By Mark Wilson / Courier & Press staff writer yensign 464-7417 or [email protected]
A good workout plan needs to include more than just hitting the treadmill or track a few times week or stopping by the gym when you get a chance.
When it comes to crafting a personal workout, everybody has different needs, but fitness trainers say there are three elements that all people need to consider in their plans.
It needs to include a balanced regimen of cardiovascular exercise, resistance (weight) training and proper nutrition. That’s where personal trainers come in.
“There isn’t one workout plan that will work for everybody,” said Angie Pillsbury, a certified personal trainer at Bob’s Gym in Newburgh. “A lot of my clients have never experienced resistance training. Most people understand they need some kind of cardio exercise but resistance training is something they aren’t used to. It helps you build your muscle mass, and the more muscle you have the faster your metabolism will be.”
Planning the proper routine can be difficult for many people but following through on it can be even more challenging.
Before he started working with fitness trainer Bill Gobin, owner of My Hollywood Body, Newburgh police officer John Locke, 34, said his exercise routine was hit or miss.
“My motivation came and went in cycles. I would go to the gym, but I never really stuck with it,” Locke said. “After I decided that I was really going to try to get back in shape, I got this idea that maybe I should talk to a trainer. It seemed like if I went to a trainer maybe he could keep me
motivated.”
It worked. Locke said he has lost 20 pounds and several inches from his waistline.
“I had to cinch up my duty belt a full notch. I’m starting to see some definite changes in my physique. I plan on keeping going until I get the body that I want,” he said.
When Karen and Joe Dalton decided to get back in shape, the first thing they did was sign up to work with a trainer. They chose Pillsbury. “We started with a trainer knowing that if somebody is there waiting for us, we’ll show up,” Karen said.
Having those regular appointments on her schedule helps her keep on track, Karen said, but it also does something else.
“I need somebody to push me the extra three or four reps that you know could do, but if you are alone, you probably wouldn’t do,” she said.
For Joe, it is about having somebody who knows enough to keep him from overdoing it. “I need someone to tell me here is the line, this is what I want you to do,” he said, “and it’s nice to have that knowledge that she has, making sure you are exercising correctly.”
Before getting to that point though, trainers work to assess their clients to determine what kind of exercises they need and how often they need to do them.
“People know what they want to look like but that’s about it. Everybody wants that magic pill,” Gobin said.
When a prospective client walks in the door, Gobin said, he can usually tell right away what they will need. However, he can’t be completely sure until he assesses their physical condition, medical history and their time and availability. Time is an important factor.
“We set it up where they come see us at least three times a week for at least a month,” he said. “During those three days we do a combination of resistance training and cardio.”
In addition, he always recommends that his clients do three days of cardio exercise outside of their visits to My Hollywood Body: 30- 45 minutes on a treadmill or 40 to 60 minutes walking.
“People almost always underestimate the amount of commitment,” Gobin said. “We always set a goal and hopefully they will stay with us long enough to reach it.”
Medical history also is important to consider. Many people recovering from injuries hurt themselves worse exercising on their own, Gobin said.
“I do have an injury or two that kind of prevent me from doing some things, and he definitely works around those,” Locke said. “He is always checking on me. He definitely tailors my workouts.”
Pillsbury tailored her workouts for the Daltons, too.
“She evaluated where we were, and we told her what we wanted,” Karen said. “I wanted toning, weight loss, basically general well- being, balance in my body. She said we needed to work on the whole body. We do upper body one time, lower body next time, whole body the third. We just work on all parts of the body. She knows I am not in it to be a weightlifter or anything like that.”
During her workout sessions with Pillsbury, Karen uses a mix of free weights and machines. Most of her cardio is done on her own time. However, Pillsbury encourages Karen to arrive at the gym 15 to 30 minutes early and warm up before workouts.
Pillsbury likes to focus on the large muscle groups. She said that some of the basic exercises most people know are excellent for that, such as push-ups, crunches, sit-ups, squats and lunges, as well as exercises with any type of dumbbell. She also encourages cardio exercise at least five times per week.
“Cardio will not hurt you to do every single day,” she said.
Pillsbury said her goal is not just to help her clients reach their goals.
“My whole goal as a trainer is to get my clients comfortable working out on their own,” Pillsbury said.
And for the Daltons, at least, it is working.
“I have only lost about 7 pounds but I have lost many inches and have built muscle,” Karen said. “I feel like I have more core balance. My body balance is better. As you get older, that is one thing that goes. My walking posture is better. My whole body balance is better.”
“When you finish your workout, you feel good,” Joe said. “You feel a sense of pride.”
Goal = weight loss
Angie Pillsbury from Bob’s Gym suggests three areas to work on if someone wants to lose weight.
n Resistance training: Focus on baby steps. Use light weights with high repetitions 2 to 3 times a week with 48 hours of rest for each muscle group.
n Cardio: Start with 2 to 3 times each week, working up to 30 minutes everyday.
n Nutrition: Make gradual changes to your diet to watch calories. Output vs. input is the key to good nutrition.
TRAINING TO RUN
Gordon Benfield is an independent trainer in Evansville with more than 20 years experience in training club runners and high school students. He is a certified coach with the Road Runners Club of America and the American Sport Education Program. Benfield suggests runners train with a group to stay motivated.
One group to train with includes the YMCA’s half-marathon training group that begins at 8 a.m. July 12 at Wesselman Park.
Here are dos and don’ts Benfield gives for marathon or half- marathon training:
Do start training at least 12 weeks in advance for a race, increasing distance gradually each week.
Don’t try to increase too much at one time. Never increase distance more than 10 percent each week.
Do drink 6-10 ounces of water every two hours during training.
Don’t drink too much the day before
or the morning of a race.
Do wear running tech gear or wicking clothing.
Don’t wear cotton when training for a marathon.
Do practice eating and drinking before long runs and see how you tolerate food and water.
Don’t eat too much of the wrong food before a race. Remember, it takes 36 hours to process food.
– Breanna Haller, Courier & Press
(c) 2008 Evansville Courier & Press. Provided by ProQuest LLC. All rights Reserved.
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