By Josh Bowen, on Thu Oct 10, 2013 at 8:30 AM ET  When I look back on my time spent in the fitness industry, I feel like I have lived several lifetimes. I have been blessed with opportunities that most would die for. I am greatly humbled by all my experience in the fitness industry but my recent endeavor tops anything I ever imagined I would accomplish. To be considered one of the best in the world in anything is extraordinary but to do it in an arena you are so in love with, makes your life. Let me recap the past several months…
 On August 2nd I received an email stating I was a finalist for the 2013 Life Fitness Global Personal Trainers to Watch competition. Out of nearly 1600 entries in 43 countries, they selected a country boy from Lexington, KY as one of the top 10 best trainers on the planet. My breath was taken away. I nearly cried in the gym. After being told of the sale of Urban Active just 10 months earlier my life had taken a roller coaster ride. My love was taken away from me, the place that I felt like I helped build was gone and I needed to move on. This news was what I needed and I couldn’t have been happier.
After a long 20 days we were allowed to tell friends, family and the social media world. The outpouring of support was incredible. It really showed me how much I had made a difference in people’s lives and made me very happy that they were following me and cheering me on. I felt like I had already won. Regardless of the decision that would come a month later, this kid from Kentucky had made his mark on so many people and that made this honor a victory before the competition started.
 Heading into the competition in England, I wanted to be as prepared as I could. I had clients throw different scenarios at me to test how quick I could act on my feet, something I would have to do when I got to England. I also read everyday to stay abreast of all the great new information that is imputed everyday. I was ready for this challenge and I welcomed it. With the support of everyone as felt like I could put the world on my shoulders and run with it, this was my finest accomplishment.
Having never ventured outside the United States before, I had some apprehension on traveling internationally. But I am thankful I have several clients who have traveled abroad and they reassured me everything would be ok once I touched down in the United Kingdom. And as promised, when I made that long journey across “the pond” everything turned out great.
I arrived in London, England after an all night flight with no rest but with two things in mind, listen and learn. As much as I wanted to enjoy the country, I wanted to compete and learn from the best in the world. This was about the art form I had learned 10 years ago and putting my talents up against 9 other people from around the globe and learning as much as I could from them. I did do some sight seeing in St. Albans, England, the eldest city in the United Kingdom that dates back to the Roman Empire. The town was quaint, quiet and very nice. It’s history was rich but the time I took to tour, all I could think about was what the next day would present.
 As expected, the competition day will go down as my most proud moment of my career on a personal level. To represent my clients, trainers, family and my country meant everything to me. Also as expected, the caliber of trainers that were selected were the very best. We were the top 10 on planet Earth in something we had devoted our lives to and was so passionate about. There is nothing better than that feeling. In accordance with competition, we were paired with a volunteer client to train. And not only did we have to train a stranger on the spot but train them for 15 minutes and do it in front of an audience of 50 in the gym and countless live on the Internet. This brought my best out, I loved it. After 31 years on this Earth, this was what I lived for. When my time came for me to train, I wanted to bring the house down.
I met my client, Newal, at lunch and was so impressed with him. At 64, he worked out everyday, kept his stress low and legitimately enjoyed life. He had climbed Mount Everest, been on several safaris and wanted to live as long as he could. Upon meeting me, he told me to bring it! I told him to be careful what he wished for. When our time came to train, we tore the house down. At 64, Newal was in better shape than most half his age. He beautifully executed all the exercises I gave him with zero rest, he was out performing his own best efforts and making me look great  It was poetry in motion and I owe it all to him. He rose to the occasion for me to show my best material on a worldwide stage. After we were finished I knew we had done something special. Now just needed to wait for the judges verdict.
In the end this competition had nothing to do with winning or losing, it was about celebrating our achievements and contributions to an industry that needs more of us. I feel as if we all won, on our way to being the absolute best in the world. I appreciate my 9 new found friends and their approach to fitness, we are all different yet all the same. The common denominator being our quest to be the best in an industry we love so much. My life is forever changed by this experience. Thank you Life Fitness, all my family and friends and my clients, this was for you.
By Josh Bowen, on Thu Oct 3, 2013 at 8:30 AM ET “Strength does not come from physical capacity. It comes from an indominable will.” ~ Mahatma Gandhi
 Personal fitness is like life; you need discipline to be successful, it requires strength and will and no matter how much it hurts or you want to quit, you must keep going. We can learn much from Gandhi; a believer in inner peace and happiness, as well as the quest to always better yourself.
This weekend I found a picture (see right) that listed Gandhi’s “10 Fundamentals to Changing the World.” These are really just steps to changing yourself, ultimately improving and making a better YOU.
