February Member of the Month-Chris M.

Congratulations to this month's member of the month, Chris M. This one has been a long time over due. Chris started up with us a year ago in late February. His transformation over the past year has been truly remarkable and can be attributed to his outstanding work-ethic and consistency in training. Even with Chris' job which is very physically demanding, he still finds the time to come in during the evenings to sweat it out and invest in himself. Chris is a great person to have around the fitness center and we look forward to his continued success. Thanks for being a part of our community Chris!

Hear from Chris:

I've played soccer, baseball, wrestling, and even trained in MMA briefly growing up but stopped shortly after high school. I didn't make it through those years without taking more than my fair share of injuries. On top of physical ones, I've had multiple concussions and run the risk of more. One of the reasons I enjoy the gym so much is I can have that team environment and sense of competition without the risk of adding another concussion to the list.

I was born with lordosis, minor kyphosis (curvature of the spine) and cardiomegaly (enlarged heart). I don't ever want these issues to hinder me, instead I try to better myself by keeping them in mind. During workouts, proper form is always the first thing on my mind and heavily emphasized by Kyle. At first it was difficult to get my body in the correct positions but over time has become more natural. With proper form I don't have to worry about injuring my back and it allows me to get the most out of every workout. While my heart just adds motivation to keep myself in shape and limit my chances of worsening my condition.

Throughout your lifetime, how long have you been working out for and what do you enjoy most about fitness?

I've been working out with the gym for almost a year now. Before that, it had been quite awhile. Growing up, I would typically have one or two sports year round in addition to a seasonal one. For a very short while I worked out with a family friend but this is my first time continually going to a gym.

I am very happy with my results but I wouldn't be able to keep it up if I didn't enjoy the process too. I like being able to push myself as an individual while carrying a friendly competition with my peers.

Since training at K.Shan Performance, what have you learned the most about fitness as well as about yourself?

I've learned that there are no shortcuts. Every rep, each perfect form, every pound you pick up matters. You'll only ever be as physically strong as you are mentally strong. If I'm not being pushed, or pushing myself, I'm not going to accomplish my goals. Being comfortable with a workout means I'm not going to get results from it.

What do you like most about the workouts? And what is your favorite exercise?

I like that new workouts are routinely introduced and that the old ones are always being mixed and matched. I enjoy the atmosphere that has been created here. It is a supportive and welcoming environment to all ages and abilities. Recently, my favorite thing is wearing my 40lbs vest during workouts. It adds a new level of intensity and is a good example of how you can never plateau here. The exercises are made to fit your abilities. No two people walk away having done the same exact weights and workouts during a class. My favorite workout is kettlebell touches. For me, keeping my lower back flat is very challenging so it's a great sense of accomplishment to perform this one.

What would you recommend to someone looking to start training?

You need to find a place where a workout will be tailored to your specific needs and abilities, and that place will always be K.Shan Performance. I've lost over 30 pounds since joining and am continuing to gain muscle.

It's only one hour a day. I am typical very busy and one hour a day seemed out of the question but I can honestly say I've always been able to find that time. There's always reasons to not start but one year from now, imagine how different your life will be when you give just one hour each day to improving your health and happiness.