Blog
I was away for the last 4 days while I attended a wedding in Princeton, New Jersey. While I was there, the mother of the bride shared a story with me about her personal training. Even though she wasn't getting married, we all know the mother of the bride gets plenty of attention at her daughters wedding! With this in mind, she wanted to look and feel her best. Basically, she wanted to tell me that she had an amazing experience with her trainer and she can't wait to get back to it after the dust settles. Since she knows I work in the field of personal training and human performance, she felt I could relate to her success. With that in mind, I decided to share 5 reasons to hire a personal trainer or strength and conditioning coach to help with your fitness goals.
1 - SAFETY
As soon as you decide you have built up enough confidence to step away from the elliptical/treadmill and head toward the free weight area, it is best to do it with a guide. Treat some of these exercises like the rainforests or jungles of the world. While they may look really cool, they can also be dangerous. A trained fitness professional can teach you all the proper techniques so you make sure you don't injured while trying to get strong and fit. Also, using proper progressions can allow you to increase your performance as quickly as possible.
2 - ACCOUNTABILITY
There are many different types of people in this world with many different needs. One of the more common needs is appropriate supervision in order to maintain accountability in most things we do. Without a dedicated appointment with a trainer, it can become very easy to skip the gym on any particular day. Too much work, too little sleep, or that television show you haven't seen lately are all reasons that can seem more important than working out after a long day at work. Sometimes the best way to make sure you are going to make it to the gym, is to have that 1-on-1 time booked with a trainer who fully expects you there with all of your energy.
3 - GOAL SETTING
One of the most important factors in determining whether a task is succesful or not, is whether it is tied into any appropriate goal setting. Goal setting can be one of the most beneficial steps of a workout plan, yet those goals need to be done properly if you are to succeed. This is where a coach comes in. They can help you look at your needs and the resources you have available to meet those needs. What are appropriate time frames? What are appropriate targets? What are the steps to get from A-to-Z? Without asking and answering the right questions, the likelihood of achieving your goals is reduced dramatically.
4 - VARIETY
Everyday at the gym I see some members who do the exact same routine...warmup on the bike, run on the treadmill, swing away on the elliptical, and finish with some stretching. I get bored just seeing it. If you want to make working out an important part of your life, than it's important that its exciting, otherwise it will be like torture everytime you walk into the gym. A good trainer is always ready to break up the monotony with a new exercise, new training style, or new tempo to keep you on your toes. You have to enjoy working out if you want it to become a regular activity.
5 - GETTING OUT OF THE COMFORT ZONE
I wanted to save this one for last because I feel it is the most important. The biggest reason to hire a professional to help you with your workouts is to break out of the comfort zone. This is the single best way to change the way a person feels about themselves, and their workouts. Most people are completely unaware of what they can handle. Those exercises look complicated. That looks too hard. Those weights are too heavy. I hear this stuff all the time, and you know what? I don't care. Try it anyway. Women are the biggest culprits when it comes to this stage because they have always been told to stay away from anything over 5lbs. Anything more will bring about public enemy number 1, big bad muscle. Listen up ladies, if you want to look toned and firm, you need to add muscle. Period.
If you are looking for help in achieving any of your fitness goals, give us a shout at info@razorsedgeperformance.ca and we will help you accomplish more than what you thought possible!