We asked one of our Group Exercise Specialist and Personal Trainers, David Corder NSCA-CPT, some questions about Fitness and Nutrition "fads" and about his method of online training. You might be interested in some of his answers.
--What are some of the current fitness trends that you're seeing right now? Are there any popular ideas that your clients are bringing to you now more than before?
Fitness "trends" come and go. The one constant is health. With so many of us becoming less active in our work environments and also in our leisure activities "fitness" is the buzz word for health. Exercise and Nutrition are the "trends" but need to be a way of life. My clients come to me with so many thoughts on exercise and nutrition. They want to see results NOW. All of the ads and commercials lead them to believe that they can make changes with a pill or cream but they come to me because they don't work. This is a billion dollar industry. The need is there but the truth keeps being pushed aside for the almighty buck.
--Similarly, are there any fads in working out right now that you think might be harmful or dangerous for the client?
All of them! "Fads"mislead people into thinking there is an easy way to reach their goals. Diets deprive the body of the needed nutrients. All of the equipment ads lead people to believe that their product will change live's and bodies. These are not only harmful to the physical part of our bodies but also the mind. As people spend more and see fewer results the health cycle will just get worse.
--Do you see fewer clients who are interested in Atkins than before? Has this diet maintained its popularity or are people looking to something new for losing weight?
Atkins is nothing new. Low carb diets have been around before and they will come around again with a new name. People will always look for the "new" thing. When all they really need to do is eat sensibly. Avoid fast food. Avoid processed foods. Eat frequently. The newest "fad" diet is the three hour diet. Where you eat something every three hours. But most nutritionists have said, for years, that eating frequently helps to turn off the body's natural storage mechanism. Thereby telling the body to use the fat that is already there.
--What are the most typical misconceptions of people who are new to working out? What are some of the most common injuries that they should be watching out for?
Probably the most common misconception is that they will be in pain. If the exercises are done correctly and the proper rules of progression are applied. The most they will feel is a little achy. Which is overridden by the great feelings they will get from the natural endorphins created when they do a workout.
Over use injuries are the most common type of problem people get from working out too much. These are caused by doing the same exercises all the time. They need to mix things up. Change their program at least every six weeks and always allow a day of rest between workouts. Unless they are training for a specific sport or activity.
--What kind of balance do you encourage between cardio and weight training? Do men typically gravitate toward weights while women are more prone to cardio, or is that more of a fitness myth?
Those people "in the know" understand that cardio and weight training goes hand in hand. Finding the balance is more about finding out a persons goals. Weight loss requires both. Cardio for the extra calorie use and weight training for rebuilding muscle loss. Someone who just wants to put weight on needs to lower the cardio aspect but not drop it. This can explain the myth of men doing more weights and women doing more cardio. Men want to build and women want to lose, mostly. But, understanding your goals will help in balancing the amounts of both and give you better results.
--What kind of challenges do you face in online training as opposed to traditional 1-on-1 training? Are clients more prone to fibbing to a trainer online, when they don't have to show up to discuss their results?
The biggest challenge to training online is understanding where to start the client. I have them fill out several information forms to help me, but it's still a guess as to where to start them. This process in person can be done instantly. Online it takes sometimes a couple of weeks to get the program right. A client does their workout and immediately sends me the results via email. I, then, am able to assess the values of the workout and make the appropriate adjustments. Since I have results so quickly, it's almost like I'm there. All clients are held accountable. I know when you're supposed to work out and if I don't receive an update I will email or I've even been known to call. It really is the next best thing to 1-on-1.
--Do you start to see more customers in the spring, as the fear of an upcoming summer approaches? Is the period after New Year's the busiest for a trainer, or are there any other peaks in business that most people might not think of?
Spring and New Year's are the two times that most people think about a trainer. For the obvious reasons. But I stay busy all of the time. People preparing for athletic events need extra coaching. People with a family or class reunion want to look their best. Then there are always the people who have just been to the doctor for some reason and realize that they need some help. My goal as a trainer is to bridge the gap between the medical profession and the public. The healthier people are the less they will have to see the Doctor. Conversely, the less time a Doctor has to spend on healthy people the more time they have to help those who really need it.
David Corder, NSCA-CPTwww.perfectfitwc.com
David teaches an Abs Class and an Urban Hip-Hop Aerobics Class at the Coors Fitness Center here at DU. If you miss him this summer don't worry he'll be back in the fall. For more information on him check out his web site.
