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If I were to pull aside a random number of folks on the street, asking if they considered personal training a luxury, what do you think the results would look like? Sadly, I don’t even have to follow through with this little experiment to give you an answer. I feel pretty comfortable saying that most of the population considers personal training and all it entails to be pure luxury.

Maybe it was a luxury 20 years ago. But today, in a country with a shockingly large amount of overweight and obese people? Nine out of ten clients I see have some dysfunction, that if not fixed, has the potential to wreak hell in the near future. We’re a population full of lower back, hip and core problems, and that’s just scratching the surface.

Looking at this issue from a purely quality of life standpoint, personal training is most definitely not a luxury. You’re probably not worried about future quality of life in your 20’s; even knowing what I know and being in my 20’s, I try not to think about it. But you should be. For at least a few sessions, see personal training as more than a luxury. At its core, with a trainer who understands dysfunction and its repercussions, personal training is a preventive investment in your later years.

My new ebook is now complete! It’s a mix of pushup, pullup, and burpee progressions with a few important points that just might help you achieve your goals. Check it out here!

More progressions, this time in pushup form!

(* = basic, ** = intermediate, *** = advanced)

Basic: *Standing incline → *On knees → *Standard → *Diamond → *Pause → **Feet Elevated Stable → **Feet Elevated Unstable (stability ball)

1. Pushup on Knees: Hands and knees contact the ground, both of which are perpendicular to torso. Keeping body erect, bend elbows and allow body to descend towards ground. Press up. Increase difficulty by increasing the distance between hands and knees.
2. Standing Incline Pushup: From standing position, lean forward onto a stable surface (desk, smith bar). Keeping body erect, descend towards bar. Press up.
3. *Standard Pushup: Hands and toes contact the ground. Feet together. Hands shoulder-width. Head to feet should form an angled downward but straight line. Descend to ground. Press up.
4. *Wide Grip Pushup: Hands and toes contact the ground. Feet together. Hands wider than shoulder-width. Head to feet should form an angled downward but straight line. Descend to ground. Press up.
5. *Diamond Pushup: Hands and toes contact the ground. Feet together. Hands narrower than shoulder-width, should form a diamond or triangle. Head to feet should form an angled downward but straight line. Descend to ground. Press up.
6. *Pause Pushup: Hands and toes contact the ground. Feet together. Hands shoulder-width. Head to feet should form an angled downward but straight line. Descend to ground. Press up.
7. **Feet Elevated Pushup: Hands in contact with ground, shoulder-width grip. Feet together and raised minimum of six inches, resting on stable surface. Head to feet should form an angled upward but straight line. Descend to ground. Press up.
8. **Unstable Feet Elevated Pushup: Hands in contact with ground, shoulder-width grip. Feet together and raised minimum of six inches, resting on unstable surface (stability ball). Head to feet should form an angled upward but straight line. Descend to ground. Press up.

With life being the way it is (ridiculous, chaotic, occasionally overwhelming), we all need an escape. It may be a daily thing for some, while only a monthly thing for others. Without an escape, we’d go nuts. I’m sure, if I wanted, I could find a study or two to back me up.

My escape is reading. My fantasy nerd fiction takes me to an entirely different world, one so foreign to what I know in real life. As in reality, I care for the characters I meet and the environment around me. It might sound insane, but even a short session with a good fiction novel can rouse from within more emotions than a full day of my usual routine. Without my daily journeys into this other-world, I’d probably be a much bigger asshole than I already am.

The good news for you? I rarely miss my escape.

Every now and again it’s nice to sit down and take a look at the parts of your life that make you happy.

1. Odell Brewing Red Ale. Hoppy, but not so much as an IPA. Very tasty. Definitely one of the best beers I’ve had recently.

2. Loaded burgers. It’s one of the most American meals you can fuel yourself with. Tonight’s special? Sauteed sweet onion, tomato, KC BBQ sauce, southwestern style hashbrowns, and smoked provolone.

3. Nintendo 3DS. In my opinion, the portable system to own. Some may argue the current game lineup is lacking, but I’m doing just fine with Ghost Recon, Legend of Zelda, and Lego Pirates. Not to mention Star Fox, Harvest Moon, and Driver due in September, plus the 20 free games Nintendo is providing me with for being an early-adopter.

4. New Mexico thunderstorms. They’re glorious. One minute it’s sunny and warm, the next it’s darkness and downpour. I’ll be sad to see the end of monsoon season.

5. Bodyweight workouts at Sunset Park. Without current gym access, I’m getting a little creative with my workouts. Luckily, the Albuquerque park system is wonderful.