Local Dating Online

Jul 25, 2022 Brian Loebig 6 Comments

Many local newspapers had online personals in the mid 1990s but were bought out by these big dating sites. From some of the comments it really shows how desperate dating sites are for money that they even advertise in comment sections. You have a much better chance going to local events and you will probably spend less than what you would spend on an online dating site.

Other apps have indicated that they might actually move closer to Facebook. For example, Bumble, founded by a former Tinder executive, said they had already reached out to Facebook regarding how to collaborate. And, “One thing everyone seems to agree on is that Facebook’s effectively endorsing online dating will be a huge legitimization event for the industry,” says Jefferies Internet analyst Brent Thill. According to Amanda Bradford, chief executive of The League, an elite dating app, “Facebook is validating that dating is a high-tech industry with really interesting and hard problems to solve. Still, Facebook could face some obstacles in building enough separation between the dating service and the legacy social network; some users might not like having both activities live on one app.

After giving him some time to cope with his cat passing away, he made plans to see her again and she was thrilled. He canceled the date last minute again because he said his grandma had died. Although this seemed too tragic to be true, she gave him the benefit of the doubt that he was telling the truth. Additionally, if someone is giving you a checklist right away of all of the things they want in a future partner, this may be a red flag for some controlling behaviors. It’s one thing if they express their non-negotiables but it’s another thing entirely if they are listing required traits. If you feel like someone is already trying to change things about you to suit their needs, that’s not okay. How someone initiates a conversation with you will say a lot about how they view you as a person and how they might treat you as a partner.

Online dating users are more likely to describe their overall experience with using dating sites or apps in positive, rather than negative, terms. Some 57% of Americans who have ever used a dating site or app say their own personal experiences with these platforms have been very or somewhat positive. Still, about four-in-ten online daters (42%) describe their personal experience with dating sites or apps as at least somewhat negative. Happily, there are some dating services that are looking to overcome the vanity. For example, Hinge matches people based on personality and preferences and lets you create a more interesting and rounded profile to draw people in. One of the few dating sites designed for affairs, Ashley Madison connects users for discreet encounters.

Basically all a guy like you has to do is instantly grab her attention in a memorable way with both your profile and your messages, then spend the least amount of time possible convincing her to meet you in person. For those who are hesitant to enter the online dating world for reasons related to safety or awkward conversation lulls, Double aims to take the pressure off with Double dates as opposed to one-on-one.

State things that are really important to you and be done with it. Connor turned an attempt at small talk into a rant about “gold-digging whores,” and the dating app was not having it. Matt- But what about when you said you would meet me in real life and we would lose our virginity together. One Love educates young people about healthy and unhealthy relationships, empowering them to identify and avoid abuse and learn how to love better. If you are going somewhere that serves alcoholic beverages, most bartenders are using secret codes to help customers signal, privately, when they need help if they’re getting harassed or feeling unsafe on a bad date.

With no financial requirement, free sites will naturally attract a greater proportion of people who are not really committed to finding a genuine relationship. Memberships you gain additional features such as being able to send more messages and receiving event discounts.

What are your must haves for your exercise routines?!

Oct 22, 2020 Eric Toussaint 6 Comments

Everyone has their kit, gym bag, equipment etc. that they need and use regularly. Personally if don’t have just what I need or am used to using I am ornery.

If I’m lifting I will always have my belt, straps, elbow compression sleeves, knee wraps, bar clips and flat soled shoes. I may not use all of them for every workout but they are just must haves.

If I’m practicing martial arts I like wearing wrestling shoes and knee braces. If I am practicing sticking and kicking, I of course need one or more heavy bags. By far my favorite heavy bags are the long Century Wave bags.

When doing cardio, which after all my knee surgeries is mainly the elliptical or the bike, I need my iWatch, iPad, iPhone, and AirPods or some combination of them.

I am also usually always listening to music, AirPods make it possible to not have your iPhone close to your person (I’m sure there are Android options as well – I just happen to be all in with Apple products). 

And maybe most important items (especially these days), my water bottle and a mask if at the gym. I like the hidrate spark 3 water bottle and I am currently using the Under Armour mask.

I’m curious what does your kit look like?

Train Hard, Train Safe!!

JETT

It’s not worth it, be safe!!

Aug 26, 2020 Eric Toussaint 6 Comments

Hello fitness community! I hope everyone is safe and well.  I am writing today with few thoughts on gym safety during Covid-19 for the personal training community.

Is your gym doing enough?! To me enough is requiring social distancing, wearing a mask at all times, and cleaning regularly and often. All three of these safety steps are critical.  

