PAUL ISAACS COLUMN MAY:PIF Full Page
26/4/12
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TIPS FROM A TRAINER With plenty of options available to get you into shape, our resident fitness and nutrition expert, Paul Isaacs, looks at the pros and cons of two of the most popular keep-fit regimes – boot camps and personal training – to help you decide if either may be right for you
● BOOT CAMPS The rise in popularity of boot camps can be attributed to two things; media coverage thanks to TV programmes such as Celebrity Fit Club and The Biggest Loser, plus the fact that participation is cheap for members. For a few pounds, anyone can turn up and be put through their paces by a qualified personal trainer. Many people enjoy the camaraderie that prevails as each person strives to achieve their goals, and results are often very good – ideal for anyone looking for low-cost, organised exercise. But boot camps aren’t for everybody. Apart from the fact that most classes take place in the (sometimes) cold outdoors, sessions can also tend to become a ‘one size fits all’ type of solution. Participants are likely to all have different aims, abilities and issues. One may want to lose weight, one may want to gain weight, while another may have a niggling injury. If any participants need care or advice regarding specific problems with injuries, ability or form, they need to be aware that they may not receive the specific or individual attention that they require. PROS: Low cost, group camaraderie and motivation. CONS: Lack of individual attention, ‘one size fits all’ solution, often weatherdependent. ● PERSONAL TRAINING We live in a world obsessed with looks and image, and in a society on the brink of an obesity epidemic, so what was once regarded as a lifestyle accessory of the rich and famous, having a personal trainer is something that more and more people now regard as a ‘part’ of their general well-being. A client’s relationship with a personal trainer should be highly consultative, one in which the trainer utilises his/her experience and expertise to develop a tailored exercise and nutrition programme, focusing on the client’s specific goals and needs. The trainer should be aware of the client’s insecurities, abilities and weaknesses, and will be able to adjust the programme to benefit the client to best effect. Make sure that the personal trainer is devising a plan to help YOU, rather than putting together a programme to suit his/her own interests or timescales. Trainers are employed in a variety of ways. Some clients want a regular weekly arrangement on a long-standing basis so that health and fitness becomes a closely monitored and integral part of everyday life, while some clients prefer to use their trainer for a body blitz, for instance when preparing for a holiday or wedding. Although personal training is considered expensive by some, clients have the advantage of being able to train in a gym, outside or in the privacy of a studio or even their own home. PROS: Individual attention, bespoke-designed programmes, privacy CONS: Cost. For further information, contact Paul Isaacs on tel: 07712 454074 or visit: www.paulisaacspt.com 78 THEBATHMAGAZINE
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MAY 2012
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