Robert DiLella Jr.. That's a question they say
Lara McKeever. Love that you part of the family good person to rub off on that's for sure
Robert DiLella Jr.. We'll do the
Lara McKeever. We
Robert DiLella Jr.. Yeah Notice stay for a whole think they got to get one Oh He's on there
Lara McKeever. Oh my gosh, it was recent yeah, yeah
Robert DiLella Jr.. Now his is one that I could listen to straight. Oh, yeah people don't
Lara McKeever. Well, he's a great interviewer like he asked really good questions and he like lets them like finish their thought, you know That's what I really like about him.
Robert DiLella Jr.. Yeah, I left the conversation go wherever it needs to go It's not like he's trying to jam his own agenda down there
Lara McKeever. I think so another military guy
Robert DiLella Jr.. So miked up how where do we need to be with this closer better Not done this style before so this is new Italian this Ricky
Lara McKeever. Bobby. I don't know what to do with my hands He's like perfect I'll be tuning it out
Robert DiLella Jr.. So we're at is it the shred shed That's officially the name, right?
Lara McKeever. So on site
Robert DiLella Jr.. For real this is the space that I had no idea what it was I've seen pictures But now to see it in real life, it's pretty amazing So I'm sure Zach will do some cutaways you get to see the whole tour around what this place looks like Thank you. So much. Come along way. Oh my gosh.
Lara McKeever. Thank you so much And thank you for always supporting us in every way, you know when it comes to any fundraisers We've done or a grand opening you were the first person to come forward and donate something And that's always who you are. Whatever we got always comes he came from Murph got first place, Just way right just showing off in here, but I love it. He comes in brings it drops Mike take summer prize.
Robert DiLella Jr.. Yeah, like no big deal. Yeah. Yeah But I this is a long time coming. I mean you How you ended up here? Can you talk a little bit about that because it was sort of like I don't know if you want to talk about that or not But it was sort of like one road closes and another opens up That.
Lara McKeever. Was exactly it.
Lara McKeever. Yeah Lots of different roads closed and then opened and that was what was the beauty of this path that I Called this challenger fit and also the shred shed with Jim being partnered up with my my ride or die over there So Jim has been a huge fundamental part of the business and I'm so grateful for the partnership that we've had So Jim was actually a client of mine For nutrition and he lost about 60 pounds on the program with nutrition and then I started training him and Jim was like, Jim doesn't do anything Half have asked at all From zero to a hundred but I love the cash in that he has with it So he was like, okay, how can I help how can I get involved with this?
Lara McKeever. He's he's retired but like not really he's he's got like a million different projects, but retired veteran Navy veteran and he Decided he was like I really want to help with this and I said well I need a space He's like well, I have a shed and so I was like, let me see this shed And now fast forward It's so funny. It was a concept in February. We were just talking about it and then it now it's it's this, so we just kind of got started with it. I was like, okay I can see a rig over here then we went on like Facebook Marketplace started finding all these awesome things and Started putting it all together.
Lara McKeever. But I really I give Jim a hundred percent of the credit on like following through with it and helping me out
Robert DiLella Jr.. So vision of both of you Because it literally was just a shed Yeah
Lara McKeever. And then with a lot of stuff in it. It was like yeah the Room of Confinement on Harry Potter. Have you ever seen that? No, okay. Yeah, it's like just the land of lost things like was in this room.
Robert DiLella Jr.. Well, even even this Bay here was had a motorhome in it or had a trailer in it Yeah, trailer.
Lara McKeever. Yep. It was a big trailer
Robert DiLella Jr.. That you decided well Because we're gonna expand this We
Lara McKeever. Started it up to Half of the size and it was in there and then after we had our grand opening which was about 60 people here It was a big big success. I was thinking of myself when I got home. I was like, man, I said to Jeremy. It would be so nice to have that other Bay because I feel like we can expand even more Yeah, and Monday morning the trailers out front Already like he's like I'm selling it. I'm selling it. He's scrubbing it down getting ready to go. So yeah.
Robert DiLella Jr.. I mean you've got everything in here. There's nothing you're missing. We've got every thing every device The squat racks that dumbbells the barbells the bands that just like you just missed nothing.
Lara McKeever. Thank you
Robert DiLella Jr.. Yeah, it's beautiful space.
Lara McKeever. We are really big on fun Functional fitness and functional training. So I mean obviously the principles right a principal leg press principal leg pull Squats deadlifts bench press pull-ups like those are always gonna be the factors. But we want to build those and make those stronger So that's why we picked these pieces of equipment in here, I've spent a good amount of time in gyms Yeah, so it made me learn a lot about how we can really make the most out of a smaller space. Yeah, but it is 3200 square feet. So it's a pretty pretty decent size.
Robert DiLella Jr.. Yeah, that's air-conditioned yeah I know When I heard shed and I was coming out I didn't know I was gonna have AC I didn't know it was gonna be this big. I didn't know you tricked it out that much. Yeah, it really is.
Lara McKeever. I know I know I liked the simplicity of that name because it's it's like sometimes when people first Come I go to liquid Vita to do a lot of my in body scans and stuff like that Angela the owner of liquid Vita is a good friend of mine and She gracefully allows us to do to do that there and I do a lot of nutrition coaching in that space and I'll tell them I'm like, I'm just warning you feel like I'm kidnapping you when you first come here You don't know where you're going That's why I like the name like the shred shed. Because you kind of have that expectation Like what am I what am I about to go through? Yeah, and, I had that feeling come.
Robert DiLella Jr.. Here And I wasn't gonna work out but I still had that feeling like what was about to happen, right? Do I drive back here?
Lara McKeever. Go into the woods, but then you feel like like a pumped jacked snow white Like there are sometimes in the middle of wintertime when we open the bay doors and you're just like looking out at the trees Lifting on programming back here. I'm like I am living the dream. I literally The. Other day Jen was on an assault back assault bike and she's like, is that a bobcat and I said Yeah, you better bike faster. She's like that's not gonna help Yeah, so
Robert DiLella Jr.. She's looking great too. Oh my gosh, she's great.
Lara McKeever. She's strong. She's making gains like no other, I'm so proud of her. She really she really guns it and she shows up the guys in the class too Yeah, and I love that too. I'm like, thank you more of that. Please. She's strong.