Let’s talk about mask wearing while working out.  Let me first define what I mean when I say wearing a mask – wear it correctly! Not under your nose. And definitely not under your chin.

Unfortunately I have watched first hand as gym owners get lax on the rules, and members, for all intents and purposes, end up with their masks becoming necklaces.  The result, in my humble opinion, is a potentially very dangerous environment. 

Obviously, heavy breathing comes with exercise, which makes it all the more necessary to make sure your mask is covering your face. Is it uncomfortable at times?  Quite frankly, yes, but as human beings we are quite adaptable and if you ease into it you should be ok. I liked this article’s (https://about.underarmour.com/news/2020/06/expert-advice-wearing-face-mask-while-working-out) explanation of “getting used” to wearing a mask.  

So let’s be clear – it is safe and possible to workout (even intensely) while wearing a mask! As personal trainers, we need to dispel the myths that this is dangerous and ensure our clients are following all of the CDC guidelines to protect themselves and others from COVID-19.  We are after all promoting a healthy lifestyle.   

I unfortunately had to leave a gym recently because it was not following recommended guidelines. Everyone has their level of comfort, but remember if you catch Covid-19, you could spread it to your clients, your family, and who knows who else. We should all be taking every precaution possible. If you’re in an environment that isn’t being safe then just leave, it’s not worth it. Your clients will respect you for your decision and if you have taken the path that most trainers have these days you probably are seeing most of your clients virtually anyway.

I hope this helps…train hard, train safe!!

The Saga of the Knee Continues!!

Oct 23, 2019 Eric Toussaint 6 Comments

So I am thirteen days out from my second meniscus repair. This time is was my left knee. I am happy to report that my recovery has been significantly faster this time around (my right knee meniscus surgery was a in early September).

I was able to start leg workouts with my stitches still in and cut my grass, trim and edge. I asked my doctor why my the recovery was so much faster this time around. The answer I got was simply that it’s kind of impossible to know. I’m not one to look a gift horse in the mouth but it is curious. My left leg has always been stronger, perhaps that has something to do with it.

I can say that my workouts were as consistent as possible and I’m sure the pre-op and post-op workouts helped. I hope to be back to my martial arts school by mid November.

The only advice I can impart that may potentially help is – Go to a good Orthopedist and get a handle on the situation. Keep up your workouts as best you can (pain permitting), you will be stronger pre-op and recover faster post-op.

Hope this helps!!

Train Hard, Train Safe!!

Tune Up Time

Aug 28, 2019 Eric Toussaint 6 Comments

Well it has certainly been an age since my last blog post and I apologize for that. New business ventures and life seem to have gotten the better of me.

So lets jump right in…
All is well in JETT world but Mr. JETT needs a tune up. If you have ever ready and of my prior ramblings you’ll know that my knees are known to give me issues on occasion. Well that occasion is nigh and it seems that it’s time to get both of them scoped.

Anterior, medial osteoarthritis is the diagnosis. The main contributing factors are – I am mildly bow legged and have flipped the odometer a few times (yes wear and tear is one of the aging theories). Eventually I think it will lead to partial knee replacements. That technology has come a long ways and it pretty cool it’s worth checking out this link (http://bit.ly/2NASUCr). These two upcoming surgeries will be mainly clean-up and quick trims of the meniscus that is fraying in both knees.

Well of course when it rains it pours, I have had elbow issues over the past year as well. Right elbow was tennis elbow, I seem to have to have taken care of it through diligent stretching and rehab exercises. However the left elbow has some calcification and damage to one of the tendons. It was recommended that I try platelet-rich plasma treatment (PRP). Really the jury is still out but I trust my Doctor and am going to get my left elbow worked on while I am forced into some downtime for the knee. Check out this link for better description (https://www.regenmd.com/services/prp-therapy).

And of last but not least as I am ramping up for this this knee surgery, my neck is giving me trouble as well. 90 minutes at jump zone with the kids two weeks ago; I don’t think I’ve ever done as many flips in my life. Anyway getting a little chiropractic work to address the issue. I am currently on vacation and trying to lay low and let my body heal.

This seems to happen every two to three years for me, I have to take time and go into a tune up mode. I guess I should look at the bright side. I have started blogging again.

I’ll keep you posted as to progress…

How much do you stretch? Part I Lower Body

Mar 21, 2017 Eric Toussaint 6 Comments

By far I would have to say that stretching is the most overlooked part of most exercise enthusiasts programs. There just never seems to be enough time. Personally I have to stretch to keep up with my martial arts training, but am just a challenged when it comes to time available.

