I’m very excited to announce that I am opening Garage Wear, a small retail outlet in Molly’s Lane in lower Gibsons! I’ll be carrying fitness, yoga and casual wear from BC designers/manufacturers in technical fabrics (wicking for comfort during activity, etc.) or sustainable and natural fibres such as bamboo, hemp, and soy. I’m starting off with some things from Public Myth and HT Naturals, I’ll be adding things from Victoria’s Ellswear and am looking at other local lines as well – my goal is find clothes for active people that look good on all sizes and shapes.

My opening will coincide with the Grand Opening Celebration of Molly’s Lane Market, which has just had a change of ownership. Things are moving quickly—right now there is a 50% off toy sale (great time to pick up Christmas and birthday gifts) and retailer Blue Magnolia is also selling everything at 25% off as they prepare to move.

I hope you can join us on Saturday, July 11th for opening celebrations including a joint fashion show featuring Garage Wear, Bodacious Fashions and Starlet Vintage – the show starts at 2 pm in The Lane!

Hope you’re enjoying the fabulous weather we’ve been having! Just a few notes to pass on to you:

Yoga – Thursday evening Yoga with Tania Flynn will be going on hiatus for the summer – only 2 more evenings to enjoy a relaxing class—I believe she may do a Restorative Yoga Class to end off the season on June 30th. Please email to reserve your spot for this class – 7 – 8:15 pm tonight and next week!

Yoga in the fall – Yoga will resume in the fall with an additional class with Siobhán Smith which we are scheduling for Sunday early evenings from 5pm – 6pm! This will be a great way to end of your weekend / start your week. But more news on this class toward the end of summer

Fitness Bootcamp Challenge – we have 1 more week left in our current Fitness Challenge Bootcamp (ends June 26th). I am taking a short break and heading for some R & R in the Okanagan for a few days through the long weekend and beginning a new Challenge on Monday, July 6th. This class has been really great at Bonniebrook Beach with all the great weather – I’m so happy to see people achieve such great results! If you’d like to join the next challenge please let me know asap!

Stay tuned for some exciting news on upcoming Fitness Challenges heating up for the summer!

Pay What You Can Bootcamp continues Sunday mornings from 11 to noon at Dougall Park in Lower Gibsons. This is a great way to try out a bootcamp class and help the Gibsons Food Bank at the same time. Cash donations accepted as well as non-perishable food items – please email or call to pre-register. Drop-ins welcome!

Fitness Strength Circuit – Join me for a drop-in weight training circuit that incorporates strength, cardio and core every Thursday from 5:30 – 6:30. This class is a great addition to personal training sessions, you miss a bootcamp class or you want to do some strength training in a fun class atmosphere! $10 drop-in, but please call to let me know you’re coming!

Music Notes…

Sunshine Coast Youth Idol - Peter Beauchamp & I have been producing the Sunshine Coast Idol series and are heading into the last 2 nights of Sunshine Coast Youth Idol. There are some outstanding young talents here on the Coast—come and vote for your favourites Tuesday evenings at Sailor Dan’s in Gibsons. Pick up a number from 5pm to ensure your spot when the doors open at 6pm (show at 6:30).

Paul Steenhuis and I will be playing jazz with keyboardist extraordinaire, JJ Wagler at Sailor Dan’s Friday (tomorrow) evening from 8 – 10 pm and at Pack Ratt Louie’s on Saturday. Hope to see you at one of these gigs!

Frequently Asked Questions about The Garage!

I get a fair amount of emails asking about The Garage and how it works -- hopefully, this answers a few of those questions!

How many square feet is your garage?

It’s small! It’s about 26’ x 18’ so…, under 500 sf. But it’s big enough for personal training and small classes (I have classes of up to 6 people inside) – I have a cement drive-way outside that is about 10’ wide by 20’ as well, so, when it’s nice, I can have people skipping, etc. outside and the garage door open. The biggest challenge was to get equipment that wasn’t going to take up a lot of floor space, so the stairmaster and small-footprint bike work perfectly. And, instead of a lat-pulldown (back exercises being more difficult to do efficiently without some sort of pull-down type machine--although I also have a squat rack), I sourced out what is, effectively, a functional trainer, although they called it a cable crossover (Body Solid makes it)… it’s commercial-rated but a fraction of the price of more commonly used gym models – it’s slightly lighter duty but, since I’m not a public gym I don’t get really heavy lifters or undue wear & tear anyway and I love that machine! It also snugs in pretty close to the wall and is great for pull-downs, pull-ups, cable crossovers, rows--anything you can imagine with a pulley.

