McDowell Fitness Center

09/01/2026

💪 TRAINER TIP TUESDAY — WITH MAC 💪

Your attitude affects more than your workout.

Negativity has a way of spreading into everything you touch. It affects you, but it also affects the people around you—your family, friends, coworkers, training partners, and everyone in your circle.

The same is true for positivity.

You’re not going to win every day. Some days the workout sucks. Some days life is heavy. Some days the victory might be so small that nobody else even notices it.

Notice it anyway.

Look for the silver lining, regardless of the size. Those little wins create collateral gains.

Grams equal ounces. Ounces equal pounds.

One better choice.
One workout you almost skipped but didn’t.
One more rep.
One positive thought instead of a negative one.
One thing you can be grateful for.

Small victories add up—and eventually, they become big ones.

Your attitude won’t make every situation easy, but it can change how you respond to it. And that response can change the direction you’re headed.

Take care of yourself. Take care of your mindset. Keep stacking the small wins. ❤️

— Mac
MFC Trainer Tip Tuesday

08/31/2026

🏋️‍♂️ MFC MEMBER SPOTLIGHT — NATE JARZYNA 🏋️‍♂️

This week we’re shining the spotlight on Nathan “Nate” Jarzyna, 39, who has been part of the MFC family for about a year and a half!

Nate’s MFC journey actually started with a little push from his boss, JR, who not only encouraged him to join but gives him time during the week to train with Mac.

💬 “It’s pretty awesome, I’m not going to lie. I’ve been so thankful for the opportunity. Shout out to JR!”

🎯 CURRENT FITNESS GOAL:
Nate keeps his goals simple: keep building, just a little each day, and trust the process over time. And really, that’s what progress is all about.

💪 PROUDEST ACCOMPLISHMENT:
Not a number on the scale. Not a certain weight on the bar. Commitment.

Showing up—even on the days when every excuse in the world sounds better than walking through the gym doors. That consistency is something worth being proud of.

😂 FAVORITE WORKOUT:
“Definitely 30-second intervals in front of the circulating fan. Highly recommend it to everyone.”

🚲 LEAST FAVORITE:
The assault bike.
According to Nate, he’s “pretty sure that’s a torture device disguised as exercise.”
We’re not saying he’s wrong. 😂

🌎 FUN FACT:
Nate has been to Jericho, one of the lowest cities on Earth!

💡 ADVICE FOR SOMEONE NEW TO MFC:
“Don’t ever feel like you’re being judged by the amount of weight or the number of reps you do. Be proud you showed up…and know we’re all struggling with you.”

❤️ MFC FEELS LIKE HOME BECAUSE…
“Everyone feels like family.”

And THAT is exactly what we want MFC to be.

Nate, we’re proud of the consistency you’ve built over the last year and a half. Keep showing up, keep putting in the work, and keep trusting the process.

And when all else fails…30-second intervals in front of the fan. 😂💪

08/30/2026

08/29/2026

🏆 BIG CONGRATULATIONS TO MIGUEL & SOSA! 🏆

These two put in the work and came away with 1st place finishes! 💪🔥

MIGUEL — 242 lb Weight Class
🥇 1st Place – Full Power
Squat: 551 lbs
Bench: 292 lbs
Deadlift: 524 lbs
Total: 1,367 lbs

SOSA — 275 lb Weight Class
🥇 1st Place – Bench Only
Bench: 280 lbs

There’s a whole lot of work behind numbers like these—the training, the discipline, the days you feel strong and the days you show up anyway.

Congratulations, Miguel and Sosa! You guys earned this one. Hell of a job on the platform! 👏🔥🏆

Show these two some love! 💪

Videos in the comments!

08/29/2026

Big smiles all around when you see these guys coming through the doors!

Thanks for being part of the MFC family….❤️ and a big hug to LaShonda McPeak’s forever prom date - T Money 🕺💃

We love seeing our guys active in the gym!

08/25/2026

Joy’s Tuesday Trainer Tip- Make the Muscle Do the Work

One of the most important things for glute development is being able to connect with the glutes and actually make them do the work.

More range of motion doesn’t automatically mean more stimulus. If getting your leg higher or farther out causes you to rotate your pelvis, shift your torso, or use momentum, you may be creating a bigger movement—but not necessarily a better contraction.

Focus on:

• Keeping your pelvis stable
• Controlling the movement rather than swinging
• Using a range of motion you can actually own
• Maintaining tension throughout the exercise
• Feeling the glute—not just moving the weight

The goal isn’t to move the weight. The goal is to load the muscle you’re trying to develop.

Learn to control the movement. Learn to connect with the muscle. Then progressively challenge it.

Quality reps will always beat sloppy reps in everything we do in the gym.

08/24/2026

🏋️‍♀️ MFC MEMBER SPOTLIGHT — MAKAYLA SPROUSE 🏋️‍♀️

This week, we’re shining the spotlight on Makayla Sprouse, 26 — and her story is one that perfectly represents what MFC is all about: showing up, growing, and becoming stronger in every sense of the word. 💪❤️

Makayla has been part of the MFC family since 2021, but her fitness journey really began after having her daughter in 2020. At 5’4” and 200 pounds, she says she had become the unhealthiest version of herself, both mentally and physically.

One day, wishing for change turned into deciding to make one.

What started as a few small changes became an entirely new lifestyle — and eventually resulted in Makayla losing 70 pounds naturally and keeping it off. 👏🔥

But she’ll be the first to tell you that the number on the scale isn’t the whole story. Today, her goals are body recomposition, building lean muscle (especially that lower body 👀), and improving mobility.

And her favorite thing to train?

SHOULDERS. Obviously. 😂

If you’ve seen the posed photo, you already know. Capped shoulders are officially the gym-girl dream. 🤩 Quads, on the other hand? We’re still working on that relationship. 🥲😂

Makayla may be quiet and admits she carries a pretty serious RBF, but don’t let it fool you. Once you get her talking, apparently somebody has to tell her when to hush. 😂 She loves meeting people, laughing, and making others feel comfortable — especially newer members.

And that comes from remembering exactly what it felt like to be the beginner.

Her advice to anyone nervous about walking into the gym for the first time is something we think EVERYONE needs to hear:

“Remember that you deserve to take up space. You deserve to be there just as much as the strongest person in there.”

Every person you see on that gym floor had a starting point. Makayla literally studied TikTok videos to learn how to lift, kept showing up, kept learning, and kept becoming 1% better. Now she makes a point of helping others feel the same acceptance and encouragement she found here.

❤️ “MFC feels like home because MFC helped me through one of the hardest seasons of my life. The people in that gym are authentic, friendly and supportive.”

And THAT is what the MFC family is about.

Makayla, we are incredibly proud of the transformation you’ve made — but even more than that, we’re proud of the person you’ve become along the way and the way you now turn around and help the next person through the door.

Keep building those shoulders… and yes, girl, go train those quads. 😂🦵🔥

08/23/2026

Update: No Southern Soul on Monday, but doubling up on Weds! Weds at 8:30 am AND 5:30 pm.

08/22/2026

So thankful for everyone who came out to eat and play with us today! Much fun was had by all and it was a true pleasure to get to spend some time with you guys outside of the gym.

💙