My Client Fired Me!

The MPT dojo isn’t a place where we’ll bombard you with endless varieties of dead-end diet/exercise programs, or make you tired of enduring the complexities of the fitness journey on your own. Over the years, I’ve assembled a team that will do the all-important research for you AND provides an easy “all-in-one” package that enables you to reach goals you never thought were possible to achieve.

I’m not one to slack off nor is the MPT team. We never stop experimenting, learning and discovering the ways to optimize the operation of our bodies. Through all our years of research along with trial and error, we’ve come to realize the three most important elements in achieving fitness goals.

They are:

Simplicity – Thinking can be annoying, especially when it comes to getting rid of old, bad habits and initiating new, good ones. The simpler the process, the less thought is required, the more change becomes effortless.

Routine-Based – Your training will become automatic to the point where your body will lead you to the gym—even when you don’t want to go… TRUST ME!

Team Accountability – My own training improved dramatically, once I surrounded myself with the whole-heartedly motivated team I have today. They hold me accountable to my training in the same exact way we will hold YOU accountable for yours. Success is nothing if you can’t share it with those who interact with you.

This is why I believe the clients who’ve trained with the coaches at MPT have experienced phenomenal success in reaching and surpassing their goals.

The coaches at MPT give you everything you need to finally take control of your body and your LIFE.  If you’re struggling to believe putting in the effort will change your life, then consider the opinions of those who used to be in your position…

Here’s what Miri Winkler a long-time student had to say about her experience training at the MPT dojo.

As a child and young adult I was a very active person, playing basketball, soccer and running but then life got in the way. Working long hours, giving birth and being a busy mom who also worked full-time.

In 2003 my child left to study in another province and I made the decision to take control over my life. I started working out in a local community centre and while working out I watched the various personal trainers. One of the trainers caught my eyes because unlike the other trainers in the facility he matched the training to the individual. I signed up with him for 5 sessions and never looked back. That coach’s name is Maki Riddington!

Shortly thereafter Maki started his own fitness group though at that time he did not have a permanent place we followed him wherever he rented a spot.

The training was group training and true to his belief every session was different, never a dull moment. We were definitely hooked on Maki and his training. As he evolved so did I, I never felt better or more fit and enjoyed every session with Maki.

Going forward to July 2010, regrettably I broke my ankle required surgery and now I am a proud owner of a plate and 7 screws in my ankle. It took me a long while to recuperate and at the same time, I moved to another province until the summer of 2013.

When I came back to Vancouver I was far from being fit and I was overweight but decided yet again that I have to go back to training and there was no doubt in my mind that I will join Maki Performance Training who by this time had his own dojo, his own home.

At first, I started with group training, however, this time around it did not work for me for various reasons. I was older and out of shape and I felt that I could not compete with the younger crowd, but every cloud has a silver lining. That’s when I met Erin Huffer and boy did I like her style! Just like back in 2003 with Maki I felt that she was different and even though I began personal training with Maki again in no time I “fired” him and switched to Erin.

Erin empowered me, every session with Erin was a delight. I loved working out with her and was sorry I could not workout more often. I started feeling stronger, more fit and paid much more attention to my nutrition. As a result of that, I lost quite a bit of weight, gained quite a bit of muscle and felt good about myself and my body.

The MPT dojo is the most welcoming fitness facility I’ve ever been to, everyone is so welcoming, the trainers are top notch. Maki and the trainers continuously challenged us yet made it fun to be at the dojo. Of course, there was also the social aspect the fundraisers, always giving back to the community at large, holiday parties and so on.

Anyone contemplating joining a fitness club should start by hiring a personal coach. You receive more personal attention and a better idea of what you’re capable of. Ideally having both personal and group sessions are the best especially if your personal coach is also coaching a group, the benefits are numerous.”   

 

It’s YOUR choice to dramatically improve your body/life. Choice can be a gift or a curse, but once you train your brain and body to work towards improvement, what were once difficult choices requiring massive motivation become as easy as breathing and walking.