 Now lets take this list and apply it to fitness:
1. Change yourself- your habits dictate your outcomes. In order to get the result you want you MUST change something that is preventing you from attaining it. What is it? And are you willing to change it?
2. You are in control- there is not much we are in control of in life, however what we are in control of is; our attitude and how we perceive the world. Always remember nothing is stronger than self, it can beat anything.
3. Forgive and let go- this is a life quality. We spend way too much time mad at people and some of us use it as ammo for our fitness goals. Do not try to improve your body out of spite to your ex-boyfriend. This motivation only lasts for so long. Forgive, move on and grow.
4. Without action you are not going anywhere- reality is most people are scared to take the necessary steps to improve their selves. However, you can hope, wish and pray to have the body of your dreams but without hard work, nothing is possible. Actions speak louder than words.
5. Take care of this moment- We age everyday and we are not promised tomorrow. Take care of the precious moments we have, try something new and be better for it. Life is short, enjoy it while you have it.
6. Everyone is human- including me and you. We all make mistakes and we all make bad choices. As long as we learn from them they are not mistakes, just learning experiences.
7. Persist- persistence is a virtue but which all people should possess. If you want something be persistant about it, do not let it go. Get your rear end into the gym and make things happen.
8. See the good in people and help them- the ability to motivate is a special gift and a gift that must be replicated. See people for the good in them instead of the bad, you will appreciate people more this way. Plus, you never know who you will run into that might just change your life.
Read the rest of…
Josh Bowen: In the Spirit of Indominable Will
By Josh Bowen, on Thu Sep 26, 2013 at 8:30 AM ET The journey to the center of our bodies. What on earth is the core?
“Today class, our experiment is to stay in the gym for 12 hours and ask every person what their goals are.” A landslide will mention “core” “abs” “stomach.” It is our obsession. Another experiment is to watch any informercial, pushing an obscure fitness product, and see how many times they mention “core” or “abs.” I’ll be willing to bet its more times than they mention anything nutrition related. I mean why eat well when you can do crunches, situps and use the shake weight and get ripped. That is until you realize you have to do 250,000 crunches, JUST to burn enough calories to lose one pound of fat…YES just one pound. You can do crunches until you are blue in the face but it won’t eliminate your stomach fat. And on a side note, whatever new product is out there, it won’t speed the results up any faster. So why do we do crunches? Well duh, its to get an 8 pack!
Abs are made in the kitchen, no matter how hard you work your “abs” you cannot outwork your diet. If your nutrition is not up to par, your stomach will not be either. “So what is the core?” “Why do we have to work it?” “How do we work it?” I answer all of the above!
Lets start with what the “core” actually is. The National Academy of Sports Medicine defines it as the Cervical, Thoracic and Lumbar spines and also the Lumbo-Pelvic-Hip complex (stabilizes the body during weight bearing functional movements producing and reducing forces). WHAT? Time for an anatomy lession! PS do not fall asleep, it gets better.
Anterior
- Rectus abdominus- The “abs.” A key postural muscle that flexes the lumbar spine and can aid in respiration
Posterior
- Erector spinae- lower back muscles that extend the vertebral column
- Multifidus- deep musculature that runs from the base of the cervical spine to the sacrum. Main job is the stabilize vertebrae in the vertebral column during movement
Lateral
- Internal Oblique-Compresses abdomen; unilateral contraction rotates vertebral column to same side
- External Oblique-rotates the torso
- Quadratus Lumborum-Alone, lateral flexion of vertebral column; Together, depression of thoracic rib cage
Deep
By Jonathan Miller, on Mon Sep 23, 2013 at 9:15 AM ET 
Our very own personal fitness advisor, Josh Bowen, is getting some big press for being named one of the ten top personal trainers in the world.
Check out an excerpt from today’s story in the Lexington Herald-Leader:
After 10 years in the business, personal trainer Josh Bowen is accustomed to meeting strangers and tailoring a fitness program to their goals.
But his comfort zone will be challenged this week in England, where he’ll be competing in a contest that will judge his abilities.
Bowen is a finalist in the Life Fitness Personal Trainers to Watch competition, which will be Friday in London. Ten personal trainers will be judged on their abilities to motivate, praise and collaborate with a client. The winner receives $5,000 and bragging rights.
Some 1,500 applicants from 43 countries applied to take part in the competition.
Bowen, 31, said that when potential customers approach him, “I have to quickly try to make a relationship with them, draw out their goals and nutrition, and then I show them what I do. I’m used to doing that on the fly — that doesn’t intimidate me at all — but I really don’t know what to expect (in London). I don’t know who I’m going to be training.”