Robert DiLella Jr.. Yeah beast. Yeah, she is So you took the leap? Because in a lot of ways to you left corporate the corporate where you left the security of I did having a Paycheck every week and you threw your hat over the wall to say like I'm gonna go all in on what my passion is Oh, yeah, takes courage I remember. Because I remember the conversation the many conversations we had about it You.
Lara McKeever. Were in an inspiration to me on that too. Robert seriously. I remember When it first happened, I always explain this to people who are looking to do what I did and leave Corporate life and the stability of a nine to five Monday through Friday. I say, entrepreneurial ship is a lot like jumping off of a building and realizing you can't fly yet You're like, oh my god, this is To pay my mortgage. I have things I have to look at healthcare and all that kind of stuff. But looking back at the path I Only regret is not doing it sooner.
Lara McKeever. I'm so happy, I can't believe that God has literally blessed me in the perfect job for me like the you know how that saying goes it's like the key is. Never you work What is it? You never work a day in your life if you're doing what you love, and that's literally how I feel Yeah, that's why I'm just so devoted to it and just dive right in. I'm hanging out with my friends abusing them all day. But for their health.
Robert DiLella Jr.. Well, yeah, you care about them more than they care about themselves in most cases I mean they you have oh, yeah You have a tremendous commitment and passion for humanity for people being the best they can be. Yeah, because you do that to people you bring out pieces of them that they didn't know they had even though they curse you when. How many times You would say The Time would be up but you'd say let's do one more set and I'd be like really it's it's time It's okay. We can we can and now you'd be like, okay, if you do this set after I leave then I can go. But you always pushed me to that next piece that I was pissed about because I felt guilty if I didn't do I.
Lara McKeever. Know everybody says that my my one friend client Kiara. She's like why and she's English She's like, why are you so obsessed with me? But I am and I love when I start to see that glimmer of growth coming out of them It's just that right there is why I jump out of bed every morning and I'm like God I love my job, I love my job and I was in a job before that was, Kind of taking my light a little bit, And I'm just.
Lara McKeever. So happy that I was able to jump into something that I truly have a passion for and I really feel like Yeah, and I think that if I'm that right there is my purpose, like I found that as I kept going on in my my jobs I was like when I can't when I don't feel like I'm helping people Then I don't really feel like I have the purpose in my job.
Robert DiLella Jr.. Yeah, it's really Kind of gets you out of your own way to when you're when you're so in somebody else's world working on them Your own problems kind of go or whatever you're dealing with. Because you're serving another the way.
Lara McKeever. Because sometimes I'm dragging them and they're cursing at me, my the same client I was just telling you about the other day. I caught her and seat to table It was like it was a happy hour And she just finished at the gym and I'm like you already have a pinaigreasio in your hand I and I like came out of nowhere and like in the, and seats a table It's like she's just walking around with it. Yeah produce aisle. She's like, well you leave me alone. But it's fun.
Robert DiLella Jr.. Yeah, how's your has your family been here? Yes, your mom.
Lara McKeever. Oh, yeah. Yeah My mom actually came to the grand opening with my cousin and they were My mom is the one person I don't think I can coach She's been my biggest challenge Lover she's one of my best friends, but it's kind of tough to coach her. But with that she was like I was actually so surprised I loved I had like a burst of energy after whereas usually when I go through a hard workout I want to take a nap, But it was also the community aspect of it having. So many people in she was like on a high, Yeah, my dad I'm still working on getting here to work out.
Lara McKeever. He came he saw it and he was just like dude lose the number I'm going to see to table like he just wanted He's like I'm on vacation.
Robert DiLella Jr.. Oh, he didn't come to compete with you.
Lara McKeever. No, you didn't want to compete with me Yeah, he still wants to hold the title for the last race we had 15 years ago. There's still Yeah, yeah, there's still the $20 bill on the wall, as a as a victory lap. So he still wants to hold that title now.
Robert DiLella Jr.. But my brother he was fighter.
Lara McKeever. Yeah. Yeah. He was a professional fighter for a lot of my childhood
Robert DiLella Jr.. Doing what?
Lara McKeever. Oh lightweight lightweight. Yeah. Oh my gosh. He was like my weight actually he was like 135 pounds It's kind of crazy. Yeah lean lean. Yeah, and he's 511. So yeah, but so I grew up always seeing my parents Training and working out. Yeah, my mom was a model actually at the time and so they would be doing definitely different workouts But they'd be like doing a headstand in the living room, I would grow up kind of seeing them working out together and eating healthy and Things like that and they never pushed it on me much.
Lara McKeever. They would always say, eat whatever Eat what you want, but like also have this vegetable, And but it was never like a forceful like you can't eat sugar kind of thing And I think that's an important part of how I coach my my younger clients, it's all about having balance Taking the sugar out. Why don't you incorporate something like healthy into it so you can fill up more on nutrients?, but moderation you can't develop this deprivation With food and that's where you get unhealthy habits later on where you feel like you're doing something wrong if you want to have a donut Yeah, yeah.
Robert DiLella Jr.. Yeah, donuts are important.
Lara McKeever. Oh those those custom flaky Piece of art, they're insane the heirloom donuts. I can't get over those. Oh my gosh Yeah, I'm a sucker for donut
Robert DiLella Jr.. When we go back to Michigan Where Michelle's from? Oh, yeah Tim Hortons has a vanilla cream donut that she had been telling me about for years until I finally went there and had the. Yeah in the donut world. Because she's a donut Connoisseur that's the one yeah.
Lara McKeever. That sounds incredible. It sounds incredible.
Robert DiLella Jr.. Yeah, as I sit in a space People spend hours trying to get it all off
Lara McKeever. But then they do yeah, and it's important to treat yourself a lot of my clients, I am hard on them right because I think you're paying for a program and you're paying for You're spending a lot of money on it and it's an investment in your time. So I want it to be worthwhile and but I want them to also develop habits where they're not feeling like okay I'm on this super strict diet where I can only eat this and if I'm you know If I do go out to my kids, birthday dinner and I have something that's a little bit different Like I should be punished for it.
Lara McKeever. Like that's just not healthy, So I like to live in the 90 10 rule with my people even in the program 90 is still very strict a lot of coaches will say 80 20. But I think that if you do 90 10 and you have that mindset then if you do 80 20 at some points, but let's aim for the 90 10 because you're in the program. I want it to be successful.
