“Seventy-five percent all people who work out don’t get the results they want. Of the 25% who are successful, 90% of them use a Personal Trainer.” (International Dance and Exercise Association 2009)

Clearly when you are working with a professional trainer you will get results, faster and more effectively. But deciding to use a trainer can be a big decision for many. It requires not only financial commitment but also time and emotional commitment.

Before hiring a Personal Trainer there are many things to consider, two of which are certification and experience. There are several qualified organizations in the United States that certify personal trainers and that require trainers to take continuing credit courses to keep current. Although trainers can have a wide range of education, an accredited certification is a good indicator that they have specific knowledge of exercise science, anatomy, the body’s response to exercise and an understanding of injury and injury prevention. It is also important to consider the amount of experience and expertise the trainer has -- are they seasoned or are they brand new to the industry.

The trainer needs to be focused on the client’s goals and individual training requirements. A client’s current fitness level, fitness goals and any health issues are all things that need to be discussed and documented prior to the first training session.

You will also need to consider where you will train -- in a gym, studio, outdoors, by yourself, in a group, at home or at your work place. No matter where you do your workout a trainer will coach you on what you should do, how you should do it and the correct intensity level for the safest and most effective results.

The personality of the trainer is very important. It needs to be a good fit with your personality and also someone who will inspire you, educate and motivate you to reach whatever physical, nutritional and personal goals you have set for yourself.

A good trainer will know how to get the best from their client and inspire them to reach beyond their current goals , achieving more than they thought they could and finding strength in areas they didn’t know they had. A good trainer not only knows the principles of training but also acts as a support system to their clients as they guide them through making positive changes resulting in improved health and wellness and renewed self confidence.

A strong bond of trust is formed between trainer and client that can be life-changing, often resulting in a long lasting friendship. Choose wisely and look for the “personal” in your Personal Trainer!

Athletic endeavors are challenging, fun and rewarding but not without the occasional ache, pain or injury. Many people believe that if injured they are out of commission and "on the sidelines" until the specific injury has healed. But, unless you have injured your whole body or had major surgery, you can continue working out, maintaining conditioning throughout the healing process.

The injured body part definitely needs to be rested and treated according to your doctor's or physical therapist's orders. However, for the most part the rest of the body is still capable of being trained thus allowing you to maintain fitness while promoting faster recovery from the injury.

There are always alternate exercises for a trainer to incorporate when working with an injured client. Single leg and most upper body exercises can be done when a leg injury of some kind has been suffered. Even if one is on crutches, upper body exercises can be executed from a seated position. If there is a shoulder or arm injury, legs and the other arm can be exercised. There is evidence that when this is done, the injured limb will benefit from the cross- over effect of musculature cooperation in the body.

Another component of continuing to exercise when injured is the positive effect on the psyche. Seldom talked about but very important, is how difficult injury can be on the emotions of an active person. Although the training may not be at the same intensity or speed as your normal activity doing what you are able helps maintain a positive attitude and a sense of well being.

When you are injured be your own advocate. Ask your doctor or physical therapist to communicate the specifics of your injury and treatment to you and your trainer. Be aware of what you can do, be open to staying on the move and you will not only rehabilitate the injured area more quickly but keep the fitness level you worked so hard to achieve!

Sometimes a little competitive spirit helps when it comes to reaching our fitness goals. The winners of our first PTT “Choose to Lose Challenge” were excited to see their results at the end of the 12-week contest period.

The requirements were to commit to a minimum of 1 training session per week with their trainer and be weighed each week. Dietary intake was monitored and “homework” assigned.

Kara Talbott was the proud winner with a 10.4% weight loss followed by Marcia Pettersen at 7.98%. Honorable mention goes to Quinn Anderson with a 6.9% loss and Sonja Korum at 5.96%. Congratulations to all!

For details on how you can be part of our Choose to Lose Challenges and to schedule your free consultation call 425-885-4825.

When Quinn Anderson first inquired about starting a fitness program his main focus was weight loss and wanting to get back into shape. Quinn had just turned 50 and it became clear during our conversation that he not only wanted to reduce his weight but also wanted to “get back to his old self”, have more energy and feel motivated to do things again. For many years Quinn has coached and played softball and wanted to improve his game. Eight years ago he lost 100 lbs. by following a popular diet regimen. He was able to maintain that weight for about 3 years. However, without incorporating sound nutritional principles and exercise as part of his lifestyle the weight returned.

Quinn had his initial fitness assessment at PTT on March 6th, 2008. He weighed in at 347 lbs. – even at a height of 6 ft. 3 in., this was far beyond a healthy weight for him. The step test he did during the assessment indicated a “very poor” rating for recovery heart rate. In fact, it was off the chart! His body fat was an unhealthy 30%. Already on medications for high blood pressure and high cholesterol he knew it was time to get serious about getting healthy again!
Over a 24 month period Quinn was consistent with his workout program and with the guidance from his trainer, Jackie Lange,and the support of his wife Terry, he was able to stay on track. During this period of time, Quinn persevered through the recovery from shoulder surgery which he underwent to correct an old injury. Currently, Quinn is 56 lbs. lighter, weighing in at 291, his body fat is an ideal 10.6%, and his heart recovery rate now ranks as “good”. He has gained muscle and lost 21 inches. This of course has meant investing in a new wardrobe but he says “That’s a small price to pay!” And not to go unmentioned, he and his doctor have been able to reduce the dosages of his medications with his cholesterol showing a tremendous improvement. Quinn continues to adopt healthier eating habits and Terry tells us that “He is now open to trying a variety of new foods and dining out, which we love to do, is much more fun!”

