Here are some questions that are asked of me regarding personal training and strength training, so I thought I’d scribe my FAQs.
Will it help my sore back/ shoulders/ knee/ hip etc?
Quite possibly. Many of these conditions are caused by our modern sedentary lifestyle and inactivity- both of which make us weak. Sometimes repetitive exercise where muscles are exercised in an unbalanced manner or exercises performed with poor form can cause pain. Performing balanced exercises focusing on the (usually) weak posterior chain, ensuring stability and excellent form, working on mobility, core strength, shoulder and hip stability through a number of different protocols, cycling through functional movement patterns of squat, lunge, push, pull, hinge and carry, really helps. Essentially re-educating your body how to move properly and pain free.
Won’t strength training make me huge?
Not usually. Cupcakes are more likely to make you big :-). If you want to get very muscular, you’ll need to train every day and eat A LOT. I train six days per week but I’m still not ‘big’. Will you add muscle? Absolutely. How much you add depends on your gender, your genetics, how often you train, what you eat, how much you sleep etc etc.
Will the training be very hard and/ or painful?
As a Pain Free Performance Specialist, I shy away from pain, even ‘good pain’. It’s a fallacy that not being able to walk the next day is an indication of how good the session was. You will feel your muscles the day after, and you will work during training sessions, but I make sure that each session is a challenge, yet doable. I also like sessions to be as fun as possible.
Who Is Strength Training For?
Everybody can benefit from strength training;
-to help teenagers develop focus, discipline and good posture and a good antidote to studies,
-to teach good form to young adults just starting out in the gym and to assist athletes reach peak performance
-to help new mums gain their body and confidence back
-to help the busy exec balance out desk time
-to help the ‘non-sporties’ amongst us find their niche
-to help menopausal women with hormone metabolism and weight gain
-to help the empty nesters gain a new purpose; developing muscle, gaining stability and warning off osteoporosis
-to help the grandparents run after their grandkids while keeping mobile and strong
Will It Help me Lose Weight?
Exercise is only 20% of the pie when it comes down to weight loss. Most importantly, in the gym I help clients change their body composition; adding muscle and using this muscle to boost metabolism and to subsequently burn fat. Exercise often spurs other healthy choices into action by improving diet and lifestyle. If you need help with the latter, I’m also a Certified Healing Diets Coach, and if needed, we can develop a plan to help you eat and live more healthily.
If you have any further questions, please do drop me a line and tell me about yourself.
Ally@dragonfitnessandcoaching.com