Robert DiLella Jr.. You said something Which I don't know that everyone sees sees initially when you say they're investing a lot investing their time investing their money investing their Free well, they're well But I don't I know for myself when I Take That time. Because I still don't like to work out I love the feeling after but it's not like I look forward like I can't wait to work out.
Lara McKeever. Yeah, your time you go at night.
Robert DiLella Jr.. But after one time like there's never ever a regret in the world and I always feel so good I cannot live without it but until I Think you talk about that investment like people Like Jen who I admire for her and. Because she's really invested in her. I mean she she comes here She trains trains hard and when you're one-on-one training It's it's a lot more than when I'm in a group. Because I'm in a group I can kick back a little bit.
Lara McKeever. If There's something off on one side I am like I've Been told but yeah, it's so true. It's it's definitely a different Realm and, some people will tell me to like, Oh, it must be so nice to just always be motivated to train and I'm like Especially after a day where I'm coaching a lot like eight sessions like I also have to ground down sometimes and give my myself The don't be a bitch talk, like I'll be like, come on You got this like the first 15 minutes are always annoying. But then you get started you get warmed up and then you're ready to go, and then you like you just said you feel so good after, always Just one thing to share about Jen.
Lara McKeever. I was kind of debating on it, but I think she'd be happy We're talking about her like it's such. Because she is such a beast and she's one of my proudest Like I've had such proud moments with my clients and she's one of my proudest success stories She came to me. Well, actually we bumped into each other at the sauna house and she was expressing that she was going through some pain She just felt inflamed and she couldn't find something that was working for her, And there's just.
Lara McKeever. So many different there were a lot of different injuries that she was having and I was like Why don't you just come in just look at it as three sessions and I'll look at what's going on And we were able to figure out what what was happening that was causing some of the inflammation She had to do some physical therapy movements that we got her in check on and it was more just like that Accountability and realizing like don't be afraid to move, and over the past year. I've gone through some really highs and some really lows.
Lara McKeever. I got into a really bad car accident where I totaled my car several herniated discs bulging discs tore my labrum Jacked me up for a while and it's still a very humbling experience for me. But, through that I feel like I It was almost like that trial was given to me.
Lara McKeever. So that I am a better coach and I'm able to teach people how to move their bodies even through pain Because it's so much worse when you don't move, and it's Chances are the body needs some, upkeep some mechanics are a little off That's why you need some physical therapy and I'm a big believer in, active release therapy Where it's like if something's hurting you chances are something else is what's weak and you need to activate that muscle properly and strengthen Another muscle for example, like I have monstrous traps, they're they're pretty big. I'm hiding them with my hair right now. So I don't look like she-hulk on camera.
Lara McKeever. Yeah But that's because of my lower traps are weak and when the whiplash happened It was like a catch-22 My neck was tight because of my tight traps and my traps got even bigger. Because of my tight neck and I had to keep Working that back and forth and real I through working with Talena Ferris Fortunato formerly known She's an absolute beast and she's my physical therapist and She inspires me. So much that woman in so many ways, mother of four She had her first child at 39 years old and she's got an eight pack and she whoops everybody's butt in the gym, and Yes, she's gone through.
Lara McKeever. So many different injuries and so many different things and like she always will get back to moving her body even if it's Like let's do she had surgery recently and she's like I'm gonna do calf raises and I'm gonna work on muscles that I need to Strengthen, so I've learned a lot from her and, strengthening those things That's a lot of my methodology as. Well through her inspiration.
Robert DiLella Jr.. Well, I think you One of the things that's unique that I noticed is that It's not just about the form and the workout but you look at the whole person lifestyle work age Yep ability Flexibility or lack of. But you look at it all because you coach from all those realms One of the things it was great for me was Nutrition it was it was the full thing It wasn't just did what we're doing on the bench or what we're doing in the in the gym It was outside of the gym too, which was thank you for my head no It makes you very unique too. Because you care about the human being all the way through and through. So.
Lara McKeever. Well I'm always I always have this big tripod that I walk around with Jim's always like you got your best friend with you because I'm Looking around with my tripod because I think if if it's not measured it can't be managed if you can't write down Your notes your stats. What was your one RM? What was your two RM, having a progressive overload? Build like a program like that.
Lara McKeever. You're not gonna make any gains and you're not gonna see What you need progress on or what you've improved on like I always my favorite thing to do with my people is to say like Hey last week those lunges you use 20 pounds now You have 25 pounds and people don't even realize I just put the weight in front of them and blindly they follow Like I love that because then they start to see that they're getting stronger and, it pumps me up like I have one of my favorite Another success story is Barbara. She's an absolute stud. She's 79 years old and She's doing pull-ups now comes here.
Lara McKeever. Yeah, she comes here she's doing pull-ups and, we 79 79 she's never done pull-ups in her life and I had another coach because I post a lot of stories with her.
Lara McKeever. She's kind of becoming the shredshad celebrity So I was having her hang from a bar in the beginning, after we progressed, the first thing you do To train for pull-ups is to do ring rows TRX rose then she was knocking out like 30 So then I was like, okay why don't you get a little bit lower still making that really easy and I love doing active hang holds as like a functional training ability because your grip strength is a huge metric on the quality of life that you have forever so I had her hanging from a bar then, so and she had something going on with her hand Like one of her ligaments was a little tight.
Lara McKeever. So we had to build up to that But eventually she was hanging from a bar just fine Then I had her going for, More like a rep of a pull-up with with a band and I had a coach online Message me and say this is so hard to watch you torture this lady, why don't you just give her TRX rose, like there's definitely a different style There's a lot of different coach styles I'm that's why I named my company challenger fit because I always want to push them past the level that they think they can, that's what I'm here for what other coach why would I be a coach then?, you want to just level out? Hey, you've peaked fit.
Robert DiLella Jr.. It's not being You're getting them out of the comfort zone. Yeah to the next place and it'd be 79 and She's amazing in here and I'm picturing her hanging from the
Lara McKeever. Bar bees the other day Yeah, of course, it's all within hurt like listening to her body and yeah, I'm really good with Understanding my people after being with them, several days a Week and everything else over over a span of we've been together since March.
