Training Specific Questions:

Q.  What should I wear when I’m training?

A.  Wear whatever you feel comfortable in. I mean obviously you want to be wearing athletic clothes like sweats, shorts, tank tops, t-shirts, stretch pants and running shoes but choose something that you feel comfortable in and is either loose fitting or allows you to move freely in it while exercising.

Q.  What should I eat before a training session?

A.  Eat something light about 45 minutes to an hour before you train. Choose something that is nutritious and easy to digest. A few recommendations would be oatmeal, a banana, yogurt, cottage cheese, baked yams, eggs or cereal.

Q.  How many days a week should I be training?

A.  It depends on what your fitness goals are but if you want to see lasting results you should be training at least 3-5 days per week. You want to be sure that you split up the work-outs properly throughout the week to ensure that you target all of the major muscle groups in the body.

Q.  How many days of cardio should I be doing each week?

A.  This depends on what your fitness goals are but if you’re looking to lose weight I would suggest that you do at least 3-4 days a week. These sessions should last somewhere between 30 to 60 minutes depending on the intensity of your sessions.

Q.  Should I being doing my cardio before or after I weight train?

A.  This is completely up to you and what you prefer. There have been many studies that go both ways so it comes down to a personal preference and what works best for you. If weight loss is your main goal I would probably suggest you do your cardio first while you have the most energy.

Q.  What is the best type of cardio to do if you are trying to lose excess body fat?

A.  The best type of cardio to do if you want to get rid of excess body fat is HIIT (high intensity interval training). HIIT is short bursts of very intense cardio followed by short recovery periods done multiple times in a single session. This type of cardio helps push you past your comfort zone and kicks your metabolism to the next level. This allows you to burn more calories throughout the day which means you will lose weight faster and more efficiently.

Q.  How many reps should I be doing if I want to increase muscle mass?

A.  If you are looking to increase your size and gain lean muscle mass you should be lifting in the 8-12 repetition range. Anything less and you will be increasing your strength, not size and if you lift more than 12 reps per set you will be increasing muscular endurance which will actually lean you out and decrease the size of your muscles.

Q.  What types of foods should I be eating if I want to bulk up?

A.  If you are looking to bulk up and put on some added size then you want to increase the amount of calories that you are eating everyday. Make sure you make good food choices like lean meats, fresh produce, whole grains, pastas and rice. If you want to increase your muscle mass your diet should consists of 20-25% protein or 1.6-2.0 g/kg per day.

Q.  How many calories should I be consuming per day if I want to lose weight?

A.  If weight loss is your main fitness goal then you need to be consuming no more than 1200-1400 calories per day. These calories need to come almost entirely from fresh fruits and vegetables, lean meats and low fat dairy. You need to eat every couple of hours and should drink at least 8 cups of water per day (it’s recommended that woman drink 2.7 liters and men 3.7 liters of water).

Q.  Will doing crunches flatten my tummy and give me a six pack?

A.  When done properly, crunches will definitely strengthen and tone your abs. You can do as many crunches as you want but it will not help to shed excess fat and flatten your tummy. To get that six pack you are going to have to really clean up your diet and do a lot of cardio in combination with your strength training.

Q.  Will lifting weights and strength training make me look “bulky”?

A.  Women lack the hormones necessary to get “bulky” and greatly increase muscle mass. Secondly, if you are training in the 12-15 repetition range you will be focusing more on increasing muscular endurance which will help to tone and lean out the body.

Q.  What should I be eating after I work-out?

A.  After you train you want to refuel your body with good carbs and lean proteins. A protein shake or smoothie is always a convenient, easy choice. A turkey and cheese sandwich on whole grain bread, fresh fruits and vegetables, low fat yogurt and berries, cottage cheese or a handful of raw almonds would also be excellent choices.

About Personal Training:

Q.  Who uses a personal trainer?

The role of the personal trainer is changing. It used to be that celebrities and wealthy individuals were the only people that used personal trainers. The stereotype of a personal trainer used to be that of a big body builder. Today the personal trainer is a highly skilled professional that has been educated and certified to work with various types of clients. Children as young as 7 years old, 80 year old men and women, obese adults, athletes, cancer recovery patients, and adults with diseases all benefit from working with personal trainers. Clients are using personal trainers for: fat loss, weight gain, flexibility, improve posture, alleviate stress, Increase energy, rehab an injury, improve quickness, general health benefits, and cancer recovery.

Q.  How do you know what program is right for me?

Prior to getting started, we will meet for a consultation. During this time I will ask you questions about your fitness goals, past history with exercise, eating habits, etc. to get an idea of what type of program is right for you.  All of our personal training programs are specifically tailored to meet each client's specific goals.

Q.  What exactly does a Personal Trainer do?

At our studio all of our personal trainers are highly skilled and nationally certified, and have many roles when working with clients. My goal as your trainer is to serve as a coach, teacher and motivator. It is the personal trainer's job to assess your current physical and mental state, establish very specific goals, design an individualized program, and do what ever it takes to keep you on track towards getting results.

Q.  What about nutrition?

Exercise is extremely important in achieving your fitness goals, however, proper nutrition can not be ignored.  Its imperative to be knowledgeable in regards to nutrition.  I will keep you accountable with your diet, which will help speed up your results.

Q.  Once I begin working with a personal trainer, what will happen during the sessions?

During your initial consultation I will ask you some questions about your specific goals and conditions.   I will gather as much information on your medical and exercise history as possible in order to create the best program for you. Next we establish realistic goals and discuss the strategies that will be used to accomplish them. Body fat testing, body girth measurements, flexibility, cardio, and strength testing may all be done during the consultation process.

The next sessions focus on nutrition and beginning the workouts. The nutritional component is responsible for up to 70% of the programs results so we will talk daily about your eating habits.  You will start weight resistance and cardiovascular training and I will demonstrate proper form and technique and explain to you the fundamentals behind the specific training that you are focusing on. Although high intensity training is the ultimate goal, you can expect to take it easy for the first couple of sessions to allow your body to adjust to the new style of training.

Depending on your program, I will set you up on cardio goals for each week. There will be a complete cardiovascular schedule for each week of the program. You will learn about high and low intensity cardio and how these styles of training fit into your specific program.

Q.  How much will it cost me?

There are several different personal training packages to choose from.  Basically, it boils down to how serious you want to train and what your goals are.  Please check the Services page for prices and contact me for further details about designing a program thats tailored to you.

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