GET FIT: Tough discipline and focus key for local bodybuilders
By: Sarah Junkin
For married couple Gord and Stacey Broderick, to say fitness is their whole life is no exaggeration.
As well as owning and managing Cochrane Health and Fitness Club, the pair also competes at an elite level of bodybuilding.
“It’s a lifestyle,” said Stacey. “I get real cranky when I don’t work out.”
Last year she competed in the Alberta Fall Bodybuilding Classic, a competition that she won after being judged on conditioning, muscle density, size, symmetry and proportions. It was Stacey’s first big competition and having won she said she doesn’t feel the need to keep competing.
Gord on the other hand has been training for competitions for almost 20 years, and he first encouraged his wife to get involved in what requires tough discipline.
“You have to be very focused,” he explained of the weeks leading up to a competition.
“You eat three clean meals a day – diet management is crucial and as well as doing much heavier weights, you’re also doing cardio twice a day.”
While Stacey runs the gym full time, Gord has another job but joins his wife whenever he can, as a personal trainer or offering fitness and nutrition advice as needed.
- The Brodericks at Cochrane Health and Fitness, which they own and manage. Photo by Sarah Junkin
Both Stacey and Gord say they have noticed changing demographics in their fitness facility in recent years.
“There’s no doubt there’s more variety of people who come to gyms these days,” Gord said, a fact he attributes in part to doctors advising patients of the importance of both aerobic activity and weight training for overall health. “Older people are now concerned about bone density and back strength. They want to have a better quality of life.”
And for those of us who struggle to leave the couch, Stacey said the greatest obstacle to working out may be purely psychological.
“Our mind can be our greatest enemy,” she said adding this is why she believes hiring a high quality personal trainer can help. “A personal trainer takes the thinking part away.”
The Brodericks say the personal training part of their business is the fastest growing component.
“We have small groups or couples who come together and become competitive,” she said. “It can get quite exciting.”
And if you can’t still make it to their gym in person, you may soon have the opportunity to glimpse it on the small screen.
The weight loss television show X-Weighted has approached them about finding a Cochrane family to profile on an upcoming show.
“I think we’ve found a family for them to work with and they’ll be featuring our gym which is really exciting for us,” said Stacey adding the decision’s not yet finalized. “It’s really an amazing time for our business.”
- Gord Broderick shows off as he won first place in the 2009 Alberta Bodybuilding Championships. Photo submitted
- Stacey Broderick poses on her way to winning first place at the 2008 Fall Classic Bodybuilding Championships. Photo submitted
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Getting into the gym is tough. Staying there is tougher. One thing that people can keep in mind though is that after 3 weeks it becomes routine and you don’t have to think about it as much.
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