Lara McKeever. So it's been a while now, good five months and but she wasn't able to really balance on one foot, and now she's doing pull-ups and doing one-legged deadlifts, So it's just really cool to see and see her quality of life change She's like I'm getting better at golf and it's applicable to all these other things She's like I don't have my back pain anymore, people think that weightlifting They're like, I had an argument with one of my clients the other day lovingly.
Lara McKeever. But he's like I don't want to do deadlifts because I have a bad back I'm like you have to do deadlifts because you have a bad back You're always gonna need to pick something up off the floor, like that's part of functional life daily life. Yeah I always want that woman to be able to lift a suitcase over there at her head and put it by herself Into the yeah on the airplane, of course like that's like ultimate independent woman stuff. Yeah, but I think a lot of women aren't able to do those kind of things So those are the things that makes me really pumped. I think those are PRs, you.
Robert DiLella Jr.. Know, yeah, well and that The more they can function as they age the longer they the longer they'll live to Exactly
Lara McKeever. And quality because if you don't have quality of life, yeah, I had a conversation a tough conversation with one of my friends recently, he's he loves his wine at night and he's like, I don't it's not that bad, I Like I can I can live forever. He says I'm like a cockroach. I'll never die I'm like, but you want to live in that body forever, yeah, and it's that's what you have to think about, your daily Little actions it's like yes, we can have that donut and treat ourselves and everything else. But it's those little micro Things that you do those micro habits will build up and develop your path for the rest of your life What do you want it to look like? Hmm.
Robert DiLella Jr.. What do you? Like we're in August now and I think some people, We passed that new year's thing that happens to the end of every year the new year people make these resolutions about how they're, have this be the great year and I'm gonna work out and then now we're in August and now people are at the point Where that their the resolution is long gone. That's about at the end of January, but now we're getting up, the Halloween stuff's out already. It.
Lara McKeever. Feels so weird here, especially
Robert DiLella Jr.. So the next season is coming here there could the Christmas holidays and Sign all the rest of that and then the new year resolution. So what can people do now because now, we go into those time periods of life where it's like, oh, well, it's Thanksgiving. We have to eat a lot Oh, it's what it's Christmas. We have to, these feasts these parties and all the rest of that. So people who. Are watching listening that are at the place? Like where do I begin? I could never go there because they look at you and say well, you know that it's I couldn't walk in there, like the way I feel the way look so where do people begin like what's this first step for somebody?
Robert DiLella Jr.. Who's who's been out of it? Maybe they were active at one point, but they're not active at all right now And how could they start
Lara McKeever. Right?
Lara McKeever. Well, a lot of people would say like get your steps in which is I Do think that is a good way to just get going and get your body moving like, there's a lot of mitochondrial Regeneration where you when you're walking and getting active, but I would even push it a little bit more with doing stretches get your get yoga in, I always feel like Gumby walking out of hot yoga I go to Yoga house in Naples and Gus the owner and Merrill they're they're both owners They're amazing and I really love that class like, if they're not ready to do To do such a big step as far as weight training, although I don't think that it is, I think them walking through this door and us just going through an assessment, usually the first two sessions are just an assessment of movement You can do that you can anybody can totally do that, And I'm not gonna I'll push them within reason.
Lara McKeever. But I'm not gonna have, My 79 year old walk in for the first time and do burpees you have to walk and well crawl before you walk And walk before you run that kind of thing and, if you have a good coach you're able to do that. But, it depends really on that person's financial abilities, I think doing some stretches and body weight movement in your house But I do think just looking at this as like a temporary Thing some a lot of my clients wind up staying because they love the accountability and they have a lot of fun here and all That stuff but, just look at it. I even tell my clients with nutrition.
Lara McKeever. I want them with me for three months, because one month is really me learning that person's habits the second month is them adapting to what I'm telling them to do and getting Acclimated to that and then the third month is really when they see and feel all the difference You'll start feeling the difference like around halfway through that like six weeks But people think that it's just like a magic pill like what, two months two weeks in they're like Why am I not seeing any changes or, they'll be like I feel like I'm feeling tighter in my clothes right now But it's literally when you're when you're going through a workout like intense Workouts for a while your body needs to adjust to it.
Lara McKeever. Your body's holding on more water, you know When you're eating healthier actually there's this I experienced this when I did Whole 30 once Have you ever heard of Whole 30?
Robert DiLella Jr.. I don't remember it. Yeah
Lara McKeever. Maybe I told you a while back but it's 30 days of eating Whole Foods. No alcohol. It's very strict No added sugars to anything. You can't even like you can't even make a banana Pancake out of a banana and eggs. Because it's still the concept like of a treat You have to eat all Whole Foods for 30 days, but it's crazy Like after that you realize that you've had some kind of sugar addictions in the past like I had headaches when I did it for the first time I've done it about six times now, but with that it's Incredible what it does to your body.
Lara McKeever. But around week two I felt bloated because your body doesn't like it's not used to having that many vegetables And then your body settles in so really that answer I can go on for like hours with you on it, and it really depends person to person. But it's like move your body if your time if you're a mom and, you're working several jobs Whatever it is just move for 30 minutes, follow something on on Spotify or something like that where it's they have like all the. What what is the? What's the peloton sorry peloton classes on there?
Lara McKeever. I think they're free, they have like a lot I was actually following I just was curious to check it out because I want to start doing more videos online myself. But there were some great yoga flows that are just free and accessible Going on YouTube and following something like that just to move their body But if they want real results weight training is where it's at, it's gonna help your bone density It's gonna help, your heart your cardiovascular health, it's Running. I mean a cardio will help you live long, but weight training will help you live. Well hmm, so.
Robert DiLella Jr.. Okay, so if somebody Raise their hand or they were they're ready for you. What's the what do they do? What would you do and what would they do? How do they get that started?
Lara McKeever. I have to gauge how serious they are, Because I need somebody that like, I can't have the client that's gonna tell me I'm just looking to get tones I don't want to look too big. I'm like no This isn't the place for you. Because. I'm very passionate about it clearly This because, I need the right person who's gonna be completely committed to the program, for functional training and for their I need someone who's gonna be like serious about Doing this with me and, I've had a lot of bosses come through the door a lot of CEOs Where they're being used to being the boss and I'm like, I'm sorry, that's cute, but I'm the boss now.