How did/do your clients react when they hear that they will be training in a garage?

I’ve had a few of my clients for over 3 years (since I opened!). They love it. It’s private and nobody cares what you wear. I have had quite a few people who never want to set foot in a gym for whatever reason—this way they can start in private and maybe take it to a public gym later. It’s also well insulated and I spent a lot of time (but not a lot of money) making it look cosy.

I bought my house and it didn’t have a garage so I had it built 4 years ago—I wasn’t originally intending it to be a gym—that is just kind of how it worked out. There is no bathroom, which is one of the downfalls, people have to use the one in the house but it hasn’t been too much of a problem other than the house has to be tidy and I keep the bathroom stocked with guest towels, etc.

Did you have to get a special liscence from your municipality to operate out of the garage?

I just happen to be outside of the “town” limits and in the regional district so I am exempt from business license fees and zoning restrictions. That was pure luck but definitely made it possible to do, although a personal training studio is, I believe, much like any other home-based business or alternative care provider (massage, chiro) where you normally would have a single client at a time, therefore the rules may be slightly more relaxed than if you were planning to be a “gym”. I do have additional insurance on the premises and make sure that all my equipment is commercial-rated.

Can you compare your experience of where you worked before the garage to your experience now?

My last “job” was actually writing and graphic design (which I still do free-lance). I was working full-time and getting my PT certification at the same time – I love being able to roll out of bed and be at work in 10 minutes (or so). And having my own gym is a dream come true! Very low overhead now that it’s completely outfitted. I’m an entrepreneurial type as well, so working “for” other people has never really agreed with me.

What benefits do you and your clients see with the garage gym?

All of the above ;-)

Summer News

Bootcamp on the Beach – with added early classes to suit your schedule!

Well, with the weather looking more like summer these days, we’re taking our bootcamp back to the beach! We’ve just finished the second week of our current Fitness Bootcamp Challenge – the next 4-week Challenge will start on June 1st! For those who prefer an earlier start I’ve added a 6am class to make it 3 classes/day (M/W/F) with your choice of 6 am, 7am or 7pm. Classes will be held with a minimum registration of 5 - call me at 604-886-3114 for more info – register early as spaces fill up fast!

Pay-What-You-Can Bootcamp Sundays to Benefit the Gibsons Food Bank!

If you are interested in trying out a bootcamp, please join us Sundays at 11 am at Dougall Park in lower Gibsons for an hour of fun, body weight exercises. This class will continue through August with proceeds benefiting the Gibsons Food Bank (administered by the Salvation Army). Anyone interested is invited to attend—non-perishable food items accepted! Please email me at the_garage@telus.net for more information or if you would like to pre-register! Drop-ins are also welcome.

Yoga Continuing Through the Summer

Yoga with Tania Flynn continues Thursday evenings from 7 – 8:15 pm. Please call 604-886-3114 or email me at the_garage@telus.net to pre-register as space is limited. Tania is leading a very relaxing and invigorating restorative yoga class once a month—with the next one scheduled for this upcoming Thursday—May 21st.

Please check my website http://www.the-garage-fitness.com/ for info on other classes and/or personal training – have a great Spring/Summer and I hope to see you soon!

Music events:

I will be performing JAZZ next weekend (May 22nd and 23rd) at Sailor Dans across from the Sunnycrest Mall in Gibsons. Please call 604 886-9112 to reserve. Accompanying me will be JJ on keys/bass and Paul Steenhuis on guitar/bass – come and check out the fabulous tapas menu and some great jazz!

On Saturday, June 6th I’ll be at Gramma’s Pub in lower Gibsons as part of the Gibsons Jazz Festival – joining me will be Sacha Fassaert – guitar/bass, Paul Steenhuis guitar/bass, and Doug Howden on drums,

May 10 – Move For Health Day launches Pay-What-You-Can Bootcamp Sundays in Gibsons!

About Move for Health Day

The World Health Organization urges its member states to promote Move for Health Day annually to raise awareness of physical activity as essential to health and well-being.
Since 2002, the World Health Organization has promoted Move for Health Day (MFHD) as a global day of physical activity. The BC Recreation and Parks Association (BCRPA) and partners have led this initiative to bring awareness and life to this campaign in BC. May 10, Move for Health Day, is now a contributing factor to the province's efforts to meet the 20% physical activity goal for a healthier BC in 2010. The day has captured the imaginations of many and is becoming a launching pad for summer activity routines.

