1.What is your favorite part about Geneva Fitness?

I’ve always loved the gym atmosphere since I was able to pick up a dumbbell. The thing I like most is the clientele. The majority of people you encounter in the fitness industry are driven people. I’ve had the pleasure over the last 4 years of networking and building friendships with a lot of my members. I feel you’re able to accomplish a lot when you surround yourself with goal oriented individuals.

2.What questions do you get asked most often? And how do you answer them?

One of the questions I get asked most often would be about supplements. Usually, my response to that is you should worry more about your diet before you worry about supplements because they are used to supplement what you are not getting enough of in your diet. There are different body types and different goals. Your diet will depend on whether or not you’re trying to lose weight, body build etc. So I never really give a solid answer to that, just because what is working for me won’t exactly work for someone with a different diet, workout routine, or all around life style.

3.What is your favorite cardio activity?

Honestly, I absolutely hate cardio. Running on a treadmill or using an elliptical is torture for me. If I am to do a 50 minute to an hour of cardio, I like to break it up where it is half treadmill and half elliptical. I think my ADD kicks in if I am on a piece of equipment for too long. During the spring and summer I prefer to run outside.

4.What is your biggest pet peeve at the gym?

Oh man, there’s actually quite a few. The major one would be not putting your weights away. If you can get a weight out and use it then you can put it back. Another would be not wiping equipment down when you’re done using it – that is just disrespectful to the other gym members and gross.

5.What is your favorite time to work out?

That would be around 1 or 2pm. That is usually the time when no one is in and I can get all my lifts in with zero interruptions and really be ‘in the zone’.

6.What does your workout routine look like?

I switch my routine up constantly. You need to mix things up to shock your body otherwise your body will just get used to and expect the workout. My days will alternate from week to week but I separate my body parts into 5-6 days a week. For example; Legs Monday, Chest Tuesday, Back Wednesday, Thursday Biceps/Triceps, Shoulders Friday, and Core Saturday. That’s of course with cardio mixed into certain days. I’ve never been a big fan of doubling up body parts. I have always seen better results from isolating one body part each day. Again, that’s me and what works for me won’t work for everyone.

7.At what points in your workout should you stretch?

I’m more into warming up than stretching when it comes to weightlifting. Depending on what I’m working on I will do a warm up type exercise and then do a couple of warm up sets. Sometimes there is a little bit of stretching, but it is incorporated into the warm up for that exercise. You should never over stretch before or after your workout to prevent strains.

8.Does it drive you crazy when you don’t exercise?

Yes, yes it does. I was always a skinny kid growing up so once I started lifting weights and seeing results, I never wanted to lose any progress. I think hardcore gym goers are super critical of themselves, myself included. There is a drive there to keep going and not consider failure as an option. To this day I still see that skinny kid in the mirror and it motivates me to do my best.

9.What’s the biggest mistake a fitness newbie can make?

Not getting proper form down. A lot of people are more concerned with trying to put up a lot of weight and in doing so they fall into bad habits that can hurt them in the long run. I’ve seen people swinging weights up and completely neglecting the body part they think they are working. So before you start increasing your weight learn proper technique and understand what muscles you are working for each exercise. Doing it right is much more important than how much you are lifting.

10.Why is Batman your favorite superhero?

I think Batman was the first superhero I gravitated to when I was a child. I remember collecting the ToyBiz  DC Comics Superhero action figures in the early 90’s. I started collecting Batman comics, many of which I still have sealed away. Batman just has a very strong moral code regarding his choice to never kill an enemy. He goes to extreme lengths to defeat his villains without seriously injuring them and more times than not they break out again and cause chaos. No matter what he will never lower himself to their level and commit murder. Plus, he’s just super badass.

Bonus Question

If you have three apples and four oranges in one hand. And four apples and three oranges in the other. What would you have?

Big King Kong Carl sized hands!