--What are some of the current fitness trends that you're seeing right now? Are there any popular ideas that your clients are bringing to you now more than before?
Fitness "trends" come and go. The one constant is health. With so many of us becoming less active in our work environments and also in our leisure activities "fitness" is the buzz word for health. Exercise and Nutrition are the "trends" but need to be a way of life. My clients come to me with so many thoughts on exercise and nutrition. They want to see results NOW. All of the ads and commercials lead them to believe that they can make changes with a pill or cream but they come to me because they don't work. This is a billion dollar industry. The need is there but the truth keeps being pushed aside for the almighty buck.
--Similarly, are there any fads in working out right now that you think might be harmful or dangerous for the client?
All of them! "Fads"mislead people into thinking there is an easy way to reach their goals. Diets deprive the body of the needed nutrients. All of the equipment ads lead people to believe that their product will change live's and bodies. These are not only harmful to the physical part of our bodies but also the mind. As people spend more and see fewer results the health cycle will just get worse.
--Do you see fewer clients who are interested in Atkins than before? Has this diet maintained its popularity or are people looking to something new for losing weight?
Atkins is nothing new. Low carb diets have been around before and they will come around again with a new name. People will always look for the "new" thing. When all they really need to do is eat sensibly. Avoid fast food. Avoid processed foods. Eat frequently. The newest "fad" diet is the three hour diet. Where you eat something every three hours. But most nutritionists have said, for years, that eating frequently helps to turn off the body's natural storage mechanism. Thereby telling the body to use the fat that is already there.
--What are the most typical misconceptions of people who are new to working out? What are some of the most common injuries that they should be watching out for?
Probably the most common misconception is that they will be in pain. If the exercises are done correctly and the proper rules of progression are applied. The most they will feel is a little achy. Which is overridden by the great feelings they will get from the natural endorphins created when they do a workout.
Over use injuries are the most common type of problem people get from working out too much. These are caused by doing the same exercises all the time. They need to mix things up. Change their program at least every six weeks and always allow a day of rest between workouts. Unless they are training for a specific sport or activity.
--What kind of balance do you encourage between cardio and weight training? Do men typically gravitate toward weights while women are more prone to cardio, or is that more of a fitness myth?
Those people "in the know" understand that cardio and weight training goes hand in hand. Finding the balance is more about finding out a persons goals. Weight loss requires both. Cardio for the extra calorie use and weight training for rebuilding muscle loss. Someone who just wants to put weight on needs to lower the cardio aspect but not drop it. This can explain the myth of men doing more weights and women doing more cardio. Men want to build and women want to lose, mostly. But, understanding your goals will help in balancing the amounts of both and give you better results.
--What kind of challenges do you face in online training as opposed to traditional 1-on-1 training? Are clients more prone to fibbing to a trainer online, when they don't have to show up to discuss their results?
The biggest challenge to training online is understanding where to start the client. I have them fill out several information forms to help me, but it's still a guess as to where to start them. This process in person can be done instantly. Online it takes sometimes a couple of weeks to get the program right. A client does their workout and immediately sends me the results via email. I, then, am able to assess the values of the workout and make the appropriate adjustments. Since I have results so quickly, it's almost like I'm there. All clients are held accountable. I know when you're supposed to work out and if I don't receive an update I will email or I've even been known to call. It really is the next best thing to 1-on-1.
--Do you start to see more customers in the spring, as the fear of an upcoming summer approaches? Is the period after New Year's the busiest for a trainer, or are there any other peaks in business that most people might not think of?
Spring and New Year's are the two times that most people think about a trainer. For the obvious reasons. But I stay busy all of the time. People preparing for athletic events need extra coaching. People with a family or class reunion want to look their best. Then there are always the people who have just been to the doctor for some reason and realize that they need some help. My goal as a trainer is to bridge the gap between the medical profession and the public. The healthier people are the less they will have to see the Doctor. Conversely, the less time a Doctor has to spend on healthy people the more time they have to help those who really need it.
David Corder, NSCA-CPTwww.perfectfitwc.com
David teaches an Abs Class and an Urban Hip-Hop Aerobics Class at the Coors Fitness Center here at DU. If you miss him this summer don't worry he'll be back in the fall. For more information on him check out his web site.