Nevertheless, Bowen said, he is confident and ready.
“If there’s anything I’m going to compete in, this would be it. That’s not to say I’m going in cocky, but I have a confidence about myself,” he said.
…
Another fan of Bowen is former state treasurer Jonathan Miller, whose Recovering Politician publishing company will print Bowen’s book, The 12 Steps to Fitness Freedom, in January.
“There are 12 steps every body needs to get results from fitness,” Bowen said. “It goes through all the things I would go through with a client. I can touch more people that way.”
Bowen has been Miller’s personal trainer for years and has helped Miller with “middle-age maladies” like lower back pain.
“He really has a holistic approach to personal training,” Miller said. “It’s not just going to the gym to lift weights. (In the book) he’s able to combine all those things into something the average reader can grasp.”
Click here for the full story.
By Josh Bowen, on Thu Sep 19, 2013 at 8:30 AM ET With Nancy Slotnick providing dating advice and Jeff Smith counseling politicos, we’ve decided to add a new feature at The Recovering Politician from which every member of The RP can reap benefits: health and fitness advice. Our teacher is Josh Bowen, the Quality Control Director for Urban Active Fitness. Josh has spent the past 4 years directing and leading 400 personal trainers in 7 states. Before that, he served severak years as a personal trainer, with his most difficult client being The RP himself. The strength regime designed by Josh helped The RP overcome two decades of upper back problems.
And now, every Thursday at 8:30 AM, he offers advice for you and your families.
If you have any health and fitness questions, please send them to Staff@TheRecoveringPolitician.com.
To launch this column at The Recovering Politician, I have compiled a list of strategies to keep our kids active.
A friend of mine, who is an elementary school teacher, told me that her kids are only alloted 15 minutes of recess a day. Often times the teachers are under such scrutiny to hit certain test scores that PE and recess are but on the backburner. If the school systems would only take a look at several studies that show the more active a child (or adult for that matter) is the better their mind words to absorb vital information. So by limiting and abolishing recess and PE we are doing a disservice to our youth. We have to take matters into our own hands to keep our kids moving and active. These strategies are not revolutionary but they are helpful. Here we go!
Strategies to Keep Kids Active
1. Promote Activty, not exercise- Huh? Yeah! Promotion of exercise and workouts are not going to get your kids hyped up to go to the gym or even ride their bikes for that matter. They may not be ready for “exercise” but they will more than enjoy activity. This keeps the young mind that loses interest quickly, on task and having fun. I suggest the following:
– Active Play: ditch the video games and play catch, hide and go seek, Simon says and twister. Go old school, take it back to when you were a kid and you played hide and go seek for hours. Remember how much fun that was? I can’t tell you the last time I heard a kid talking about hide and seek, they would rather play Halo. Halo ain’t got nothing on hide and go seek (forgive me, I am from Kentucky)!
-Try an Active Party: In the summer time throw a party for your kids at the batting cages or in the winter a blowing party would fit the bill. Old school mentaility but activity nonetheless. This may inspire your young ones to pick a sport or find a hobby, all of which is great!
– Give them a Choice: Yes, they should be consulted with these decisions. A ten year old is not going to do something they do not want to do. So back door them, get them to pretend it was their idea and watch what happens!
2. Limit Screen Time- A surefire way to increase your child’s activity level is to limit the number of hours he or she spends in front of a screen — including television, video games and online activities. For example, you might consider a limit of one or two hours a day and, for a better night’s sleep, no screen time in the hour before bed. To make it easier, don’t put a television in your child’s bedroom, don’t watch television while you’re eating dinner, and restrict computers and other electronic gadgets to a family area. Also consider limiting other sedentary activities, such as text messaging or chatting on the phone.
Read the rest of…
Josh Bowen: Strategies to Keep Kids Active
By Josh Bowen, on Thu Sep 12, 2013 at 8:30 AM ET When starting a nutritional program, counting calories could be the most tedious part.
It also can be 25% off because of the altering of food and package labels.
