Trainers, Coaches, and Pro's

I used to join a gym every January along with the crowd of other people making new years resolutions to lose weight and live healthier. After wasting a lot of money on many memberships I decided I wasn’t getting what I needed out of it because I never had been instructed on which equipment I should be using, using it correctly, and how often to meet my specific goals.

In early 2001 I decided to use the services of a personal trainer. I received a few referrals and called around eventually hiring Nick to work with me three sessions per week. By making this commitment I felt I would get much more out of my gym membership when I had an authority telling me which exercises to do and when.  On the two days a week I wasn’t working with Nick he would tell me what he wanted me to do.

Five days a week I would go to the gym and spend three hours there. Every day started with 30 to 45 minutes of cardio then various types of weight training on machines or with free weights. We did all sorts of things with Nick mixing it up and keeping it interesting and varied. After about six weeks I started noticing changes in how my clothes fit and after working with Nick for three months people started commenting about my appearance.

Needless to say having a professional coaching me while modifying my routines to produce the best result was probably the best money I could have spent. Nick wasn’t cheap but he delivered the results. 

Eleven years later, if I were to embark on a fitness regimen like that again I would most certainly retain a trainer to help me along the way.  The value I received from his services was multifold. First off, left to my own devices I gravitate towards the workout I like, which tends to get easier over time as my body becomes accustomed and I get into better shape. Also I like having someone watching out for the “me in me” and countering my laziness and tendency to get bored with things easily.

By constantly being presented with regular challenges a trainer keeps you fresh and focused on your goals until the positive results from your efforts cannot be ignored.

Benefiting from a professional’s coaching is the accepted way to perform at a higher level. Flying is one of those activities that once we receive our license we are only required to get a minimum of two hours of training every twenty four months. Now most professional pilots who fly several times a week can function at a high level with  two hours of training in two years. However professional pilots typically train with more regularity than their counterparts who do not fly for a living.

Aristotle said “we are what we repeatedly do, excellence then is not an act, but a habit” The things we want to do well, we need to practice and to keep that practice productive and meaningful requires an auditor, a coach, dare I say an instructor to keep you honest and performing at a high level.

Its as simple as that.