My wife Mary joined a fitness club earlier this year.  A random exerciser, she wanted to be more intentional about working out.  One of the decisions she made was to buy a series of sessions with a personal trainer.  It worked well -- she not only got professional help in learning how to use some of the equipment and how to do exercises correctly, she also got a personalized workout routines for home and at the facility.  It was a good lesson for me on the benefits of personal training for people of all levels of fitness and athletic skill sets.

Here's a guest post from that trainer, Linda Freeman:

    If you were to walk into my office and ask me about Personal Training, I would toss the ball right back into your court and ask you why you think you’d like to work with a Personal Trainer.

    Personal Training is no longer only for the rich and famous.  Stopping by a fitness facility, you might see a Personal Trainer working in the gym, the pool, a studio or even outside with equipment ranging from 200 pound barbells to stability balls to tubing or other alternative balance and resistance training tools.  Clients may train one on one, with a buddy, or in small groups of 4-5.  Furthermore, clients come in all sizes, shapes, ages, and fitness levels. 

    Personal Training is exactly that – fitness training designed specifically for each client addressing that client’s unique capabilities and goals.  There should never be a standard training protocol offered to a Personal Training client.  Each session, each training plan, each conversation must be tailored to the individual.

    Of course, this idiosyncratic approach comes with a price tag.  Personal Training always requires an additional fee which varies according to the qualifications of the Personal Trainer and whether or not the trainer works for a facility or as an independent contractor.  Usually training sessions last one hour and, if purchased in packages, are more affordable.  Some clients choose to meet once, develop a training plan, and then restructure and improve upon that plan every 4-6 weeks.  Some clients prefer to meet once a week.  Those who have won the lottery, would prefer to meet daily!  It’s so nice to walk in the door and turn yourself over to someone else to motivate and guide you through your workout.

Linda Freeman, a Certified Personal Trainer, is the Director of Personal Training and Group Exercise, First in Fitness, Berlin and Montpelier, Vermont.

 photo by The U.S. Army

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Once considered by some of us as just for elite athletes or wealthy matrons, personal training has become much more a part of the training programs for "ordinary" folks.  We have looked at this topic and provided some advice on selecting personal trainers in past posts.

Now, a New York Times article spotlights some success stories and says in part: "...Exercise physiologists and coaches say most people who want to run, swim, cycle or row faster or improve in almost any sport do not appreciate what can be accomplished with training nor how to do it..." 

The article points out the benefits of training under the eye of a coach/trainer and has a number of good examples.  Want to get faster -- get a trainer.  (Read NYT article)

 photo by wwarby  

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As we head into spring, it's a great time to walk a bit more, shed a few pounds, pick up a new sport, or just get outside in the longer days and milder temperatures. Here's a list of some of my ideas on how to get psyched to get more exercise.  I bet you can add your own top ten.

1.    Make Exercise a “to do" -- it needs to be on the schedule and treated just like any other personal appointment.  Keep a to-do list and move exercise way up priority-wise.  Mine comes up daily on my Palm desktop -- I enjoy checking it of each day -- even planned rest days.

2.    Give Yourself Permission to Take Time To Get in Shape – to often, we think we don’t have time in our busy schedules to exercise. 

3.    Hire a Personal Trainer – you don’t have to be an elite athlete to benefit from personal coaching.  Here is some practical guidance on selecting a personal trainer.

4.    Buy Yourself a Piece of New Fitness Gear – a new pair of running shoes or a new windsuit can perk up your workouts.  Or get someone else to get it: my daughter bought me a long-sleeved shirt made of some special material and I love running in it on these spring days.

5.    Aim Toward a Goal -- I like road races -- it gets you out the door when you’ve paid your fee and have three weeks to go. You don’t have to compete: walkathons, charity bike tours, or a hike to a destination can provide great motivation.  A friend of mine says that her goal, to complete another section of Vermont's Long Trail, gets her motivated.  On a similar note, another friend said, "Train like an athlete -- use spring to get ready for summer activities."

6.    Join A Fitness Club – this is a good time of year for deals on sign-ups.  There are often special programs aiming at spring – locally, our fitness club has spring training and rowing contests underway.

7.    Keep a Log -- it can be very informal or detailed and in a planner, online, or on stickies.  It’s not a bad idea to track your weight.  It’s fun to go back and check on what you were doing last year this time.

8.    Get a Dog – well, don’t go out and adopt one unless you're ready for another commitment.  If you read this blog much, you know that my four-year-old Vizsla needs lots of exercise.  In fact, she's lobbying for another run right now.

9.    Exercise Daily -- while you definitely want to take days off, make them part of your weekly plan.  For me, thirty minutes nearly every day is better than 90 minutes every three days.

10.    Have fun -- don’t make exercise a drudgery session.  If you’re on a treadmill, use the iPod or watch a DVD.  Vary your pace during a run and race to the next telephone pole once in a while.  Spring is a great time to listen and watch for new birds arriving -- just absorb the smells and sounds of this changing season.

And as a bonus tip -- Why not pick up a new activity or polish an old one?  Always wanted to be a better swimmer?  Sign up for a class right now to be ready for the summer.  Tune up that old bike, get a new helmet, and rediscover the fun of cycling.

What is your top tip for exercising?  What works best for you?  Comment below.

shoe photo by Josiah Mackenzie     Vizsla photo by author

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