October
2005 - What’s the single deadliest thing that could happen to
yourfitness goals? No, it’s not lack of time, or even lack of money. It’s not even that raunchy dude who never wipes down the machines after he uses them. The most dangerous thing that can happen to your fitness goals is . . . boredom. You know the routine ~ going to the gym, benching, doing some squats, some bicep curls, maybe running on the treadmill, blah, blah, blah.
Now if you’re in this kind of rut, what’s the way to break out of it? According to personal trainer Frank Nash, owner of Platinum Performance and Fitness Consulting on Millbrook Street in Worcester, it’s sport specific training, a method that incorporates whole body movements and core exercises “…specifically geared to increasing your speed, strength, and agility.” Frank specializes in guiding clients through this specialized program and considers the contrast between sport specific training and traditional weight training similar to the contrast between focusing on athletic ability and focusing on mere “cosmetics.”
So what is sport specific training? There’s really no “typical” sport specific workout, and that’s the idea -
to avoid routine. But trainers like Frank emphasize a fitness plan that consists first of an overall evaluation of the fitness level and goals of the client. From there, Frank emphasizes having his clients use unstable surfaces (like the popular oversized stability balls) to perform exercises that enhance core stability and strength. Then there is a focus on the client’s specific goal, be it weight loss, additional agility, or other concerns. The idea is to eventually work the entire body in one workout, since, as Frank explains, no-one actually isolates all his or her muscles in everyday life so doing so in a workout would be unnatural. Frank also utilizes natural body weight as part of his resistance training. You know what that means? That’s right, no excuses if you can’t find a gym. “There are a billion exercises that you can do without a gym,” Frank emphasizes.
Of course, if you can train with Frank, great ~ for him and for you! But if you live too far away or can’t fit him into your schedule but still want to hire a personal trainer, Frank offers a few tips. First, although there are “hundreds” of certifications that trainers can earn, the most reliable may be those awarded by NASM (the National Academy of Sports Medicine) and NSCA (the National Strength and Conditioning Association).
Frank also cautions people seeking a trainer to find an “ethical” one, i.e. to avoid any trainer who encourages the use of supplements such as so-called thermogenics (“fat burners”), testosterone boosters, or even the relatively commonplace creatine. “There just hasn’t been enough research on them yet,” he explains. Also, clients should avoid trainers who make grand claims about the results they’ll help you achieve. While impressive and even drastic results are possible, every trainer should be honest enough to inform the client that the more drastic the result, the more likely the client will be to slide back unless her or she is able to maintain an intense level of commitment.
Instead, the focus ~ both for the trainer and the client ~ should be on lasting lifestyle change. Frank considers his proudest moment to have been not in the training of a professional athlete, but instead a woman in her late sixties who came to Frank not even able to bring her laundry downstairs. “She used to have to drop it down the stairs one piece at a time,” Frank recalls. After months of careful, persistent work, this client can now go for walks with her husband and her dog. As Frank puts it, “Anyone can lose body fat and anyone can gain muscle; this is changing someone’s life.” Another proud moment for Frank is seeing his clients “graduate.” “If somebody tells me, ‘Hey, Frank, I get it,’ and they don’t need to train with me anymore, I’ve won. I have changed their life.”
So that’s it, my fellow gym rats, no more excuses. As Frank says, “Keep moving. . . . Do it for yourself. . . . Be healthy.”