Here are some simple lower body stretches that I try to perform two to three times a week.

Perform each stretch 2-3 times, hold for 60-90 seconds.

Kneeling Hip flexor stretch:

Piriformis stretch:

Lotus stretch:
I would recommend a progressions with the lotus, I struggle with this one

Hamstring stretch on raise object:

Quad Stretch:

Straddle Split:
I recommend a progression as well

Do You Need to Train to Destruction?

Mar 4, 2017 Eric Toussaint 6 Comments

Just how hard do we really need to train? Is more always better? How much is enough? These are tough questions to answer. Especially considering that we all come in various shapes, sizes, ages and fitness levels.

First and foremost anyone starting an exercise program should be healthy and medically cleared. I will of course tell you the easiest and safest way is to workout is with a qualified personal trainer or fitness coach.

Here is the approach I take with my clients:

Believe it or not most of my clients, whether they are athletes or stay-at-home-moms, follow a rather similar program. My programming is heavily focused on proper function and functional movements.

Function – meaning are you are moving properly – focuses on avoiding a situation where we are building fitness on top of dysfunction. Functional movements are exercises that provide strength building that has crossover into to the real world, or real strength as I like to call it.

The previous section is based on specific programming that may be above the average person’s base of knowledge. Again a trainer is a good idea – to be safe in your training you either need to know what you’re doing or train with someone that does and have good function.

All that is left in the scheme of safe and effective training is intensity. Here is where the largest variance lies with my clients. Each age cohort, and level of physical fitness, requires a different level of exercise intensity and is also the area of most potential risk and injury (assuming all conditions of function and proficiency are met).

Your level of intensity should be age and population appropriate and geared towards your current level of fitness. Someone beginning a training program that has been sedentary for a long period of time cannot be expected to train with the same intensity as an elite athlete. However it seems that some feel the need to always push beyond and this is a sure path to injury. Whatever your level of fitness, the intensity of training should match it and not exceed. Even an elite level athlete has his/her limits.

There are times when the general population or the athlete can push hard, but it must still be at measured pace. Most training programs are progressive. Even the most elite level athletes don’t take this fact lightly; a professional fighter doesn’t have a fight every day, and a runner doesn’t run a marathon every day. Many athletes actual taper their training programs as they are approaching a max physical output.

There is nothing wrong with maximal efforts when you are prepared, and I regularly encourage my clients to get involved in some type of competitive event to give them a goal and help them become more fit. But as I’ve said many times the output must be measured and prepared for.

Train hard but don’t train to destruction and watch how many maximal outputs you are performing. Then you will be one large step closer to training injury free.

What’s Your Winter Plan?

Oct 17, 2016 Eric Toussaint 6 Comments

Winter is fast approaching and outdoor exercise possibilities will soon be fast disappearing. Do you have your Winter plan together?

Let me make some quick suggestions:

The most obvious – Go skiing!!
Try some classes – spinning, zoomba, body sculpt etc.
Have you ever tried martial arts? If you are local try www.taiyimkungfu.com
Yoga and Tai Chi are great physical and meditative options.
Lift more weight…winter is great time to get strong.
Focus on maintenance as well, stretching, foam rolling, and rehab if necessary.
Get into a master’s swim program.
And last but not least get a personal trainer!!

Whatever you do plan and execute!!

I’m facing some foot surgery in about a month so I’ll be looking into very low impact options.

Let me know what your plan is and if you have any suggestions for my situation 🙂

Do you stretch enough?

Mar 9, 2016 Eric Toussaint 6 Comments

I know personally I could stretch more, and need to even more so now that I have started going back to my martial arts school. So the question is how much is enough to affect change? Studies show that stretching four times a week for thirty seconds per body part will yield flexibility improvements.
I know personally I could stretch more, and need to even more so now that I have started going back to my martial arts school. So the question is how much is enough to affect change? Studies show that stretching four times a week for thirty seconds per body part will yield flexibility improvements.

Watching football

Mar 9, 2016 Eric Toussaint 6 Comments

Football season has started and you may become an arm chair quarter back. With the ability to watch literally every game, there is a chance to become sedentary so what to do?! Here are some simple tips and tricks: Every time a touch down is scored do 10 push ups. Every commercial break do 20 body. Football season has started and you may become an arm chair quarter back. With the ability to watch literally every game, there is a chance to become sedentary what to do?! Here are some simple tips and tricks: Every time a touch down is scored do 10 push ups. Every commercial break do 20 body.