I worked out with my new personal trainer yesterday. He’s also an old friend. Josh has been a personal trainer at Equinox for several years. He’s a guru of fitness. I always wanted to hire him to help me get fitter. Alas, I couldn’t afford even the basic Equinox membership much less their additional personal training charges. Josh recently started his own enterprise to manage individual’s health and fitness. Finally, I could afford him. And even better, we work out in my condo’s exercise room. Upon his arrival, I just put on my sneakers and meet him in the lobby.
There are good and bad parts of hiring a friend as a personal trainer. The good part is he knows me. The bad part is he knows me. There is this fear of any personal trainer’s scrutinization. Their job is to assess the situation and map out an improvement plan. Being a new client can be terrifying especially if a person is not fit.
Most of the folks I know that have a personal trainer are already in good shape. Their quest is more of a status statement. And good on them, they are optimizing the athlete within thanks to their personal trainer. Plus, I’ve seen some of the guys without their shirts on and ooh-la-la!
For the rest of the folks, fearing the personal trainer is real. Why would I want someone concentrating on my body’s every movement? Undressing me with their eyes…and not in a good way. Yes, I face this newest journey with both nervousness and excitement.
My initial heebie-jeebies melted away during my first session. I love having a personal trainer or more accurately I love having Josh as my personal trainer. Don’t get me wrong our first session had its awkward moments. He asked me questions to determine what my expectations are. I’d answer with my optimistic-defeatist mixture. My #1 goal *IS* I want to be healthier. That *IS* my focus.
Josh responds as he often responds to something I say. His eyebrow raises into a question mark. He doesn’t ever have to utter the “really?” I know him. He knows me.
I *really* don’t have a consuming fantasy of becoming a size 8. I’ve been dieting for 44 years, I’ve been exercising for 22 years. It didn’t happen. Thin has always been beyond my grasp. I just want to be healthier and if I lose weight, great! I just can’t let that be my obsession.
At the end of our first session, Josh stretched me out. It was like a Thai massage. I didn’t do any of the work. He pulled and pushed my limbs in multiple directions with a tough gentleness. At one point, I thought my arm would pop off. It didn’t. Josh said that has only happened with a client twice. 😉
This morning I can really feel my body. Saying I’m sore isn’t accurate. There is this heightened sensitivity rippling through my body. I feel awakened. I feel stronger. I feel energized. I’m heading downstairs to do some time on the dreadmill.