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Hate Gyms? Love Koko.

Hate is such a strong word. I wonder, how many of you truly hate the gym? I know you are out there! We spent so much time talking with people as we developed the concept of Koko FitClub and it always amazed me how visceral reactions were to that word – “gym.” No gray area words in these conversations, instead we heard  “awful,” “boring,” “intimidating” and “confusing.”

I know this isn’t the case for everyone. Just this week an interesting health and wellness blog post was brought to our attention on boston.com entitled: “Why I Love the Gym.” It made me curious to hear from Koko Nation on this. I’d really like to know where you stand.

I have to admit, I don’t “hate” the gym, but I certainly don’t love it. With a family and business to care for, time is a precious commodity. Gyms don’t work for my life anymore. I simply don’t have time for the inefficiency of the whole scene.

I’m not alone. The fitness industry statistics I discuss everyday when talking to potential new Koko FitClub owners show that a whopping 84% of the US population do not belong to a gym. We aren’t all gym “haters,”  but obviously gyms aren’t getting it done for us.

I may not hate the gym, but I love Koko. Love. It. It’s the place I go because it works for me better than any gym ever could.

What about you? Is Koko “your place”?

Mary Obana
President and Co-Founder
Koko FitClub
Koko FitClub Franchising

 

 

On a Fit Road Trip through Koko Nation

Recently, I took my show on the road and had the pleasure of working out at Koko FitClubs around the country.  Being in a club is a very different experience than Smartraining at Koko HQ (or on the Smartrainer I have in my garage – BRR.) I really enjoyed myself.

 

The club experience is great, but what I really love is meeting YOU – our members – and hearing first hand how Smartraining is changing the way you look and feel. Here are a couple of highlights – from among many memorable encounters – of my trip through Koko Nation:

 

  • A mom and high school-aged daughter who are Smartraining partners. They came to Koko as the daughter was recovering from a serious back injury. She is bouncing back and they are both working hard and getting Koko strong. That’s the best – seeing mother working out with daughter and the power of Koko to dramatically change the quality of both their lives.
  • Members who have lost 30, 60 and even 100 pounds over the course of the last year – talk about a TRANSFORMATION. Not only have these members lost weight, they have changed their body composition. They have lost body fat and inches while building a most prized commodity – Lean Body Mass (M U S C L E). My favorite 6 letter word.
  • A wonderful member, who won a battle with breast cancer, was exercising at Koko with such an elevated spirit that I could not help to think how lucky her family is to have her.
  • Louisiana. Member after member had great things to say about Koko and why they love doing it. It was awesome. Many of the members and FitCoaches at the Lousiana Koko FitClubs have been Smartraining for more than three years. Geaux Koko!

At Koko we strive to change lives each and every day and I’m incredibly grateful for the opportunity to play a role in that. Thanks, Koko Nation, for coming out and sharing your successes with me. It means the world.

Michael Wood, CSCS
Chief Fitness Officer

Koko FitClub is Better Than Personal Training & This Former Personal Trainer is OK With That

“First they ignore you, then they laugh at you, then they fight you, then you win.” Ghandi

On occasion, Koko FitClub raises the hackles of personal trainers who don’t understand what we are about or haven’t considered that we are fighting the same battle against lifestyles that leave people at risk for the worst chronic diseases. Here’s a recent example from a Patch comment in response to a new Koko FitClub here in Massachusetts:

“If you want to transform, then having someone work with you that gets to know you, can adapt if you have injuries, can motivate you even when you are not in the mood is the only way you can achieve lasting results.  The owner and staff are not personal training certified. No one in the personal training business would ever work at a “FAD” like this.  30 Minute workout with results is great. Its like 30 minute Abs. A German company has created a 17.5 minute workout that is used in gyms and by professional soccer players and is making its way into the US.  You can get virtual training now at a regular gym and get all the benefits since all the major manufacturers of equipment are getting into the virtual training business with clients having access on a computer to their results, etc.  Comcast has 100′s of programs that customers can get for free at home without taking the time to go to a gym. Their intellectual property is not proprietary and every fitness company will be competing with them soon. FAD all over it.”

