Local Flexx

Season 2, Episode 7 is here! Tyler & Connor hop on the mic and cover: 3 gimmicky exercises to avoid. Anything with a bosu ball. Anything "hot" Any band walks. Oh, and, any juice cleanses!!! Is running a great way to get in shape? Do you run to get in shape...or do you get in shape in order to run? Some easy tips to help you filter out the bad nutrition & workout information on Instagram? Fool proof way to program some of the "fun" stuff on Instagram without ruining your program or results. Want great results? You can never go wrong with squat, lunge, hinge, press, row. We close with a great analogy about ruining your progress with your weekend habits? Are you this employee? :)

In Episode 6, we stop by Arlington Has and check-in with Tyler Bolger! Good news...he's still alive! We check in with how the new gym is going and get an update how it's coming along! Tyler talks about the positives and some of the struggles that have come with his new role. Tyler is headed to the Windy City Smokeout this weekend, so he gives us 3 things to consider for enjoying some cocktails without throwing you completely off track. Then, unscripted, I give 3 success tips that can be applied anywhere!! It was great to have to Tyler on!! Hope you enjoy! See you soon!

In Episode 5, we are joined by owner of Gage Strength Training out in Westchester, PA, Devin Gage! I have known Devin for about 8 years, and he is an expert in behavior change and creating & staying consistent with new habits. Devin gives us analogy about developing new habits, and it that made A TON of sense!! I have seen a lot of people talk about habit change, and this conversation was one of the best and had a ton of fresh ideas to help you! I think you will get a ton of great ideas from this episode! Thank you so much for coming on Devin!! Hope you enjoy! See you soon!

Billy and I hop on the mic and talk about: --> Weight fluctuations coming off Memorial Day --> Staying on track with your plan --> Difference between eating for weight loss & eating for a healthy & active life --> Inside look at Flahive's coaches meeting All in 15 mins!! :) Give it a listen!! See you next week!

Season 2, Episode 3 is here! Billy and I hop on the mic and talk about load management, overuse injuries, setting realistic expectations, celebrating small wins, and Memorial Day Weekend! All in 15 mins!! :) Give it a listen!! See you next week!

Season 2, Episode 2 is here! Billy and I hop on the mic and talk about what's going on with Memorial Day Meltdown and some tips to be successful. We cover it all and then some. Give it a listen!! See you next week!

Did you all miss us? :) After a 2 month hiatus, we are back with season 2 of the Local Flexx Podcast! Billy and I hop on the mic and talk about what we've been up to the last 2 months. A lot going on! We cover it all and then some. We talk about what we have coming up and what's around the corner with Summer! We also talk about our newest 28 Day Challenge with the Memorial Day Meltdown! Give it a listen!! See you next week!

In Episode 17, we are joined by Superstar Physical Therapist ANDDDD Flahive's member, Kimi Smith! Kimi joined Flahive's back in 2015 and sooooo much has happened in that 6 years. She has gotten married, had 2 kids, climbed the ladder with Athletico, coaches hockey, and about a million other things. We talk about Physical Therapy and, more specifically, her speciality, concussions. We also talk about working out during pregnancy, working out post-pregnancy, and finding what works for you with your workouts & nutrition. Over the last couple of months, Kimi has seen some amazing changes by simply identifying and doing what works for her. We dive into that, as well! We also have a Local Flexx first with 6 (SIX!!!) tips that Kimi brings the noise with! It was awesome to sit down and be able to talk about everything going on with Kimi, and I think you will get a lot of golden nuggets! Thank you so much for coming on Kimi!! Hope you enjoy! See you soon!

One of the primary reasons for this podcast was to highlight the strength IN our community. No better way to do that than showing support to other local businesses -- hearing their stories, their struggles, & how their creativity and grit has helped them find a way to navigate through the restrictions and hell of COVID. PowHerhouse Fitness Studio is right in the heart of Uptwon Park Ridge and is owned by Veronica Marchetti. PowHerhouse is an all women's fitness studio that has some really cool themed-style classes such HIIT, dance, sculpt, strength, yoga, kickboxing, and more. Veronica and her team kicked ass for their members before and especially during COVID. In the face of a ton of uncertainity, they stood up and were exactly what their members needed. I think this episode will give you an opportunity to hear their story and their perspective of perseverance through COVID. Thanks for coming on Veronica! Enjoy!

In Episode 15, we are joined by Flahive's coach, Mark Krueger! Together Mark & I have 19 years of coaching experience. We have worked with hundreds of people over that time and have a front seat vantage point between what makes someone successful versus failing...when it comes to health & fitness goals!!  1. EVERYTHING begins with mindset. Get that in order first! 2. Write it down & tell someone! 3. Make your goals attainable...both short term & long term. 4. Trust your process and rely on your daily actions during the ups & downs. 5. Make it a priority.  Thank you so much for coming on Mark!! Hope you enjoy!

