MetalBob answers your fitness questions on GROWLr Live

20th January 2023 BWM Staff

Each Saturday in May at 6:00 p.m. ET/3:00 p.m. PT, MetalBob streams on GROWLr Live to host a weekly live stream event about all things fitness. He’ll be answering questions with exercise demos and workout routines you can follow at home or in the gym!

He also offers online fitness classes that you can join in with regularly. Check him out, and make sure to get the details of his classes. He welcomes all kinds of bears, and his classes are designed for all of us at home and at all levels. He makes his classes fun, and that’s what keeps people coming back!

“I’ve really enjoyed Live streaming on GROWLr. It’s been a great way to reach lots of guys who share my passion for strength and fitness. I’ve made real connections there. The Live feature is a great addition to the GROWLr app,” said Bob.

Bob also said : “I am passionate about helping others achieve their fitness goals. I encourage others to not only work hard, but learn to make exercise and working out an enjoyable experience so that they will view exercise as something they love to do, rather than something they have to force themselves to do.”

We grabbed a chat with Bob recently. Check out the interview below!

How long have you been a trainer and how did you get into this?

MetalBob: I have a been a Certified Personal Trainer (CPT) since 2014.

Before becoming a trainer, I spent years working in a dead end office job that I had little passion for. My passion for years had been going to the gym and I was seriously getting into powerlifting. One day I was having a great workout out with my trainer Luke Mills who said out of the blue “you should become a personal trainer”. That idea really clicked with me and before long I found myself enrolling for an online CPT course with NASM (National Academy of Sports Medicine). About a month before I was scheduled to take my CPT exam, I was laid off from that office job. It seemed the universe had a plan for me to become a personal trainer. Needing a job and having just passed my CPT exam I began to take on clients and I soon found myself at the start of a new and rewarding career.

What are your suggestions for beginners or people who are intimidated by going to the gym?

MB: Hire a trainer, if you can. Otherwise I think joining a gym is an important first step. Showing up and being around people working toward their fitness goals is the best environment for adopting a fitness lifestyle of your own. The gym offers ample equipment, community, education and motivation.

Here are some suggestions for overcoming the fear or intimidation:

– Keep it simple at first. Just go to the gym and ride the stationary bike for 20-30 minutes. Dip your toe in the water and allow yourself time to just get comfortable being there.

– Avoid peak workout times. The hours before and after work can be the busiest gym times. Go early morning, mid afternoons or later in the evening to avoid the crowds.

– Get a workout buddy. There are so many benefits to having a good workout buddy, especially when you’re just getting started,

– Take advantage of any free opportunities the gym offers to help you get started. Gyms often offer free training sessions for new members, workout plans and group classes.

– Think positive. People at the gym are probably not judging you. Assume people at the gym want you to succeed and would be more than happy to help you if asked. In most cases this is true.

How do you enjoy streaming on Growlr? Why do you think you have become such a popular streamer on Growlr?

MB: I love live streaming on GROWLr and I’m so grateful for the opportunity. GROWLr is a great place for me to do what I do. This is my community and I understand first-hand what the fitness goals and health concerns are of men like us. That direct experience and understanding I think is what helps me connect and help the guys who tune in.

What are the challenges of training online vs in person? Do you have many online clients?

MB: Online training became a necessity for me when the pandemic hit. Although it was challenging, it opened up a lot of new doors for me a trainer. I learned a great deal about how to train others at home with little or no equipment. Training online allowed me to reach and connect with guys from all over the world and to host larger group workouts. In person training however is a much more hands on experience for me and the guys I train with. Everything from correcting form, demonstrating technique, being there to provide a spot and pushing them to work hard; it’s easier and more direct when it’s one on one and in person. I still train guys online, in groups and individually, but I prefer to focus on in person training now that I’m back training in the gym.

What do you especially see as the fitness challenges for bears and big men in general?

MB: Not everyone understands our fitness and body goals. Bears and big men enjoy being big, myself included. The fitness world promotes being slim or losing weight as a primary fitness goal. Of course having a healthy body weight is important, but being big doesn’t necessarily mean you are unhealthy or out of shape. I think what we have to watch out for as bigger men is sedentary lifestyle. If you are big and inactive, that will cause health problem at some point. It is important to have some outlet for physical activity and exercise on a regular basis. For me, I like lifting weights and strenuous exercise. For others it may be cardio, hiking, swimming or playing sports. Find a mode of exercise that is a good fit for you, do it regularly and have fun with it.