Believe me, as a former personal trainer, exercise physiologist and certified strength and conditioning specialist, I know quality personal training can change lives. Since it’s Koko FitClub’s mission to do just that, we have no desire to take clients away from personal trainers.

But – and it’s a big one – the majority of us will never hire a personal trainer. (We don’t even belong to gyms.)

We want to be fit and healthy, though. We are the people for whom Koko FitClub is in business. The masses. For us, for reasons as unique as we are, Koko is better than personal training.

And did I mention that Koko works as well and often better than personal training? (On average a 33% strength gain after 24 weeks of strength training and a 41% strength gain after a year – this based on data collected from over half a million sessions!)

I’d love to hear your thoughts on this Koko Nation, do you have anything to add?

Michael Wood, CSCS
Chief Fitness Officer
Koko FitClub

Koko FitClub Franchising

 

Exercise vs. Anxiety

I was on the elliptical doing one of Michael Wood’s latest Winter cardio programs (loving them!) and he brought up the topic of exercise and mental health, mentioning his colleague, Dr. Michael Otto, PhD., who is a researcher doing great work in this area. It is so interesting and can help so many. That audio has inspired me to revisit this blog post on the subject. Hope you enjoy!

_________

Here’s another reason to feel great about your visits to Koko FitClub. It’s long been a commonly held belief that mood is elevated by exercise. Anecdotal evidence from my own life sure supports it. Juggling work and family commitments can leave me feeling frazzled at times, but Smartraining sessions always help me regroup. It’s 30, uninterrupted minutes of MY time. So, I was interested to see a handful of recent articles touting research that supports our intuition. Psychologists are actually “prescribing” exercise as a good intervention and treatment for people with mild to moderate depression and anxiety.

My further research into the subject has led me to some fascinating findings, here are a couple you may not have heard before:

  • The immediate mood boost we have come to know as the “runners high” is actually followed by longer term relief for depression and anxiety, not unlike the relief gained from medications and therapy.
  • Exercise battles anxiety and depression better than relaxation techniques or meditation.
  • Researchers think exercise is an effective stress buster because it trains our bodies’ physiological systems to communicate and work in concert more effectively during stressful situations, which in turn raises our bodies’ threshold for stress response. (In other words, exercise is “stress practice” so your body doesn’t respond to stress with the symptoms of anxiety and depression as easily.)
  • Exercise works fast, in 25 to 30 minutes, to alleviate the symptoms of anxiety and depression. In contrast, the therapeutic benefits of medication often take weeks to kick in.

If you’d like to read more about it, here are some worthwhile online articles:

http://www.psychologytoday.com/blog/exercise-and-mood/201110/exercise-anxiety

http://www.usatoday.com/news/health/painter/2010-04-26-yourhealth26_ST_N.htm?loc=interstitialskip

http://blog.smu.edu/research/2010/04/study_prescribing_exercise_can.html

Stress Reduction and Exercise: Evidence suggest physical activity lowers stress via brain chemicals

Here’s to feeling better every day!

Mary Obana

President and Co-Founder
Koko FitClub
Koko FitClub Franchising

 

 

 

Inspired by Koko Nation in 2011!

As we wrap up the year here at Koko FitClub, we have so much to be thankful for. In 2011 we grew to 60 clubs in 26 states, and we were recently ranked for the first time in Entrepreneur Magazine’s Franchise 500.  But, it isn’t about growth for growth’s sake. We are thankful for this year’s growth because it represents one thing: more lives changed.

In the spirit of celebrating growth and lives changed, I’d like to share a handful of member stories from among the many that helped inspire the Koko team this year. In other words, I’d like to celebrate YOU!

“I am an athlete. I ran track for years, skied, golfed and ran road races. In Nov 2008 I was diagnosed with breast cancer and in 2009 went through 6 months of chemo and radiation which left my body totally depleted and without muscle tone. In comes Koko FitClub. I joined in Dec. 2009, the first member of the newly opened Needham franchise. Adam, Paul and Sara could not have been nicer or more supportive. Paul day after day patiently showed me how to use the machine and I started at the lowest weights. It’s now a year and a half later…. I have improved 100%, have muscle tone, run, ski and golf again. I couldn’t be happier with the program and love the atmosphere and people. Thank you Koko FitClub!” -Sharon G