Quinn says, “For the past 5 or 6 years all I wanted to do was come home from work, lie on the couch and watch TV -- now I am looking for things to do! When I started my program at Personal Training Team, Inc. it was all I could do to drive there, work out for the hour and then go home.” Now, whenever possible, Quinn rides his bike the 18 miles to his work – something he would have never done before.

Both Quinn and Terry have learned to set time aside and include some form of exercise in their busy daily schedules. Both of them have come to realize how important it is to be consistent. “Once you stop”, Quinn says, “it’s very difficult to get started again – it is much easier just to keep going and keep doing something rather than to start all over again!” Quinn goes on to say that, “Things do change, we all get older, so we need to be looking 10 and 20 years down the road and ask ourselves how do we want to live our life?”

Quinn is now constantly looking for new challenges -- his most recent being the Columbia Tower Climb in March 2010. He completed the climb -- 69 floors, 1311 stairs, 788 vertical feet -- in 26 minutes and raised $1100 for the Leukemia/Lymphona Society!
You Go, Quinn!

By Dianne Cumberland

Susan Ershler is no stranger to hard work and determination in the pursuit of her goals.

For 23 years, she held a series of executive positions in Fortune 500 companies leading teams and breaking performance records. In her spare time while breaking those performance records, she and her husband Phil became the first couple in history to climb the Seven Summits – the highest mountain on each of the world’s seven continents.

That quest culminated in the two of them standing on the top of Mount Everest on May 16, 2002. They have been featured on Good Morning America, Today Show and CNN and their new book, Together on Top of the World was recently published by Warner Books. It is a captivating story of love, courage and conquering life threatening conditions to achieve their quest.In June 2008, Susan came to Personal Training Team, Inc. wanting to reshape her body, get more toned and slow down and prevent the muscle loss that normally takes place with aging. It was important for her to increase her strength and ensure that she remain injury free while pursuing her love of hiking and climbing. A few months into her workouts Susan became intrigued with the idea of competing at some level but thought that perhaps she was too old to do something like that.

We laid that idea to rest very quickly and went to work to get her ready for an upcoming competition. On March 28, 2009 at the age of 53 she competed in her first Figure Competition at the Vancouver USA Natural Fitness, Figure and Bodybuilding Championships, placing 4th in her class. The Figure Division has become very popular over the past 10 years and the athletes are judged on athleticism, symmetry, poise and presentation. Preparation and training for this event requires a very structured and intense workout program along with a strict dietary plan. Over a period of 7 months Sue reduced her body weight by 15 lbs. Her body fat went from 19.1% (which is in the ideal range for women) to 7.7% which is low for normal activity but right on target for competition. Building and maintaining muscle during this process is essential for successful results. On April 17th, 2009 Susan reached another summit. Amid the loud cheers of her family and friends she took 1st Place in the Over 50 Figure Class at the Emerald Cup Championships in Bellevue -- definitely proving that age is not a barrier to reaching your goals and beyond!

Susan Ershler is an international motivational speaker, teaching and sharing with others what it takes to break performance records and what her secrets of survival are both in business and in life. Her website is www.susanershler.com.

Photo: Dianne Cumberland - Age 60

After age 30, even if we are healthy, gradual muscle loss begins to occur – about half a pound per year, increasing to six-fold at the time of menopause. This loss of muscle mass, called sarcopenia, if left unchecked can lead to decreased strength and increased risk of falls and injury resulting in loss of independence. Another result of muscle loss is a change in body shape – not a desirable one!

The only way to slow down and sometimes reverse this natural process of aging is to challenge the muscles beyond their normal work load. Weight training is the best way to increase muscle strength and size and elevate your basal metabolic rate – the rate at which you burn calories.

The more muscle mass you have the more efficient you become at burning calories throughout the day and even while you sleep. The less muscle mass you have the slower your metabolism becomes and the more easily you store fat.

For years women have been running on treadmills, climbing on steppers, riding stationery bikes to get in shape. While aerobic exercise is critical, a woman’s body needs strength training. Unfortunately, the fear of “getting big” or “bulking up” that has resulted from stereotypes leaves women at a distinct disadvantage for optimal muscle and bone health. Research has shown that the problem for most women isn’t adding too much muscle but not enough. Studies conducted by William Kraemer at the University of Connecticut show that “using heavy weights at least once a week pays a dramatic dividend in gaining muscle tone, and since bone is also affected by the strain of training, women can improve bone health as well.”

When embarking on a weight training program there are some things to consider. Muscles adapt very quickly so they need to be “progressively overloaded” in a safe and methodical manner to make a difference. If you are already lifting weights and you’re not getting the results you want, your program may need some adjustment. If you haven’t started working out with weights yet it is important to seek out a professional to design an appropriate program for you and teach you correct form – what you lift is not nearly as important as how you lift. Injury, waste of your time and lack of results can occur when using improper lifting techniques.

Let’s get started ladies – don’t be afraid to pump some iron and flex those muscles! Remember, muscles keep you strong, muscles improve your bone health, muscles give you shape and help you lose inches – muscles are indeed your best friend!