Hi Charlie! Please tell us about yourself.
I am a single parent of 4 wonderful kids, and owner/operator of a small business. I am 51 years old, and I love Alaska. I’ve lived here since 6th grade.
I love all the seasons that Alaska brings, hiking in the summer, snowmobiling in the winter. I have a passion for old recreational track driven machines that run on snow and make a lot of smoke and noise. I enjoy racing vintage snow machines when I have time.
How long have you been working with us and what motivated you to seek us out?
I started working out with Figarelle’s Fitness in March 2017, doing Boot Camp. I used to do a boot camp at The Dome, but the instructor moved and I was not working out for over a year. That instructor recommended Figarelle’s Fitness, and that’s how I got involved.
What are a few of your favorite things about training with us?
I really enjoy showing up and having everything planned out for us. My life is quite busy, and requires a lot of mental energy. It is nice to just show up and have a plan already in place. Turn key. Where you just show up ready to work out, put your nose to the grindstone and not have to think about much.
My job can be rather time consuming, so I enjoy when I don’t have to think much.
At Figarelle’s Fitness, I have learned much about stretching, foam rolling, breathing, and proper form.
Do you have any tips for those who are busy with work and family, but would still like to find time to workout?
When I started working out at Figarelle’s, it was difficult to get up early and make it there on time. My mind would tell me one excuse after another why I should not have to go to the gym that morning when my alarm would go off at 4:45AM. It was a battle.
Then I just told myself to “just do it” like the Nike logo. After a couple of weeks the argument in my mind was settled. I was at peace with showing up very early, and the work outs were easier to handle.
At first the work outs were quite intense, I could imagine a million other places I would rather be at that moment. I kept one eye on the bathroom door or the exit door in case I thought I was going to puke. But I never did, and things got easier rather quickly.
I knew no one at the gym. It was also a bit difficult coming out of my comfort zone and working out with people who were mostly younger than me, and mostly all women. That did not make it easier, to be honest. I just put it out of my mind.
I know why I am there – to better myself and take care of my body that is not getting any younger. I thrive on challenge and what better place to be challenged than a gym full of younger, very athletic people?
I wanted to be just as quick, just as strong, just as agile as many of the younger athletic people that worked out there. If not equal, I wanted to be damn close! I would say I am getting there.
What are a few of your favorite exercises? How about a few of your favorite muscle groups to train?
I like to workout the things that need it the most, even though that’s not always the most fun way to train.
I have chicken legs, so I like to do squats. I need them the most, and that is were I feel my biggest and fastest gains have happened.
Like most guys, I would be happy as a tornado in a trailer park just to work out upper body all the time, but that is not what I really need. I also like how FF focuses on core exercises, those are what you use in the real world the most. FF is very good at equal promotional muscle group building.
What accomplishments in the past 6 months are you most proud of and why?
Over the last 6 months, I am in far better shape than I’ve been in a long time. My job is very physical, but we lose muscle mass and strength as we get older. My body has to be in very good shape to do the kind of work I do. To provide for me and my kids is very important.
Sure, I may look like I am in my early 50’s, but I don’t feel like it. Now my chicken legs are able to Trap Bar Deadlift 290 lbs for 6 reps, and I feel I can build up from there quite easily.
Any new goals for 2018? Please share.
I would like to make it back into The Dome in the mornings to practice my mile run. Three years ago, I rant the mile in 6 minutes and 30 seconds. I would love to get back there and improve that mile time.
I feel I can do that because I was not running on a regular basis when I did the 6:30 mile, just doing my old Boot Camp. I also want to put on more lean muscle. I have been steadily increasing the amount of weight I have been lifting at small group.
My father worked out at the gym very regularly since he was about 40 years old, he stopped lifting weights at about 86 years old. Planet Fitness would give him his membership for free after he turn 80.
In his 40’s, he could do 35 pull ups with no problem. At 86 years old, he could still do 12 pull ups, and dumbbell press with 60 lbs dumbbells. He was never huge, but very fit. He was a bad ass in my eyes. So I want to hold up the same standard that he did, one that served him well. That is my long term goal!