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Not sure what to get your spouse, relative or friend this holiday season? Give a gift that will make a positive difference in their life. Buy a package of personal training for that special person. Don’t stress out standing in long lines at the store or throw money at another electronic device that will be obsolete in one year or wonder if your on-line order will be delivered in time. Personal training is an experience and not just another thing that you pull off a shelf. A personal training gift certificate shows that you care about a person’s health and well-being. It’s also a great way to help someone achieve their fitness goals faster, stay on track, and have fun along the way. I have four private training packages to choose from. If you are having difficulty choosing, here’s some motivation. From now through the end of the month, you can buy any training package (1, 5, 10 or 20 sessions) at my best session price of $65/session if paid by check or cash. That’s a $15 savings for a single session and a $50 savings for the 5 and 10 session packages. For your convenience, I can attach a gift certificate to print out or email. So don’t wait. The clock is ticking.

Contact me today (608)798-0081 or balancepersonaltraining@tds.net

Happy Holidays from Eric and Bob!❄️

QUESTION: How can you develop leg strength, kinesthetic awareness, flexibility and balance? ANSWER: By doing single leg squats on a step stool. The great thing is that you’re able modify the exercises to fit your abilities. Maybe you start just by balancing on one foot in the middle of the stool. Or you begin by squatting with one leg lifted behind you. If you’re looking for more of a challenge you can do an entire set of pistol squats. Remember it’s all about performing the movements safely and effectively and finding what works best for you. Enjoy the video!

Do you want to add variety to your workout routine? Do you want to improve your balance and core strength? Do you want to make exercise more fun? Then the stability ball is the fitness tool for you. It kind of reminds me of the hopper balls I used to bounce on in preschool. Jumping around and laughing until I fell off or my legs gave out. Watch my video as I demonstrate a few exercises that you can start doing today!

When I was growing up, my mom encouraged me to wear flip flops at the public swimming pool and in the school locker rooms, especially the shower area. Even when I was at a friend’s house for a sleep over she suggested that I avoid going barefoot in the house and always wear socks. Was my mom being overly cautious? No, I totally agree with her. Germs, fungi and viruses spread quickly person to person. My clients know that I keep my fitness studio clean. Freshly laundered towels are readily available, and after every session the exercise equipment is ALWAYS “sprayed down” with a botanical cleaner that kills 99.99% of germs. Surfaces like stretch mats, benches and bicycle seats are also cleaned. And I do my best not to forget equipment with handles like the assisted tower (for doing pull ups, dips and knee raises), recumbent bike, ab wheel and suspension straps.

Next time you’re at the gym or grocery store or pretty much anywhere you see people all the time touching their faces, rubbing their eyes, or (eww!) picking their noses. So besides sharing with you that I’m a little bit of a germaphobe, I’d like to share with you the two times I picked up athlete’s foot at the gym. The first time was a few years ago when I was a member of the Princeton Club on Madison’s west side (yes, personal trainers like to get out of their own studio now and then). I had been a member for a while and really enjoyed the set up, floorpan and equipment. But, since I did Personal Training at a gym in California for a number of years, I was always finding myself reporting to staff when the a/c vents were in need of being cleaned or when I saw a science experiment in the corner of the men’s locker room. Yes, I’m that guy. You’re welcome.

During one of my workouts I added in the seated triceps extension machine. Just to do something different. The next day, I noticed a rash on my right elbow and forearm. As the day progressed, it became red and blistery. Yikes!! I jumped online and checked out tons of images and info of skin rashes/lesions/blisters. Ick! Some of them were reactions to certain plants, others were bacterial. The image that most closely resembled mine was athlete’s foot . . . Except mine was on my arm. I learned later that the fungus that cause athlete’s foot didn’t have to be on my feet. A few days went by and the alien on my arm did not go away by itself. So I did as most physicians, nurses and other medical personnel suggest against. I treated it myself. I picked up an anti fungal cream from CVS. Clotrimazole 1% was written in a large font on the side of the tube. It did the trick. After just a few applications, the redness greatly reduced, it was no longer itchy and the blisters subsided. I did have to apply it for a few weeks, so a bit of a hassle, but whew, problem solved.

