Meet Our Trainers … Erick Spiegel, ACSM
Erick Spiegel, ACSM
I grew up in the small town of Jim Falls, Wisconsin, where everybody knew everybody and directions were always given from what to do after the one stop sign. I moved to the big city of Eau Claire to initially pursue my elementary school teacher degree. I discovered my love for working out when it rescued me from a broken heart and I haven't looked back on a life without exercise since. I met one of Highland's top-notch personal trainers, Tim, and because of him I discovered my true calling to follow in Tim's footsteps. It was because of Tim that I realized my purpose in this life was to make differences in people's lives through personal training. This was my reasoning in initially pursuing a teaching degree, only now I am still an educator, but doing action-packed, fun workouts in addition! A few college degrees and top level certifications later and Erick is living that dream!
Training Philosophy: My philosophy combines the lessons I have learned as an educator, Aspiring nutritionist, psychologist, writer, and reader of far too many books and articles in cultivating my passion in this field. I believe in tailoring the world of health and fitness to my clients in whatever fashion they need it to be to live a healthier, sexier, more confident life. My philosophy is rooted in science but also blends science with fun and practicality. It’s about you guys, and I am just here to help guide you on your path towards the deserving new you!
Why I love training: You know that feeling you get after that really magical first date with that special someone? You just clicked on everything and they seemed to be into as much as you were with them? You just lay awake that night because you were too excited to sleep. Thoughts in your head revolved around how you couldn't wait to see them again. Well, that feeling...that is the feeling I get practically every night when I imagine my life as a personal trainer. It is because of the lives I have helped change for the better and the opportunity I have been blessed with to do so every day!
Training Tips (Updated August 15, 2011)
- Eat avocados - August 15
Eat avocados - loaded with lots of healthy monounsaturated fats and has way more potassium than bananas with none of the sugars
- Tell everyone you know and love your fitness goals - August 15
Tell everyone you know and love your fitness goals.
- Change up your workout routine at least monthy - August 15
Change up your workout routine at least monthy. Doesn't matter if it is strength training or cardio, if you're bored your body is bored and boredom yields zero results
- What you will gain by weighing less - August 15
Think in terms of what you will gain by weighing less- more energy, more life, more health, more happiness. Our minds always seem keyed into the gains in life, and not loss aversion.
- Focus on continuing to strengthen your core - August 15
Focus on continuing to strengthen your core, we are nothing without a strong core as it is our foundation for all movements. If crunches are all you do for that, time to change it up!
- Find yourself a workout buddy - August 15
Find yourself a workout buddy and challenge each other or make it your social time. Better yet, find a new friend at the gym. and challenge each other or make it your social time. Better yet, find a new friend at the gym.
- Wake up 10 minutes early - August 15
Wake up 10 minutes early and do 20 seconds on, 20 seconds off switching between squats, jumping jacks and push-ups for 3-4 rounds. This results in a higher metabolism burn all rest of the day, and more growth hormone and testosterone released. Makes you alert better than coffee or hitting 'snooze' a couple more times.
- Make breakfast your biggest meal of the day - August 15
Make breakfast your biggest meal of the day and supper your smallest. Begin the day eating like a king, end it eating like a pauper.
- Find your why - August 15
Find your why. Why am I eating this avocado instead of some m&m's? Why am I running outside when I could be sitting on my butt in front of a bag of dorritos watching Steven Tyler on American Idol? The more you tie your why into the ones you love and care about, the better!
- Set little manageable goals - August 15
Set little manageable goals by the week: Get x many of workouts in, didn't eat or drink sugar at all, etc. Then reward yourself for hitting them with non-food related reinforcements. Better yet, get somebody you shared your goals with to reward you!
- Pull ups - July 8
For better overall strength, do pull-ups instead of the overly popular and much over-rated bench press. It still works all the major muscles of the upper body, while challenging your core as well, all the while sparing your shoulders of unnecessary pain.
- Quinoa - July 8
Start eating quinoa. Its protein content is ridiculously high and packs all the usual amino acids; but it is actually a seed, so is also high in fiber and healthy carbs. Easy to make in a lot of recipes and your body digests it quite easily.
- Who to you want to look like? - July 8
Use Photoshop or good old fashioned paper and scissors to place your face on a celebrity's body you would most desire to look like. Take a gander at this on days you know you should work out but just "don't feel like it."
- Fish Oil supplement - July 8
If you aren't yet, start taking a fish oil supplement. It's good for the skin, good for your muscles, and keeps your body in fat-burning mode all day long!
- Box Jumps - July 6
Do box jumps instead of boring cardio. The constant change of your heart rate during your 1 minute rests in between 30 second bursts actually causes your body to burn more fat!
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