FITAHOLIC

Recently I have had some major changes in my life which caused me to take a stress test with my local physician and you won’t believe what I found out!

Why did I need a stress test?

Lately I have found myself sleeping more than normal, I have kept to myself a little more than normal, and I expecially noticed that my patience is gone with my little daughter.  She is so precious, but man can she show her true colors in a matter of a few seconds.  Last week, the precious little princess, decided it was time to take a bath…so I willingly obliged.  As I was retreiving her bath towel, the little angel, decided to pour out all of her brand new high dollar body wash. 

WHY!!!  My first reaction was to scream, but I didn’t want my head to pop off so I decided to step away for a minute.  After I screwed my head back on I asked the little angel, the one with horns growing out at this point, “what were you thinking?”  “Daddy your silly”, she replied and then began to explain that she simply needed bubbles for her bath.  And to think that I believed she just intended to waist the body wash. 

After our little episode I didn’t realize until the next morning that we had gone to bed before 10pm, which is really early for a big boy like myself.  I had to force myself to wake-up before 8am so that I could begin my normal daily grind.

After debating on the little signs that were going off at an alarming rate, I scheduled the test.  I answered every question truthfully and tallied my score…making sure to check the math twice, and was astonished to find that I had scored over 500.  GREAT JOB RIGHT?  Wrong!  If you score over 300 you are considered a high risk for stress.  So I went for the gold and tried to double the number.  My physician didn’t understand why I wasn’t jumping off the park bridge, or trying sky diving without a parachute.

We discussed my daily routine and lifestyle and she quickly realized that I was still sane because of my fitness level, which she described as the best Prozac money doesn’t have to buy. 

I never realized how much stress I was dealing with on a daily basis, but I am glad to know that my workout schedule keeps me grounded.

Although my stress is under control I am beginning to write a journal so that I may bring my stress way down, so that willingly I will not have moments in which I need to catch my breath.

Does anyone else deal with their depression/stress through exercising?

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by Brian C. Bradford

Why is it so important to know your personal trainers certification?

I was recently reminded of an experience I had a few years ago. I noticed a personal trainer advising his client and what she should and shouldn’t do for exercises. I really was taken back that not once, did I ever notice him correcting her form. He moved her from exercise to exercise without ever explaining proper form.

Later that week I saw her out and about doing some shopping…I asked her how she was and that I had noticed she had been working really hard on her fitness. After some discussion she advised me that she couldn’t believe how bad her back was beginning to bother her and she felt as though she had shin splints. I asked her if she thinks her pain was coming from her form; she quickly responded “I was never told I was doing anything wrong.” I asked her to come to my class and she did the very next day. After minutes I noticed several severly bad practices of form, and walked her through proper form and technique. She was amazed to find out just how bad her form was. We discussed her trainer, without any bashing or name calling and she said “but he has a certification.” I asked her what his certification was and she said “he is a personal trainer.” Well that is great considering that is his title, but I asked again “what is his certification?”

Lets just say that when she confronted her trainer and asked for his credentials he presented her with a certification from an online company. She was thrilled to know that he wasn’t pulling her leg, that is until she talked to me again. I told her I knew a lot about that certification because I had a friend that was too lazy to take the proper certification. I had to explain that the type of certification he had was indeed for a personal trainer, but it was attained by taking an open book, no timed, online test…in which you can repeatedly take until you pass. She was floored and asked if this was normal. NO its not! Most gyms, including the one I work for, do not allow this type of certification.

Some questions to ask your trainer before forking over several hundred dollars:
1. What do they personally look like?
2. Ask your trainer if they have always been fit, its nice to know that they have overcome obesity/struggles as well.
3. What type of certification do you have?
4. What was your training like?
5. What is his/her biggest strengths and weaknesses?
6. Most of all just interview your trainer, after all it is your wallet/purse that is being opened up.

Never assume…Not when it comes to your health and your wallet!

If you have any questions related to this article or fitness in general you can join our forum for free and just ask your questions to any of our online trainers.

Brian
ceo/fitaholic.com
Personal Trainer
Primary Instructor
Group Instructor
Coach

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