“In September 2010 I got a virus. Adult Still’s disease! I was in bed and not moving for 3 months… weight went on and [I was] feeling bad. I knew I had to do something quick. At 54 years old I was starting to feel like 80… Then, I was in back of Corrine Murphy’s car and saw the Koko sign. I followed her car [to Koko FitClub]…Oh! It felt perfect, quiet and very Zen like…love it. I have been at Koko almost every day since joining. My joints don’t hurt when I exercise. In fact, I feel great….I hope this explains how important Koko is to me and my husband. We look better and feel better. Thank you”- Suzanne U

“Love Koko! … I’m the strongest 61 year old I know and I’ve kept osteoporosis from creeping in….I just had a bone density test and I have REVERSED my osteoporosis! I’ve been coming to Koko for 4 years and that did it. I am even off Fosomax! I’m one happy customer!”– Nancy C

“3 months with Koko and it has been the perfect complement to my Weight Watchers eating regimen! I have lost that pesky 14.8 lbs., my triglycerides have dropped from 194 to 57 and I am even sleeping better. I have been exercising all my life and was frankly bored with the whole process. Koko takes the guess work out, keeps me on track and lets me look back on my progress. I don’t have to think about anything, I just have to do it! I love the learning portion I get from Michael Wood and can hear his voice in my ear repeating his tips throughout my daily life. I love the different paths you can choose from and know of no other trainers that have that variety. The future of personal training is here and it is Koko. I feel honored to be a part of its ongoing development. I am definitely a Koko Nut!” – Michele S

These stories are just the tip of the iceberg, but a great example of the amazing, inspiring people we have the privilege of hearing from on a daily basis.

YOU are amazing and inspiring! Thank you.

Keep up the great work and keep your stories coming. And, here’s to an even happier, healthier 2012!

Mary Obana
President and Co-Founder
Koko FitClub
Koko FitClub Franchising

The New 2012 Winter Koko “Cah”dio Series is Here!

Season’s Greetings, Koko Nation!

Hard to believe we have completed a full year of seasonal Koko Cardio programs! I have appreciated your excellent feedback throughout  2011.You’ve helped me make improvements with each new  release.

Speaking of new releases,  I think you are going to love the Koko Cardio Winter 2012 series. It has a theme: outdoor adventure challenges inspired by real winter experiences. I’m really excited about these! Here’s a preview to get you fired up:

Elliptical

Blue Hills Snow Shoe – Imagine we strap on our snow shoes and hit the snowy woods in one of my favorite hiking spots outside of Boston – not far from Koko headquarters.

Cross Country Course 3 – An outdoor adventure awaits! Based on feedback, cross country ski workouts are some of your favorites. This program is great for glutes.

Advanced Cross Country – A great compliment to our Snow Sports seasonal strength program! This full body challenge will prepare you for any type of skiing this winter.

Treadmill

Five-Stage Mt. Climber 2 – Imagine yourself on a snow-capped mountain range as you work your way along peaks and valleys in this fun mountain climb.

Koko Crater Head Trail - Trade in the snow for the Hawaiian tropics! The Koko Crater Head Trail starts with a gradual upward slope, across a rickety old bridge to a steep ascent up the final leg to beautiful Botanical Gardens. To finish, we’ll head back down to the Shack in Hawaii Kai. Aloha!

Santa Monica Stairs – Again, more sun than snow, this aggressive stair climb is the same workout that Koko trainers Rob Parr and Kathy Kaehler  have actually done with their celebrity clientele. Climb two sets of stairs near Santa Monica Beach, 300 and 180 steps, respectively. Work out like a celeb!

Have fun with these and as always, let me know what you think.

Here’s to your health and good cheer this holiday season!

Michael Wood, CSCS
Chief Fitness Officer
Koko FitClub, LLC

Koko FitClub Franchising

 

Koko Cardio Workouts: Need to Adjust Intensity?

Happy Thursday, Koko Nation!

By now you know, Koko FitClub’s Smartraining exercise prescription is a weekly goal of 3 strength training and 4 cardio sessions. It is no coincidence that this totals the 150 minutes of moderate intensity exercise each week that, according to health agencies such as the World Health Organization, the Center for Disease Control and the US Surgeon General, imparts numerous benefits to your health.