Try this approach for better results and easier process:
By Josh Bowen, on Thu Sep 5, 2013 at 8:30 AM ET
By Josh Bowen, on Thu Aug 29, 2013 at 8:30 AM ET
By Jonathan Miller, on Thu Aug 22, 2013 at 8:30 AM ET We are so very proud that our resident personal fitness guru, Josh Bowen, has been named one the top 10 finalists in the 2013 Personal Trainers to Watch competition by Life Fitness. From their press release:
SCHILLER PARK, Ill., AUGUST 21, 2013 – Life Fitness, a global leader in fitness equipment manufacturing, announces the top 10 finalists in the 2013 Personal Trainers to Watch competition, a program recognizing personal trainers around the world who demonstrate exceptional leadership, client support, motivation and inspiration. The 2013 competition generated more than 1,500 entries from 43 countries, from which emerged 10 elite finalists who will compete at Nuffield Health Fitness & Wellbeing Centre St. Albans outside of London on Sept. 27th to win the title of the world’s best Personal Trainer to Watch.
The top 10 Personal Trainers to Watch finalists are:
- Josh Bowen, Kentucky, USA
- Simone Campbell, Towradgi, Australia
- Melissa diLeonardo, Illinois, USA
- Cate Grace, Christchurch, New Zealand
- Stephen Holt, Maryland, USA
- Kim Ingleby, Bristol, England
- Mish McCormack, Wellington, New Zealand
- Epsilon Wong, Hong Kong, China
- Blake Robinson, Utah, USA
- Jean Mary Scott, Christchurch, New Zealand
“These finalists change their clients’ lives with their unbridled passion and commitment to healthy living and fitness,” said Chris Clawson, president of Life Fitness. “Their nominations were an inspiration to our judges. We look forward to bringing together these elite trainers and evaluating them first-hand as they share best practices and develop course material that can be used on our cutting-edge Synrgy360 functional training system.”
Finalists were selected based on personal values, innovative training philosophies, education and experience. Judges included experts from Life Fitness and its educational arm, Life Fitness Academy, as well as the American Council on Exercise (ACE), the International Confederation of Registers for Exercise Professionals (ICREPs), the European Health & Fitness Association (EHFA), and past competition winners, Joanne Blackerby and Nicole Nichols.
The top 10 finalists will compete in the program’s first live judging event on Sept. 27, 2013, where they will be judged on their ability to motivate, praise and collaborate with a client, as well as enhance the workout experience and correct exercise performance on the Synrgy360 system. The winner will be announced immediately following, and the entire day will be streaming live on www.lifefitness.com/personaltrainers.html.
The World’s Top 10 Personal Trainers
Josh Bowen, Kentucky, USA
Bowen is a personal trainer at Fitness Plus 2 located in Nicholasville, Ky., and is a quality control director of personal training at Compel Fitness, where he oversees the education of more than 100 trainers in five states. Bowen received a Bachelor of Science degree in exercise science from the University of Kentucky and has been a National Strength and Conditioning Association (NSCA) certified personal trainer for more than nine years. Bowen believes that all things are possible through fitness and motivates his clients to feel the same.
…
About Life Fitness
Life Fitness is the global leader in commercial fitness equipment manufacturing. The company manufactures and sells strength and cardiovascular equipment under the brand names Life Fitness and Hammer Strength and distributes its equipment in more than 120 countries. Headquartered outside Chicago, in Schiller Park, Ill., Life Fitness is a division of Brunswick Corporation (NYSE: BC).
About Nuffield Health
Nuffield Health provides expert, joined-up healthcare defined by and created for UK health consumers. We are the largest healthcare charity in the UK, providing health services for over 50 years. We are independent of Government, have no shareholders and reinvest our surplus to improve our facilities or provide public health education. We provide access to 15,000 health experts through our 31 hospitals, 65 fitness & wellbeing centres, 200 corporate facilities and 20 medical clinics to help people get healthy, and stay healthy. Nuffield Health is an award-winning not-for-profit, having won Health Investor Social Enterprise of the Year in 2010 and Private Hospital Group of the Year in 2011. We provide fitness and wellbeing services in England and Scotland. We have 65 clubs open to the public and nearly 200,000 members. We hold more than 650 Meet Our Experts free events for the public each year, have more than 1,000 personal trainers to support and motivate our clients and offer each member clinical advice through
our 12-point Health MOT. Last year we provided more than 95,000 of our Health MOTs and found that nearly two-thirds of our members reduced their cholesterol, three-quarters improved their blood pressure, and around two thirds lost more than three per cent of their body weight. For more information about Nuffield Health, visit www.nuffieldhealth.com
About ICREPs
The International Confederation of Registers of Exercise Professionals (ICREPs) is an international partnership between registration bodies around the world that register exercise professionals. ICREPs members operate over four continents, in seven countries, and collectively register over 60,000 individual exercise professionals.
About EHFA
The European Health & Fitness Association (EHFA) is an independent and nonprofit organisation based in Brussels representing the European health and fitness sector at the EU level. EHFA sees its objective to get “More People, More Active, More Often” as a triple-win for European citizens, the EU and the European health and fitness sector.