Lara McKeever. So that's definitely one of the things but then once we get past that and I see how how committed this person is Then we definitely will start with an assessment for two sessions I have them usually log their food with me for two weeks. So I start to see their habits and I'll either recommend a meal plan But I like to I'd rather them just start a guided meal plan So I'll give them their macros and then, I see what they eat and I'm like, okay I'll write them a summary every single week of like, okay instead of this let's substitute that for this instead, like Sugar and yogurt like let's go for a non-fat organic Probiotic yogurt instead that's gonna help your gut health.
Lara McKeever. I'm really big on the micronutrients and organic food As you already know.
Robert DiLella Jr.. Yeah, you make shopping videos Yes, that's right.
Lara McKeever. Yeah, it's a lot of fun. I actually made friends with some of the Whole Foods guys at this point.
Robert DiLella Jr.. Yeah, I walked down the aisle with the Whole Foods with you. Yeah, I've seen that How about are there classes here too or what's these set up at this facility?
Lara McKeever. So we're starting to have some classes at 8 a.m. It's a slow it's been a slow build Jim and I are Meeting up together to really decide on which days we're gonna do for season and which clients are ready From the personal training to jump into the classes together, so That is to be determined really but for the most part we're gonna be doing Monday Wednesday Friday 8 a.m. Classes to start and probably earlier morning for classes as well But it's just very busy with the personals right now. Yeah, yeah, yeah, well it's season they're all coming back So I think I will have to have them merge in with those client those already, locked in clients for those times.
Robert DiLella Jr.. Yeah. Well, you have everything here because there's a shower here, too Yeah, oh, yeah, lunch
Lara McKeever. Cold plunge shower. Yep. There's a big day in the toilet It's a luxury Yes
Robert DiLella Jr.. Even the Coming through at the garage doors the lighting and here's
Lara McKeever. Oh just wait until you come lift in the winter time It's it's so nice like having the bay doors open yeah, but I do love it I love that it's air-conditioned in here it's like for this time of year. Yeah, and these lights all change like it. Oh, it's like a little rave in here. Jim got the laser lights I said we're gonna do an event for For Halloween. Oh, he's got it. But. We're gonna do like pre-workout shots and it's gonna be like a rave kind of We'll get a fog light in here.
Lara McKeever. So it's a lot of fun, We'll do a costume party and we have a lot of basically anything that revolves America for holiday seasons We have a huge party for, It's always been a very big part of my heart America and just our troops and everything else. So yeah, I always we love to hone in on that together Jim's the same way Speaking.
Robert DiLella Jr.. Of our troops. I want you to share the story because this is a moment in time. It's important of how you met Your significant other
Lara McKeever. The love of my life. Yeah I know it's it is kind of wild a wild story it came it happened all in a moment where I was like the last thing that I was thinking about and, I came to grips with. Okay Maybe I don't meet this person, maybe this isn't gonna happen for me, and I'm okay with it I'm diving into my business and I'm I feel whole, and God was like hold my beer. So I was I do the take a soldier fishing I run all the fitness for the take a soldier fishing event at the Naples Grand and Unfortunately, we're not doing it this year. Because it's under renovation. So that'd be the following year that year That one is gonna be absolutely epic.
Lara McKeever. But so this was my second year doing it. I met Jeremy the first year. But he said that he didn't have the courage to talk to me But the second year he came he did come up to me after the event was over and we met At take a soldier fishing. So he was one of the soldiers that I was coaching at the boot camp and I was like this couldn't have been any better We had an electric guitar player playing the national anthem in American flag overalls with a huge American flag fly over The ocean and that's where I met my man. Right on the beach. Yeah, it was just it couldn't have been more perfect and more special for us
Robert DiLella Jr.. Yeah, you've changed since you met him. I can see you're just yeah, he's my person we're lit But you're in another way now. So yeah, he's a good good person.
Lara McKeever. He's my best friend. He really is He's just so awesome. Yeah, every single way. Yeah, he's still serving he's got two more years In special special operations for the United States Army. I'm really proud of him. He's at Camp Shelby right now in fake war So that's a whole other thing, but they do live-action role play. So he was calling me from a huge 100 degree bathroom because that was the only place that he got privacy And I'm like, I hear those things and it hits me every single time all the sacrifices that these these guys make, and it's just part of his whole life, His whole career has been that, yeah being in barracks and
Robert DiLella Jr.. Given his life for us. I'm Yeah, always in such awe and honor and love and appreciation for our vets.
Lara McKeever. I know that's right I know. Thank you, sir
Robert DiLella Jr.. And those who serve and serve us and selflessly serve and yeah
Lara McKeever. Right And, it also has been a eye-opening experience for me too because he's a chief And it doesn't matter you're a rank. It doesn't matter if you're a general whatever you're still in the barracks with the guys, And I like that. Yeah, he's not in an ivory tower No, they're all bonding together in this whole thing, but they're all doing the role play in their positions. So it's pretty fascinating.
Robert DiLella Jr.. Yeah, I think zach you'll have to put a Picture of him up here just so people can see get a visual of him because I don't know if I've seen a more shredded human
Lara McKeever. He's a real life, john claud van damme as people will say and he'll be loving that when he hears this
Robert DiLella Jr.. Well people mistake him for it in airports, right? So they think he's that's
Lara McKeever. Literally yeah, his t-shirt doesn't help I get him the john claud van damme t-shirts because he's that's his like hero in life. He loves that guy So, now it's like our our gift every single time like christmas valentine's day I just have to throw that the added accessory. He like almost expects it now But yeah, he really motivates me to in the gym Like we push each other and it's kind of he's not here a lot, he's he's traveling He's probably going to be deployed in january so All of these things, combined, we're we're able to communicate Like we're we're the key is good communication in a relationship.
Lara McKeever. But We also will log our workouts and we'll like challenge each other every single day I'm like damn he got that time. I gotta beat him, So it's a little added bonus Like literally all the things that I wanted in a partner all in one god put it together on like the perfect day
Robert DiLella Jr.. Yeah, yeah so happy for you
Lara McKeever. Thank you so much. Well, I see what you and michelle have and I always wanted that, I always wanted that but I was like I'll be patient Let's see what I'm gonna be I'm busy. Anyway, and then all of a sudden it just happened Yeah, that's the best what I tell my friends though It's like I always hated when people would say it too like it's gonna happen when you least expect it. I'm like, yeah. Yeah, whatever I'm gonna keep scrolling. And hating it, and then all of a sudden it literally did. Yeah. Yeah, so it's cool
Robert DiLella Jr.. Well, I can't wait to meet him.
