Shin,

I am a 30-year-old male with a wife and two daughters (2 and 4 years old).  I work as an Environmental Specialist for a private electric company in Tampa, Florida. I am also a certified trainer (even though it is not my full time job) and have been working out routinely since I was 14 years old. I maintained a pretty athletic build until about 3 years ago. Due to various life circumstances, such as having children and trying to juggle a professional job while finding time to spend with my family, I began to put on weight in the wrong places in the course of three years.

The most difficult part for me was that I did not understand why I was gaining the weight. I still went to the gym (even though I didn't workout as long as I used to), but I still felt sluggish and continued to put on the pounds. My diet wasn't perfect, but it was no different than at any other point in my life. I would tell myself regretfully, "Perhaps you are just getting old and your metabolism is slowing down." It was getting depressing.

I began looking into various training options and researching more up-to-date exercise techniques. My research led me to your web site. I wasn't necessarily looking to purchase a program, but when I read your article I was enticed by the "realness" of your approach and intrigued by the idea of "intense" workouts.

Well, needless to say, I went ahead and purchased the basic package and I am so glad I did! When I read Max Workouts, the scales fell from my eyes. The missing piece, the "key," became evident to me. When you stated how you view all of your trainees as athletes and that generating power is the most important element in bringing about change, the light bulb went on in my head. See, I already knew how to workout intensely. I had been playing sports since middle school (basketball, football, martial arts, wrestling, tennis, softball, rollerblading) and have pushed myself to the limit for years.

However, for some strange reason, I never viewed this intense activity as a "workout." I was trapped in the workout philosophies of the 80's and 90's (isolated exercises, time in the gym, standard cardio) and believed that performing these routines was the only thing that constituted truly "working out" and the rest of the stuff that I did (the athletic activity) was just "playing." I loved sports. I would push myself to the limits of my abilities all in the name of "fun."

What I am trying to say is that despite all of the "power" and "intensity" I produced by playing sports, I always had to perform my "routine" in the gym or else I did not feel that I was actually working out. At least five times a week, I would spend approximately 2 hours a day performing static stretching, isolated exercises, and the typical, boring, 30 minute cardio activities. I would do all of this IN ADDITION to playing sports.

Fast forward to 2006, my life truly changed with the birth of my children and the responsibility of taking care of them. When I tried to continue to maintain my physique under the time restrictions of my present life (obviously, I could not spend 3 hours a day working out and playing sports if I wanted to spend quality time with my family and help my wife out around the home), I defaulted to the typical gym routines while completely letting go of the intense sports. As it turns out, I released the activities in my life that were actually the most important in keeping me healthy, lean, fit, and energetic. No wonder the pounds started creeping on!

Max Workout's philosophy and the ensuing exercise routines have helped me "see the light" in a way so simple I could kick myself for not realizing it sooner. The way you incorporate athletic training into the routines makes working out fun again and has restored my joy in exercising.  Since I don't presently have time to routinely play sports (I have a full time professional job, a growing family, and one year remaining to earn my Masters Degree in Business), I am currently viewing my workouts as my "sport."

In just 6 weeks, I have noticed incredible differences in my attitude, energy, physique, and strength. Without changing any other variable (ex. my diet) except for working out intensely using your program. I have lost weight and I am working out 40 minutes less than I was just 6 weeks ago!

This is amazing yet so basic. The fire is once again burning inside me. You have indeed, figuratively speaking, freed me from "The Matrix." Thank you for your dedication to integrity and science in your training philosophy. Thank you for your broad and open-minded perspective on working out. Thank you for your inspiring and down-to-earth style of training. Thank you for the clarity of exercise explanations and well-structured website.

Here's to the future.

With the Utmost Respect and Gratitude,