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Articles 9 and 10 are posted below
Achieve Fitness
Sports Article 9
What Is A Personal Trainer
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Imagine stepping into the gym for the first time in your life. There are so many machines and gadgets. What do you do first? Is this one safe? Are you using it right? There are so many questions to ask about trying to get physically fit as well. How much should you push yourself? How much is too much?
A personal trainer is someone who steps in and will coach you through your weight loss regime. What is it that a personal trainer does exactly?
Finding Out What A Personal Trainer Does Is Step Number One
Whenever I want to find out what it is that a personal trainer does, I simply visit the website or look at an advertisement of another personal trainer. From one location that is located in California, I have found the following list to be exactly what a personal trainer does.
Coaching workouts that intensify gradually at different stages
Working to increase improvement function of the body from walking and running, etc.
Keeping a client up to date on nutrition
Practices safe stretching and exercise techniques
Helps to increase muscle tone and metabolism in the body
Minimize the possibility of injury
Increase the client's self-confidence and put good 'stress' to encourage
Eliminate laziness and excuses from stopping the client from getting what they want
What is it that Clients Ask When Looking for a Personal Trainer?
One that I have found says that finding the best personal trainer is to simply ask a lot of questions. If you ask questions of your personal trainer and he or she does not know the answer or doesn't give an answer you are particularly happy with, a client should simply walk away.
If you are looking to become a personal trainer, expect to hear questions. What is your background? How long have you been doing this? How are you involved in the industry? Do you stay competitive in the industry? What is the education level that you have? Did you get certified in a weekend or are you university educated? Are you continuing to educate yourself on the latest health techniques? Insurance? CPR? First Aid?
If you are able to answer these questions to a client, you'll be much more likely to sign a client. Above all, personal trainer will make a customer state his or her reasonable goals and set a plan to reach those goal in a healthy and constructive learning environment that will let the client keep the regime for years to come, even if they stop using the personal trainer.
What is it That Separates a Good Personal Trainer from a Bad One?
Like when you shop for anything else, there are good trainers and there are bad personal trainers, but what is the difference?
A good personal trainer would tell you that you should shop around and find the right trainer for you. A lot of corporate gym trainers have sales quotas, do you really think they're primary interest is your health? Most of them have minimal training and are more of a sales person than a trainer.
If you are looking to become a personal trainer, what is it you should do first? Try to take course on exercise, fitness and health. If you also stay involved personally in the body building industry, you're also staying on top of the competition. Commitment is the key; you have to be committed, as your clients certainly will not be. They will want to quit and give excuses. You can't let them.
Above all, a personal trainer really cares about the client. You can't simply treat them like another paycheck. A customer has personal goals and needs and is asking you to help them along a path they can't walk on their own. What a personal trainer is, is not a salesman or a drill sergeant, a personal trainer is a coach, a mentor and a partner on a road to a goal.
About the Author: Jan Nicholas - For more tips like these go to http://www.personaltrainingclasses.com/ where you will learn how to keep in shape and start your very own personal training career!
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Achieve Fitness
Sports Article 10
How to Choose a Personal Trainer
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In the fitness industry there is a joke that goes something like this: "The reason I decided not to become a personal trainer is that I had no table waiting experience and I didn't want to become an actor."
This may sound humorous but, unfortunately, there is a core of truth there. Because there are no strict guidelines about who can call themselves a trainer, almost anyone who has a job or career aspiration that demands a high degree of physical fitness can hang out a shingle or get a job coaching at your local gym. In fact, it is very common for an actor, sports model, or athlete to try to pick up extra money by working as a fitness instructor, especially because there is good money to be made by doing so.
While these individuals may know what works for them as far as exercise and diet goes, that does not automatically qualify them to train others or to give them nutritional counseling.
What Are Your Goals?
The first thing you need to be clear about when considering a trainer is what goals you have in mind. Do you want someone who can design an exercise and nutritional protocol that will help you to shed 20 or more pounds? Do you want to develop greater strength and muscularity, perhaps with the guided use of protein drinks and sports supplements? Do you want to get back into shape after a pregnancy or a long period spent without exercise? Or maybe you are trying to slim down for a class reunion, wedding, or other family event.
Once you are clear on what you would like to accomplish, it will be easier to find the person who has the experience and qualifications to help you get there.
Where Do I Find Trainers to Interview?
There are several ways to locate trainers. Word of mouth through friends, colleagues, or your family doctor are good places to start. You might also check your Yellow Pages under "Personal Trainers," "Health Clubs," and "Exercise and Physical Fitness."