Lara McKeever. Oh, thank you. Yeah, I can't wait. I can't believe you haven't met him yet
Robert DiLella Jr.. No, I feel like I know
Lara McKeever. Yeah, you had I know yeah, you have to he's gonna be here in So he's done with the live action role play in like two weeks. So he'll be in on the 22nd Maybe we can we can get together. I would love to do a workout or a double date or something. Oh, I'd love that I would just be.
Robert DiLella Jr.. All watching work out because I can't even imagine.
Lara McKeever. Oh, he's he's a beast. Yeah. Yeah He's an absolute.
Robert DiLella Jr.. I think I you had a video of him one time and you guys were doing
Lara McKeever. There's like Oh the leg lifts. Yeah and
Robert DiLella Jr.. Every Every Muscle in the human body was bulging out like I've never seen it on you
Lara McKeever. Like yeah, it's the best though. I know I'm like, oh I gotta get on that level and get up there yeah, and, it's kind of funny like speaking of injuries and all that like he He actually jumped off of a building wearing full kit avoiding a machine gun, in afghanistan and. Long story short then he decided to go he thought back squats were a good idea later at night I'm like jeremy what but anyway, he slipped a disc and he's had like major injury From that. But from having the like that's why he's prioritized core work so much because that's the only way he avoids back pain, so it's it's he inspires me in a lot of ways with that too I'm like you can make it a strength.
Lara McKeever. You just have to work on it.
Robert DiLella Jr.. Oh jeez Yeah Is there anything that I think it might be good for you because you gave me such a good tour around here just to talk about A little bit about what you. Because you really Without seeing it when you gave me the tour like not only do you have bands, but they're new they're clean They're organized. Everything is so meticulous here. So precise and I think that matters in the space. But I just wanted to hear from you a little bit about
Lara McKeever. Jump on in here, sir Sure, oh my god, I'm sorry I'm dropping the water bottle and everything.
Robert DiLella Jr.. It's good makes it part of it Now even if we just Even if you just point things out and then zach could maybe follow us around with the camera because you took me around Are you show me that? Or.
Jim. The chair of death we like to call it yeah
Robert DiLella Jr.. Yeah, you got some neat stuff in here that
Jim. Yeah, I'd be happy to so I'll take the higher seat
Robert DiLella Jr.. So just take us around the room even if it's just from here if you're just pointing to it then sure
Jim. Sure So basically we have an aerobic area where we have a lot of our different cardio machines we have assault bikes, which are my favorite, right? And because we love to put clients on those And then we have rowers. We have the concept rowers. We have skier We have sleds. We have indoor and outdoor sleds We have sleds that you push on turf. We have sleds you push on wheels So we can accommodate all types of different sleds. We actually have a sled pull for tractors so we can pull a tractor Which is a video coming out We did that was a video coming out with that.
Jim. So we're pulling a tractor across the outdoor So that's the craziest idea So in addition to the 3200 square feet indoor right we have another 3200 square foot pavement outside as well So in the early mornings or some days when we like to really amp it up a little bit We'll open up all the bay doors and we'll have an indoor outdoor workout Especially in the wintertime when it's really nice out and so what we can really accommodate a lot of different modalities and function and strength and So then we have our mobility section, which is our mats our bands all types of abdominal type of stretching And then we go into our cable products that have every type of accessory you can imagine for Any type of cable resistance and banded resistance type of workouts and then we get into more into our dumbbell And our sandbags we have probably about 80 different sandbags of different varying weights from All the way from 20 pounds all the way up to 150 pound sandbag balls right for over the shoulder and then.
Jim. We have three different rigs indoor rigs, so we've got the lethal rig which is one of my favorites So it's got a double cable setup and you can do a smith machine on it as. Well as regular Squat racks and overhead press racks Really.
Robert DiLella Jr.. Smooth almost like you're free and not even with the cable Yeah, nice
Jim. We do so much with it and then we have one of our favorite which is the scented towel fridge where we actually have Some of our clients like that after a hard workout we give them a nice scented towel I'll be like here Nice. Voice towel that form and then as you see around the gym too, so being a veteran on gym we really pay tribute to the veterans that we've trained here as well as the ones that sacrifice. So much So we've got all the unit flat or the different departments flags You'll notice we have the mandalorian flag over the space of space Program, department of space war or whatever they are.
Jim. So until they get a body count of an alien then we'll we'll release their flag.
Lara McKeever. And another one to point out over there is the flag of honor that really is
Jim. From the 9 11 memorial So that lists all the names of the people that we've lost on 9 11 So and that's that's just a huge I mean that memorial Like I was caught crying through the entire memorial. It just was insane Never forget it.
Lara McKeever. Absolutely incredible. Oh, it's phenomenal. I lost my cousin on 9 11 I lost my cousin on 9 11. he was a fireman 27 years old.
Lara McKeever. So, he's up on that flag in the bottom navy one his name is there and but I didn't realize we went there for Jeremy's birthday in april And what a thing to go to for a birthday I was like we have to do something really happy after because it was just you walk around you could hear a pin drop And, I didn't realize it was like almost This beautiful surprise and it was therapeutic like I definitely bawled my eyes out But there was a whole memorial that my cousins created of all the pictures and letters that was written, were written to him in heaven by my younger cousins and oh, I highly recommend that memorial is incredible But yeah, so we always want to have every single american flag In here, honoring everyone who sacrificed their life or was willing to
Jim. Yeah One of the things that lara has inspired us to do is to do hero workouts as well. So honor the sacrifice of others and really do a lot of the different hero workouts, which we love to do here.
Lara McKeever. We're gonna start them on saturday. Yeah, we'll start them up on saturday. So yeah, yeah
Jim. That'll be great And those are always fun. Those are just like the murph like we're an official murph gym So we are recognized by the murph foundation to have the murph here. So and that this was our first year doing that and it was such a Blast we just had such a great time. Yeah so and then The rigs so we've got the rest of the rigs here all the barbells and free weights You can imagine the plates bumper plates the iron plates and then one of the things we don't have which I love is a belt squat attachment and a lot of our clients have back issues And they want to do deadlifts or they want to do back squats, but they can't.