The EHFA Standards Council is responsible for the direction and strategic thinking for the developing regulatory framework, which underpins public confidence in the work and development of the European Health and Fitness industry. The European Register of Exercise Professionals (EREPS) is regulated by the EHFA Standards Council, serving as an independent body for the registration of fitness professionals who meet the qualifications established by the Standards Council. For further information, visit www.EHFA.eu.
By Josh Bowen, on Thu Aug 15, 2013 at 8:30 AM ET I’ve often wondered about certain strategies gym goers employ. The one strategy that has vexed my mind is a ritual of sorts and a lot of people do it every day. You know if you do something every day and expect a different result, that makes you crazy rightJ. It is at like the Holy Grail, the very reason people come to the gym and try to eat right, it’s the difference between a good day and a bad day, it is the end all be all. It is stepping on the scale! Don’t try to pretend you don’t do it because we all are guilty, especially in a place where there are scales and we are trying to lose weight, gain weight or stay the same. But the very fact people are control by this instrument, this measurement of body mass can be alarming and skewed. The end all be all may not be “all” its cracked up to be.
Let’s back track for a second. What are we trying to do? Most people? Answer is losing weight. Statistics show the most common goal for any gym goers is losing weight. But that should really be the goal? The answer is yes and no. If you are 50 lbs overweight and you need to lose 50 pounds then I would say losing weight would be a great goal for you. However, if you are trying to lose 10-20 pounds, does it really matter what the scale says as long as your body fat changes? Of course not! I use to tell clients all the time; if I could have you weigh the same weight you are today and look 100% different, would it matter what the scale said? 9 times out of 10, the number didn’t matter.
 But the number does matter to some people and it matters a lot. The measurement of success is housed on an electronically scale that measure your body mass. Forget about how you feel or how your jeans fit, its all about that number! If this applies to you (its ok!) here’s what I’d like you to remember, the most important part of the fitness process is the feeling of pride, confidence and of well being. These we will refer to as the immeasurable, meaning you can’t stick a number to it. Stepping on a scale just gives you a number and tells you whether you are below, above or at where you want to be. Definitely a cliff hanger that sometimes can hit you between the eyes and make you want to quit. My suggestion? Don’t weigh yourself, especially if you feel you begin stressing over it. The emotional impact and feeling of defeat is not worth it. If you want to know how you are doing in your fitness program ask yourself these questions:
- Do I have more energy?
- Do I wake up and go to bed easier?
- Do my clothes feel looser?
- Am I stressed less?
Answer yes to any or all of those and you are on the road to success. A road that is not dependent on the little number on a little scale. It is not the end all be all.
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When I look back on my time spent in the fitness industry, I feel like I have lived several lifetimes. I have been blessed with opportunities that most would die for. I am greatly humbled by all my experience in the fitness industry but my recent endeavor tops anything I ever imagined I would accomplish. To be considered one of the best in the world in anything is extraordinary but to do it in an arena you are so in love with, makes your life. Let me recap the past several months…
On August 2nd I received an email stating I was a finalist for the 2013 Life Fitness Global Personal Trainers to Watch competition. Out of nearly 1600 entries in 43 countries, they selected a country boy from Lexington, KY as one of the top 10 best trainers on the planet. My breath was taken away. I nearly cried in the gym. After being told of the sale of Urban Active just 10 months earlier my life had taken a roller coaster ride. My love was taken away from me, the place that I felt like I helped build was gone and I needed to move on. This news was what I needed and I couldn’t have been happier.
Heading into the competition in England, I wanted to be as prepared as I could. I had clients throw different scenarios at me to test how quick I could act on my feet, something I would have to do when I got to England. I also read everyday to stay abreast of all the great new information that is imputed everyday. I was ready for this challenge and I welcomed it. With the support of everyone as felt like I could put the world on my shoulders and run with it, this was my finest accomplishment.
As expected, the competition day will go down as my most proud moment of my career on a personal level. To represent my clients, trainers, family and my country meant everything to me. Also as expected, the caliber of trainers that were selected were the very best. We were the top 10 on planet Earth in something we had devoted our lives to and was so passionate about. There is nothing better than that feeling. In accordance with competition, we were paired with a volunteer client to train. And not only did we have to train a stranger on the spot but train them for 15 minutes and do it in front of an audience of 50 in the gym and countless live on the Internet. This brought my best out, I loved it. After 31 years on this Earth, this was what I lived for. When my time came for me to train, I wanted to bring the house down.