Another great resource is the National Strength & Conditioning Association (NSCA), one of the largest nationally recognized fitness organizations (www.nsca-lift.org).
Questions You Should Ask a Prospective Trainer
Once you have found a trainer who look promising, you need to learn as much about their qualifications as possible. The first and most important question you should ask is "What qualifies you to be a personal trainer?" NSCA and Certified Strength and Conditioning Specialists (CSCS) are two nationally recognized certifications. A background in exercise physiology, sports medicine, physical education, or anatomy and physiology are also helpful because that tells you that this individual has made a thorough study of the body and how it works.
It would also be a plus if your trainer were involved in some sort of elite exercise him- or herself, such as body building.
If you need nutritional guidance from a trainer, make sure that he or she has some kind of solid education and background in the subject.
Ask your prospective trainer what their goals are. If they tell you they want to star in films or have their own sitcom on NBC, they are probably not the right person for you.
You will also want to know the length of time a person has been working as a trainer and how many clients they have coached.
The most important thing you can request are client referrals. Speaking with people who have received fitness instruction from the trainer you are considering will give you an idea whether he or she is the right person for you.
Some questions you might consider asking clients are:
·How long have you worked with this trainer?
·Has he or she helped you to achieve your goals?
·Do you feel like this trainer makes efficient use of the time you have together?
·Does this trainer clearly explain each exercise to you and help you to perform it with good posture and body positioning?
·Have you ever been injured when working out with this trainer?
·Do you find him or her professional and supportive of your goals?
Starting Out: What to Expect
Once you have chosen a trainer, there are certain questions they should ask you and evaluations they should perform.
First, they should be very clear about what your goals are and make some suggestions as to how they can help you to achieve them.
Before even beginning an exercise program they should do a complete physical evaluation of your strength, range of motion, flexibility, current exercise routine (if you've been working out on your own), any injuries you might have sustained over the years, and any physical limitations you might have (such as a weak lower back or arthritis in your knee or shoulder joints).
Once they have designed a unique program to fit your body type, level of ability, and goals, they should be able to give you clear instructions and a clear idea of how to correctly position your body on any exercise ball, machine, or with any free weights.
You will only get the maximum benefit from each exercise and avoid injury if your trainer is knowledgeable about physiology. They should be able to coach you on correct posture, which includes good head, neck, shoulder, arm, lower back, hip, and leg positions for each machine or exercise.
Good posture and positioning of the body will enable you to perform exercises correctly and without pain. If something is hurting you or you feel undue strain, stop immediately and communicate this to your fitness instructor. Improving your level of fitness takes effort, endurance, and consistency, but not to the point of strain or injury.
A good workout program should include enough sets and repetitions of each movement to challenge you and to fully work each body part. If you are doing two sessions per week with a trainer, they should spend one on upper body and abdominals and the second session on lower body and abdominals. In other words, they should thoroughly work each section of the body and allow it enough time to recover in between workouts.
Warning Signs
There are certain behaviors you should be aware of that might indicate that a trainer is not being as professional as they should be with a client.
A trainer should be a good listener, always attentive to your goals. If your trainer is constantly using a lot of "I" and "me" statements, they are not making good use of your time together. They should be focused on your needs, your progress, and what you require.
A good trainer should always respect emotional boundaries. Beware of trainers who want to tell you their life story, ask you for advice in their career, or pour out their heartaches and stories about their love life. You are their client, not their therapist. It is equally time-wasting to work with a trainer who encourages you to take about your own problems. In such a situation is it easy to feel sucked dry emotionally and talk your way through your hour, instead of getting the full workout you are there to do.
We are all human and have our ups and downs-and we mention them from time to time-but this should first and foremost always be a professional relationship from which you need to get a certain amount of value for your physique.
Lastly, a good trainer should always keep upgrading your workout. If weeks go by and someone is still having you do the same amount of sets and reps with the same amount of weight, they are not helping you to make progress. The body will eventually acclimate itself to any exercise routine and it needs to be continually challenged.
If you follow these guidelines, you should be able to find a trainer who will help you to meet your goals and improve your physique, energy levels, and general health. Good luck!
About the Author
Philip Goglia is a Los Angeles-based nutritionist, trainer, and author. Goglia has just released SmartJourney, a metabolic food program that is personally tailored for each individual. "There is no one-size-fits-all diet," says Goglia. "We realize that everyone has their own unique metabolic type, and we design a program just for you." For more information about effective exercise and nutrition, please visit his website www.SmartJourney.com.
