Andrew Can Whip Anyone into Shape - Even Me
"I have to admit that when I started taking classes with Andrew Haynes, I was very skeptical. I had been taking kick-boxing and muscle conditioning classes for months so when I heard that there was a new teacher at the gym, I was sure his classes would be easy for me."
"I have to admit that when I started taking classes with Andrew Haynes, I was very skeptical. I had been taking kick-boxing and muscle conditioning classes for months so when I heard that there was a new teacher at the gym, I was sure his classes would be easy for me.
However, after taking one class with him, I was sore and frustrated. The steps were complicated and made me feel very uncoordinated, but the music was terrific and my more competitive side made me want to master his moves.
In the beginning, everything was hard. His instructions for working with weights were different from anything that I had done before and they felt awkward and left me exceptionally sore. The kick-boxing classes were a series of complicated moves that I couldn't seem to do, no matter how hard I concentrated. On top of everything, the classes were very physically challenging.
Slowly, over the next few weeks, I began to enjoy the classes. The muscle conditioning class helped me to get stronger and although the weights continued to be a challenge, I began to be less sore. Also, I noticed definite improvements with my muscle tone, especially my shoulders, triceps, and abs.
The kick-boxing classes which combine dance with traditional martial arts, helped me lose 15 pounds in total. Andy made sure that my heart rate was constantly fluctuating during class by combining high intensity routines that left me breathless, with lower impact, repetitive moves that left my muscles burning.
Gradually, as I became more coordinated, I began to enjoy the classes more and more until they became a way of life for me. I found that I was more agile and in the best shape I had been in since playing college sports. Using a combination of terrific music and interesting routines, Andy made the classes therapeutic for me.
Finally, after months of working out with him, I met with Andy to talk about why his methods worked. One of the chief differences I noticed was that Andy instructed me to keep my elbows pointed at the ceiling when I do crunches so that my arms are almost wrapped around my ears. He explained that not only does this help to fully support your head so that you are not straining your neck, but also it helps to target your abdominal muscles.
Also, he told me that when doing a push-up, I needed to keep my butt slightly raised in the air to protect my lower back and to spread my arms and legs out widely while keeping my head up. This helps to work the entire body.
He also showed me that when doing jack-knives it is best to make sure that you do not start with your arms above your head. If you start by keeping them at your side, you avoid straining your lower back, while isolating your abs and leg muscles.
Andy is careful to make sure that every aspect of his students form is in place. This creates a fantastic full body workout and he can whip absolutely anyone into terrific shape- even me." - Tory F.
