December 2022

Everybody loves underdog stories. Some of the most successful and enduring films involve an underdog character: Rocky, The Bad News Bears, and Rudy come to mind. You can even consider Jaws to be an underdog story, as there was seemingly no way that Chief Brody was going to survive against that shark after the boat capsized. Many people in a variety of industries have succeeded beyond imagination after overcoming incredible odds or dealing with significant hardships.

I recently heard a radio commercial for a heating and air conditioning company that resonated with me. Unfortunately I can't remember the name of the company, but the owner made some really astute points and the story that he told in that brief commercial made me think. There are probably hundreds of HVAC companies in the Washington DC area, many of whom have large advertising budgets and scores of employees (most of us are familiar with Len the Plumber and F.H. Furr). In contrast, this gentleman is the owner of a small company who does much of the work himself. He spoke about taking pride in being on time, doing the work right the first time, and charging competitive prices. Every day he competes against the titans of his industry, and he says he takes pride in considering himself the underdog. Think about that for a second; he didn't shy away from the label, he embraced it.

That is exactly the mindset that we have at Total Results - we are the underdog! According to Lending Tree, nearly twenty percent of businesses fail in the first year of existence, so Total Results founder and former owner Tim Rankin had a lot to overcome when he started the company in his garage. We compete for clients with much larger companies (Gold's Gym, Orange Theory, etc.) that have bigger overhead costs, more employees, and spend far more on advertising. You don't see or hear Total Results commercials; our best form of advertising is word of mouth referrals from our amazing clients and professional partners, as well as in-person networking. We have no interest in competing with the big gyms at their own game; frankly, we don't even see ourselves as being in the same industry as the big health clubs because we have a vision and a philosophy that we refuse to compromise. Sure, we could probably make more money if we didn't have such strict ethics, but there are a lot of things in life more important than money.

The Total Results exercise methodology has always been at odds with the commercial fitness industry. Even before I came to Total Results in 2006, I taught this exercise protocol when I worked in commercial gyms throughout the area. I got plenty of strange looks from people, not only for how I dressed (because I didn't look like a gym rat), but for how I instructed my clients. I have faced obstacles in this industry from the beginning of my career, but as philosopher and author Ryan Holiday says, the obstacle is the way. Our underdog status was cemented in 2020 when we nearly had to close for good during the Covid lockdowns. The deck was certainly stacked against not just us, but many small businesses, and many of them had to close. We have our amazing clients to thank for being able to reopen and stay open.

Being an underdog means you have to work hard for everything you get and nothing is handed to you. I am proud to say that we have done just that, and I am grateful to be a part of this great company for over 16 years. Since we are a small business that is independently owned, our philosophy can remain untainted by outside interests, and we can stay free of the medical and fitness establishment. We will just keep chugging along, working to get better every day and continuing to give you the best exercise experience possible, because that is what you deserve.

I was fortunate to play football for legendary Seneca Valley High School football coach Terry Changuris. Although I graduated from high school nearly 30 years ago, he and I still talk frequently and visit when we can. I have asked him many questions over the years about strategy and how he was able to have such sustained success, which included a 158-31 record and 7 state championships over 16 seasons. Coach Changuris also knows what it's like to inherit a successful operation (just as I do), as he took over the program from the late, great Al Thomas, who won 5 state championships in 14 years.

Coach Chang (as his former players call him) often talks about finding the "winning formula", which came about through trial and error. He adopted principles that he learned from his coaching mentors, but he also had his own ideas and experimented with them. Some of them were extremely effective, while others were less successful and were scrapped. He crafted a philosophy that included sound special teams, a swarming, disciplined defense, and an explosive offense featuring a passing game that was twenty years ahead of its time (we utilized concepts that you see many current NFL teams execute). The winning formula, as I see it, is as much about having the proper mindset and attention to detail as it is about doing the right things every day. Discipline is key, and each day is an opportunity to be seized. It's not about the latest trends, and it's not necessarily glamorous and exciting, but it works if you put in the time and effort.

A winning formula for your overall health includes proper sleep, stress management, nutrition, time-restricted eating, and effective supplementation. Strive for 7-9 hours of sleep per night, avoid sugar and processed foods, and find worthwhile hobbies or practice mindfulness to help deal with the stresses of life. This will allow you to make the most of the genetic hand of cards you have been dealt, and will go a long way toward staving off chronic disease. A crucial component of your game plan should be Total Results exercise. By now it's no secret that strength training is vital to help you maintain functional independence, bone health, and muscle mass, and there is no safer exercise protocol than ours. Our methodology requires a small time investment (less than one hour per week), and the metabolic return on that investment is exponential. One or two sessions per week consisting of 5-7 exercises is not just something that we can get away with, but is a biological necessity in order to stimulate physical improvements without overtraining.

I mentioned above about having the proper mindset and attention to detail. This is where an experienced exercise instructor plays a critical role. Not only are we looking out for your safety during each exercise, we are preparing you for what to expect once the exercise becomes more demanding. This helps to ease the anxiety that can occur when one gives a great degree of effort. Every repetition is scrutinized, so that you can achieve maximum benefit. We help you to develop the right frame of mind so that you can achieve your goals and get the most out of life. The mental aspect of exercise can never be underestimated.

Lasting success is achieved through a process that is sustainable day after day and year after year. It is gratifying that we have so many special clients who have been with us for a decade or more, and it says even more about them than it does about Total Results. Find a process that works for you and give yourself your best chance to achieve the level of health and vitality that you always wanted. Come up with your own "winning formula" and get started with Total Results exercise today.