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Achieve Fitness
Sports Article 7
Real Female Bodybuilding Facts
First you should know that no amount of physical activity can give you your desired body if it is not coupled with bodybuilding nutrition and a total body workout. Actually, it is the bodybuilding nutrition that is the most vital factor in building the best body that you can have.
Women's Weight Training Myth #1 - Weight training makes you bulky.
Due to the fact that women do not and cannot naturally produce as much testosterone (one of the main hormones responsible for increasing muscle size) as males do, it is impossible for a woman to gain huge amounts of muscle mass. Unfortunately, the image that may come to your mind is that of professional female bodybuilders. Most of these women, unfortunately, use anabolic steroids (synthetic testosterone) along with other drugs in order to achieve that high degree of muscularity.
In addition, most also have good genetics coupled with an unbelievable work ethic that enable them to gain muscle quickly when they spend hours in the gym lifting very heavy weights. Believe me when I say that they do not look like that by accident. Women who conduct weight training without the use of steroids get the firm and fit cellulite-free looking body that you see in most fitness/figure shows these days.
Women's Weight Training Myth #2 - Exercise increases your chest size.
Sorry girls. Womens breasts are composed mostly of fatty tissue. Therefore, it is impossible to increase breast size through weight training. As a matter of fact, if you go below 12 percent body fat (which I do not recommend doing), your breast size will decrease. Weight training does increase the size of the back, so this misconception probably comes from confusing an increase in back size with an increase in cup size. The only way to increase your breast size is by gaining fat or getting breast implants
Womens Weight Training Myth #3 - Weight training makes you stiff and musclebound.
If you perform all exercises through their full range of motion, flexibility will increase. Exercises like flyes, stiff-legged deadlifts, dumbbell presses, and chin-ups stretch the muscle in the bottom range of the movement. Therefore, by performing these exercises correctly, your stretching capabilities will increase.
Women's Weight Training Myth #4 - If you stop weight training your muscles turn into fat.
This is like saying that gold can turn into brass. Fat and muscle are two completely different types of human tissue. What happens many times is that when people decide to go off their weight training programs they start losing muscle due to inactivity (use it or lose it) and they also usually drop the diet as well. Therefore bad eating habits combined with the fact that their metabolism is lower due to inactivity, and lower degrees of muscle mass, give the impression that the subjects muscle is being turned into fat while in reality what is happening is that muscle is being lost and fat is being accumulated.
Women's Weight Training Myth #5 - Weight training turns fat into muscle.
More alchemy. This is the equivalent of saying that you can turn any metal into gold; don't we wish! The way a body transformation occurs is by gaining muscle through weight training and losing fat through aerobics and diet simultaneously. Again, muscle and fat are very different types of tissue. We cannot turn one into the other.
Women's Weight Training Myth #6 - As long as you exercise you can eat anything that you want.
How I wish this were true also! As, this could not be further from true facts. Metabolism for an individual is determined by how many calories we burn while we exercise and while we rest. If we eat more calories than we burn on a consistent basis, our bodies will accumulate these extra calories as fat regardless of the amount of exercise that we do. This myth may have been created by people with such high metabolic rates (hardgainers) that no matter how much they eat or what they eat, they rarely meet or exceed the amount of calories that they burn in one day unless they put their mind to doing so. Therefore, their weight either goes down or remains stable.
Women's Weight Training Myth #7 - Women only need to do cardio and if they decide to lift weights, they should be very light.
First of all, if you only did cardio then muscle and fat would be burned for fuel. One needs to do weights in order to get the muscle building machine going and thus prevent any loss of muscle tissue. Women that only concentrate on cardio will have a very hard time achieving the look that they want. As far as the lifting of very light weights, this is just more nonsense. Muscle responds to resistance and if the resistance is too light, then there will be no reason for the body to change.
Women Should Train Hard Myth #8 I have trained with girls that train as hard as I do and they look nothing but feminine. If you want to look great, don't be afraid to pick up the weights and lift hard!
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Achieve Fitness
Sports Article 8
8 Proven Muscle Building Tips
Article written by: By: Shawn LeBrun
Building muscle requires the right combination of training and nutrition information. That includes muscle building tips that are proven to work.
Using the wrong information can be detrimental to your progress. So be careful who you listen to in the gym. Even though everyone has an opinion, not everyone is right.
