Trainer Notes: Week One

Well, Michael completed his first full week of training with us here in Delafield. It was a good week, including 3 resistance training workouts followed by moderate cardio, and 2 additional cardiovascular workouts, which focused more on interval and heart rate based training. We've also already completed 2 nutritional sessions. It's been fun getting to know Michael and see the effort he puts forth in his workouts. The first week of an exercise program, as many people have experienced, can be, well...challenging, both physically and mentally. The muscle aches, ongoing soreness, and overall fatigue can make it difficult to convince yourself that you can push through it, it will get better, and you can do this. As Michael mentioned in his video blog, however, even he was surprised that he wasn't cyring in pain or sore for days in a row. This is because most people, and many trainers, often make the mistake of pushing too hard, too fast. Taking in the bigger picture, this only puts people at risk for injury, burnout, and ultimately failure with their exercise program.

For almost everyone, the answer to their "fitness related" problem isn't going to be solved in their first week with workouts that push them to every physical limit. Starting with a focus on safety, making some basic improvements in function, strength, and conditioning level, and a focus on continual progression and appropriate intensity levels will make all of the difference in the end. By focusing on these things, along with the proper structure to his program to focus on good recovery, Michael was still able to work hard during the week, make noticeable progress by the end of the week, but avoid getting the extreme soreness or fatigue. He is already making good improvements even this week so far, and each week he will get stronger, more fit, his body will function better, and he will be less prone to injury. Going forward, we'll keep everyone updated on his progress with his workouts, and be able to go into more detail with what types of workouts and exercises he is doing to help him reach his goals. Thanks for the support, and stay tuned...