A couple of weeks ago, I was at the beach to take a much needed break. During my time away, I tried to spend some time reflecting on what fitness means to me. Even though fitness was a life-changing thing in my life, I realize that it may mean something totally different to me than it does to most other people.

I talk about a lot about general “fitness,” but I am and always have been a bodybuilder. Bodybuilding is a way of life; it’s not something you do. It’s a lifestyle built around hard work and discipline. I found it to be all encompassing, and while this lifestyle asked a lot of me, its return was immeasurable. As a bodybuilder, no matter what gym I was at, it always felt like home. Back then, the gym was a place with a group of people all going in the same direction with a singular focus. Everyone was looking for their ultimate body—whatever that meant to them. This group of people took me in and made me part of the group without question. They helped me because I was interested. I had many great teachers along the way that taught me their unique perspective on what I was trying to accomplish.

My point to all of this is that community is such a big part of what fitness really is. It’s the sweat time together that means so much, it builds a bond that last the test of time. I think about the relationships that have come from people meeting in the gym. It’s one of the best networking places ever. I always encourage people to take advantage of the knowledge of the people around them, especially those who have been doing it for a long time. More than likely, they have wisdom to share that will help someone who is new to fitness avoid some of the same problems that they might have already encountered.

Today, Success Studio is in its 13th year. While I was away, I got to think about all of the people that have been though the Studio over these years and how each person had such a positive effect on our own community, on who we are as a business, and on me personally. These relationships will last forever and they will forever be a part of our community because no one ever stops being part of the Studio family.

In an effort to grow our community over the next couple of weeks, you will receive gift cards to pass onto that one (or two) friend(s) that you think would flourish in this environment. The card will have a value of $100.00 can be used on any service or membership that we offer. As a young trainer, my goal with my clients was to teach them enough so that they could then teach one other person. I could guarantee that there’s always a friend who was going to ask them what they were doing because they looked different. If you have experienced this kind of remarkable change and you have friends that have noticed, please encourage them to take advantage of the gift card.

Bill