28 February 2017
As a trainer you co-pilot clients through all stages of a successful transformation. From the contemplating-change stage, through the inevitable peaks and troughs, right to finish line.
Standing at the finish line, it's clear there are some common themes regarding what people wish they could tell their past-selves before they lined up at the starting blocks. Obviously hindsight is a wonderful thing, and in these cases, completely useless to their completed transformations. However if you are fortunate enough to be reading this prior to your own transformation, and are unable to speak to your future self, you’re in luck! You can have the next best thing to a time-machine and learn from the mistakes and successes of your peers who have travelled similar paths.
So without further ado… here are the 3 most common themes of advice body-transformers with they could pass back to their start-line-selves:
(1) Slacking on Tracking...
Problem
Be it progress photos, weights shifted, distances traversed or how far away your toes are, more often than not, people come round the tracking once they have crossed their mental threshold of what is deemed socially acceptable. Then when even more progress is made, most long for the most dramatic comparisons of their current awesome-self with their start-line-self.
Although the idea of a bare-all photo in the cold light of day may cause cold sweats and nausea, a funny thing happens once a transformation has been made. Those panic-inducing-pictures are no longer a source of shame, but become a trophy of triumph, causing even the most self conscious to flaunt their old selves with pride, smug in the fact no-one can doubt how far they have come.
Solution
There are so many interesting variables you can track, from the technical (blood pressure, body-fat %...); to the practical (diet, exercise…); to the simple (photos, grip strength...).
So if you’re a data-junky or a minimalist, just choose your variables and get tracking! Take a decent starting photo, in a recreatable position, capturing a true version of yourself (no gut-sucking or flattering lighting), and (honestly...) track your chosen variables. Not only will this provide you with awesome comparisons that will inspire your friends and family, it’ll enable more accurate programme design and give you motivation at the times when you need it most!
(2) Hiding in Your Comfort Zone...
Problem
Forgetting that to make substantial changes in your physique, there needs to be substantial change to your current lifestyle and stimuluses. Remaining cosy in your comfort zone, training with the same old exercises and intensity is not going to cut it.
Solution
Take an honest look at your programme and ask yourself if you are (a) working out as smart and as hard as you could be, making substantial progress in at least one of: flexibility, cardio, strength, fat loss or in learning new technical movements; or (b) sticking to your comfort zone, cushioned by your best (and thus favourite) exercises, with plateaued progression across all areas.
If you answered (a) stop here and jump straight to tip 3; but if you answered (b), it’s time to broaden your horizons. With a bit of web-savvy and common-sense-filtering, there is plenty of good information out there. Or seek out the services of one the many great Personal Trainers at BS7 who would be more than happy to steer you out of your comfort zone.
(3) Judge(ment) Dread(ing)...
Problem
There are plenty of both rational and irrational thought processes that can put people off the gym, and I’m not going to dismiss them all here. However the fear of being judged as a gym-newbie is by far the most common and needs to nipped in the bud ASAP.
I’m sure most of you reading can relate to this one in particular, and have all heard the classic cliches ‘everyone had to start somewhere’. I’m also certain once you get past the intro stage, you will reflect back on just how ridiculous this fear is.
Solution
Although there are horror stories of such behaviour dotted throughout the interweb, I am yet to meet anyone in the real world who has has ever experienced any negative judgements, certainly not here at BS7. Where people hand in wallets (with notes still inside), iPhones and even forgotten change from the vending machine....
So as boring as those old cliches are, in this case they still ring true, and the solution is as simple as that, get over it and get started. No-one cares if you’re a novice as long as you are not putting yourself or other at risk. Simple.
So there you have it, 3 great bits of advice that may as well have come from the future. Don’t make the same mistakes, so when you reach your finish line, you will have a smaller list of advice to pass back to the starting-blocks.
Ollie Roy
Personal Trainer at BS7 Gym.