Last year, approximately 68,026 British Columbians from all corners of the Province got moving on Move for Health Day. Through the efforts of community programmers and leaders and many other motivated individuals our goal for 2009 is to have 200 events registered and 70,000 British Columbians getting active!

Pay-What-You-Can Boot Camp – Affordable Fitness for All to Benefit the Gibsons Food Bank

This year, as part of the Move For Health Day I'm inviting everyone to participate in a Pay-What-You-Can Boot Camp workout at 11 am on Sunday, May 10th at Dougall Park in lower Gibsons. This bootcamp will continue on Sundays through the summer with proceeds benefiting the Gibsons Food.

Get Fit and Help the Gibsons Food Bank - If funds are tight, this boot camp is a great way to get in a weekend workout for little to no money… it’ll include lots of great body-weight moves that require no equipment and can be done anytime, anywhere! And, for those who have been thinking of giving a bootcamp a try but want to find out what it’s all about, It’s a great way to get a taste of boot camp in the great outdoors without making a big time or money commitment—it will also benefit the Gibsons Food Bank with cash donations or contributions of non-perishable food items.

To Cleanse, or not to Cleanse

I was at a fitness networking event some time ago and met a woman who, as well as being a personal trainer, was touting the virtues of some particular "cleanse" -- and, it sounded to me, making a good portion of her income, selling it to her clients and anyone else who would listen. "You carry so many pounds of undigested matter in your intestines"... "need to rid the body of toxins".... and so on, and so on...

I recieved emails for months attempting to entice me into trying it and I think I finally blocked her email address because 1) this hard-sell approach to marketing just does not sit well with me and 2) I haven't heard any empirical evidence to support the necessity for "cleansing" or "detoxifying".

I have a very forward-thinking MD (she keeps herself well informed on alternative therapies) and I spoke to her briefly about it and she echoed my feeling that there were no studies to suggest that there was any need for any of these (sometimes expensive) therapies. I also have a client who is a doctor who advised that many of these cleanses simply act as laxatives and posited that Metamucil would work just as well for a fraction of the cost.

I have no doubt that eating a healthy diet that limits things like saturated fats, sugar, alcohol, processed meats; and advocates lots of raw fruits and vegetables will help anyone feel better and aid in weight loss. I also feel that, for most people, the occasional "fast" (choose any one you like--one-day lemon water, all grapefruit for a week, pureed soups for a month) would make one feel lighter (you would definately lose weight though you may also be malnourished) and is probably not harmful... but I don't believe them to be necessary or beneficial in "detoxifying".

And some links that echo my thoughts on this (and yes, you will find a myriad of websites that tout the benefits of various detox cleanses--all with no empirical basis). In the end (no pun intended) it's a personal choice--me? I'll stick with the healthy eating and exercise, thanks.

Canadian Living Article

Ninemsn Article

Choice Website

Boston Globe

***Press Release***

Verna Chan, Debra Shields, Randy Goodridge, Andrea Kobus, Matt Morris, Tania Flynn Photo by Marlene Lowden

If you’ve listened to morning show host Matt Morris on CKAY radio in the last few weeks, you’ll have heard him talking about his experiences in the 2009 Fitness Challenge Bootcamp with radio show listeners Andrea Kobus and Randy Goodridge.

After an intense six week test of stamina, strength and tenacity, the victor has been determined in the Challenge Bootcamp presented by The Garage Private Personal Training Studio and CKAY Radio. The contestants, Andrea Kobus and Randy Goodridge, secured their spots in February by calling CKAY during the morning show, and then having their names drawn to workout with Matt at the Garage three times a week for a six week period that ended on Friday, March 13.

Both contestants were weighed and measured and tested on strength and endurance at the start of the competition and again on the final day. During their 6-weeks of training, Andrea, Randy and Matt, were put through the paces by BCRPA Certified Personal Trainer Verna Chan with agility, strength, core and cardio drills. Friday the 13th turned out to be lucky for Randy Goodridge who “inched” out his competitor by showing the greatest overall improvement to secure first place. In addition to making major gains in his fitness level, Randy jogs away with a Secret Soak Package from The Rockwater Resort, a natural fibre hoody from Windsong Gallery in Sechelt, a $100 gift certificate from Romantique in Lower Gibsons, and 4 hours of housekeeping services from Blissful Homecare in Gibsons. Runner-up, Andrea Kobus, who also showed considerable fitness improvements, recieves a $50 gift certificate from Pack Ratt Louie’s Grill in Gibsons.

Indoor and outdoor bootcamps continue at the Garage with a new six-week challenge which began on March 16th and another starting in April – call the Garage at 604-886-3114 for more information.