Mid-morning Group Fitness and Team Training classes only

Nursery open 8:00 a.m. – 1:00 p.m.

No SAS or Parisi classes.

Have a safe and enjoyable Memorial Day!

Our Zumba classes have been voted #1 on the DeSoto’s Best contest, determined by DeSoto County residents, so come out to this free event and experience choreography only found at the DAC! Six of our top Zumba and Body Jam instructors are going to show us all how to shake it to make wishes come true!

Let’s focus on the term “effective workout” for a moment, because, well honestly it’s getting dangerously close to time to get in that swimsuit so it’s also time to get EFFECTIVE.

You think all workouts are effective, right? While it’s great just to get up and get moving – something everyone should do – in this busy day and time, you need to get the MOST out of every move and every minute of your workout.

Let’s talk about some quick, very popular misconceptions about exercise that most people think is the way to go. And, is not at all effective:

Heavy on the Cardio

Are you what we call a “Treadmill Renter?” You invest in a club membership only to find yourself on the cardio machines, so you’re essentially renting a treadmill or elliptical? This is not what we want for our DAC Fitness members. Cardio exercises will burn up the calories, but resistance/strength training burns fat and builds muscle that…burns fat even while you’re not moving. Just sitting there…burning fat. So, please, get off the cardio machines and explore the MANY other options around you – keep reading on below!

Machine Training/Spot Toning – NOT Effective

You cannot, repeat, CANNOT isolate fat loss in just one specific part of the body. It’s not how our bodies work. Yes, all resistance training can tone up and trim fat in areas of the body, but you can’t just get a six pack with some sit-ups. That’s why we teach moves that work not only multiple muscle groups at once to optimize all-over fat burning and muscle toning, but also many moves also include intervals of cardio. Who out there hasn’t had their life flash before them during a set of burpies?

Now that we know what NOT to do to get the fitness results you want, let’s talk about what you MUST do:

Most Important: Assessment of Your Current Fitness Level

You may think this is a waste of time or a sales pitch – it’s not. Your DAC Fitness Assessment (available to all DAC members, any time, at no cost – click here for more info) – is the most crucial step in achieving the results you want. We have to know in what level of fitness you are in order for us to deliver the most effective exercise recommendations to you. This is where many of our members set themselves up to fail: by not getting an assessment and trying to “dive in” simply on their own. At least 95%, if not more, of you will not stick with a workout program if you did not complete some sort of assessment at the beginning.

You’ll also complete a Functional Movement Screen (part of the Assessment) – sounds more like physical rehab, but it’s for everyone. DAC invested in this scientifically-proven system that tells the trainers where your weaknesses are – you would be FLOORED to know how many of us, at any age, have weak backs due to office jobs. And a weak back can greatly affect your proper form (and effectiveness!) in most exercises, so you need to not only know how to strengthen it, but to alert any trainers or instructors to your weaknesses so that they can show you modifications in any of our group training or one-on-one training sessions.  Even YOUNG people need modifications, so do not think this is an age thing!

KNOW Your Zone, Burn Your Fat

When you work out, if you do not know what heart rate zone you are in, you have no idea if your body is burning fat or carbs/sugar.  Remember the Heavy Cardio we addressed earlier? Most people do not know that they’re mainly burning only sugar when they’re in a cardio session, not fat, which is why cardio alone is not effective.

Ask our Fitness Staff about determining your personal heart rate zone chart during your fitness assessment – if you don’t have a heart rate monitor, then we strongly urge you to get one (Polar Heart Rate Monitors are available at all of our DAC locations) if you want to truly see results.  Best yet, knowing your heart rate and zone gives you immediately gratification of your workout, as you see how much fat and calories you burned. You’ll be impressed, motivated and ready to do it again!

Gotta Love Them Goals!

Which one of these statements best describes you?

• I just want to look good and feel good consistently.
• I want to lose weight and tone up.
• I need to address specific health issues that regular exercise can help.

It’s best to know exactly what you expect of your club membership and get the most of the resources available to you. You are paying for a membership – why not MAX it out? We know that if you’re not getting what you want from DAC, then we are not EFFECTIVELY doing our job, which is to educate you on the best way to get those terrific, impressive results!

Get Moving – EFFECTIVELY

You have to rely on the pros on this one if you want a truly effective exercise plan that will deliver the results you want.

Taking into consideration the results of your assessment, Functional Movement Screen and the determination of your fitness goals, our Fitness Coaching Staff will develop a customized workout plan. Now, you’re probably thinking “here comes the part where they tell me to pay $1000 for personal training.” Nope.  We are not that “gym.” DAC is dedicated – please read that again – DEDICATED to educating and motivating you with every resource we have available.

We want you to feel comfortable to talk to us about your thoughts on reaching your goals – or even helping you determine them. And, again, there is no charge for doing so, as our staff is passionate about what they do and what they KNOW you can achieve. Please shoot us an email with any questions, thoughts or if you’d like to schedule an assessment.

We look forward to talking to you!

March is almost as big of a fitness month as January, as it marks the kick-off to the Countdown to Swimsuit Season.

But what are you willing to do to get into that Swimsuit Shape? Dangerous heart-jumping supplements? Drinking green sludge for every meal? Telling yourself you’re going to “crush it” six days a week at the gym…only to make it three days the first week, and then once the next, skip the next – you know how it goes!