The only way to build muscle is by following 3 synergistic principles:
1. Hard, heavy and smart weight lifting
2. Quality nutrition
3. Quality rest
All three must be in place if you're going to succeed in building muscle. If just one of these elements is missing, you're not going to come anywhere near your potential.
Here are 8 simple, proven muscle building tips that you'll want to include in your training and nutrition program.
Tip # 1. Evaluating your body.
By evaluating your current body composition, body weight and body measurements, you give yourself a starting point. This will be very important in deciding what your nutritional and weight lifting goals will be.
Tip # 2. Setting your goals
Looking at the big picture and breaking it down into small mini goals will help you achieve your muscle building goals. It's important that you identify your goals and periodically monitor and adjust your goals on an ongoing basis.
It's better if you were to break your goals down into long (3 to 6 months), short (1 to 2 weeks), and immediate term goals. Make sure your goals are realistic. Record your goals and keep them in a handy place where you have constant access to them.
Tip # 3. Keep a weight lifting log and diet log
It's important that you write everything down. By keeping track of your progress you are keeping yourself honest and motivated. A weight lifting log and diet log can help you get better results. You can look back at the end of each week and figure out if you were on target with your goals.
A weight lifting and diet log will show whether your goals are realistic and give you insight into your exercise and eating patterns. If you're building muscle and strength, you won't have to wonder what works, because you'll have a full description of everything you've done to reach your goals. This will be your blue print for muscle building success.
Tip # 4. Setting up your weight lifting program
Setting up your weight lifting program is a lot easier once you know your body statistics and goals. You must decide whether you're a beginner, intermediate, or advanced weight lifter.
Once you know your current weight lifting status, build your weight lifting routine according to that information.
It's suggested that you incorporate free weight exercises into your muscle building programs as opposed to machines.
In order to build muscle you need to concentrate on the basic movements like the squat, shoulder press, bench press, dead lifts, barbell rows and chins.
One of the most important muscle building tips is to keep your workout short, heavy and intense.
Tip # 5. Nutrition
Nutrition is one half of the key to building muscle. Without the proper nutrition, you might as well pack your bags and go home. No amount of super sets, negative sets, tri-sets or pre-exhausting will build any amount of muscle mass without the proper nutrition.
To be honest, nutrition will be that element of your muscle building program that will make the difference between an o.k. physique and one that commands power.
The trick to unlocking your muscle building fury is to find your optimal nutritional state. To build muscle you need to consume more total calories than your body uses each day.
Remember this very important muscle building tip; nutrition is the key to building real muscle. Try eating 6 times per day and make sure each meal is balanced with the optimal amount of calories, protein, carbohydrates, and fat.
Tip # 6. Build a diet that supports your nutritional goals
Once you find out what your nutritional goals are, you need to build a menu that will support your goals. Try and find menus that are easy to cook and taste great. The trick is to adjust the menus and recipes to match your nutritional goals.
Tip # 7. Use only proven muscle building supplements
Weight lifting supplements are meant to enhance an already great muscle building program. If you have the right combination of nutrients and the right weight lifting program, proven supplements may enhance your performance.
In order for weight lifting supplements to function properly, they must be taken at the proper times and in the proper amounts.
Tip # 8. Rest
Blasting your body at full throttle all the time will slowly run you down. You need to take some time to rest and relax. Have fun, kick back and relax and enjoy the fruits of you labor. Let your body get into a good rhythm of work and rest.
By getting quality rest you will ensure that you get the most out of your muscle building program. Sleep is vital to building muscle. Make sure that you get enough rest to properly repair your body.
It is during sleep that most growth and repair occurs. Without adequate sleep the body becomes weakened. It is very important that you get the correct amount of sleep because muscle growth happens while you are resting, not while you are training. If you were to lift weights on a steady basis and not get any quality rest, your body would slowly fall apart.
Weight training tears the muscle tissue down and the diet provides the necessary fuel and material for repair, but it is during sleep that the repair and growth process occurs.
Therefore, sleep is as vital to building muscle as is your training program and diet.
You should aim for 6 to 8 hours of rest each night. Don't be afraid to take a nap in the afternoon or after work to add a little energy to your workouts. Rest is one of those muscle building tips you really don't think about but is so important.
Use the muscle building tips above in your workout program and you'll soon start seeing results.
As you progress in your program, make sure to challenge yourself and change your muscle building routine around. This will add a new angle to your training and improve the your results.
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