One of the primary reasons for this podcast was to highlight the strength IN our community. No better way to do that than showing support to other local businesses -- hearing their stories, their struggles, & how their creativity and grit has helped them find a way to navigate through the restrictions and hell of COVID. City's Edge is a restaurant in Edgebrook (Chicago). It is owned two great guys, Fred Proesel and Blake Baum. I think this episode will give you an opportunity to hear their story and their perspective of perseverance through COVID. Also...hey have unbelievable food and food/drink specials! :) Enjoy!

In Episode 13, we are joined by Flahive's member, Dave Depkon! Dave has been a member at Flahive's for 5 years. After running his first Spartan Race back in 2015, Dave wanted to get serious about his training and prep for the races...which led him to Flahive's. Fast forward to today, Dave has run multiple marathons and 12 Spartan Races. Pretty amazing for a guy that started his racing career at 52!! Dave is someone I lean on & use as a sort of a soundboard for ideas and frustrations as I navigate running a business and leading a team. He had a very successful professional career for Hilton, and just retired 18 months ago as the Global Vice President of HSM's Center of Excellence. In the conversation, we discuss how that role came about and what qualities and skillsets it took to climb the "corporate ladder". We had an incredible conversation, and, selfishly, I learned a ton and I think you really enjoy it! And, don't forget the rules!! Dave gives us 3 tips. The 3 tips are on how to live a successful and fulfilling life. Thank you so much for coming on Dave!! Hope you enjoy!

What is the best type of workout to lose body fat & improve body composition? Benefits of strength training ✔️preserving and building muscle ✔️helping you feel better by fixing imbalances ✔️gaining confidence ✔️empowering with how much you are capable of doing ✔️improving bone density ✔️getting stronger physically and mentally Nutrition disclaimer: Are abs truly made in the kitchen? Hint...yes, they are. Unfortunately, we must all live by the hard truth of: You cannot out-train a bad diet! What we do at Flahive's. The difference between traditional strength training & metabolic resistance training. Top 3 reasons for why resistance training is your best option for fat loss ✔️Best of both worlds with MRT ✔️EPOC ✔️Muscle tissue Top 3 principles to get the most out of your resistance training programs ✔️Full Body, big compound movements ✔️Rest enough, but not too much ✔️Increase the metabolic cost of the workout. Progress. Weight reps, weight, time? A TON of information here. Hope you enjoy! See you soon!

In Episode 11, we are joined again by Tyler Bolger Tyler & I cover 5 Tips to help you stay on track with your New Year's Resolutions. If you have struggled to stay with it or have completely fallen off track, you NEED to listen to this! The 5 Tips are: 1. Make your the daily actionable habits your goal. 2. Mess ups will happen...don't try to save it the next meal/day. 3. Gamify it and track it. 4. Understand motivation comes & goes. Do something no matter what your level of motivation is. 5. Get a coach or an accountability partner. Hope you enjoy! See you soon!

In Episode 10, we are joined by Flahive's member, Ellen Finnegan! Ellen has been a member at Flahive's for 6.5 years and has lost over 60 lbs in that time...and has kept it off!! She started back in 2014 and was absolutely petrified to get started. She passed up our picture and an offer for a Fit Mom Challenge about 15 times before she took the leap. She got over her fears and took the plunge. Originally, when she started, she didn't overdo it and start over her head. She started out slowly and built up over time and the results started coming! As she started to feel herself getting stronger and seeing results, it motivated her to begin to crank things up. Over the last several years, Ellen's consistency has become stuff of legends. She has hit 5-6 workouts per week for YEARS! In the episode, she shares her tips and tricks for getting and staying motivated. As a bonus, Ellen gives us 3 tips to finish off the conversation! The 3 tips are on how to get started and stay consistent when getting started with a new workout goal. Thank you so much for coming on Ellen!! Hope you enjoy! See you soon!

In Episode 9, we are joined by special guest, Brittany Welch! Brittany is a Division 1 Volleyball Player and has trained at Flahive's since she was 14 years old! She was one of the top volleyball recruits in the state of IL and had to make huge life decision committing to a college as a 16 year old kid. Her story about the recruiting process, committing to a school, then leaving a school, and finally finding the right fit for her is a great story for those that looking to play at the collegiate level. Brittany changed her environment and never lost the belief & confident in herself as a person & player and is now seeing success in so many facets of life! She was First Team All-Conference as sophomore at Oakland University, she is enjoying school and her social life as a college student-athlete, and is even the sideline reporter for ESPN 3 for Oakland! I really enjoyed talking to Brittany and I think you will get a ton of great information from this episode! Enjoy!!

In Episode 8, we are joined by Flahive's member, Louise Locke! Louise has been a member at Flahive's for 3.5 years. If you are ever at Flahive's around 9am on a weekday, you probably have seen her kicking ass in a workout with a huge smile on her face. But, what you may not know is that 3 months into starting Flahive's she was diagnosed with breast cancer. She battled through 16 rounds of chemo. Despite the diagnosis and the rounds of chemo, she never missed a workout. She stayed positive. She stayed strong...strong for herself...for her family...and for her community! To find strength in a horrible situation is very typical Weez. She is a fighter and a total badass and I hope you enjoy listening to her amazing story. Plus, Weez came ready to go and she gave us 3 tips to finish off the conversation! The 3 tips on how to have the mindset and reframe to get through anything life throws at you. Thank you so much for coming on Weez!! Hope you enjoy! See you soon!

