Club Scene

Extreme Personal Training
The New Trend

By CAROL ANN WEBER
Published: February, 2005

At the recent IDEA Convention held in Las Vegas, it was suggested that one-on-one training continues to gain in popularity. Statistics indicate that more people are seeking the individual attention of a personal trainer, but may ring in a partner or take a trainer home to their kids or even hire a "live coach" who teaches them fitness and health as a lifestyle.

Well, meet Juris Kupris, a Manhattan-based personal trainer who has combined all of these trends and added a few touches of his own creative genius to lead the way in what may be the hottest trend yet- Extreme Personal Training. Now, it's not how it sounds if you're imagining clients doing airborne loop-de-loops on a skateboard o mountain bike.

Rather, picture this: A handsome 23-year-old shows up at your door and immediately puts you to work in your living room doing some strengthening and stabilizing exercises. He gets a feel for your strenghts, weaknesses and energy level and asks what you're in the mood for today. If you say "a jog," you're off to Central Park where you might do some interval work on the jogging path, then drop down to the mat he always brings with him for a few pushups or a series of yoga moves or even some plyometrics. Then you're running up and down stairs or back on the jogging trail, keeping a steady burn while your heart rate is being monitored to maximize the results.

Well, what if you're in the mood for the beach? No problem. Kupris works with a lot of clients in the Hamptons and you might find them picking up the rocks found everywhere on the beach and using them in various resistance and/or endurance exercises. Of course, tha sand makes for a great leg workout as does by the water for a few laps.

"There are trainers who work with people outside, but are not incorporating the elements you find outside," Juris explains. "I utilize just about everything that can be found in that element and use it in the workout." Kupris, chuckles as he relates the testimony of one of his clients, Mike DePaola, who says Juris could give him a full body workout with two paper clips and a Tic Tac box. (By the way, Mike started out at 314 pounds and is now down to a lean mean 185 pounds thanks to Juris. Talk about "the biggest loser.")

Juris goes on his clients' family vacations, flies across the country to train corporate executives on business trips and generally shows up wherever his clients need him at the time. If his client is in town on business and only has time for a quick workout in her room before heading off to a business meeting, again, no problem. "You can use about everything that's found in your hotel room, like the chair, the bed, water bottles, even stereo speakers."

What amazed me about this guy is that, even though his business has grown to the point where he's booked solid 45-50 hours per week, he doesn't intend to certify trainers in his system to branch out nationwide. Instead, he wants his clients to learn to train themselves. " I want to inform the average person, get them to do it on their own and to bring in their own ideas."

The only problem I see in Kupris' system is that he leaves you with absolutely no excuse for avoiding a workout. Anyone for the beach?

In training his clients, Juris Kupris incorporates everyday objects into their training schedule. Here's just a sample:

Bent Over Row

The Kupris version of the "equipment-free" ben over row utilizes a piece of luggage, making it perfect for hotel travel. "I find that this is a real good core exercise, while also a good way to strengthen back muscles," he says. Recommened: Choose a weight that's challenging for you without sacrificing form.

Stand bent over with an arched back(as if you could rest a glass on your back without the glass falling over), feet shoulder width apart. Hold your luggage in both hands. If you're using a smaller bag use one hand and alternate sides. To vary the level of challenge, add or subtrack weight in the bag. Make sure you keep your core muscles tight (abs, lower back). Pull the bag toward your stomack without closing the gap between your biceps and shoulder. This exercise targets the medial and lower portions of the lats. This is a great exercise for posture and strengthens all the major muscles of the back.

High reps will really isolate the area, increase caloric burn and endurance. Repeat this exercise for two sets of 15 to 20 reps or until fatigue. For more cardiovascular burn, superset with push-ups or overhead presses!

Remember, what makes this great is that you can adjust the weight by simply adding and removing items from your bag.

Overhead Press

The Juris Kupris version of the "equipment-free" overhead press utilizes two one-gallon containers of water (or laundry detergent, etc.), or anything similar found around your house or apartment. This is a great exercise for the deltoids (shoulder muscles).

Use one or two water or detergent bottles or weight of your choice. Choose a weight that will challenge your strength for 15 reps and try to push for five more as an extra challenge. Start in a standing position (don't arch your back), knees slightly bent. Press the weight straight overhead, bringing your elbows down to your sides keeping the weight just off your shoulder. Repeat for three sets. To really burn those delts, superset this with an isometric shoulder stand.

Remember, you can easily adjust the weight on this exercise by filling or emptying liquid from their respective containers.