Gyms are pleasant places for the most part. If you like lifting very heavy things and putting them back down again, a gym cannot be topped.
Now that I have avoided alienating any local gym owners who might like to purchase advertising in this magazine, let me tell you what I dislike about gyms. Sharing close quarters with someone who can’t lift anything heavier than the morning paper without grunting like a sick moose quickly grows tiresome. Having to travel any distance to get to a gym is inconvenient, especially when you live in a state that is regularly encased in ice. And although I am the visible personification of absolute perfection with abs shaped like two rows of King's Hawaiian sweet rolls, I can empathize with someone who might feel intimidated by the whole gym scene. It is perfectly reasonable if you’d like to go through life without learning proper squat rack etiquette.
You may not want a body by Jesse Ventura, but remaining able to walk a mile or pick up a gallon of milk when you’re 90 is a great goal for anyone to strive toward. You do not need a gym for that. With a little guidance and companionship, a sensible home workout plan will keep you in remarkable shape.
Happy Human Fitness helps people stay fit in the comfort of their own homes. It is a local company, and truly as mom-and-pop as it gets. Amber Walker is the personal trainer who makes house calls, and her husband Jesse tends to all the marketing, finance and administrative duties.
Amber was drawn to neuroscience during college, and can still tell you all about the delicate interplay of hormones and electrical impulses going on in your head at all times. This pursuit led Amber to study kinesiology, with a focus on teaching dancers how to move with greater grace and efficiency.
Although his role in Happy Human is limited to digital affairs, Jesse is no loaf by any means. He studied dance and choreography in grad school, and in spite of middle age he at the very least tries to maintain the kind of physique one would expect of a Jet in West Side Story.
Amber and Jesse met as students in the ‘90s. They had both volunteered to dance in the May Day parade, and sensing they were two lovely people who probably didn’t share a stretch mark between them decided to date.
“I loved working with dancers, but there are too few of them to base a career on,” said Amber. “My skill set made me a natural personal trainer, and I quickly discovered how much I love working with nondancers as well.
“As I worked in gyms, more and more of my clients began to retire. They would no longer commute past the gym I worked at, but they still wanted my help staying in shape, so they asked if I would come to train them in their own homes. Who could turn down so gracious an invitation? Those same clients began telling their friends about the personal trainer who makes house calls, and some hired me to help their parents, too.
“You don’t need any expensive equipment to enjoy an intense home workout. Charles Atlas, the original poster child for fitness, earned his perfect physique without any equipment more complicated than a pull-up bar. To be sure, a lot of my clients are over 70 and have no intention of entering a Speedo competition. But with the same type of bodyweight training that an athlete might use, we can help anyone enjoy greater mobility, strength and energy as they age.
“The beauty of home workouts is their accessibility. A lot of people haven’t got the stamina to work out for an hour at a time, and any new mom will tell you that one solid hour without distractions simply doesn’t exist. When your home is also your gym, you can spread your workout throughout your day. Once you develop a habit of doing ten push-ups while you’re waiting for your coffee to brew, or swinging a light kettlebell after every hour you’ve spent at the computer, or doing five lunges whenever you leave the bedroom, you’ll find it all quickly adds up to a full daily workout.
“Many of my older clients would prefer to exercise in an environment where there is no yelling or blaring electronic music. I can’t say I blame them. By visiting them in their homes I help keep them invested in their fitness goals – adding a layer of accountability, you might say. I also find that I become fast friends with the people I train. They ask me for health advice on a wide range of topics, and many times I’m the only other adult they’ll get to speak to throughout the day.
“Before I begin training someone new, I take the time to learn what their goals are. Some would like to be able to do 500 pull-ups every morning before breakfast. Others would just like to play with their grandchildren. One of our trainers recently began working with someone who wants to be the oldest woman ever to canoe the Boundary Waters. Once I understand your fitness expectations, I’ll work right alongside you to help you meet them!”
Amber has got quite the track record. In her 18 years of experience working as a personal trainer she has helped hundreds of people lose weight, recover from surgery, train for marathons, overcome shin splints, heal from sciatica, return to their pre-pregnancy weight, and outrun their own teenage children. Her services are nearly for everyone – and I only say “nearly” because after taking just one look at my own right bicep, which makes it look like I’m smuggling a honeydew underneath my shirt sleeve, Amber admitted that there are no greater heights to which I can physically ascend. “You make Arnold Schwarzenegger look like Woody Allen,” Amber would have said if that had actually happened.
Amber also follows every sensible safety protocol which COVID calls for. Masks, social distancing, frequent hand washing and other precautions have all become Happy Human’s standard practices. For those of her clients who wish to remain especially cautious, Happy Human also offers outdoors personal training and remote online private training. Their regular virtual fitness classes are another great way to stay committed to your personal fitness goals!
Happy Human’s 18 trainers are standing by to visit any home in Eden Prairie. To learn more about the novel and effective approach to personal fitness which Happy Human Fitness offers, please visit happyhumanfitness.com.
Happy Human Fitness is a true mom and pop operation. Amber and Jesse Walker founded the company to offer the benefits of personal training in the comfort of your own home.
Home Workout Advantage #1
No Need to Drive
What is the biggest key to successful fitness? Consistency! Don’t put up the enormous roadblock of having to get dressed, attend to your appearance, get in the car, and drive to the gym. Working out at home is as convenient as working from home!
Home Workout Advantage #2
Workout to Your Values
Many gyms want members who aspire to look like 20-something fitness models. But maybe you just want to lower your blood pressure, increase your energy, and enjoy better sleep. When you work out at home, your goals are the only ones that matter!
Home Workout Advantage #3
Your Life is Your Gym
Fitness should weave seamlessly into your daily routine – not dictate it. When you work out at home it’s easy to spread 60 minutes worth of exercise throughout the course of your day. Get creative with your routine and you’ll enjoy it much more!
Pg. 5 Health Tips
- Get enough sleep. Adequate rest can have huge benefits including decreased stress and cravings for sweets.
- Dream big, but start small. Keep aspirations realistic – walk around the block today, maybe two blocks tomorrow.
- Keep lifting heavy things. If you stop using your muscles, they'll stop working for you.
- Don't beat yourself up. Guilt will not help you lose weight or become more active. Celebrate the small victories!
- Share with a friend. Make a phone date while you walk, share a Zoom workout – or hire a personal trainer!