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Category: Client stories

What’s your reason to get fit this year?

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People exercise for all sorts of reasons.

Everyone who trains at 20 Minutes to Fitness is here for a reason.

Of course, everyone wants to improve their physical fitness. They love that 20 Minutes to Fitness makes it possible to build strength and endurance with just ONE 20-minute session a week. They also appreciate the encouragement they receive from their personal coach, who stays by their side, setting each machine and making sure they use safe, proper form.

 Dig a little deeper, and you will learn that everyone who trains at 20 Minutes to Fitness has a reason why they want get fit. These reasons usually fall into one of several categories. What is YOUR reason? Or reasons? Many people have more than one!

  •  To meet a goal.

Some people want to be more competitive in sports. Or perhaps they want to be able to finish nine holes of golf without back pain. Or to walk three miles without fatigue. Some want to build strength so they can keep up with their children. Or their grandchildren. Or their great-grandchildren. For all these people, exercise is part of the solution.

  • So you can maintain your independence.

Most advertising for “people of certain age” focuses on senior living communities, reverse mortgages, medical alert devices and other reminders of their mortality. Some people don’t give up so easily. They exercise because it helps to keep them young. Building strength helps live independently, travel and check off items on their bucket list long into their golden years.

  • To look better.

There is often a bit of vanity behind the decision to get fit. Some people want to lose weight. Others want to maintain the weight they are at. Some want to build muscle because makes their clothes fit better. By helping to shape and tone the body, strength training does all these things.

The truth is people tend to carry themselves more confidently and have a better self-image when they look and feel strong. Strength-training also supports a healthy metabolism, helping efficiently burn fat long after a workout is complete. It’s the gift that keeps on giving!

  • To feel better.

Exercise increases the flow of oxygen in the brain and releases positive, mood-altering chemicals. Both can help reduce pain and increase brain function, as well as help combat anxiety and depression. Some people exercise to relieve stress and manage anxiety. Or because it improves the quality of their sleep and memory.

Regular exercise also boosts endurance and overall energy levels. Some find that can enhance their ability to cope with life’s challenges. In addition, meeting milestones provides a sense of accomplishment. Training at 20 Minutes to Fitness, some say, just feels good!

  • Because someone told you to.

Sometimes, the motivation to exercise comes from an outside source. It could be a doctor who is concerned about your blood pressure or bone health. Or a rehabilitation specialist who says you need to rebuild muscle following a surgery or illness. Or a physical therapist who thinks exercise will help reduce pain and improve mobility.

That “someone” could be a friend or relative who has reaped the benefits of exercise and wants you to experience them, too. Or it could be a stranger who opens a door or offers to carry a package, reminding you that you aren’t as young and strong as you once were. Some people listen to this advice because, deep down, they know the person giving it is right.

  • Because you’re looking ahead.

Unless we exercise our muscles properly, we can lose five to seven pounds of muscle tissue each decade of our adult lives. We also tend to gain fat as we grow older due to the slowing of our metabolisms and a decline in activity. The good news: strength-training can reverse muscle loss.

Exercise also helps maintain flexibility and reduces the risk of age-related joint issues. It may even contribute to a lower risk of cognitive decline in older adults. It can help stave off osteoporosis and control diabetes. In fact, next to quitting smoking, doctors say that building muscle is the best thing you can do to give yourself the best chance for a long and healthy life. For many, exercise is a long-term investment that delivers excellent return on their investment.

  • Because exercise is fun!

We hear from plenty of people who admit that they don’t like to exercise. At least they didn’t like it until they came to 20 Minutes to Fitness. Now they see getting fit in a whole new light. It’s not easy. But because the entire workout takes just 20 minutes, start to finish, they know they can do it.

Plus, some people say they enjoy the social interaction they find here. They get to know their coaches, most of whom have worked here many years and have a knack for making each 20-minute session fly by. Some become friends with other people who train at the same time as they do, week after week. Training at 20 Minutes to Fitness, they decide, makes exercise fun.

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Want to learn more about the people who build strength and fitness at 20 Minutes to Fitness? Check out this article from the St. Louis Post-Dispatch, which profiles three great examples. 

What’s your reason for getting fit in 2024? (stltoday.com)

Dick Smothers trained at 20 Minutes to Fitness in Sarasota, Florida.

Dick Smothers once said training at 20 Minutes to Fitness helped him get in the best shape of his life.

