Personal Trainer - Advice?

[Veronica]

When I joined the gym so I would have a pool to swim in, I also got 4 free sessions with a personal trainer. I totally forgot about it, since I was not planning on doing any sort of strength training to prepare for the HIM. I figured all my energy should go into running.

And every time I've joined a gym and met with a trainer, they've told me I need to lose way more weight than I think is reasonable. When Max Testa did my body fat I weighed 153 and had 21% body fat. That means 120 pounds of me is non fat. Yeah, I'm six pounds heavier and 5 years older, but you'll have a hard time convincing me that I should weigh 135 (BMI's ideal weight for my height.). So I was going to blow off the training sessions...

Well, the personal trainer just called me to set up some sessions. What kinds of stuff do I want to do to get better at this triathlon thing. Not just for the HIM, which is only 5.5 weeks away now, but in general. Yeah, I'm hooked. Saturday was fun.

V.

[echidna]

If you *just* want to burn 4 sessions and come away with something useful, find someone who is EXPERIENCED working with athletes and have them set you up with some plyometrics to help you develop power. Power is what gets you up the 400th small hill FAST, not just alive, or allows you to sprint around the guy who's swimming style most resembles a weedeater.
If you've not done plyos before it's a great way to kick yourself in the tookus (sometimes literally!) but you should have someone on hand to evaluate and correct your form before you go off half-cocked.
If they don't have anyone who's got that kind of experience, from the sounds of it you might as well be training them.

[Wahine]

I would call the personal trainer back and ask them if they have any personal endurance athletic training. If they don't, I'd see if you can find someone who does.

Normally in triathlon, by the time an athlete is immersed in their racing season the strength training falls to the wayside. Frequent race intensity efforts take the place of strength training. Those athletes that have been strength training regulary will go on a once per week maintainence schedule and will usually still drop all leg weights/resistance training. If you want to do weights I would focus on upper body strengthening for swimming and core work for now. After your last race of the season, it's good to take your training very light, you specifically would keep riding but I would drop all swimming and running. Then when you're ready (1 to 2 months post season), fall is the time to hit the gym. Usually it takes about 6 weeks to get some base strength before I recommend getting into plyometrics. But plyometrics are killer for power training when done properly. That kind of training should be happening in Dec, Jan and Feb.

So you might want to set up an upper body and core session now and see if you can leave the others until fall.

Hope that helps.

[Veronica]

Thanks for the advice.

It's funny - I'm hardly swimming at all now, once maybe twice a week. I kinda feel like I'm hardly riding too - compared to training for doubles. :D

My expectations for the sessions are fairly low. Maybe I'll get pleasantly surprised.

V.

[Skeezix]

I have to say I think I've really lucked out with trainers, both of my steady trainers have been really great at changing things up on me so I stay interested and motivated. We only focus on strength training since I can easily cover cardio on my own.

They know my fitness goals and then I give them carte blanche to do whatever works towards meeting them.

I think I would totally ask around the gym if anyone else has a trainer they really like, I had some trouble with the first guy I got assigned to and ended up dropping him. The second trainer I knew on a personal basis and when she moved she referred me to the guy I use now.

I'd probably use each of the remaining 4 sessions to "try on" different trainers and see if any of them are a good fit.

[Veronica]

I'm happy to say I was pleasantly surprised by the trainer. We spent about 30 minutes talking about what I've done and where I'm headed and getting measured.

After a warm up she had me do some core work on one of the cable machines. I have to say, having someone watch your form is kind of cool. The reminder to keep this straight or that bent when you are getting tired was nice. She noticed right away that I tend to get my shoulders involved in everything I do. Her comment was, "Your shoulders are strong and like to be in charge!"

I'm meeting with her again on Friday. I told a friend that I was meeting with this particular trainer and she said, "She's tough! She really makes you work!"

I'm thinking about asking her to look at how I run. I wonder if I'm getting my shoulders too involved in that.

V.