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Previous section: Anatomy
& Kinesiology
Getting
the Most from your Trainer
As I mentioned earlier, a trainer can either be a valuable, trained
resource or a big waste of lots of money. (Funny, I said about the same
thing about sports magazines. Hmm.) I've spoken to few people who's rationale
went like this: "I'm not very motivated. The only way I'll go to the
gym is if I know I've already spent a lot of money on a trainer." Some
of my Gay friends find it extra motivating if the trainer is gorgeous.
Just like the sports magazines, this equates to soft porn.
If that's your way of thinking, save yourself a lot of time and energy
and spend your money on some therapy or a good self-help book. Let's
take a look at what a trainer can offer that's worth spending your money.
- Discuss goals. Now that you've been reading this article and taken
some good time to think, read, research, etc. you should be able to
discuss your goals without hesitation. If you start your training session
with "I read about 'such and such' in 'blank' magazine, and I think
that maybe 'such and such' is a good idea. What do you think?" then
your trainer will know that he or she isn't working for a sucker and
will have to work hard to earn your cash.
- Take baseline measurements. How do you where what
your goals are (or if you've reached them) unless you get a good idea
of your starting
point? Any educated trainer knows oodles about collecting data to measure
your initial level of fitness. This includes taking your pulse while
at rest, during aerobic exercise (sustainable levels) and anaerobic
exercise (sprinting/short maximum bursts). He or she should measure
your weight, chest, waist, thighs, arms, etc. just like a good tailor
would. You should also take advantage of getting a body fat assessment.
(Most trainers use a method where they take 5 or 6 skin measurements
with calipers.)
- Demonstrate effective stretching techniques. I would
be suspicious of any trainer who doesn't start out discussing stretching.
You should
never engage in any exercise without some attention to stretching.
I just about think a trainer who skips this step should be liable for
malpractice!
- Demonstrate exercises that work the same muscle groups. A
good way to waste your time is to wander aimlessly around the gym,
pick machines
at random and lift weights for a set, followed by wandering aimlessly
to the next machine. You should eventually know which days you want
to work on which muscle groups. If you are going to have three training
sessions, get your trainer to focus only on specific zones of the body
like the shoulders, the back, the chest, the abs & lower back,
the legs, etc. Pick one area and learn all the exercises in that area.
(Or at least eight or nine exercises.) Learn which muscles get worked
with which exercises. (Many machines have illustrations showing you
what they work.)
- Point out improper form. Okay, here's another pet
peeve that really gets me: guys who will pick really heavy weights
and will work them
with the worst imaginable form. Lifting generally involves slow, continuous
movement. If you have to build momentum, swinging the weights around
quickly, you are not working on developing anything but your ego. Ask
yourself this question: if I drop the weight by 20% or so, can I lift
it 6 times in a perfectly slow and controlled movement? There are many
ways we "cheat" when weightlifting and your trainer should be able
to point out these bad habits early. If your trainer never corrects
your form during an entire session, go find another trainer immediately!
- Develop a routine. Your trainer should be able to listen to your
lifting strategy (how many days per week, which body parts on which
days, when the routine will be modified, etc.) and make suggestions.
One thing worth pointing out: weightlifting is like religion. Everyone
thinks he has it "figured out" and there are a million different philosophies.
Take everything under advisement and then figure out what works
for you.
When you go to your training sessions, bring a small spiral notebook
and write everything down. Write down your measurements and stats. Write
down every exercise, the weights you started at, the settings on the
machines (seat height, etc.), everything you discussed. For the first
few times you visit the gym on your own you'll probably want to bring
your journal until you feel comfortable that you remember everything.
(After a few weeks I know what weights I've been able to lift on every
exercise and all the machine settings. You'll probably be able to leave
the journal at home before long.)
Once your done with this phase, you've got little left to do but show
up to the gym and start working! After this point you probably don't
need a trainer anymore. You can always schedule a session in a few months
to review your progress. If you read the sports magazines you see the
occasional article that points out the most common mistakes when lifting,
other articles about stretching, etc. These you can incorporate into
your routine.
Let me reiterate one important point: a trainer may have a good idea
about how to initially go after your goals, but only you can learn what
your body responds to. One person's advice can turn into another person's
futile frustration.
Next section: Finding
Your Routine
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