Before I get into it, how was your day? Really, how was it? Close your eyes, take a deep breath, and think about the lowest moment of your day (go with me, it'll get better). Got the picture in your head? Good. Now ask yourself, how low was that moment? In the big scheme of things, how bad did your day get?
My lowest point today was when I received an email that someone was backing out of a commitment that I now have a short period of time to make up for. I know what you're thinking....Really? Really Lucas? You think that is bad? And the answer is no. I don't. I wasn't injured, nor was anyone I truly care about. It is a problem I can resolve with a little effort, and my life will continue on as normal. I am sure some people (even you sitting at home) may have had a worse moment. But remember, someone else has had it worse today. Someone lost a mother, someone else lost a leg, someone else lost a job, a chance, a life. Be thankful for the things you have, or have kept.
And to end with the positive, close your eyes again. Take a deep breath, and think about the best moment of your day. Why was it so? Did you gain something, give something, learn something, or do something? The best moment of my day was giving my wife a long, deep hug after learning she had felt ill all day. It was the best part of my day because it forced me to slow down, and realize that the most important things in my life are already in front of me. And it brought me back to the times when we would spend all night talking on the dock of a lake in the Upper Peninsula of Michigan, where we first began being interested in one another (a story for another post). Don't get me wrong, some days my best moments have more of a selfish connotation (a 225 lb. box squat is awesome, also a good moment today), but it is good to feel so wonderfully about the smaller, deeper intricacies of life. The most successful people in life learn to focus on the positives, and rebound as quickly as they can from the negatives. Work on it.
Now, to the topic at hand. What is it that Personal Trainers really do? Here is a short list of the most common thoughts on the subject. Trainers:
1) Count reps
2) Carry weights
3) Adjust machines
4) Make me look good
5) Get towels
6) Charge a lot of money
And the answer to all of these assumptions is a resounding....sorta. We do those things, and that is what people can visibly see when we train, but there are things people are not seeing. They are not seeing our intense focus on the movement patterns of our clients to avoid injury. They miss the hours of time spent researching methods to correct poor posture. They cannot fathom the time put into books, certifications, articles, videos, and the most important (in my opinion) the hours upon hours of time spent in the Laboratory of Human Movement (i.e. the club/gym), where tedious and tenacious effort is placed into bettering our methods to better our clients.
But I don't place any blame on those who don't see us as healers and teachers. It is our past that blinds most from the truth. A short history lesson for you: In years past, gyms and health clubs were a thing of fancy. Physical activity, in the form of farming and manual labor, negated the need for formalized exercise. Fast forward to the early to mid-70s, and the desk job has done two things: 1) WRECKED our bodies (more in a later post), and 2) lowered our physical activity tremendously. Skipping ahead, gyms are created as a necessity to keep up your girlish form or manly physique.
But what to do? "The machines are complicated, and I don't know where to start. But wait, who is that extremely ripped and muscular guy there? Maybe if I ask him what he does, I'll look like him. What's that? You'll make me look like you for a small charge? Sure!" And thus begins the career of a personal trainer. Sadly enough for most, we are still seen as such.
I spend a good deal of time combating this mentality. I will boldly stand up for my kind in saying that in the next 10-15 years (although there are some elite trainers already at this level), personal trainers will rank at the top with physical therapists and medical personnel as being an invaluable source for people suffering from physical and health ailments. Here is the list of things I think we are as personal trainers:
1) Preventative maintenance for all things fitness and health
2) Lifestyle coaches
3) Healers of pain and poor performance
4) Teachers of great movement, flawless form, and sound nutrition choices
5) Motivators for those who have trouble motivating themselves
6) Pushers for those who need pushing, and Leaders by example
And finally (because I know it will come up in every first conversation I have about the benefits of personal training), a $900 package of personal training sessions (which includes lifestyle coaching at several levels) that is going to help you live a continuously enjoyable life of good movements and little to no pain, is MUCH easier to swallow than hobbling around on a bum knee for the next 8-12 years, with the end reward of knee surgery at a measly $45,000. And the kicker? A continued limited lifestyle with a new knee. Prioritize your quality of life.
If you know all this, then do me a favor. Share this with someone who has not had the realization of the benefits of a personal trainer. Let them choose to better themselves before they lose their freedom. Help them help themselves. And as always.
Stay Fit.
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| As my clients know, I dislike running. But my clients run, and life can sometimes demand running. I want my clients to know that I have felt the things they felt, and do the things they do. Train the things you suck at, and do things that you don't normally do, so that when the day comes that you need to, you know you have it in you. |
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