Written by Marta Wein, B.A., BSc., HK
Part 2: A a few more things you should remember when you start your gym adventure:
3) Ask for help
In an effort to keep training for a lifetime and significantly lower the possibility of injury, I suggest you seek advice from a fitness professional. There are many of them out there and it can be difficult to find someone who really fits with what you want to achieve but they do exist and they can definitely provide you with the help to build a solid training foundation. There are a few key things to remember, the fitness industry is still quite young and regulating who can call themselves a ‘fitness professional’ is an ongoing challenge.
There are dozens of weekend personal training courses available and hence hundreds if not thousands of individuals who can call themselves personal trainers. It is up to you to find someone you can trust believe will help, not hurt you. The first thing is that you should ensure that your trainer has proper credentials. A quick Google Search can show you just how many ways there are to become a personal trainer, so be careful.
What sets them apart from others and do they have the credentials in an area that you need? If you want to learn how to deadlift or squat you might not want to seek advice from someone who specializes in dance and vice-versa. Meet with your trainer and if things don’t feel right that is ok, because ultimately you have to be happy and be willing to trust this person. Don’t be afraid to ask questions to find someone who fits your needs, but above all don’t be afraid to seek advice.
4) Beware of the so called “internet guru”
You now know that you’re going to seek advice from someone and often the fastest and easiest option is through an online search. On the internet everyone can claim to be an expert. With Personal Training still being an unregulated profession the internet is filled with individuals who claim to know anything and everything about “how to get results now.” Watch out for “BroScience” trying to pass itself off as actual scientific research.
Remember that it’s up to you to do the investigating to make sure the person you are seeking information from is actually up to the task. Here are a few pointers to make sure you look in the right place:
A. Try to find information on reputable websites – avoid the ones that are immediately trying to sell you something.
B. Look into resources personal trainers and coaches use to keep current.
C. Articles that don’t provide references can contain misleading information.
D. Check references and multiple sources – don’t just take information at face value. Take your time and do your research.
E. Peer reviewed articles are your best choice for scientific information, but read carefully because an abstract simply doesn’t tell the whole story.
Stay tuned for the final chapter of this 3 part saga!
