I know I'm a certified personal trainer myself, but I'd hit a rut. I needed ideas and my body was not progressing at the rate it should have been, given the amount of time and effort I was putting into my diet and exercise.
After some time of getting honest with myself, I finally admitted that I needed help. The trainer needed a trainer. So I went searching for one.
I knew I'd need a male, because with my personality I figured I'd take a man more seriously. And I needed someone I felt would treat me with dignity but also challenge me and not be afraid to call me out when I wasn't giving 100%. I wasn't sure such a person existed, but I looked for him and finally found him at Gold's Gym here in Wichita Falls.
Ross has challenged me in ways it would never occur to me to challenge myself. He listened to what I wanted to accomplish, and in a few short weeks I'm seeing a positive and notable change in my body that is in line with my goals and desires. He's actually got me doing some light power lifting moves! Don't tell me an old dog can't learn new tricks- this old dog is learning them daily from a trainer 16 years her junior. And I am loving the results- I couldn't be progressing like I am without Ross' help.
But here's the thing: You have to show actually show up for the sessions (no backing out on the trainer!), and then submit to their plan for you. That was the hard part for me and I struggled with it in the beginning. I like to be in control. And I'm bossy. [I know that's hard to imagine! :-)]
AND you have to give it your all. Hey- if you want results, you gotta put in the hard work. The trainer can give you the tools, but he can't give you the motivation or drive to work your hardest. That part has to come from you.
You also have to feel you can communicate well with the trainer. Not only is there a lot of "dead" time that gets filled with talking while you recover between sets (would be awkward if Ross and I didn't get along well), but sometimes sticky issues come up that need to be discussed. For instance, Ross and I had a talk after a few sessions when I felt like he was underestimating my ability. He listened...... and then he upped the anti the next time. Wow! Did he bring it! And has consistently done so ever since.
One of the many things I really like about working with Ross is that I can progress farther than I was able to on my own. I was afraid to add to my weight load because I feared injuring myself. I know Ross is not going to let me get hurt: He's an excellent spotter and I really believe he'd let a weight fall on himself before he'd let it land on me. It's a huge safety net for me knowing I have a skilled and knowledgeable person right there to rescue me if I need it.
I was able to get a good discount on the regular rate because I paid Ross for a lot of sessions ahead. Most trainers offer this. It's an advantage to the trainer because they don't have to worry about getting paid, and it's an advantage to you not only for the monetary savings, but also because you have the trainers time booked and paid for well in advance and don't have to worry about someone else taking up their available time.
Having said that, here's a tip: At first, just pay the trainer for a few sessions. See how you mesh. You don't want to fork out a lot of money at the start just to find out that your personalities don't click.
And here's a head's up- Usually if you cancel a session, you just lost your money. Ross and I have an understanding that if he cancels (he had to do this once), he makes it up to me. But if I cancel? It's not right I expect him to make it up, because he carved out that time for me and last-minute cancellations are simply impossible to fill. Ross, like any good trainer, gets frustrated when people pay for sessions and then cancel. He has a desire to use his training and education to help others.
My original intent was to just have him through the end of January to get me through the holidays and to my weight goal. But he's done me so much good that now I'm thinking, if he'll have me, that I'd like to keep him around longer. I do better with Ross there. That's a hard thing for this very independent woman to admit.
Yes, I know it's expensive, but if you can at all afford it and want to meet your goals sooner, hire a personal trainer! The rewards are more than worth it.
No comments:
Post a Comment