There’s No Need to Be Afraid

 I remember my first day of high school like it was yesterday.  I wore a pair of cut off jean shorts, a blue V-neck cable knit sweater and white scrunchy socks with my white Rebook high top sneakers.  My friend’s sister drove us to school in her red Toyota Celica and she had Blue’s Brothers playing on the radio.  I heard rumors of freshmen being locked in their lockers, “mean girl” clicks in the lunchroom, and senior boys ghosting freshmen girls on prom night.  How can I remember this event from 20 years ago?  Because I was scared shit-less to go to high school. 

These fears don’t go away as adults.  And walking into a training studio can be as scary as your first day of high school.  If you’ve never been in a gym, all you have as a reference is what you see on TV or in magazines.  Images of skinny girls in sports bras and booty shorts, muscle-bound men in tank tops carrying jugs of water, and the fat kid vomiting in a trash can because his trainer pushed him too hard.  I don’t blame you for being scared. 

Deciding to get fit can be scary.  There are schedule changes, new clothes to be worn, and the fear of judgement.  The fact you decided to get fit is a huge accomplishment, now it’s time to find a place to help you.  This is what it’s like when you join Marino’s:

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=NkVQnZ3xndI

Everyone knows your name.  We learn your idiosyncrasies.  We know when to push and when to simply get you through your workout.  We lookout for you and reach out when we don’t see you.  Marino’s becomes a safe place where you can just be yourself.  There are no mirrors, no chicks in sports bras and no guys carrying jugs of water.  We are all feeling the aches and pains of the natural aging process, but still want to play in the game of life.  You become a part of a community where everyone has your back, regardless if you just met them or have known them for years.  You become a part of a family. 

We also set you up for success.  There will be no box jumps, no burpees, and no silly exercises that make you look like a circus clown.  If you have trouble getting on the floor, we will put you on a bench.  If you haven’t ran since you were a kid, then you won’t run, you’ll just walk.  If 5 pounds feels like 100 pounds, then you’re a Rockstar for moving mountains.  This is your journey, on your timeline.

It’s okay to be nervous., but it’s not okay to waste another minute feeling horrible in your skin.  Like Jim Rohn said, “Take care of your body.  It’s the only place you have to live.”  Let’s work together to make this trip memorable!