A TRIBUTE TO OUR FUNNIEST CLIENT EVER!

When we heard the sad news about the recent passing of Tommy Smothers, we at 20 Minutes to Fitness took our own trip down memory lane.  Tommy was one-half of a famous comedy duo, the Smothers Brothers. The other half of the duo was Tommy’s brother Dick, who trained at our studio in Sarasota, Florida.

If you are unfamiliar with the Smothers Brothers, we suggest taking a couple of minutes and reading this article from National Public Radio. Actually, go ahead and read it even if you DO remember the Smothers Brothers.

It will remind you of the many contributions Tommy and Dick Smothers made to comedy and American culture.  As the article explains, “Tom Smothers was not only an extraordinary comedic talent, who, together with his brother Dick, became the most enduring comedy duo in history, entertaining the world for over six decades — but was a true champion for freedom of speech, harnessing the power of comedy to push boundaries and our political consciousness.” As those of us who grew up then know, The Smothers Brothers Comedy Hour was Must-See TV in the 1960s.  

MORE ON THE SMOTHERS BROTHERS

As the article explains: 

“The brothers had seemed unlikely to make television history. They had spent the previous several years on the nightclub and college circuits and doing TV guest appearances, honing an offbeat comedy routine that mixed folk music with a healthy dose of sibling rivalry.

They would come on stage, Tom with a guitar in hand and Dick toting an upright bass. They would quickly break into a traditional folk song — perhaps “John Henry” or “Pretoria.” After playing several bars, Tom, positioned as the dumb one, would mess it up,” the article continues.  “And then (Tommy would) quickly claim he had meant to do that. As Dick, the serious, short-tempered one, berated him for failing to acknowledge his error, he would scream in exasperation, “Mom always liked you best!”

They continued that shtick on their show but also surrounded themselves with a talented cast of newcomers, both writers and performers.”  Glen Campbell was a regular musical guest on their TV show.  A young Rob Reiner and comedian Steve Martin both wrote for them. In fact, Steve Martin later presented the brothers with a lifetime Emmy in 2008.

DICK SMOTHERS TRAINED AT 20 MINUTES TO FITNESS IN SARASOTA

That same year — 2008 — Dick Smothers began training at 20 Minutes to Fitness in Sarasota. Dick later offered to write an ad for us, for which we will always be grateful.  We are sharing it here so you can read it, too. Today, we also offer our condolences to Dick and wish him and his family all the strength they need as they honor Tommy Smother’s life and mourn his passing.

Woman builds strength safely on specialty equipment.

WHY DANA TRAINS AT 20 MINUTES TO FITNESS

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This is Dana Hall.

Dana is 46 years old.

She has had five spinal surgeries.

Dana is also a busy mother of two who has lived much of her life with pain and weakness.  

Dana’s physical therapist recommended she try 20 Minutes to Fitness.  

Today Dana says she has never felt stronger. She says 20 Minutes to Fitness gave her back her life.

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Like Dana, each person who trains at 20 Minutest to Fitness has a story about their own fitness journey. Some once thought they were too old, too out of shape or had too many medical problems to build strength safely. Others just plain hated exercising.

Dana likes training at 20 Minutes to Fitness, she says, because “I never worry about injuring myself.” She feels safe because she completes our medically based workout with an experienced coach at her side, making sure she uses proper technique. “I need this workout,” the mother of two says, “so I can get out of the bed in the morning.”  She no longer takes pain medication for her back, she adds.

People of all ages and fitness levels feel welcome at 20 Minutes to Fitness, now in its 21st year. Because workouts are tailored to each person’s needs and limitations, all can achieve their strength-building goals with a once-a-week workout that takes just 20 minutes.

Your initial consultation and first session are free. Why not give it a try? Contact us today.

20 years of 20 Minutes to Fitness!

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When Paul and Laura Miller first read in Newsweek about a 20-minute, once-a-week fitness regimen, they were skeptical.

The 2001 article, which described a safe way to lift weight in super-slow motion, seemed too good to be true.

But University of Florida Medical School research found the regimen improved strength, bone density and overall functionality in people of all ages and fitness levels. Lesley Stahl of 60 Minutes was a fan. So was Barbara Walters. Both trained at InForm Fitness, a New York City studio founded by fitness guru Adam Zickerman.

“For 20 minutes, I can do anything”

“I hate to exercise,” Walters admitted on The View, after demonstrating the techniques to viewers in 2002. “But for 20 minutes, I can do anything.”

