Most people have specific personal goals that they
would like to achieve through a fitness program, there- fore a one-size-fits-all approach is not going to work for them. Granted, an “individualized approach” is definitely not a new concept. Tere are many personal training studios and fitness facilities that promise to provide an individualized approach to fitness through private personal training. Perhaps this sounds familiar from a fitness facility: Come in for a free consultation where we’ll discuss
the goals YOU want to reach and how we can help YOU reach them. We’ll have you complete some brief physical assessments and take your starting measure- ments and weight so you can see all your progress over time. Lastly, we’ll talk about your current nutrition and the steps you’ll need to take with your diet to meet your goals. Certainly, not all fitness facilities or personal train-
ing studios are the same. Many have a very specific type of clientele or a very focused area of expertise, for example, training for athletes, or fitness for people aged 50 and over. For these establishments the above scenario may work well for their client base. However, for many people it’s simply not thorough enough to create a truly individualized plan that is also truly ef- fective. It’s the responsibility of the fitness professional
to know all of the factors that need to be taken into consideration in order to make a unique and effective program for an individual client. Tis responsibility is what separates the true fitness experts apart from all the others. In addition to your personal goals, your current
physical state, and your current and future nutrition habits, some other areas that your potential personal trainer should speak with you about are: • Your body shape • Any previous injuries you may have had • Physical limitations related to injury or body shape • Health conditions and/or other risk factors, past or present
• Current medications you may be taking • Mindset
Body Shape Our genetics are in part responsible for our body shapes. Hourglass, pear, apple, ruler, athletic and cone are all terms used to describe body shapes. Te physi- ological makeup of bodies and how different body shapes react to certain exercises is valuable and impor- tant knowledge for personal trainers who are commit- ted to helping their clients reach their goals.
For example, the “hourglass” is a common body July/August 2016
shape for women. People with this body shape tend to carry their weight in the upper and lower body, while staying slender in the waist. Someone with this com- mon body type could be looking to lose the weight they carry, however they also want to avoid bulking up the muscles in their arms and legs. In order to help a client who fits this description meet their goals, certain exercises will need to be avoided. An effective trainer would know to instruct their client to complete a high number of reps while using light resistance; for exam- ple, to have them complete 75 reps of tricep extensions using 3-pound dumbbells. Similarly, for cardiovascular fitness, rather than a spin class where the quads have to work against a lot of resistance the effective trainer might recommend biking with light resistance, either on a stationary bike or outside avoiding hills.
Previous Injury Previous injuries can plague people for years, and they treat everyone differently. For some, an ankle or back injury can drastically limit the types of exercises that can be done, which could directly affect the results they hope to achieve. An injury that happened years ago - from sports, exercise, a car accident, or everyday accidents like tripping or slipping and falling - can be prone to re-injury depending on movement. Whether it’s a new injury or an old one, and regardless of how it came to be, for the safety of the participant the injury must be considered when creating a fitness program.
Physical Limitations Both body shape and past injuries can cause physical limitations to exercise. As previously mentioned, some body shapes are predisposed to holding extra weight/ fat in certain areas of the body, like the midsection. For them, exercises like sit-ups or crunches can be nearly impossible to perform. A client should never be put in the position of having to tell their trainer that they can’t physically do the sit-ups that were planned for them. A situation like that is both unprofessional and can have a very negative impact on the client’s psyche. Similarly, someone who has had a serious back
injury may experience an adverse reaction to doing plyometric exercises like jumping or running. Again, the fitness professional is responsible for establishing this information before creating an individual’s fit- ness program to ensure that pain and/or injury will be avoided. Tis isn’t meant to imply that exercise with your personal trainer won’t at times leave you bumped, scraped, or bruised, because that’s bound to happen as you get stronger; it’s part of what makes you stronger. Te point is it’s easy to avoid serious pain or injury by asking the right questions prior to starting exercise.
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