Fitness Q & A

Q: What benefits will I get from exercise?

A: There are so many benefits to exercise, below we have listed some;

-lose weight
-tone up
-tighten glutes
-firm tummy
-strengthen lower back

-ease daily activities
-smaller clothes
-stress relief
-improved sleep patterns

Q. Why hire a Personal Trainer?

A. trainer will motivate you while showing you proper technique for the most effective exercises. No more wasting time on ineffective routines or boring workouts!

Q. Why train in-home?

A. Training in your home saves you one of life's most valuable resources: TIME! Also, your workout can be designed using the equipment that you already have available. If you're in the market for some new pieces of equipment who better to help you create a motivating space than your personal trainer.

F.I.T.T Principle 

This frequently used concept refers to how your fitness program is designed.

FREQUENCY Refers to the number of workouts you expect to accomplish per week.  Canada’s Guide for Healthy Active Living recommends 4-7 sessions per week for health.  A number of factors come in to play, such as the number of sessions a client can commit to, the current fitness level, the health status of the client and the client’s goals.  For maximum weight loss within your personal training program, 5-7 sessions per week may be appropriate.

If your goal is to start becoming active then you may choose to start with 3 workouts each week.  If you have a weight loss, performance or competition goal, such as a half-marathon or a triathlon, then you may choose to train 5 or 6 times per week.  Speak to your trainer to choose the frequency that’s perfect for you.

INTENSITY This refers to the level of difficulty of the training session.  Sufficient demand must be placed on the body so that the client sees results, but enjoys success.  If the workout session is too hard, so that the client cannot complete the workout or feels ill, then it is too difficult and motivation will decline.  To maximize results, including fat loss and cardiovascular conditioning, your personal trainer will help you to design a program with the right intensity.

A great way to measure intensity is to calculate the Target Heart Rate Zone (THR)

Target Heart Rate= 220-Age of Client x the Percentage of Maximum Heart Rate

Example: 45 year old female at 65%

                =220-45 x 0.65

                =175 x 0.65

                =114 beats per minute

Intensity is determined by the trainer and each individual client according to weight loss and health goals as well as current medical status. 

Another way to measure intensity is with the Borg Scale of Perceived Exertion

Rate of Perceived Exertion

RPE Value                                      Description
6-11                                       Extremely light-Light
12-15                                     Somewhat hard-Hard
16-20                                     Very Hard-Maximal Exertion

Your personal trainer can help you to determine how hard you should be working to achieve your fat loss, weight loss, body transformation and fitness goals in the shortest amount of time possible.

Many trainers encourage clients to use a Heart Rate Monitor during Cardiovascular Training.  This helps to provide immediate, accurate and continual feedback about the intensity of the training session and can be very useful in designing an effective workout program to put you on the fast track to success.

TIME The duration of the activity and workout session is also involved in determining a suitable fitness program.  The time spent will be determined by your individual goals, time available for fitness, your current fitness level and goals and your exercise experience.

Clients who are new to exercise may choose to start with 10 to 15 minutes of continuous activity and increase by a minute each workout, or 5 minutes a week.  Clients who have a moderate to high level of fitness may choose to exercise 30-60 minutes each day to achieve the results that they are looking for.  Please speak to your Personal Trainer to discuss the program that will help you achieve your goals as quickly as possible.

TYPE  It’s important for your personal trainer to help you to identify activities that you will enjoy participating in within your fitness program.  If you loved track and field in high school, then you may enjoy sprint training within your fitness program.  If you excelled in team sports, then maybe court or field drills would be best suited to maximize your results within your personal training program.  Whichever type of exercise you choose, this is where you can have fun and stay fit- the options are endless! 

Athleticism is trainable, so ask your trainer how awaken the athlete in you. 

Get the Body You’ve Always Wanted by using the F.I.T.T Principles for best results with Personal Training, Body Transformation and Weight Loss Programs.

S.M.A.R.T. Goal Setting Princples to Fitness Training

S = Specific
M = Measurable
A = Attainable
R = Realistic
T = Timely

Specific: Goals should be straightforward and emphasize what you want to happen. Specifics help us to focus our efforts and clearly define what we are going to do.  A goal must be to the point and focused on a specific outcome.

WHAT are you going to do? Use action words such as achieve, direct, gain, organize, coordinate, lead, create, develop, plan, build etc.

WHY is this important to do at this time? What do you want to ultimately accomplish?

HOW are you going to do it? Detail the steps you need to take to achieve your goal.

Make sure that the goal you set is very specific, clear and easy. Instead of setting a goal to lose weight, set a specific goal to lose an inch off your waist.

Measurable: If you can't measure it, you can't achieve it.  You have to be able to quantify your starting point, your achievements and your success.

“I want to run a 5K in under 30 minutes” instead of “I’d like to start running” or “I will lose 2 full sizes” instead of “I will lose inches”

Establish criteria for measuring progress toward the attainment of your goals.  When you measure your progress, you stay on track, reach your target dates, and experience the exhilaration of achievement that motivates you to continue the effort required to reach your goals.

Attainable: Choose goals that you can commit to, not something that is too far out of reach. You may start with good intentions, but you must believe that your goal is within your grasp.  You will need to stretch a bit to achieve your goal, but it’s important to allow success to keep you on track.

Realistic: Look at where your have been and what you have done in your life. 
Look at your current lifestyle and imagine where you would like to be.

Choose a goal that will push you, but is within your grasp.

Timely: Set a timeframe for the goal: Set a safe, appropriate timeline to achieve your goals.  Running a  half-marathon next month sets you up for failure and injury.  Running a half-marathon in six months allows you time to train properly, but it also demands a sense of urgency to start training NOW. 

Use short-term goals and long-term dreams to pave your road to success 

If you have a question, please email us at results@imaginefitness.ca