Intrigued, the Millers traveled to New York to experience the workout firsthand. Soon they were hooked.

Later that year, they opened 20 Minutes to Fitness in Clayton. It was the first studio of its kind in the St. Louis area. Staffed by physical therapists and other professionals, it offered a safe, efficient way to build muscle.

Because the workout takes just 20 minutes, it also freed clients to spend the remaining 10,060 minutes in their week doing anything OTHER than think about exercise.

Early converts included Dick Smothers and pro and amateur golfers

Betty Cuniberti, a former Post-Dispatch columnist and breast cancer-survivor, was an early convert. Writing about her experience, she effused over the workout’s many benefits, concluding, “I never dreamed at age 55, I’d hit a golf ball so far or wear a skirt so short.”

KMOX radio’s Charlie Brennan has trained at 20 Minutes to Fitness since 2006 because “20 minutes, once a week is something I can stick with. Plus, it has the added benefit of working great.” Pro golfer Jay Delsing credits the workout with helping him build the strength needed to rejoin the PGA Champions tour after back surgery.

20 Minutes to Fitness today has locations in Chesterfield and Clayton, along with Tampa and Sarasota, Florida, where Dick Smothers of Smothers Brothers-fame trained, claiming the workout helped him get in “THE BEST SHAPE OF (HIS) LIFE.”

Builds bone density, improves your golf game

Since its founding, 20 Minutes to Fitness has trained countless doctors. Other clients include a former Olympic ice dancer, high school football players, grandmothers seeking to build bone density, busy corporate executives, avid cyclists, father-daughter duos and thousands of ordinary people just trying to live their fittest and best lives.

All say they appreciate the one-on-one, by-appointment-only training. They like that it requires no memberships or long-term commitments. Most importantly, they love the results.

As 20 Minutes to Fitness celebrates its 20th year, the Millers, general manager Casey Breslin, PT, and their staff still meet people who are skeptical of a 20-minute, once-a-week workout. They understand. They suggest you do the same thing they did.  Try it.

Your first workout, along with a health screening and consultation, is free.


Gerry Hempstead celebrates six years of building strength at 20 Minutes to Fitness.

This is Gerry. You’ll find him photographed at various spots on the 20 Minutes to Fitness website.

Gerry — like everyone you’ll see on our website and in our ads — is a real person, not some fancy fitness model. We tell the stories of real people because 20 Minutes to Fitness delivers real results. And all it takes is working out once a week for 20 minutes.

We know it sounds too good to be true. But this is one case where it is not. Here you’ll train safely on physical therapy equipment under the direct supervision of a personal coach who handles all the details and makes sure you use proper form. We’re not saying it is easy. But it is efficient, effective and fun. It helps your mind and body feel better. Don’t believe us?

Just ask Gerry.

WANT TO BE LIKE JOHN?

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John Gudeman was a weightlifter and pole vaulter in college. He was an educator for 44 years. And today he is a Senior Olympian with gold medals in the high jump and running long jump.

How does he stay in such great shape?

John is a regular at 20 Minutes to Fitness, which he credits with helping to keep him competition-ready. “I can’t praise my trainer enough,” says John. “Vicki absolutely works the daylights out of me. She is totally fabulous. The people at 20 Minutes to Fitness are like family to me, and I’ve grown to love them.”

We love you, too, John! You are an inspiration to everyone you meet.

John Gudeman, Senior Olympian, 20 Minutes to Fitness client

John executes a gold medal-winning long jump at the Senior Olympics.

St. Louis Magazine reporter Jeannette Cooperman visited 20 Minutes to Fitness’ studio in Clayton and tried about our 20-minute, once-a-week strength training workout herself.  Then she wrote an article about what she experienced.

You can read it all here. Or here. Or here.  It’s all the same. We just don’t want you to miss it!

“I’ve been training with Darrell at 20 Minutes to Fitness for almost a year and a half, and I love it.  He tracks my progress and adjust my workouts to keep me safe and challenged.  He encourages me and helps me push myself to work harder.  I know I’m getting fitter by the things (outside of my workouts!) that I’m able to do with a lot less effort.  Also my clothes fit better!! Working out at 20 Minutes to Fitness has really helped me to stay motivated with my other activities too.”

Connie Palmer
Trains at 20 Minutes to Fitness Clayton, MO