If you’ve thought about one to one coaching you can test drive what we offer by signing up for our PT Kickstarter.

Sign up here: https://squareup.com/store/makiperformance/item/pt-kickstarter

It’s probably one of the best deals in town, or so I’ve been told. You get one month of unlimited classes and four one to one training sessions (only limited to one per individual) for only $240. That’s a $410 value.

Sign up here: https://squareup.com/store/makiperformance/item/pt-kickstarter

Dedicated to your fitness,

Maki Riddington

#teammpt

#noexcuses

The Power of The High Five

 

You’ve seen it at sporting events, on TV, or at our children’s game-times, and we even do it here at the MPT dojo. The High-Five is a key part of North American sports culture and beyond. There are several stories about the origin of the High-Five, all of which are interesting in themselves, but I’d prefer to talk about what the High-Five currently represents, and why it could play an important role at the MPT dojo.

The High-Five is often seen, and used, as a gesture of greeting, elation, celebration or congratulation in our society. However, once you look at it more closely, the High-Five has a deeper meaning and a wider effect.

Have you ever noticed what happens in a basketball game after a player makes a free throw? Regardless of whether they make the shot or miss it, the players around the teammate who’s made the shot, give him /her a fist bump or High-Five.

Why is that?

A study was conducted on NBA players which recorded the number of times they touched one another in a game (fist bump, high five or a pat on the backside). In 50 minutes of play, they saw a total of a minute-and-a-half of touches made between teammates. Now, given the fact that each touch was maybe a hundredth of a second, you can see that this adds up to a lot of touches overall.

What researchers found was astonishing. They looked at the teams with the largest number of touches and saw that these teams actually placed higher overall in the standings. Not only that, but teams with the largest number of touches also had better stats on passing, and setting picks. In other words, their team-interaction had improved their performance.

So what does that tell us about High-Fives, and why we should be doing them more often, both in our day-to-day lives and at the dojo?

1. It is a gesture of interaction with other humans that celebrate our togetherness.

2. It is a great way to communicate and to display positive feedback.

3. Just like the handshake, the action of slapping your hand on someone else’s signifies a physical connection.

4. Athletes who High-Five have been shown to perform better.

5. It’s an energized/energetic act.

6. It promotes positive reinforcement.

7. The High-Five is an instantaneous way of telling a person that they are important, and deserve your personal attention.

8. Tactile communication is known to increase cooperation, to convey positive emotions, and to provide a sign of trust—which was illustrated in the study conducted with NBA players.

You see, the secret to the High-Five is in the touch. Not only is it the greatest way to increase social camaraderie, but it establishes a hands-on (you might say) connection with your fellow human being. At the dojo, in order to help you reach your goals, we need to find ways to connect with you. And giving you a High-Five is one way to do this, when we see you arriving, during a workout, or afterward as you leave.

One of my hopes is to see people connecting with one another, and for me, myself, to connect at a stronger level with each of you. The High-Five helps bridge this gap and starts the valuable process of relationship-building.

A process which can:
• Help you better achieve your goals.
• Give you something to believe in.
• Create an environment for your growth.
• Give you social ease.
• Give you peace of mind.
• Allow you to express a philosophy.
• Provide you with a feeling of service.

So here’s my October challenge to you. I call it the “30-Day High-Five Challenge.”

Can you High-Five a person you don’t know every day for 30 days? Make eye contact, raise your hand, and make palm to palm contact followed by a greeting, or some sort of positive affirmation.

The second part is to High-Five at least 5 people every day. If you’re a teacher, stand at the entrance and give out High-Fives. If you’re a business owner, greet your employees with a High-Five, and if you’re a worker, greet your co-workers with a High-Five.

Before self-doubt creeps in, ask yourself, “Would the difficulties of doing this outweigh the benefits?” The answer lies in the 30-day challenge.

Dedicated to your fitness,
Maki Riddington

#teammpt
#tfwvancouver
#highfivechallenge