Aprioriathletics.com About Personal Training . . . Getting Started! RETURN to Personal Training Main Menu   WELCOME to the Aprioriathletics.com information on Getting Started with Personal Training. Here is the information you'll want to know if you're ready to get started with Personal Training. Please remember that this information should not be used in place of your own physician's advice (See Disclaimer). Mark D. Bostrom, M.S.   Click on Book Covers to Order from Amazon.com     Selecting a Personal Trainer Making an Appointment Why use a Personal Trainer? -- The Benefits Description of Sessions | Cost Where to Work Out: At the Health Club At Home At Work While Traveling The Fitness/Sports Medicine Team Selecting a Personal Trainer Knowledgeable, Sensitive but Tough, Motivating and Compatible are the key qualities to consider when choosing a Personal Trainer. Knowledgeable Personal Trainers have advanced degrees in Exercise Science and/or have certifications from national fitness organizations, such as the National Academy of Sports Medicine (NASM), the National Strength and Conditioning Association (NSCA) the American College of Sports Medicine (ACSM) or the American Council on Exercise (ACE). Sensitive Personal Trainers can be tough Personal Trainers. Sensitive means attentive to your needs and capabilities. Tough means working hard to cause the body to improve. Motivating Personal Trainers keep you energized and in a great frame of mind for your health and performance. Compatible Personal Trainers fit your personality and find your optimal path to learning and benefiting from training. You might find a Personal Trainer by asking for a recommendation from a friend that has a Personal Trainer. Orthopedic Physicians, Physical Therapists, Chiropractors, and High School Athletic Trainers are also helpful sources of referrals. For more information, see Top 10 Qualities of a Personal Trainer. Making an Appointment with a Personal Trainer ... You are welcome to call the home office at 847-253-2856. I am currently on the personal training staff at Forest Grove Athletic Club in Palatine, Illinois with many other highly-qualified Personal Trainers. You can also reach trainers at the club by calling 847-991-4646. The friendly Front Desk staff will put you through to voice mail or the Personal Training Director. If you are not a member, please call anyway to find out if I can help you. You might want to CLICK HERE and print out the Contact Page for future reference. If you have a crowd that wants to learn about fitness and the human body -- a marvelous machine -- call to get your crowd involved. Neighbors, students, or employees get motivated about what is really important in life ... feeling healthy, being healthy, AND being productive and optimistic about your work, your weekends, your nights, your life. We (the audience and I) talk about the following topics: Saving your joints with proper technique. All the reasons we eat food. Scientific and Motivating Exercise Training Low Back Training for Performance and Safety Weight loss Building muscle. Finding Truth. Knowing Force The Human Interface: How to be Cool in the Information Age Using the Internet to Research Fitness and Health Information Internet Searching Techniques Eliminating common mistakes at the gym and maximizing workout efficiency The funny things people do to stay healthy (we make fun of fitness rip-offs) Careers in Exercise Physiology and Sports Medicine HUMAN INTERACTION IS KEY There's a lot to talk about these days. The important THING is attitude and understanding the human interface approach to life and fitness in this fast-paced information age. We can be funny. We can get pretty philosophical, too. What would you expect with a name like Aprioriathletics.com? If you are interested, please call for a quote. Why Use a Personal Trainer? Here is a list of favorite goals that makes people pick up the phone and call for help from a Personal Trainer: Protect Cardiovascular System and reduce risk of other disease Improve appearance (for a wedding, new job, find a significant other) Feel better Perform better (for sport or work) Get stronger or regain quickness and power after an injury Improve ability to handle life's stresses Become a better athlete Lose weight Gain muscle GUIDANCE Many are using Personal Trainers to reach these goals efficiently. In the 1980's Personal Trainers were an exclusive service for celebrities, professional athletes and affluent people. Now people from a variety of occupational and recreational backgrounds are discovering the benefits of understanding how their body, joints, bones, muscles, nervous system and cardiovascular system work. Many are learning that it is helpful to have a Personal Trainer check technique and educate on better methods of motion, stabilization, efficiency, progression, safety and protection. People are more likely to discover new goals, define realistic goals and reach their goals with the help of a Personal Trainer. Those who have benefited from Personal Training often enjoy reaching their newly-discovered "features" including the following: Increased strength Lower blood pressure Lower resting heart rate Reduced stress or improved stress management Improved body composition, fat loss and muscle gain Improved mood Improved joint stabilization and feeling of sturdiness Improved posture and appearance Improved coordination and balance RESULTS While full-time use of a Personal Trainer (three or more days per week) may not be affordable for most people, a period of three sessions within a week or two is recommended minimally for a proper introduction. Follow-up is recommended weekly, monthly or quarterly. After a few sessions, many people prefer to schedule as many sessions as they can afford. People who schedule three sessions per week report that they benefit from the motivation and convenience of having professional help with a variety of exercises and continual education and encouragement. Regardless of the time you spend with a Personal Trainer, we both work toward obtaining the productive results you want. Description of Training Sessions With a variety of individual goals and body types, there are a lot of different possibilities for program design. For example, a weight loss session is usually a lot different than a session to make you a better athlete. Sessions usually last about an hour. The initial sessions focus on technique, no matter what your goals. During the initial sessions, an assessment may be recommended. Also, you'll receive recommendations on Frequency, Intensity, Duration and Type of exercise. To keep on track, you will be reminded to about the components of fitness -- Cardiorespiratory Fitness, Muscular Strength and Endurance, and Flexibility. After the first few sessions, we can clarify your goals and pick exercises and routines that help you workout efficiently. Efficiency brings results faster. Effiicency helps people stick with the program. Cost Personal Training costs range from $40 to $100 per one-hour session. Pricing depends on service level. Most sessions are $60 or less. Where to Work Out At a Health Club. Health Clubs are great because they allow you to share ideas with friends and enjoy the greater investment in equipment and facilities which most people could not afford at their homes. It can also be motivating to see other people working hard. Best advice? Pick a club that is clean, functioning well and is close to your work or home (within about 20 minutes). At Home. The best of both worlds? Keep your membership at a health club and build your own home gym of some type. That way you can use your home gym when you don't have time to make it to the club, the weather is just too bad, or you don't feel sociable. Minimally you need a Step Riser (about $75), dumbbells, an exercise mat, and a Swiss Ball. At Work. If you are lucky enough to have a fitness center at work like CDW@Play. That's great! If you are a firefighter or police officer, your department should have an organized wellness program and onsite fitness facility to help you keep in shape for your job. While Traveling. Pick a hotel that has a fitness center. Otherwise, elastic fitness bands are the way to go. The Fitness/Sports Medicine Team More on this coming soon. For now, here is the list: Athletic Trainer Chiropractor Coach Exercise Physiologist Exercise Specialist Fitness Consultant Kinesiotherapist Nutritionist Orthopedic Specialist Personal Trainer Physical Therapist Podiatrist     HOME | Site Map | Center Stage | Our Solutions | Our Satisfied Clients | Fitness Topics PFP Newsletter | Company Profile | Contact Information | Help | Glossary | ?Mark | About the Author | Disclaimer ©Copyright 2000-2001 Apriori, Inc. All Rights Reserved. APRIORIATHLETICS and Progressive Fitness Personality are Service Marks of Apriori, Inc. All products mentioned are trademarks or registered trademarks of their respective owners.