School are are equipped with outstanding facilities in our community, much has been done to encourage our teens to embrace a healthier lifestyle. The problem: girls feel overwhelmed in the weight room… I’ve been asked to help develop a new gym program designed specifically for girls in the weight room.
It’s been quite the challenge. I suggested we give the girls a voice in this development. It’s for them after all.  First, we had to poll the female student body, would they sign up? what are they looking for? why wouldn’t they join the program as it is? what would they want to learn? what excites them? how would they write such a program? The answers were outstanding and surprisingly very well thought out.
It applies to us and will something different in every way. In the fitness world, it means building core strength, or building from the inside out. Your spine is your fragile protector. It’s job is to link the body together by protecting the central nervous system that runs from the brain to the sacrum. All our nerves diverge and energized from a specific points between in vertebrae joint.. It also links the body in movement. It’s engineering system is designed to let bend, rotate (to a certain extent). It’s a fine line between flexibility of movement and strength. But the spine in essence are still linked bones that need muscle to move it. Like any other bones in our body, the vertabraes are essentially inanimate unless we make it move and happens thru a command to the muscle,via the central nervous it protects, governed by the brain… it’s a link system… Very cool when you stop and think about it…
Have you ever worked with a trainer and felt completely over challenged? overwhelmed by the weight load? I have. I have to tell you that the only feeling I got from that workout is complete failure. It left me wondering if I had the right trainer for me, or if maybe I wasn’t up to the task. I felt bullied into success and I didn’t like it.
It’s fine line for fitness professionals. We always srtive for a safe environment, sometimes at the cost of the client. Finding the middle line can be difficult. It often depends on the emotional state of the client in that moment. I struggle with that one every day.
I have clients who break down before they even start their workout, things going in in their lives, feeling overwhelmed knowing they will have to work hard to meet the task. The emotional response can be draining for both the client and the trainer. It’s in my nature to keep pushing forward in progression, having to take a step back can be difficult to feel every once in a while.
I work with independent fitness coaches, those who are not working in a gym environment, but in their own facilities.. I also have my own business at home, where clients come to see me.. there is a common problem to this set at both ends.
1 – as a trainer, we need to stay engaged with what is new and exciting, bringing that excitement to our client
2 – as a client, you need a community of p.l.u.’s ( = people like u), who struggle and live the same challenges
Staying engaged is about building a community of support around yourself. It’s not about other business owners saying: what a great job you’re doing! Or your friends saying: oh my! you are looking great!!!Â
I was watching a few fitness coaches at the gym the other day. I’ve seen these trainers week after week, with the same clients, at the same time doing the same thing over and over again. Frankly, the clients looked bored, and so did the trainer. Every Monday, Wednesday and Friday afternoons, when I go to my spin classes, the same old routine.
When do you know when it’s time to progress? It’s simple really, as soon as you start knowing the routine, as soon as you know exactly what weight load to use, as soon as you.. get bored!!!
Choosing a fitness coach or a local gym is not as simple as it sounds. Beware of the sales tactics!
I went to our new HUGE gym in my city, to check it out, to see about spinning and yoga classes to add to my regimen of own fitness … and yes, it became a great big sales pitch! They asked me about 100 questions, but not once did they ask me what I did for a living… I was very specific in telling them what I wanted to see, what it is that interested me, and yet, they insisted on showing me the whole facility. Ok, so I went along with it. I had time…
As this showing was going on, the <guide> kept referring to personal training services. Not once did I show an interest and actually even told her in no uncertain words that was not a service that is of interest to me.. Yet, the pitch went on… so finally, I broke down and asked: what’s involved with the service, how do I choose whom I would like to work with.. the answer floored me! (more…)
Do you know that there is no governing body in Canada that regulates the field of fitness? anyone can hang up a shingle and call themselves a fitness coach. So how do you know if you’re getting the right person? It’s all in the qualifications and everything is about experience.
1) ask:Â what certification do you have? when were you last certified? and how long was the course?
If the answer is a weekend course with no other college or university degree in general health sciences (massage therapy program for example, anything that would have a focus on physiology), you should walk away. Most of the these weekend programs are focused on the body in general with no content on what really happens to a body (i.e energy systems, endocrine systems, myology, internal organs…)
Does your trainer do the same old thing session after session?
Trainers, are you staying on top of what is new and innovative in your field of practice?
In the field of fitness and conditioning, there are new trends coming out every day. Staying on top of what’ s new is the most important school the client and the trainer needs to be on task. Staying at the top of our game means trying out new approaches. Challenging ourselves to new experiences serves to enhance our client/coach relationship. Speaking about our experiences with our clients, the successes as well as the challenges, serves to strengthen the bond of trust. It’s all about the relationship…
Here are few tips on how to stay current, have fun and stay fit for both the client and the trainer…
A relationship between a coach/personal fitness trainer and the client can be an amazing experience if all the stars align and if all the right tactics are used. In my career, I’ve been very fortunate to work with inspiring coaches and fitness trainers that have had success in what they love to do. I have also had the opportunity to work along side some of the elite coaches who work with professional athletes and national team members. I am one of the lucky ones who has learned from the best of the best..
Throughout my career, I also worked at shaping and training young coaches and fitness trainers and this is what I always strive to teach
I hear women speak on how they prefer to do cardio workouts instead of weight training. How they feel they get better workout, how they burn more fat… yet, they also speak of the scale not moving fast enough or not moving at all… they are frustrated with the lack of results…
the answer is the weight room!!
Here’s how it works… building muscles takes more energy than cardio work (unless you train like freak and do marathons!) – and then, a strong and lean muscle mass needs to fuel constantly. It will go directly to bodyfat for fuel as this is the fastest and easiest fuel to attain. It doesn’t stop there!  a strong muscle mass burns calories 24/7 to stay healthy, to repair and rebuild.
School are are equipped with outstanding facilities in our community, much has been done to encourage our teens to embrace a healthier lifestyle. The problem: girls feel overwhelmed in the weight room… I’ve been asked to help develop a new gym program designed specifically for girls in the weight room.