We’ll be discussing this topic throughout the month of March, but first we want to focus on the most important part: getting your head in the water, so to speak. Once you make the decision to attain the swimsuit shape you feel comfortable in, the rest will fall into place as you continue to work toward the goal. Follow these guidelines for swimsuit success:

Find Your Muse
It’s time to get inspired, so find pictures of you “back in the day” or images from a magazine or online (Be realistic! No airbrushed images of celebrities allowed!) and place them in areas where you’ll see them and be constantly motivated toward your goal. The idea here is to have a realistic view of yourself happy, healthy and enjoying yourself either pool- or beach-side. Once you picture it, it becomes more attainable (and it IS attainable – we see our members do it EVERY DAY!).

Put Less “Weight” on Pounds to Lose
With a typical workout and nutrition plan, you should expect to, on average, lose 1 pound per week. Many of us believe we need to crash-diet and work out every single day to lose the 20 pounds we’re convinced has to go before we even begin to walk down the road of success. WRONG. Your $1.00 tape measure is actually a more important tool than your $100 weight scale. Begin to think in inches, not pounds. There are actually some of us who (gasp!) need to gain weight and inches. And don’t think their road is any easier than those of us who want to lose!

It’s All About the Game Plan
Your success in attaining your goal depends on the success of your planning. No great athlete was ever developed from “winging it,” so at a more everyday level a plan is even more necessary, as we’re all doing good to fit workouts and good nutrition into our everyday chaotic lives as it is! Great athletes have a team of experts coaching their every move! Now, you can also enjoy this luxury for a super-affordable price with the $89 DAC Fitness 30-Day Personal Training Experience, which provides you with personal training AND this great game plan we’re talking about! Click here to find out more!

Two Simple Choices – and KEEP Them Simple
You’re making the choice to exercise and eat healthy. If you keep your mind focused on those two simple choices and know that you are doing what is best for your body (and mind!), then the weight loss, body shape – whatever it is – will happen on its own. Do not obsess about the end result – that will actually work against you, creating stress, which can trigger hormones that will cause weight GAIN. It can also set you up to fail, as bringing negative thinking into something that is actually GOOD for you will lead you away from it in the end.

So, grab a pen and paper and write down those Swimsuit Season goals. Then grab the scissors and cut out the inspiration images. And know that you’re welcome to bring that whole pile to the DAC Fitness Desk and just say “Ok – what next?”

Because laying out the “what’s next” is the most important part.

Good luck and know we’re here for you!

Turn up the Salt n Peppa because you’re going to PUSH IT (Duh. Duh-duh-duh-duh…) with the DAC Fitness Exercise of the Week: the Kettlebell Push Press, superbly described by “Smiles While I Kill You in Class” Michelle McMath and demonstrated by the year-round tanned and toned Brian Finch. This move works everything but the jaw muscles – so just chit-chat about your future rockin’ quads, rear, tight core and ripped shoulders with your trainer or Team Training partners and it’s a done-deal-full-body-exercise. Email info@daclife.com to find out more about the chit-chatting in Team Training.

You’re wrapping up February and we at DAC Fitness just want to ask – “Have you stuck to your New Year’s Resolutions?” Well, if you’re like roughly 80% of us – you haven’t.

Don’t beat yourself up – in fact, that’s the worst thing you can do.

So, today, I want to give you some pointers on setting attainable goals that you’ll stick with and keep that New Year’s Resolution mentality going.

1) ANY day of the year works to set healthy goals. January 1^st provides no more magic than February 21^st or July 16^th or any other day!

2) Most people come from a negative place when setting any health goals – they think something is WRONG with them, so they’re going to make themselves better. Starting from a place of self-depreciation will NOT work in keeping yourself motivated. There is nothing WRONG with you – you want to get healthier, more energy and a better mood – start from a POSTIVE place and stay positive!

3) Get a support system in place – this is where the DAC training program comes in – we make training affordable to everyone – we not only show you the most effective way to work out, we hold you accountable and KEEP you coming in! If you’re not getting results, we’re not doing our job!

4) Start slow – by gradually introducing exercise into your daily routine and then building as weeks pass, you’re more likely to stick with it.

And Finally:

5) Make the decision. Think through it, picture it and just make it!

There is no time like RIGHT NOW to make a plan and put it in place. And we know you can do it, because we see our members do it every day. Just come to DAC and you’ll see success stories all around you, and believe me, just start talking to anyone you see making strides here at DAC and they’ll open up and tell you everything they’ve done to get there. We’re really a family here.

The best thing you can do for yourself issign up for your free 14-Day Trial Membership or if you’re ready to get started in a very affordable training program, try our 30-Day Personal Training Experience.

Thank you!

Christmas Eve, December 24:

Operation Hours: 5:00 a.m. to 1:00 p.m.

No nursery, Group Fitness classes, Team Training sessions or Parisi classes (Southaven).

Christmas Day, December 25:

All locations are closed.

Wednesday, December 26:

Operation Hours: 8:00 a.m. to 10:00 p.m.

Nursery Hours: Regularly Scheduled

Group Fitness and Team Training: Classes begin at 8:00 a.m.

Parisi: Regularly Scheduled

 New Year’s Eve, December 31st

Club Operation Hours: 5:00 a.m. to 6:00 p.m.

Nursery: No afternoon nursery

Group Fitness & Team Training: No afternoon classes

New Year’s Day, January 1st

Closed