Jim. So that we can actually have a belt that they can wear and They can do hundreds of pounds and they can really work their quads and glutes right and it's just a fantastic attachment Oh the hex bar for deadlifts. Yeah, and then we have our our free weight, barbell accessory rack that Yeah, the rep the rep chicken
Lara McKeever. The rep chicken comes out When the push-ups aren't you're not hitting Depth on those push-ups and your chest isn't hitting the deck. We put this guy down So then you actually. Yeah, you're not and sometimes I have done this I'll tie it to the back of their legs if they're not hitting full full squat. Yeah, they're not going all the way down. Yeah. And then they'll remember
Jim. And that we The one thing you know that alana and I both I think Passionately agree on is the community is that this is not a gym gym We're developing a community of like-minded people. So the people that I do a 5 30 a.m Class here with some people that I've been working out for three years that have inspired me through my transformation And just, ride or die people and they come and they co-plunge now at five o'clock in the morning And then they'll get into the workouts and like today we had a two-hour leg day.
Jim. So and they stuck through it and they've grown dramatically so much so that they inspired me to do the high rocks with them So we did a mixed relay high rocks a year ago april And it was kind of just a fun thing to do I've never competed in a professional athletic competition Oh, it's such a blast And we came in second. Yeah. Yeah, not the full thing. Oh, we came in second place Yeah, right really? Wow, that's kind of crazy because they asked me to coach them And lara's actually a trained high rocks coach, but I didn't know lara was a high rocks coach then And I was coaching them.
Jim. I brought, the military discipline to the training and we ended up coming in second That's awesome. Yeah, that's crazy It was crazy.
Lara McKeever. I actually just signed up this morning. I got in to the charity one for high rocks. Oh, nice Yeah, and tampa tampa this october. Oh, we'll come and cheer you on. I know often. Yeah, we'll support it.
Jim. We'll support it 100 The guy weight Let's get going
Robert DiLella Jr.. So what is the difference in that?
Lara McKeever. So the weights are I have So I've done two of them before I did. women's weights which are a bit lighter and that's all split up, between two people The sleds, I think it's around I have to check again, but it's like around 200 pounds Because it's a pro level. Yeah, okay, but the pro is like 350 pound push and it's like, It's like 300 pound pull for ladies. Yeah for ladies, too So I did that with chandler as my it was a mixed double and it was such a blast But now I'm doing the pro so that weight but alone individual So it's going to be a whole new thing and it's actually going to take place on the same day that I got into my car Accident last year.
Lara McKeever. So I think it's going to be like my own, Like full circle moment where yeah my phoenix moment where I'm like, okay I spread my wings after that whole experience and I'm ready to go
Robert DiLella Jr.. So it's not as with a partner you're doing everything.
Lara McKeever. I'm doing everything. No, everything's the same. It's gonna take me a while Yeah, but, it'll be my own pr. I'm like I'm just happy I'll complete it and push myself Yeah, I'm not gonna just be like I'm just gonna complete it., I'm gonna die but it's gonna be so fun Yeah, yeah, it'll be a blast. So especially with my crew there Yeah, you have to do one I will you'll love it. Yeah, you would get such a kick out of it.
Robert DiLella Jr.. Yeah Burpee brought jumps on my favorite We're always hoping to do a mixed relay.
Jim. Hey, oh, that's true. You could always do a mixed relay.
Robert DiLella Jr.. Oh, you would love that What is a mixed relay?
Jim. So it's partner. So it's a mixed relay is you have four people and each person does two events Right. So and the cool part is if you have an older person in your they average the age of the people in the group Oh nice, so you end up in the yeah older group so we had people in our group that were We're 23. So we had one of the people that worked out with a veteran organization called home base She was the one that came up with this whole idea. Yeah, and then she was like you should coach us Yeah, she was a trainer and it was cool and So she was the young person in the group and then she she's just a beast.
Jim. She's awesome So she handled the sled pushes and the sled pulls and the wall balls too. So oh no, she did the sled pushes.
Lara McKeever. Which You know obstacle you're gonna you pick which obstacle you're gonna do In the relay and it's like strategized like that So you can get really good at sled pull and push And then, the other person will do the farmer's carries and the burpee broad jumps and whatever. But then you can really gun it and rest. Because it's such a different workout than doing the whole thing It's like a marathon to a sprint.
Robert DiLella Jr.. Well, is there an 8k run do or
Lara McKeever. So in between every single obstacle is a thousand meter run? Yeah eight times So at the end you're doing that everybody runs that right?
Jim. Well, no, no the mixed relay you only run before or after your event That's right. Okay, so you run the 1k before or after your event?
Lara McKeever. So you yeah, you split it up But with a partner I've only done the partner. So that's why I mixed it up But I yeah you run together the whole time. So you're basically gunning it for five miles. So like we were doing like a six six minute splits 604. Yeah, it was good Challenging one moving Chandler's a lightning fast beast.
Jim. If you were ever to do it, I would highly recommend starting with a mixed rely Because it can introduce you to it and it's just it's a crazy event. It's wild. It's a fun time
Lara McKeever. There's also something about just signing up for something That's another thing just I was thinking about that question you asked earlier about like what can you do? And it's like even sign up for a turkey trot like find something to train for and look forward to and you kind of It would motivate me to be like, you know when I was training for my marathons. I'm like, okay, I gotta get up I got a train today, like I have I have a race in three months, And I think it's motivation like you have you have some skin in the game you signed up for something, So I think that would be another bit of advice too for for someone.
Robert DiLella Jr.. Yeah, because you're committing to yeah a date You're not just having to be someday or christmas or the next holiday or the next right?
Jim. Something we have two clients or 17 year old girls that want to want to now compete In the high rocks in miami in april and they're super pumped and they've been coming religiously every morning They'll come six days a week here at 5 30 in the morning They're 17 years old and they're just they are. So pumped up to get this going And get the training for the high rocks. So and they're going to do it as a as a double So they're and they're little beasts. Yeah, and they're. So pumped. They're just fun.
