Posted on Tuesday April 7, 2015 by Vanessa Lenz

Take Five with Fitness Mission's Mike Kehl

Mike Kehl, 60, of East Troy has made a life out of physical fitness and now he’s shifting his focus to sharing the most simple and effective techniques essential to self-maintenance.

Last year, he launched Fitness Mission, a home-based community focused on healthy living.

As he continues on his mission, Kehl will rely on his background to lead the way. He’s the former owner of popular East Troy gym Kehl’s Health and Fitness (along with wife Gloria), has raised five children, had dual careers in business development and as a personal trainer, and is looking to take on even more, including releasing his first book. Kehl shares a piece of his story and some wellness secrets.


1. What's your background in personal fitness? Did you grow up leading a healthy life or did you develop a passion for wellness through your experiences?

A. I’ve always been interested in strength. When I was a too-small-for-football high school freshman, I would do pushups and I built a pull up bar in the basement. 

Later, when I was about 28 and in relatively poor shape, I started running when I almost flunked a flight physical because of high blood pressure. That led to joining a gym when I was 30 and that’s where I got hooked on lifting weights. 

My wife and I eventually ran a fitness center and I coached her to a number of state powerlifting championships and a second place at Nationals. 

More recently, two years ago I suffered a rather serious injury that surprised and humbled me. I thought I had all the experience necessary to be immune to such “accidents.” 

The rehab process led me to study the postural distortions and dysfunctional movement compensations that almost everyone, including me, suffers from. I now have a strong interest in basic self-maintenance through releasing tight spots and corrective exercise. 


2. Why did you start Fitness Mission? What are your goals for 2015?

A. Despite the fact that most people will acknowledge that getting more exercise is critical for good health, only 30 percent of Americans exercise regularly. 

Worse, this rather poor example set by parents and grandparents has resulted in children running slower and the incidence of childhood obesity having doubled in younger children and quadrupled in adolescents over the past 30 years. 

Fitness Mission is an open source community where people can have fun while sharing ideas about how they incorporate fitness into their already busy lives. 

It’s about doing little things that makes fitness a habit and realizing that these habits begin at home. 
Moreover, you don’t have to join a gym or spend a lot of money; you can get just as ambitious as you want at your “garage gym” for an investment of as little as no dollars. 

My goals for 2015 are to continue getting the message out to as many individuals and groups as possible and to have the community grow to the point of hosting one or two showcase events.


3. How do you like to stay in shape? Do you try out all the new exercise trends, like spin classes and Zumba?

I’ve tried most things and believe in whatever works for you. I have a daughter who is a 3:20 marathoner and is considered by her spin friends to be a total beast at pounding a bike. 

As for my personal preferences, over the years I’ve spent the most time working at lifting heavy weights in order to get as strong as possible. 

Cardio-wise, I’ve always loved cross country skiing and any kind of biking. Since my son who is an avid biker moved back to town, I’ve really enjoyed working at getting better at that.

 I’ve had to sacrifice some ultimate strength by losing 20 pounds in order to even begin to keep up, but I am probably healthier as a result. 


4. If there's one thing you could tell someone who wants to get in shape what would it be?
 

A. I advise everyone to start by sitting less. Most of us start out the day by sitting in the car on the way to work or school, sitting at our job most of the day, then collapsing in front of the TV or a computer until we go to bed.

The most common number that I see is that the average American sits for 13 hours per day. Our bodies were designed to move. Sitting as much as we do is completely unnatural and has serious health implications.


5. Working out can be a challenge when you have a packed schedule (i.e. working long days, kids, maintaining a social life). Can you share a few tips on how to make adequate time for fitness?

A. Try to make sure that your desk at work is ergonomically properly set up to minimize upper back and neck problems. There are effective exercise that you can do periodically while sitting in your chair.
 
Try to get up and move as much as possible and while doing so squeeze your butt. Seriously, sitting causes your hip flexors to get short and tight. By squeezing your butt cheeks (kind of half a twerk) you slightly stretch those flexors and cause them to relax. 

Wear shoes with the lowest heel your vanity will allow. When you get home, rather than sitting in front of your TV, just stand there. You can work up to doing some balance work by standing on one foot, then maybe walking in place, then maybe some relatively harder and very effective movements like bodyweight squats and burpees. 

You can get in a very serious workout just during the commercials of a one-hour TV show.




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