muscle up —
Programming for success
By James Campbell ACE Certified Personal Trainer - PRIME Fitness
What’s up, PRIMEates?! Hope everyone is excited for spring, I know I am! Ready for sunshine and all that seasonal fun! Usually people work harder in the gym just to look good for this season. But, why is it that some work hard in the gym and yet don’t manage to reach their goals for that summer bod? Let’s even say for a second that you’ve used a trainer for the last three months just to ensure your success, or so you thought. I have to be honest here, I’ve had clients in the past who have not reached the goals that were set and it’s just as frustrating for a trainer as it is for the client, I assure you. So, here are some keys to success when working with a trainer. Or, even if you’re working out on your own, these tips will set you up to head in the gainz direction. TAKE AN OFF DAY . . . Nobody can maintain the workout intensity needed for success every day. So, if your trainer says it’s an off day, listen. Your intensity will recover as will you. EAT ACCORDING TO GOAL . . . Most people, especially women, will simply stop eating for the sake of weight loss. This is so wrong I can’t even begin to get into all the science behind it, but you must eat to lose. Crazy, I know!
Margot V. Biermann Athletic Center • Corner of Oak and College Streets 16
LISTEN TO CUES . . . With a trainer, they’ll guide you, but if you don’t listen to the info given you won’t
maximize your effort. We are here for YOU! If you don’t understand, ASK! SLEEP . . . When you come in to work out, be ready for what’s ahead of you. Don’t stay up all night drinking energy drinks and playing video games and expect to have a killer session in the gym the next morning. If you’re paying a trainer to help you, they expect you to come in ready to go. The workout is going to be set to the intensity of the goals (in a manner you can handle, of course). Are you ready for it? EAT TO RECOVER . . . so here’s the eating thing again. Recovery can take 72 hours, so it’s not just about eating to prepare for your session. It’s also about healing after to maximize your work output and energy used. Don’t let the hard work go to waste; nobody involved wants that! I could list a few more items, but these are some basics. Ultimately, if you have a trainer you’re confident in, then listen to what they are telling you. If you don’t trust your trainer, find another one! In the end, we want you to succeed in your fitness journey. It’s why we do what we do—there’s a reward for us to see you accomplish feats that you felt were out of reach. Or, simply reaching your goals. It’s success for us, too. Until next time, MUSCLE UP... Live Fit!