What I Learned in Two Days at One of the Top 10 Gyms in the Country

This past week, I flew out to Santa Clarita, California for a two-day mentorship at Results Fitness – a gym that’s been named one of the “Top 10 Gyms in America” by Men’s Health – twice!

The owners, Alwyn and Rachel Cosgrove, are at the top of a “Who’s Who” of personal trainers in the country. Together with their staff, they’ve published 12 international best-selling fitness books. They’ve written for Men’s Health, Women’s Health, Men’s Fitness, Shape, Self, Oxygen, and pretty much every other major fitness magazine. On top of that, they’ve consulted for NIKE, Gatorade, and Livestrong.com.

Needless to say, I was thrilled to be able to spend two days learning from the Results Fitness staff. It’s been on my seminar bucket list for years.

My time at their gym was extremely valuable. I learned from the heads of each department – coaching, fitness program design, sales, and customer service. Alwyn and Rachel even took the time to share with me their personal business philosophies.

But when I came back, I couldn’t answer one big question that all my clients asked:

“So, what was your one big takeaway?”

I realized that I didn’t have one big takeaway. Don’t get me wrong – I learned a lot in my two days. I came home inspired to work harder (and smarter) in my own business. In fact, I’ve already implemented several big changes into how I approach my business.

But at the same time, there wasn’t a secret sauce in their business. There were no silver bullets or ancient Chinese secrets.

They were just really, really good at three things:

  1. Practicing the fundamentals
  2. Improving every day
  3. Being consistent

By now, you might be saying – “Devin, get to the point!”

 

Here’s my point:

When it comes to success, especially in fitness and fat loss, there are no silver bullets.

Consistency, mastering the fundamentals, and relentless improvement are the keys.

 

We’re all searching for that one thing that will transform our results in the gym, right?

It’s why we hop from fad diet to fad diet, looking for that ONE THING that successful people are doing and we’re not.

 

The truth – there is no best diet. Or workout plan.

 

Most diets and workouts are pretty similar. And, just like my business compared to Results Fitness, we do a lot of the same things!

 

Here’s what I can tell you about people who get into great shape and stay fit year-round:

  1. They stick to the fundamentals

They emphasize getting stronger and adding lean muscle mass – which boosts your metabolism, creates an athletic and toned appearance, slows down aging, and makes your life a hell of a lot easier.

They master the fundamental exercises – squats, deadlifts, pushups, pullups, presses, farmer carries, and rows. They get strong at the fundamentals.

And they stick to a dedicated cardiovascular fitness regimen. Even if it’s “just” walking or riding a bike! There are some really fit, sexy-looking people who do nothing for cardio but sprints on a fan bike.

  1. They seek to get better every day (each and every workout)

Alwyn and Rachel called this “The Principle of the Slight Edge.” Being just a little better than the competition will take you far!

So, in the gym – be just a little better than last time!

It can be something small – like doing 11 reps on squats with 135 lbs. instead of 10 reps.

All that matters is that you get a little better and do a little more each time.

Like I tell my clients – our goal is to be 1% better each day.

The same goes for your nutrition. You don’t have to go cold-turkey.

Most of my clients achieve long-term success, and keep the weight off, because they’ve made small, manageable changes week after week that they can live with.

For example, my best clients learn to eat slowly and stop eating before they’re full. It’s their bedrock habit – the one thing they can always do, anywhere in the world, to keep their nutrition in check.

  1. They’re consistent

Like I said – there is no one “best diet” out there for everybody.

The best workout plan and diet for you is one that you can do consistently.

As renowned MLB strength coach Eric Cressey has said (paraphrasing), “A lousy workout done consistently with good effort will beat a perfect workout done only once a week.”

For nutrition, this means tracking your results with a journal. It doesn’t have to be an app, like MyFitnessPal or counting calories. It can simply be a calendar with X’s for days where you met your goal (like drinking enough water, one of the big fundamentals) and O’s for days where you didn’t.

Same idea for exercise – getting 5 workouts a week consistently will get you better results than one three-hour workout every week.

 

What if you struggle with consistency? Or can’t stay focused?

Honestly – consider hiring a coach! That’s what I did.

I hired Alwyn and Rachel, the owners of Results Fitness, to be my own business coaches for the next year. I realized that I’m not consistent enough with the fundamentals.

And I knew that I could use some accountability to help me break through my plateau and to achieve the next level of success.

 

And if you’re struggling with getting the body you want, I’d like to help you by being your fitness and nutrition coach.

I’ll help you sort through all the “shiny objects”, like the current obsession with Keto diets, and stick to a plan that is simple, effective, and achievable for you.

 

To get started, book a free, 15-minute phone consultation with me using the form below.

We’ll talk about your goals and why they’re so important to you. And we’ll talk about what’s stopping you from achieving them. And together, we’ll come up with your first action step towards achieving your goals.