FitFiend.com first met Mike Creamer at, where else, the ACSM Health and Fitness Summit earlier this year. A few weeks later, fresh out of our own home brew, we ran over to the nearest Starbucks. Who other do we run into than Creamer, bike in tow, ready for a daylong outdoor ride. Since then, we've had the opportunity to speak a little bit more.
How many years have you been in the fitness industry?
I have been working in the fitness industry for over 20 years. I ran a gym in my hometown of Dublin, Ireland before moving to the U.S. Soon after, I began working as a personal trainer for Plus One Fitness Clinic in Soho. At that time Plus One was one of the few exercise facilities in NYC that offered one-on-one training exclusively and was considered the premier club of its kind. Plus One catered to a professional and celebrity clientele in a very discreet and private setting. On any given day I might see Cher, Madonna or JFK Jnr. on the training floor. After Plus One closed its doors I opened my own personal training facility, Anatomically Correct, which is also located in Soho, on Wooster Street.
What inspired you to get involved in the fitness industry and has this always been something that you wanted to do?
As a kid I was very active. In high school I swam, boxed and played Rugby and Soccer. At about age 16 I started lifting my older brothers' barbell set and quickly got bitten by the bug. To this day, weight-training is still my favorite exercise activity. By my late teens I was competing in bodybuilding and later powerlifting and even opened a small gym in my hometown outside Dublin. So from a pretty early age I knew I wanted to work in the fitness business.
What is your fitness specialty?
Because of my background and personal experience with weightlifting and bodybuilding, weight-training has always been my strongest suit (no pun intended!). I truly believe that regular and consistent strength training is the fountain of youth and is for most people by far the most important, the most efficient but unfortunately the most lacking type of exercise. However in recent years I have begun to emphasize more endurance exercise in both my own and my clients exercise programs, particularly "power-based" indoor cycling and indoor rowing.
What is your favorite exercise?
As I've already said weight-training is my favorite type of exercise and my favorite exercise is the Squat. I'm built for Squats so they come easy to me and are considered by many fitness professionals the "king" of all exercises. Pull-ups are a close second.
Do you have a signature exercises that you make your clients do?
Yes. Nobody escapes the row machine! Specifically, the Concept2 row machine. It is without a doubt the "ultimate exercise machine" .
What are your vices (i.e. chocolate, pizza, watching TV)?
I'm Irish so I like beer.
Do you have any tips for our FitFiend members who are just starting a workout program or trying to jumpstart a stalled regimen and break through a plateau?
Start using that row machine tucked away in the corner of the gym. If your gym doesn't have one tell them they should get one. If you don't belong to a gym consider getting one yourself. They're not expensive. Just be sure to learn the correct technique.
What do you think about some of the "trendier" styles of training such as functional training and kettlebells?
Basic weight-training exercises like Squats and Deadlifts are some of the most functional exercises you can do but not everybody can do them for various reasons. You don't have to exercise on a stability ball to get "functional" and I would argue that the body's "power zone," particularly the glutes are as important if not more so than the "core". I was skeptical of kettlebells until I started using them myself and now I have a full set in my gym.
If someone doesn't have a gym membership, what would you advise them to do to get stronger (other than train with you)?
Start learning to use your own body as an exercise tool. Bodyweight exercises like Squats (one or two-legged), Lunges, Push-Ups, Pull-ups and various abdominal exercise are some of the best conditioning exercises you can do and require "no equipment". Also don't forget that rowing machine.
Most of our members have some familiarity with standard strength training. What are some other things you have your clients do that the general public probably doesn't?
I'm a big believer in the "basics". I try to have all of my clients, men and women, do some kind of Squat or a Deadlift for "functional" total body strength, a Push-up and some type of a Pull-up or Pull Down. These are pretty much the same 'Key 3' exercises that were recommended as a "tonic for aging" in a NY Times Science article last week. Yet whenever I go to gyms rarely do I see people doing any of these basic exercises with or without a trainer.
Other than FitFiend.com, where can people find more info about you and your training?
www.anatomicallycorrect.biz
