Something first drew you to strength-training as an activity.
Perhaps it was to lose weight and to feel more attractive. Maybe it was to gain body mass and a V-shape. It could even have been motivated by your doctor’s orders.
Regardless of the initial reason, I bet that the most valuable, yet subtle result you have experienced from weight-lifting has been an increase in your “functional strength“.
New graduates holding some form of sports certification typically hunger to become prized, elite strength coaches – “to the Dream Team”… to the “Bodybuilding supermen/women”… to the “UFC cage stars”. Fame and glory.
In the end, some will. But most won’t.
Take heart though, because I know for certain that an experienced Personal Trainer can be far more knowledgeable than most strength coaches every become.
Why?
An elite strength coach typically works about 8+ hours each week with one or more genetically gifted, young individuals who often train and practice full time for one specialized activity. No other job. No other responsibilities.
On the other hand, a Personal Trainer may only get 2-3 hours per week with men and women of various sizes, various ages and various fitness levels. Most are “athletically challenged”, and most have a full time job, competing priorities, and a host of other stresses in their lives.
Getting these people to the results they seek requires MORE ability. MORE understanding. MORE adaptation. MORE empathy. MORE inspiration. MORE knowledge.
And believe me, when that client – the normal, everyday, on-the-go, what’s-for-dinner, late-for-work - guy or gal finally exceeds their fitness goal and starts to believe in themselves and their small corner of a fit & healthy world again, it will knock your socks off.
It will provide you with a much longer-lasting feeling of personal accomplishment than any winning sports team or any individual athlete ever will.
Mark my words.
Doug
In both the categories of Personal Finance and Personal Fitness, there seem to be two types of people… those with little thought or care for their future quality of life, and those with the willingness to invest what little it takes each day to insure it.
Doug
Success with your body composition goals most often comes from adjusting what it is that you take comfort eating.
I am a self-accountability junkie.
That’s certainly not to say that I never apply situational blame when appropriate; what it does mean is that I generally hold myself accountable for all of my actions – AND the results of my actions, good and bad.
I needn’t explain any further that this mindset has many applications in life, including exercise, fitness and nutrition.
Please don’t take me wrong though.
“We do that which is most important to us at the time”.
Let’s face it, life is filled with many competing priorities – job, family, social commitments, et cetera. Logically, any of those aspects may have a higher priority at various times than regular exercise or good nutrition.
However, after I have listened to you repeatedly blame those aspects of your life for a sluggish mood /various aches & pains /an unappealing body /atrocious eating habits, or other condition that you feel miserable about… just know that I will always challenge you with 2 solutions:
a) “DO”. – This means you’ll stop blaming external forces for your internal resistance and will take action now.
b) “DO NOT”. - This means you’ll joyfully (repeat: joy-fully) accept that there are higher priorities in life at this moment, and that you’re consciously choosing to defer action until later.
“Just don’t pee on my leg and tell me it’s raining”.