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Boston mornings:
July 19, 2010
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Alameda
August 9, 2010 mornings
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Click here to read some of the feedback from our clients and the media!

Read the latest magazine articles featuring FitBoot and expert training advice from Charla!
"Gung Ho!: A Marine Corps Boot Camp for Island Jarhead Wannabes" Alameda Magazine, Mar/Apr 2009

Scrubs Magazine: the first online guide to good living for nurses click on the "Nutrition," "Prevention," and 'Weight Loss" subcategories for articles on:
"The Cafeteria Eater's Guide"
"8 Sleep Tips for the Night Nurse"
"Quick Workout for a Wacky Schedule"

"Do I need a Personal Trainer?"

Whether you're a beginner or an experienced athlete, whether you want to change your routine to jump start improvements, even if you know nothing about training and aren't sure where to start, A Personal Trainer can help. A good Trainer will listen to your physical and fitness history and plans, help you develop realistic fitness goals, design a balanced workout or modify your current one, and provide motivation before and during your training sessions to help you stick to your routine. If that's the type of support and encouragement you're looking for, you may want to hire a Personal Trainer.

"How do I choose a Trainer?"

Ask questions - of yourself and the Trainers you interview. Set a few goals before you start looking.
What is your body type and what (realistically) do you want to look like and/or be able to accomplish physically? Are you trying to be thinner, more muscular, more defined, a better skier, a faster runner, a stronger lifter, etc.?
Where do you want to train? Your home, office, health club, the park near your home. What physical activities interest you? Consider weight training, walking, biking, running, boxing, martial arts, etc.
What motivates you? Do you need a Drill Instructor or a babysitter?

Once you define your goals, find a Trainer who fits them. Look for a Trainer who will reliably meet with you at your convenience at the location of your choice (if you're training at a health club and hiring an independent Trainer, be sure the club allows him/her to work with you there). Find a Trainer with experience (playing or coaching) in the activities you enjoy and who can design an effective, enjoyable routine for you.
Then, be subjective. Choose a Trainer who fits your ideal. Does he/she (or do his/her clients) look the way you'd like to? Can he/she perform athletically the way you'd like to? What is his/her personality like? Can he/she inspire you to stay consistent? Remember that while certification may indicates how well a Trainer has performed on a standardized test, you're hiring someone for practical application.
Find out what the Trainer can do for you?

"How many sessions with a Trainer should I plan?"

The answer really depends on how much supervision you require to show up and work hard at your training and on your budget. If you're a beginner or just returning to exercise but are confident you'll train consistently and give your best effort at all times, you should work with a Trainer for a few months to ensure that you learn proper exercise technique, the training principles behind what's required to achieve the goals you seek, and what frequency of change and variation in your training are appropriate to guarantee your continuing progress.
You need to train at least 3-4 days/week to see results, so choose a package with your Trainer that lets you stay supervised for at least 3-6 months and stay within budget.
If you train consistently now and are well experienced with correct technique and training principles, you might schedule a few sessions (2-6) to revive your workout, get a different training micro- or macrocycle, double check your technique and intensity, or change gears for different training goals and objectives.
Regardless of your start point or the progress you achieve, you can always schedule additional sessions periodically to tune-up your routine or check your technique.

"How often should I work out?"

Bottom line - and media sound bites notwithstanding - you need to exercise at a challenging level for at least 30 consecutive minutes, three times a week just to maintain health (i.e., prevent unnatural early death).
But if you're looking to moderately improve your physique and overall fitness level, you'll need to exercise at that level for at least 60 minutes, at least 3 times weekly. And if you have significant improvements to make - weight loss, conditioning work, rehabilitation, etc. - you should plan to incorporate 30-60 minutes of moderate to vigorous exercise into your daily schedule.

"When will I see results?"

A Trainer should have you set intermediate goal dates for fully implementing your diet and exercise lifestyle changes, for example at 1, 3, 6, and 9 months and at 1 year. But once you start training consistently for at least the minimum recommended amount of time each week, you'll feel better within the first 30 days. Depending on your nutrition and training intensity, you should begin to see and feel positive physical changes within 2-4 weeks.

"What if I've had prior injuries or illnesses?"

First, be sure you give your Trainer a complete history of any past or pre-existing injuries or illnesses so he/she can design the safest, most effective workout possible. A responsible Trainer will have you complete a health history and risk factors questionnaire before your first session and will conduct a physical evaluation to gauge your current performance and skill level .Even if an injury occurred long ago, your Trainer will want to consider any physical therapy you may have completed, how the condition has healed, and what exercises or training intensity will best keep you injury free and training regularly. No injury or illness should prevent you from training and making significant physical improvements, you may just need some guidance about the best approach to working out.

"How old do I need to be to work out?" ("When am I too young/too old to train?")

You're never too old or too young to exercise. A study done at Mass. General Hospital with seriously debilitated geriatric patients found that all of them benefitted from a simple strength training program (those in wheel chairs walked with walkers, those with walkers walked with canes, etc.). And experts agree that beginning regular exercise in infancy and early childhood will likely help ensure better health and fitness in adulthood. As long as you're in good health, your Trainer can design an effective, balanced training program that will help you attain your fitness goals.

Some special populations should seek specific guidance. For example: children should begin training with weights no sooner than age 13 or the first signs of puberty, whichever comes earlier; most adults over age 55 should seek the guidance of a Trainer who works extensively with that age group; and individuals with chronic problems such as injuries, certain disabilities, or obesity should seek the advice of their physician, physical therapist, and/or nutritionist, as appropriate, before and throughout the Trainer supervised workout period.

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All text, FitBoot, and FitBasic, ©1998 and the FitBoot logo ©2000 by Charla T.-McMillian. You may neither reprint nor distribute any text from this website, in part or in its entirety, without the author's express permission. The information contained on this website is not intended to substitute for medical advice or for the advice of a qualified nutritionist. Individual needs and results may vary. You should seek the advice of your physician or a qualified trainer before starting or significantly modifying any exercise or diet program.