Archive for the ‘Exercise’ category

How to choose a personal fitness trainer

February 11th, 2010

It’s very important to have the right fit when working with a personal trainer. There are so many options and ways to hire a trainer. You can go to a community recreation centre, local gym, personal training studio or even go online. I wouldn’t recommend starting with a magazine or DVD as a pseudo trainer. A personal trainer is trained to help you with your needs and goals and a magazine or DVD is way too generic and you may be setting yourself up for injury.
If you choose a gym just be careful. I’m not saying this is a bad option actually it can be an excellent option. For starters for should have access to a team of trainers and should be able to pick and choose as well as change your trainer if need be. The reason I say to be careful is because a gym will try to lock you into a long-term membership, which is fine for some but a really bad idea for others. If you are unsure I would suggest a short-term or month-to-month membership to start. Remember the sales person gets paid more if you sign up for a one or two year membership and not as much for month-to-month. You will pay a bit more for a short-term membership but if you find that you are just not happy it’s much easier to get out of it. I cannot stress the importance of being happy and comfortable with the facility enough.
The big thing to keep in mind when working with a personal fitness trainer is that it is not a quick fix and should be looked at as a long-term commitment. Don’t let that sentence scare you. Remember there is a process involved in helping you progress and achieve your goals and it does take time. Just like building a house the foundation is extremely important. Also keep in mind if you are tight for funds or time you can create a schedule with your trainer that works best for you. There should always be options.
It is recommended that you interview a potential trainer or several trainers. Don’t just assume that we are all the same. Just like a doctor or hairdresser we all have strengths, weaknesses and our own personality and style. If personalities clash you may find yourself very unhappy. Think of it a bit like dating, sometimes you have to go on a few blind dates before you find the right one.

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Weight VS. Size

January 25th, 2010

I have a client who is so happy that her measurements have decreased and so have her skinfolds (subcutaneous fat measurement). Her weight has actually gone up a few pounds but we are both happy with her progress. So she proudly goes home to tell her boyfriend about the great positive changes she has achieved and all he can say is “but isn’t your weight supposed to be less?” In turn she tries to explain how her results are really good and what the scale says doesn’t really matter but he just can’t get passed her weight.

This is so common that she asked me to write a post about this subject.

Yes weight and size are different and people do need to realize that when their muscle mass increases so will their weight. But in turn your size will very often decrease (provided you lose some body fat). I quite often use myself as an example. I weigh about 140 pounds and fit into a size 2 or 4 (depending on the brand). Size is not an indication of weight! Your scale will not tell you the truth about anything other than just weight which is a poor indication of your health if you have muscle tone.

Muscle is significantly heavier than fat! The more muscle you have the higher your metabolism will be. The more muscle you have the stronger your bones will be. The key is to gain muscle, lose inches and body fat all at the same time. To keep people on track I always use measurements, skinfolds and weight to tell me how they are doing. All three pieces of information are extremely important to see actual progress.

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How can I avoid getting hurt when I exercise?

January 10th, 2010

This is a very, very good question. The answer is simple as well as somewhat complicated. It’s simple is if you have the right person with the right skills to work with. Complicated if you don’t have appropriate assistance. To choose exercises from a magazine or a buddy is all too often a huge mistake. How do you know if the program is appropriate for you? Generally you don’t and chances are it isn’t. This is a classic recipe for injury and frustration.

A fitness program or exercise plan should be based on your specific needs, lifestyle and goals and should also be altered on a very regular basis. I often change what I do with my clients from week to week, if not session to session. I combine exercise with MAT (Muscle Activation Technique) to help me hone appropriate exercises for my participants. With this combination I am able to tell if the plan is working the them. Sometimes less is more and we must be aware of that. It can be a slower process but the results can be far more rewarding. Imagine progressing your fitness without ever getting hurt, it can be done.

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