Let’s focus for a moment on Koko Cardio. Each program has been designed to fall into one of three intensity categories: low, moderate or high intensity. You are able to select a program based on your individual needs on both the treadmill and elliptical machines. Sometimes, though, a program may be a bit too difficult or too challenging. Maybe you are new to Koko and just getting a feel for what your right intensity level is, or you are a certified Koko Nut and it’s time to ramp it up. Either way, you don’t want to stop what you are doing and start a new program.

What should you do?

As I coach you in many of my Cardio programs – “Lower the intensity if it is too hard for you today or kick it up a notch if you are feeling good! ”

Here’s how I want you to do this:

On the TreadmillAlways try to preserve the incline if at all possible. If you find that you can’t reach out and touch the console, reduce the speed. Why keep the incline up vs. the speed? You expend more calories hiking compared to flat walking.

On the EllipticalSimilar rules apply to the elliptical, but incline on this machine is called cross-ramp. If you are having a hard time keeping up, try to maintain the suggested cross-ramp and strides per minute. You can lower the intensity by dropping the resistance.

So, if you’re having difficulty keeping up with my Koko Cardio coaching, it’s okay! Just remember, the best way to reduce intensity and still  maintain efficient calorie burn on the treadmill is by reducing speed but following suggested incline. For the elliptical, reduce resistance, but keep up cross-ramp and strides per minute.

Michael Wood, CSCS
Chief Fitness Officer
Koko FitClub

P.S. Since the average person consumes 619 extra calories a day over the Holiday season, (Thanksgiving to the New Year,) let’s all get to our Koko FitClubs and check Smartraining off our “to do” lists for today!

Happy Holidays!

 

The Koko FitClub Dynamic Warm-Up

Koko FitClub members and guests often ask me, “Should I stretch before a workout?”  My answer is simple:

Don’t stretch before a workout…WARM UP!

For years, people have been misled to believe that stretching cold muscles before they exercise makes for a better, safer workout. Research shows, it doesn’t.  In fact, multiple studies have proven that “static” stretching cold joints, ligaments, tendons and muscles before you exercise can actually reduce workout performance, and can even cause injury instead of preventing it.

The best way to prepare your body for greater workout results is to WARM UP through dynamic (active) movements. That means getting your body moving and blood flowing to the extremities so that muscles are ready to perform.

That’s why Koko FitClub has developed our new Dynamic Warm-Up Program to dynamically warm up your body before EVERY Koko Smartraining session. Like everything at Koko, we’ve made it easy to do, and fast.  In just 4-5 minutes you’ll be ready to go!

How to Warm Up Before a Smartrainer Strength Session

  • NEW! Koko Smartrainer Warm-Up – Ask your FitCoach for details!
The Koko Smartrainer Warm-Up is coming soon to your local Koko FitClub. Before inserting your Koko Key, hit the WARM-UP button on the Smartrainer strength screen. You’ll be guided through a few minutes of simple, weight-free exercises designed to get the blood flowing to your arms and legs and get you mentally prepared to do your best.

 

How to Warm Up Before a Strength Test

  • NEW! Koko Cardio Strength Test Warm-Up:
Before each strength test, Koko recommends 15 minutes of low-intensity cardio work to prepare the body and mind for optimal results on your strength test. Two Koko Cardio “Strength Test Warm-Up” programs are now available for treadmill or elliptical. Hear coaching tips from Michael Wood on how to get the best strength test results possible.

 

How to Warm Up Before my Koko Cardio Sessions

  • Each Koko Cardio session already contains a built-in warm-up phase, so no need for additional warm-up activity…just plug in and GO!

So, get fired up for better performance on YOUR next Koko Smartraining session with the new Koko Warm-Up options. Make sure to ask your Koko FitCoach for all the details.  We know you’ll love the results!

Yours in good health,

Michael Wood, CSCS
Chief Fitness Officer
Koko FitClub

Triple Progressive System: The Secret to Getting STRONG with Koko

Stick to your Koko FitClub strength training prescription – 3 workouts a week on the Koko Smartrainer – and you get great results.

(On average a 33% strength gain after 24 weeks of strength training and a 41% strength gain after a year.)