In Episode 7, we are joined by the first lady of Flahive's :), my wife, Lauren Flahive. Lauren is a teacher and has been teaching AP Psychology at Niles West High School for 9 years. We dive into her track to getting an undergrad degree in Psychology, what got her interested in teaching, and what led her to Niles West. Lauren gives us some insight about what this year has been for her as a teacher. The struggles of e-learning, and in typical Lauren fashion, some of the positives of virtual teaching. For all our teachers, I really think you will enjoy this!! I didn't let Lauren off the hook...she gave us 3 tips to finish off the conversation! The 3 tips come from a book she just finished, Untamed. Listen in and find out her 3 tips! Hope you enjoy! See you soon!

In Episode 6, we flip the script. We are joined by Flahive's Coach Tyler Bolger and he lives his dream to host the podcast! Tyler's personality and face are made for podcasts! He interviews Connor and covers a ton of great information! We cover: 1. the point did opening a gym become a real possibility, 2. starting a business vs chasing a college strength coach job, 3. starting a business with ZERO business background, 4. why to burn the ships, 5. the Power of Free: How to advertise with ZERO background in marketing, 6. the vision of the gym on Day 1 versus today's vision, 7. the evolution of coaching every session to stepping into more of a "owner's role", 8. who's Connor's favorite kid :) And, as always, we finish with 3 tips! Connor even adds a 4th tip! 4 Tips to starting a gym or any business 1. start small, 2. Find a mentor who's has been there, done that, & is still doing it, 3. be excited about what the hell youre doing it, 4. business is business. quit making excuses and thinking you're special! Hope you enjoy! Thanks for listening!!

In Episode 5, we are joined by Flahive's Coach Jonah Nilson. Before we dive into the 3 tips for staying on track with a brand new workout routine, we get some background on Jonah and how he from Flahive's athlete as a 15 year old kid to a full-time Flahive's Coach. Jonah gives you his 3 actionable steps to stay on track during when starting a new workout or even when you are currently working out, but looking to take it up a couple notches!!! Tip 1: Treat workouts as appoints. Tip 2: Set and celebrate small wins. Tip 3: Focus on the intent. Hope you enjoy! See you soon!

In Episode 4, we are joined by longest tenured Flahive's Coach & Director of Training Billy Hughes. We run through our origin stories of how we got into the industry and go in depth of how we both "landed" at Flahive's. Secret Time: It is verrrrrry different path for both of us. We jump around and talk about Billy's path to being hired on a whim to becoming the head coach of Flahive's. We speak on his insatiable desire to learn and self-educate...and where that desire may stem from. We even end with 3 tips! :) Billy gives us 3 tips to be more productive and get the most out of our days! Just a couple of brown haired and red-bearded guys talking shop! Thanks for coming on Billy! Hope you enjoy! See you soon!

In Episode 3, we are joined by Flahive's Coach, Tyler Bolger. In typical Tyler fashion, we quickly jump into about 17 different directions! We cover Tyler's background and journey to becoming a Flahive's Coach. We go in depth on Tyler's own transformation, and what it took to accomplish losing over 60lbs! We talk about performance goals and best bang-for-your-buck exercises. So much good stuff in this episode! Thanks for coming on Tyler! Hope you enjoy! Talk soon!

In Episode 2, we are joined by Flahive's Coach/Do-It-All(er) Maddie MacTavish. We quickly jump into Maddie's very untraditional path into the fitness industry and we dive into that route to get an inside look at how she landed at Flahive's. Maddie goes into her experience with her own fitness transformation and how that sparked her interest into coaching. She talks about being a consultation extraordinaire and what her most important trait that allows her to connect with men & women stepping into Flahive's for the first time. So much good stuff in this episode! Thanks for coming on Maddie! Secret Time: I didn't have a job to offer her following her internship. Butttttt...here we are :) Hope you enjoy! See you soon!

In Episode 1, we are joined by Flahive's Coach Mark Krueger. Before we dive into the 3 tips for staying on track for Thanksgiving, we get some background on Mark and how he ended up in the fitness industry. We also throw Mark on the spot and get his Top 3 Thanksgiving Foods. :) We finish up with 3 actionable steps to stay on track during Thanksgiving. Spoiler Alert: enjoy yourself...guilt free!! Tip 1: Get a sweat with a workout in the morning. Tip 2: 1 Day isn't going kill your progress. But, don't let it turn in 3..4..5 days. Tip 3: Don't skip meals and have a normal day of eating leading up to the big meal. Then, eat slowly and enjoy your the big meal. Hope you enjoy! See you soon!

Today's episode is an introduction to what you can expect from the Local Flexx Podcast!