Sunday, August 4, 2013

Number 1 FAQ (what is blue chip?)

"What is Blue Chip?"
A fitness and training company that offers personal training, power yoga, bootcamps and other services...

"Yeah, I get that... but what is Blue Chip? What does it mean?  Whats it all about?"

I hear this question often and I usually create a distraction to not answer... I do that often with personal things.
We had dinner with my good friend and his wife last night and he shared a story about when someone asked him that question and he probably answered it best, but still not fully... but still better than I've ever bothered to.  "Its training at a certain level of intensity."
As I wrote that, I guess that is the best definition.

I've been using the phrase "That was Blue Chip," in the training aspect for as long as I could remember.   When I used to train in corporate gyms, my sessions were at another level and my client would do something awesome and I'd say "that was a Blue Chip session right there," or "that was one serious Blue Chip set, awesome."  It just started popping out.

In my head, it represents training with a plan, limited thinking outside of form, no outside thoughts to distract, yet fully aware.  Its about finding the zone.  When we're in the zone and training how I just described, special things happen.
I train athletes, I work with teams, I train regular people like us, I train beginners, I train advanced, I train people who are looking for another level.   For me, when you train with a bunch of commotion or talking or things going on around you, its very hard to move freely and train the way you want to.  Getting the space to move and being comfortable enough to let loose a little, that's important.
Somehow, some way, I don't train average people... or maybe the training and environment bring something out.  I think when people train with me, they know I don't care about the BS (aka excuses.)  Everyone learns that pretty much on day 1.  Its not a harsh thing, I think I actually make it kind of entertaining (or annoying depending on your view).
"I dont think I can do it."
Oh no?  Thats ok, your body thinks you can so go right ahead.
Then it happens and wallah... trust is formed.

annnnnnd.. I'm already losing my thoughts :)

"What goes on there?"
Which was a question I actually just answered (sort of) earlier today.  A few people asked me last week to post the workouts and I kind of responded in a dicky way.  I left it bland with very little detail.
Why?
Because I could write it all out (maybe) but you wouldn't feel it.  On paper, it probably doesn't look like much.  But on that particular night, I knew we were training for 60 minutes with no equipment.  Had I written that, people may have thought "ummmm that sucks, I'm going to the gym," and I cant really blame them.  I always post a pic of notes spread out across the... i don't know what its called :)  I thought it would come to me.  Notes.  I Google the notes the Jimmy Hendrix "Little Wing," which for me is just the most amazing guitar I've ever heard.  And my point is on paper, you have no idea what it is, how it sounds, how it feels, anything.... Its just paper.  You have to feel it and experience it to "get it."  That probably reads super ego, but its just an analogy.

Side-note:  I hate the ME stuff.  I've said it so many times, I never wanted to run a class.  I wanted to be invisible and just help steer things from the scenes.  But now, I see where its needed.  I see where people need to know what this Bootcamp/Power Plus guy is about... maybe thatll help draw the picture and answer the question.

The advantage Blue Chip has vs competitors is in the personal training, and yet has nothing to do with personal training.
I've told this story before... I was "auditioning," for a job in Beachwood and the owner new I was a coach and worked with athletes but felt I was down playing things when working with the general public.  A client was coming in for an appt and he said "This next client is trying to get a D1 scholarship... he's a wide receiver."  So I'm think "HELL YES!"  20 minutes later, in walks Carol...
Not a D1 athletes but a 45 yr old stay at home mom trying to lose 20 lbs.  The owner says "D1 athlete, no difference."  From that day fwd, things changed for me.  I stopped trying to keep people at 6's and 7's and shot for 9's and 10's.  No more keeping one foot on the throttle, it was time to go go go go go.
But he didn't hire me and I've since thanked him for it.
I've trained along side and learned from some of the absolute best people in the business, or at least the branch of the industry I've chosen.  I've worked with coaches and trainers who are or were top professional and college trainers.  Penn State had the top in the nation up until recently (they may still, but I don't go anymore to know).  I used to go up there and ask question after question after question.  Eventually, they just started emailing me their workouts and manuals, probably just to get me to go away :)  I was like a little kid who just wouldn't stop saying "why?"  Between the National Personal Training Institute, the experiences at Penn State, all the countless shadowing I went through... with no ego at all... I thought I sucked and needed to learn and soak up everything I could.  Id ask trainers all the time "can I hang with you?  Can I watch you next session?" just to learn how they put things together.  And this wasn't in some rinky gym, this was w a guy who was recognized as a top 20 trainer in the entire nation.

So how or why does the above statement make any sense, the advantage vs competitors.  The boots, the classes, the work with the teams, its personal.  If I had a class of 50, how could I possibly know everyone names and know how to lock you in?  How could I know enough about to motivate you?  The people who train in my boots, its basically a 1 on 1 session in a group format.  

Why Blue Chip?
Because its personal.  You're not a client here, you're a member.  A real member.  You're on a team.    Your results are my results.  Your experience is my experience.  My mission is to do everything I can, any way I can, to help you become as absolutely healthy as possible.  150%.
If you need me to come to your house to talk to your family, I'm coming over.
If you need to me help you grocery shop, lets set up a time.
If your team is acting like a bunch of babies with no work ethic, what time do you want me there?
This is my life, its not a job.  I will go anywhere and do anything to make it happen.

So Andy was right... There's a certain level of intensity here... and its kind of addicting.





This Is Blue Chip