You know it works,  but ever wonder how? A big reason is because the Koko Smartrainer’s patented technology uses the Triple Progressive System.

Say what?

pro·gres·sion/prəˈgreSHən/

Noun:

  1. A movement or development toward a destination or a more advanced state, esp. gradually or in stages.
  2. A succession; a series.

Progression is extremely important when it comes to exercise program design in the following areas:

  1. Exercise Progression – Advancing from basic to complex exercises with same exercise group. For example, going from a Squat to a Squat to Upright Row to a Squat to Upright Row with Heel Raise.
  2. Pace Progression – Slowing down the pace of each exercise within each exercise session and over the course of a 24 session program. This, in turn,  increases the “time under tension,” progressing from 30 to 45 to 60 seconds.
  3. % RM Progression – Progressively increasing the resistance or the load throughout a program – typically from 55% RM up to 80% RM. (RM is “repetition maximum” – the most weight you can lift for a defined number of exercise movements.)

…Now you understand “Triple!”

It’s hard to do on your own, but Koko precisely works progression in all three areas into each and every session and throughout all 100 Smartraining programs without you having to do a thing!

Koko’s Triple Progressive System =  a simpler, safer, more effective workout and great RESULTS!!

Pretty cool, isn’t it?

In Good Health,

Michael Wood, CSCS
Chief Fitness Officer
Koko FitClub

Turn Back the Clock to a More Youthful, Fit You

Brrrrr! It’s cold and DARK here in the northeast. And in another week, we will be turning the clocks back. We could very easily go into hibernation mode. Instead, let’s embrace the alternate meaning of the phrase turn back the clock. Reclaim your youth. Koko Smartraining can do just that. Help you turn back the clock...

Even in the “olden days” people wanted to stay young. In 1513, legend has it that Ponce de León landed in what is now Florida, searching for the fountain of youth. The Spaniard had no luck finding the restorative waters, but his name is forever associated with the quest for youth and longevity. In modern times we are seemingly all Ponce de Leóns- seekers of youth who spend crazy money on creams and plastic surgery and antioxidant packed beverages. We are looking  in the wrong place.

One of the best ways to get a body that can hold out against the nastiest side effects of aging is not found in a jar or on an OR table; It’s being active and maintaining lean muscle tissue. Koko Smartraining will help you feel like you’ve turned back the clock by building and maintaining the muscle that slows down the effects of time on your body.

You might not want to hear it, but here are some cold, hard facts about your aging body:

If you aren’t doing something about it, your body loses a half pound of lean muscle tissue every year after the age of 25. This doesn’t mean you are just losing a half of pound of weight each year, (wouldn’t that be great?) your body is losing its most critical mass. Rapidly. This is bad. Lean muscle tissue is what keeps your metabolism high, burning lots of calories, keeping your weight under control and giving you strength and energy to go about your life. As the percent lean muscle in your body drops, you begin to notice a lot of things we write off as symptoms of “getting old.” Middle age spread, low energy, poor range of motion, lack of balance and flexibility; all can be attributed in very large part to diminished lean muscle tissue.

Now the good news: That “if” heading up the last paragraph? It’s a big one. It means you aren’t completely powerless in the face of what the progressing years are doing to your body. Turn back the clock…

With strength training, you can gain back what you’ve lost and rev up that sluggish metabolism. You can also build more lean muscle tissue than you’ve lost. A 60 year old man with the same muscle mass as an average 25 year old, will have the metabolism of an average 25 year old. Isn’t that incredible? Three 30 minute trips on the Koko Smartrainer each week, consistently, is all it takes. All it takes to turn back the clock

Strength training on the Koko Smartrainer also fights back other symptoms of aging. It prevents bone loss and improves bone density. It improves flexibility, balance and range of motion in joints and tendons. This leaves you with a much lower risk for falls and injuries and much better mobility and independence as you move through your later years. You can be the 90 year old no one believes is a day over 70. Turn back the clock…

Isn’t it a great feeling to know that you aren’t powerless against aging and the march of time?  So, don’t just turn back the clock next weekend, start today. At your Koko FitClub.

Mary Obana

President & Co-Founder
Koko FitClub

A well written, informative story on the topic of muscles loss and aging  can be found on NPR at http://n.pr/91aLmm