Lara McKeever. It's like the first time they've ever worked out. Yeah, And now they're like absolute beasts and they're making so many gains like every single week. They're adding like 40 pounds to their belt squat, it's like cool to see Them at that age just like not even knowing what they're capable of, I just love to see that as a coach.
Robert DiLella Jr.. To build those habits at such a young age too.
Jim. That's They're amazing. I mean they came in here very nervous Because you know who's this crazy guy in the woods with the gym, right? And but her boyfriend who was the west point academy guy So she brought him here or he brought her here And then she brought her friend here. So he's off at the academy and she's training here and she like was very nervous She didn't think she could lift much and now they're just in here like what's next what's next? We're gonna go So much so we have another 19 year old gentleman Who's does mma training and now they compete how much they're gonna do as far as deadlifts and Pushing the sleds and they get they go after each other.
Jim. So they they love it. Yeah, so and that's the community we love we love that camaraderie that we're developing with people and that sense of belonging And it's just a sense of fun We try to make this really not just that you're coming in here to sweat and do a workout He's looking forward to it. Because you're gonna see your friends. You're gonna have a good time we like to make it fun with the lights and the music and They just, it's a good time.
Robert DiLella Jr.. Where are we so people would know because we've been talking about the woods.
Jim. Yeah, so we're That's a funny part so my grandfather was a canadian and he emigrated to the united states during The prohibition era and he had a speakeasy in the basement of his house and I grew up when I go visit my grandpa. He had that slot machine that's out there That's a prohibition era slot machine. So and he had this bar In the basement of his house. I just grew up that way. I thought grandpa has a bar in his house, right?
Jim. But it was a speakeasy so that he he would bring liquor in from canada Smuggle it over the border and bring it in and serve it in detroit right and he worked at the ford plant so you in the union there and Anyway, long story short This is like a speakeasy gym So we're in logan woods.
Jim. So we're just north of pine ridge off of logan off of a tiny little street called pomero woods it's sleepy little street and it's on the back of a property and we're fully licensed and certified to be doing what we're doing here and it's just Kind of a neat little place to be And very specialized in what we do, but we can really provide These types of fitness services and nutrition coaching to any about any modality that from 80 year old clients to down to 17 year old Girls that want to get fit
Lara McKeever. And a lot of people when they first hear that it's kind of further it's further out It's it's not in the estates like it's literally in north napells It's probably took you like 10 12 minutes to get here. Like it's not far at all.
Robert DiLella Jr.. Yeah, we're very close Central to everything. Yeah. Yeah, because you're not out right and you're on a big piece property too
Lara McKeever. You have a nice wide road to run So we do like a lot of runs out out in the road and it's really it's nice and safe It's not like a big commercial parking lot, it's
Jim. That's what's really kind of cool about it is the aerobic stuff that we can do Being having this giant concrete place piece out here And then having the ability to go out and do a run where you don't feel like you're gonna get run over by anything Right and the community has accepted us and shares people on running up and down the street It was fun.
Robert DiLella Jr.. This is kind of cool to document this because if people go back and watch when we did your First podcast or when it was one of our first that was in november of 24 a couple years almost a couple years ago. And then And now to see you here and what you guys have created the vision of both of you together and what a synergistic Team together, you really kind of complement each other. So well. It's cool to see that. What's happening here?
Lara McKeever. Thank you. And it's like anything right when you move with intention on anything you want to do You it's so cool to look back and see where you started, it like gives me even more of a jolt and motivation, just thinking about two years ago us, sitting in your back room doing it and just like I was just starting this business. There was a lot of things that I didn't know yet, but then you the key is to learning the things that you don't know Make a change, alter it. Yeah, and not be afraid to fail a little. So that's a lot of the key to it.
Robert DiLella Jr.. Don't know that you don't know
Lara McKeever. Yeah It's actually a skill To not to know what you don't know Right to learn it. I learned that from politics
Jim. Laura's passion for fitness really is what inspired me to be part of this and, she was my coach and started with nutrition and then I went on to the fitness coaching side of it and really instrumental in my transformation In a lot of different ways from not just my fitness, but my career making this part of my professional life now and just I say she's the best and I know I'm blessed the best trainer in all of Naples and I really believe it and I wouldn't Have invested in this type of opportunity without somebody like her really being the engine that drives us I mean I could build this gym.
Jim. I've told her this before I could I could build a 4000 10 000 square foot facility and nobody would show up. But they show up because of her and her ability to Really be positive and people show up to see her and really be motivated by her and despite being berated and abused. Which they tend to love anyway, but they make they make progress but they all make progress And I've never seen her had a bad day She's I mean accidents and other things that she's had happen in her life And they're all it's like the next minute. Everything's great. It's all positive the most positive person I've ever met on the planet.
Lara McKeever. Right back at you Jim. Seriously. I love it.
Robert DiLella Jr.. It's infectious She has very much something about it. It gets on you because she's she is An eternal optimist which I love, you have to be in entrepreneurship Especially because you got to you got to make the good out of every everything that happens and you always do that.
Jim. Well, you know that from experience. I mean very successful entrepreneur here in Naples. So Just fantastic.
Robert DiLella Jr.. Now still always learning. There's still so much. I don't know that I don't know that I don't know that I continue to learn and even coming here today, this is I still am in awe. Because I literally saw that first video or the first pictures And it wasn't It doesn't didn't do it justice, but not only that you've tripled I think since since those videos. Anyway.
Jim. I love the reaction People's first time in they're like is this a serial killer's house?
Lara McKeever. I
Co-host. Of really like that. I almost don't want that to change because it's that wow factor is that
Jim. Transition To like oh this is this is we're not going to be murdered too.
Lara McKeever. Just the weaker parts just the weaker parts
Robert DiLella Jr.. Well Thanks for Creating the space of course. No, no, thanks for having me. Thanks for so awesome doing this for you Thanks for your passion for people. Thanks for following your passion because that helps the world be a better place still Thank you when human beings are out there being better humans and you make them better humans and makes my life better, too So, thank you both.
Jim. Well, thank you. We're very honored to share our time with us and be on your podcast and it's just fantastic
Robert DiLella Jr.. Yeah, cool, man. Look forward to the next chapter. Zach. How zach.