I remember when I first met Joey Salser. His friend Tyler Marchand works at the front desk here at Akron General LifeStyles in Green. I didn't know Joey or Tyler very well back then. Joey would come in and talk to Tyler for a while before going into the gym to wander from one machine to the next. Sometimes he would shoot hoops. There wasn’t much direction in his training.
When Tyler told me that Joey was trying to get in shape for the
Police Academy at Stark State College, I knew he was going to have to get serious about his training if he was ever going to make it past the physical fitness test.
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| This was Joey prior to starting his training regimen. |
Here is Joey’s story in his own words:
I was like many others that started off on a journey to lose weight. I had no idea how to do it, I didn't know what to add to my exercise routine, I didn't know what or how much to cut out of my diet. But I knew it was something I needed to do in order to reach my goals in life. My college degree is in criminal justice and I wanted to pursue a career in law enforcement, but I knew in order to do that, I would have to be in tip top physical condition, but I had no idea where to even start, but I knew I had to do something. So I went to my good friend, Anthony Colarusso, who is the Head Sports Performance Coach at Akron General Health and Wellness Center in Green, with a list of physical standards that are required to make it into the law enforcement academy, and all he said was "This is going to be the hardest thing you have done in your life... We start on Monday."
We worked on getting my diet under control and getting me into a strict 5 day a week workout routine comprised of strength training and cardio. It was tough at first, but after I started to see the results every week I stepped on the scale, it became a lot easier. For the first time in my life I realized it was possible to lose this weight, so I kept with it. After 8 months I was down 95 pounds. I applied for the law enforcement academy and was able to pass the physical fitness test with no problem, something I would have never been able to do 8 months before.
It's currently August 2015, I am down 118 pounds on my way to my goal of losing 130. The journey wasn't easy, but thanks to my amazing friends and family for their support, and the dedication from Coach Anthony, I was able to reach my goal. The most important aspect of weight loss that I would tell anybody is that it is 80% diet and 20% exercise, and that there is no such thing as a magic pill or some amazing new workout program on TV that’s going to make it any easier. It's all about eating right, working out a few times a week and being consistent.
You know what the best part about Joey’s story is? He did it. He was the one who came in every evening to train at 8:00pm. He was the one who lifted the bar. He was the one who followed the diet. He was the one who tracked his calories. And he was the one who kept running on that damn treadmill at 6.5mph until he could go for 1.5 miles without stopping.
He did the work. No one would do it for him. No one could.
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| Joey pulling 405 easy! |
Athletes can learn a thing or two from Joey.
In today’s world, people will tell you all the time that they want something. But you know what? Talk is cheap. Nine times out of ten, what people say they want and what they are willing to do are two completely different things.
Joey knew what he wanted, he committed to making the change, and from that time on, there was no turning back.
When things got tough, he had us there for support. But he never stopped pushing, and he never gave up on himself. He stayed the course. And he always came back for more.
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| These photos were taken less than one year apart! |
You just can’t beat a guy who won’t give up.
Keep Training!
Coach Anthony Colarusso & Akron General Sports Performance
