club.  But we took a wrong turn when we began to assemble the rack itself.  We caught it, fixed it, and now we have a great power rack for your use here at the club.  Be sure to check in with us before you use it- it has a few features that you'll need to understand before you step under the bar and start going for it.

All the Bells & Whistles!

Oh JEEZ..

Here we have some photos of the rack as it arrived - in pieces, as well as some photos of Brian and I re-arranging the club.  It was quite the overwhelming sight once he got everything out of the boxes and spread onto the floor!  We've moved the calf-machine over by the Physioballs and hip ad/abduction, and now the dumbbell rack and preacher bench are in different spots along the mirrors.

Before!

New Space!

Moving the Dumbbells!

New Home For the Calf Machi

So Brian and I set to work, breaking into the boxes and getting all of the pieces out.  We soon discovered that we didn't have the right tools at ALL, so I sent Brian over to the Hardware store for a ratchet.  The one he bought was not very good (no offense, Brian), and it took forever to get the pieces together (notice I am not using very many tool-technical terms... you'll hear "pieces" instead of "bolts, washers, etc." because I don't know what things are), but we finally got the base and four pegs up.  We were psyched!!! Here's a photo:

Can You Spot the Problem?

It was pretty slow-going, but thankfully Mike Russo was working out while we were building, and he returned after his workout with the coolest ratchet that I have ever seen, and it multiplied the productivity by ten.  So Mike -- THANK YOU SO MUCH!!  Brian had to stop at that point because he had clients to train, and I decided it was probably best for all if I didn't "go it alone," and stopped as well.  At about 4:30 Ethan arrived to help out (THANK GOD), and discovered that we weren't as good at this as we thought we were (we had even high-fived a few times on our progress).  Apparently, we hadn't left the holes for the safety bars in the right place.  Check that photo above to see if you can see where we went awry. :)

Ethan fixed it in zero time, claiming that he is an, "IKEA pro," and that he is used to building things like this.  It literally took him half of the time it took us to get those four pegs up, to take apart our work, and complete the entire rack.  So, without further a due, here are some photos of the completed rack!

Ethan Telling Brian What's Up

Fixing the Problem & Finishing the Job!

Almost Done!

The Final Product!!! :)  We Hope You Love It!!

Jack of All Trades

Well, it's not every day that guys are willing to try out a new sport.  And today was seemingly the exception.  So in the spirit of sharing all of the fun things that happen here at the club, I took some photos for your enjoyment.  Both PT's remarked afterwards that field hockey is not easy to play.  But I think they'd come along quickly if they really wanted to play the sport!

... I did invite them both to play with my adult club team in Delaware on the 28th & 29th ... :)

Brian trying out some moves with a hockey stick and ball.

Mike testing his hockey skills on the carpet in the front of the club.

Video Challenge - For Lose Weight Challenge!!!

ANY MEMBERS WHO WISH TO DO THIS LET JESS KNOW -- SHE WILL BE HAPPY TO HELP AND HAS ALL OF THE EQUIPMENT YOU NEED!!!

Week 7-Seeing success? Share your story and win!

Enter our video sweepstakes for the chance to win one of our weekly $50 gift cards. Plus, if yours is the most inspiring story, you could win $500.

1. Go to our Facebook page and click on the Lose Weight Challenge tab.
2. Videotape yourself and tell us about your experience with the Challenge.
3. Here are some ideas:

• What was your inspiration to start?
• Show us some of your favorite challenge workouts.
• How did you stay motivated?
• Tell us what you've loved most about participating.

Good luck and be creative,






 This week, Chad the Trainer offers you 3 tips for a strong finish.

© 2012 Snap Fitness
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2411 Galpin Court Suite 110 Chanhassen, MN, 55317, USA