Social media is truly a phenomenal concept. It’s how I met Ken Karnack who owns a personal training business called Old School Fitness in Frisco.
We found each other a’Twitterin’ around one day online and realized we could both help each other out – me with our weekly e-publication and our 41,000 readers who get our email blast of The Frisco Community Newsletter, and him helping me get back into shape. Having just turned 38 this year, I realize that I *really* need to get with the program if I want to live a long, happy life – everyone needs some form of exercise so I figured there is no better time than the present. You see, from September 2008-April 2009 I lost about 35 pounds from simply eating better. I learned some new things about nutrition by attending a few group meetings led by Matt Schultz who holds the Frisco Weight Loss Challenge (where you can YES, even win money for losing weight!) I rarely worked out. Then I started a job (right after a very hectic event I annually produced) which required a FABULOUS commute to the Oaklawn area in Dallas and the stress just got to me – one fabulous pasta dish and wine at a time!
So I met with Ken in person and after telling him my goals for doing this and the reality check of measurements and body fat (oh that caliper!), we now meet a few times a week for weight training. Cardio is on my own – and like he says, do what I want but the scale won’t fib when the time comes!
What I like about Ken is that he isn’t trying to reinvent the fitness wheel with the “latest and greatest” products or exercises. No, you won’t find him touting an innovative piece of equipment. And he’s not a “mean” trainer whose M.O. is to degrade his client into shape.
Ken, who moved here a few years ago from Pittsburgh, is all about getting back to basics. “It’s the ‘old school’ method,” he told me, explaining the story behind his business name.
There aren’t any quick fixes to getting in shape and he isn’t going to tell you otherwise. To me, he checks his ego at the door and is very client focused. When I meet with him, I am not intimidated or surrounded by a bunch of muscle men more interested in socializing and comparing biceps than doing an effective workout. So far, it’s been just the two of us and another trainer and his/her client at the fitness studio on Main Street across from (hello irony!) the iconic Double Dip in Frisco.
Next week in The Frisco Community Newsletter our readers will get to know Ken a little better, as he’ll be the feature interview subject of our weekly Spotlight.
I know it’s going to take a while but I’m not going to beat myself up over the damage I’ve done by not being more active the last 8 years. The great thing is that one can always start anew. I’ll get there – one very painful walking squat at a time. 
I’ll keep those squats coming.
[...] Working Hard, Getting Fit: This week has just FLOWN. I worked out 3 times with Ken of Old School Fitness in Frisco and my personal “high point” was doing about 80 walking squats with a weight bar. Then today I had a great upper body workout and really rocked the triceps-rope-thingy (how’s that for a technical term?) I know the whole “no pain, no gain” thing. But let me tell you – I’ve been walking like Shamus from Family Guy – both arms and legs! (For those of you who don’t know, he’s a tough fisherman with wood for arms and legs.) I blogged about Ken last week – check it out. [...]