Online since 2000
For many of us, a strict diet and exercise regimen is hard to maintain long-term. A lot of people get stuck in cycles where they aggressively pursue fitness and weight loss goals for a period of varying length (from a few months to a few years) before sliding into a lacklustre routine that involves little or no exercise and infrequent attempts to maintain a healthy diet. It's not surprising, given that most folks who demonstrate an interest in fitness are often also career-minded people who struggle with stress associated with their jobs. The more stressed you are, the less likely you will be to say 'no' to that second helping of Hamburger Helper.
But there are ways to make sure that one sticks to a demanding (and rewarding) diet and exercise routine without slipping back into a physically lax lifestyle that reverses months or years of hard work. One solution: hiring a personal trainer. There are a number of reasons to consider acquiring the services of a professional workout guide, and they're not limited to keeping you disciplined and motivated.
For one, if you are serious about building muscle and maintaining a high fitness level but have never lifted weights (at least, not heavy weights), then you might seriously consider the services of a personal trainer. Lifting weights is more complex than simply raising a gripped dumbbell from your thigh to your shoulder. It involves targeting a number of distinct muscle groups and, above all, making sure that the range of motion serves to build muscle properly without threatening injury. This is the key: a personal trainer can keep you from hurting yourself. If you're determined to really build a lot of muscle, then contacting a professional is even more necessary.
You might also consult a personal trainer if you're interested in ditching the weight machines, which many fitness experts liken to training wheels on a five-year-old's bicycle. For most professionals, free weights are the only way to go. However, they're also considerably more challenging and potentially dangerous. Learning new techniques really does require some consultation.
Another reason to get the advice of a trainer? You're getting bored with your routine. Most men and women know the basics: for people looking to build big muscle - the heavy squat or the bench press; for those looking to tone and build endurance - the push-up or pull-up. But a personal trainer can show you new strength training workout routines you've never even heard of and can tell you specifically what muscles you're targeting with each one. It's a key part to staying interested while exercising.
And it's not just about saving yourself from boredom; a personal trainer can also help you launch over a fitness plateau with a new fitness program because often we reach a level where we seem to get stuck and realize no further gains. We all know this problem: we've hit a point where we just can't squeeze out any more push ups or squats. The trick might just be trying a new exercise that will help build the muscles in a different but connected part of the body, helping one to push further and harder the next time they hit the gym.
Finally, if you've ever been hurt at the gym you know the price of dangerous weight routines. A fitness-related injury can sideline someone for weeks or even months, reducing or even reversing fitness levels dramatically. Beyond the pain, the feeling of taking a big step backwards in terms of overall ability can be intensely frustrating. In order to prevent such injuries, it's a smart move to consult a personal trainer to make sure what you're doing with those weights won't lead to months of inactivity or, even worse, a costly visit to the hospital.
Online since 2000