Juan smiling in pool with trainer Joy

Day One Journey: Checking In With Juan At The Halfway Mark

In late 2021, we asked our members, “What’s Your Day One?” Dozens of members shared their 2022 fitness goals with us, and we chose four members to follow on their journeys from Day One to Goal Accomplished! Juan is now halfway through his journey to learn to swim and we catch up with him below.

It’s been six weeks since Juan had his first private swimming lesson with FFC Personal Trainer Joy Miles. In these first six weeks of training, Juan has learned how to balance his body in the water, both on his back and prone with his face in the water, how to breathe comfortably in the water and how to develop his swim stroke. Let’s take a look back at weeks 3 – 6 of Juan’s training.

Week 3

During Week 3 of his journey, Juan takes us along as he prepares for his training session with Joy. Juan is also practicing on his own to work on the drills and skills Joy has been teaching during their sessions. With swim practice, “sometimes you’ve gotta dive right in,” Juan said.

Related: Click Here To Learn More About Juan and His Goal

Week 4

In Week 4, Juan takes a trip to the FFC Spa to get his first Deep Tissue Massage with FFC Massage Therapist Michelle Mendoza. Michelle herself is a swimmer, and she said when she is working with swimmers, there is typically a pattern of tightness on the back of the body, including the glutes, shoulders and neck.

Michelle recommends that swimmers get a Deep Tissue Massage at least once a month if not twice a month.

“What you’re doing is bringing more blood to muscle groups with a deep tissue [massage],” she said. “The blood then is supplying those muscle tissues with more healing benefits.”

Massage can benefit everyone’s daily lives, and Juan is already looking forward to his next appointment.

“[The massage] went really well, it was very relaxing,” Juan said. “I will definitely do this again in the future.”

Week 5

Each of the participants in our Day One program is paired with a FFC Registered Dietitian to help guide them as they take on a new fitness routine. In Week 5, Juan meets with FFC Registered Dietitian McKayla Braender.

After his first meeting with McKayla, Juan had a number of takeaways, mainly that he needs to prioritize taking a lunch break during the work day and increase his protein intake.

McKayla asked Juan to keep a food journal to get a better idea of his eating habits, his likes and his dislikes in order to best individualize her nutrition guidance. This practice will also help Juan become more aware of his nutrition habits.

“She has taught me to be more mindful of what I’m eating and what nutritional value that could provide,” Juan said.

Because swimming is a total body workout that burns a lot of calories, McKayla said swimmers should focus on having a great pre-workout snack that is easily digestible – like a banana, apple sauce, a plain bagel or fruit snacks.

Post-workout, McKayla said swimmers should focus on refueling carbohydrate stores and adding in more fiber. Brown rice, whole wheat toast or whole wheat pasta are great choices to replenish energy stores when paired with a protein.

Week 6

As Juan reaches his halfway mark in Week 6, he shares that he is getting more comfortable in the water and can see that progress is being made.

“I feel more comfortable as a swimmer, thanks to my instructor Joy,” Juan said. “Joy’s taught me the importance of working with the water and not trying to fight against it.”

One of the things Joy suggested to help Juan get more comfortable putting his face in the water is to grab a large mixing bowl, fill it with water, put his face in the water with his goggles on and exhale out in the water.

After he is more comfortable with breathing in the water, Joy will be working on stroke development with Juan.

“I feel great about the program so far,” Juan said. “I feel like I am gaining new life skills, and we’ll see how it all plays out in the end!”

Keep an eye out for new episodes weekly about Juan’s journey at youtube.com/FitnessFormulaClubs.

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Post written by FFC Contributor Natalie Casper.

Dumbbells on a weight rack in a gym

Got Dumbbells? Grab A Set And Complete This 15 Minute Workout

Dumbbells are ubiquitous when it comes to exercise equipment. Whether you’re walking into a state-of-the-art fitness facility or a hotel gym, you can be certain you’ll have a dumbbell rack at your disposal for your workout.

Dumbbells are a versatile tool that can be used for a ton of different exercises, including unilateral work. This no-fuss piece of equipment packs a punch — dumbbells activate several muscle groups at the same time to provide a total body burn. Grab a pair of dumbbells and try out these exercises for your next strength day at the gym.

Dumbbell Safety And Etiquette

There are a few important safety and etiquette reminders to be aware of when exercising with dumbbells.

  1. Do not drop the dumbbells – they will bounce!
  2. Make sure you have a nice firm grip when holding dumbbells.
  3. When you’re finished with your dumbbells, wipe them down.
  4. When finished, re-rack the weights in the corresponding spot on the weight rack.

Related: When is the last time you used one of these weight machines at the gym?

How To Do A Romanian Deadlift (RDL)

The first exercise is the Romanian Deadlift or RDL. To begin, hold the dumbbells with a strong grip right in front of your thighs. Keeping a soft bend at the knee, slowly hinge at the hips as if something is pulling your hips toward the wall behind you. Dumbbells should remain close to your shins as you hinge. When your back reaches a flat position, stand back up tall bringing your hips forward. That’s one rep!

How To Do A Squat

The next movement is the squat, and you only need one dumbbell for this exercise. Holding the weight vertically at your chest, place your hands underneath the top bell. Hug your elbows in close to the rib cage to activate your lats. Maintain a tall posture through the chest and upper back. Place your feet hip-width apart and pull yourself down into a seated position. Knees will track slightly out. Drive through the floor to return to a standing position. That’s one rep!

How To Do A Three-Point Row

To perform a three-point row, you will need one dumbbell and a bench – or any sturdy surface. Position yourself close to the bench and place your left arm on the bench. Press into the bench with a locked elbow to keep your lats engaged. With your feet hip-width apart and knees soft, pull your right hand (which is holding the dumbbell) toward your hip. Return to the starting position and repeat. Make sure to repeat this movement with the dumbbell in the opposite hand!

How To Do A Chest Press

The last exercise is the chest press. You will use two dumbbells and a bench for this exercise. Have a seat on the bench, placing dumbbells on your thighs. With a firm grip on the dumbbells, lay down on the bench. Make sure your feet are driving into the ground, and your neck should be relaxed on the bench. As you press the dumbbells up, try to get your wrist, elbows and shoulder to align. Pull the weights down nice and slow and repeat.

15 Minute Dumbbell Workout

The format for this dumbbell workout is 30 seconds of work followed by 30 seconds of rest. Here is the workout:

Circuit One:

Romanian Deadlift for 30 seconds

Rest – 30 seconds

Chest Press for 30 seconds

Rest – 30 seconds to 1 minute

Repeat this circuit for a total of 3 rounds, before moving on to this next set below.

Circuit Two:

Squat for 30 seconds

Rest – 30 seconds

Three Point Row – Left Arm for 30 seconds

Rest – 30 seconds

Three Point Row – Right Arm for 30 seconds

Rest – 30 seconds

Repeat this circuit for a total of 3 rounds, and your dumbbell workout is done! This workout should take you about 15 minutes to complete.

Related: Looking for more workouts? Try this 20 Minute Kettlebell Workout

Contact us for a free training session

Post written by FFC Contributor Natalie Casper. Video and workout courtesy of FFC Fitness Director Mario Dato.