More recently, I was working out at Planet Fitness and ran into my old friend Mr. Athlete’s Foot again. I have been working out there for a year and have been impressed with the number of disinfectant spray bottles and paper towels strategically located throughout the gym. In addition, the members seem to be meticulous about spraying equipment after use. So chances were that the hamstring curl machine was clean before I using it. Sometimes I am extra fastidious and hose down the equipment BEFORE using it. Just in case. The day after my workout I noticed a couple bumps on my right hand between the second and third knuckles. Huh. I’ve been known to “react” to certain plants, animals, stings, bites and even wool sweaters so I wasn’t too concerned . . . until it began to form a bubble and blister the following day. Here we go again. Treatment was the same, anti fungal cream until the symptoms were erdicated. Where do I think I picked it up? Honestly, looking back at my workout, I’m confident it was actually by picking up one of the spray bottles. Ironic isn’t it. Eric are you sure? Maybe you were in the yard or your gardening gloves were damp? Nope. Ruled that out. It was the gym again.

How do I avoid getting athlete’s foot again? Should I wear workout gloves? Should I stop going to the gym? Remember there was a time when men and women wore gloves all the time. Not just for fashion, but also for function . . . and to avoid germs. Time to go on to Amazon.com and check out their Weightlifting Gloves.

Training Rick was such a pleasure. With his optimism and willingness to learn, he made my job easy. We trained twice a week for 2 1/2 years, and I always looked forward to his appointments. He recently moved to Florida and sent me this testimonial. Here you go!

“I first heard Eric Foxman’s name mentioned at a dinner with some friends. They had commented on some press he had received which named him “Healthiest Man in America”. They were clients and indicated he lived in the town of Middleton where he operated his studio. I filed it away as a curiosity, until ironically about a year later I met the man himself—as an opponent on the tennis court. I say ironically, as I was to find out that we are both passionate about the sport, often supplementing workouts hitting.

A few months later I retired from my job and got to thinking about personal training. I believed I was reasonably fit for a 61 year old; I started seriously running in the early 1980s, completed several marathons, and could still run a sub 8-minute mile consistently. Plus I played tennis most every day of the week. But something was missing. I lacked upper body strength and core fitness, probably at least as important for seniors to maintain, if not more so than aerobics.

I called Eric, reminded him that we had met, and expressed interest in his services. Of course, the first few sessions were intimidating to me. I felt self-conscious about the exercises, at least happy that I wasn’t making a fool out of myself in public. Eric has a knack for being encouraging and supportive each and every session. So as time progressed, I began to feel more comfortable and looked forward to the twice weekly sessions.

Over 2 1/2 years later, I’m glad I made that call. I’ve recently relocated to Florida, but I believe the foundation is in place, and I will continue with Eric in spirit. So give him a call. You won’t be disappointed.”

Rick Sanders
Middleton, WI/ Naples, FL

Getting a written testimonial from a client is always rewarding. It’s like a big thank you and reminds me why I have been personal training for twenty-two years. But getting a testimonial from a fellow wellness professional is even more meaningful to me. I’m just going to cut to the chase and share what Robb Seal, Licensed Massage Therapist, recently sent me. Not to pat myself on the back, but I’m feeling pretty good right about now. Here you go!

“After being introduced to Eric Foxman at a business social function earlier this spring, I was truly impressed with his optimistic personality and obvious knowledge base. So, I decided to give Balance Personal Training a try. What a great decision! I had an amazing experience working out with Eric, as he makes sessions both informative and entertaining. His command of diverse training styles and fitness philosophies enables a constantly creative approach that promises appropriate, effective variations on tried-and-true exercise routines. You’ll never get bored doing the same things over and over again. His emphasis on smooth control and attentiveness to form and detail ensures sustainability, durability and a steady improvement of strength and fitness rather than the “raw power”, “no pain no gain” approach that leads inevitably to injury.

The facilities are modern and tidy, with ample equipment to allow complexity and variety in the workout, as well as privacy and cleanliness in the transition to and from the real world.

After just one workout, I could tell that Eric was committed to being a partner in helping me improve my well-being. He is prompt and thorough with follow-up, and will happily keep you posted about new ideas and relevant health topics. Check out Balance Personal Training if you want to take the step toward long-term better health and fitness!”

Robb Seal, Owner of Premier Bodywork LLC