Once all the hard work of study and hands-on experience of qualifying to become a personal trainer has been completed, it’s time for you to put into practice precisely what you’ve learned during your time with Australian Fitness Academy. This can mean either applying for jobs at gyms and health centres around the country, or perhaps even going it alone as a solo enterprise.
The concept of preparing meals in advance, A.K.A ‘meal prepping’, has become an increasingly popular trend and an incredibly helpful healthy eating strategy. The hectic nature of today’s lifestyle makes it extremely difficult, if not impossible, to have enough time to cook your lunchtime meals at home each day. When you have a busy schedule, being caught without pre-prepared food can often lead you to grabbing the most convenient food option available for a quick fix– most likely take away or junk food.
Fartlek, a Swedish term for “speed play” is a form of interval training involving continuous activity with randomised short bursts of high intensity efforts. This creative, less structured form of training is a great way to mix up your run workouts and challenge your body to become faster over longer distances. Unlike intervals, where you stop or walk for recovery, Fartlek is continuous running with varying paces, blending endurance with speed. The randomised nature of Fartlek training is designed to continuously shock and stress the body systems, providing both physical and mental gains.
Yoga, an ancient practice and meditation, has become increasingly popular in today’s busy society. With many forms of exercise and training coming and going, yoga is one that has stood the test of time, having been around for more than 5,000 years. The word yoga means ‘to join or yoke together’. It brings your body and mind together, and is built on three main elements – exercise, breathing and meditation.
Recovery techniques have become an integral component of high performance sport, with new methods continuously being investigated and introduced to give athletes a competitive advantage. Adequate recovery has been shown to result in the restoration of physiological and psychological processes, with the aim of reducing fatigue and enhancing performance.
It’s only natural to assume therefore that in order for our clients to succeed, the training we provide must include a variety of training methods, techniques and varying equipment to ensure that they are not only achieving their own health and fitness goals, but also enjoying their workouts.
As a personal trainer, it is important to monitor not just your client’s fitness levels, but also their basic nutrition, including sufficient hydration. However, while you may be preoccupied with their health, do not neglect your own in the process. Making sure you drink enough water benefits your wellbeing, which in turn, reflects on your performance when training your client.
There is no doubt that becoming a personal trainer can change someone’s life forever. By being a mentor, personal trainers develop a deep connection with clients, helping them reach their physical goals and becoming healthier in the process.
However, there is another side of personal training that is often overlooked – the power of improved mental health.
For many fitness professionals, their role as a personal trainer is more than a job – it is a lifestyle. From the early hours of the morning to the late evening, personal trainers are out and about supporting their clients in reaching their individual health and fitness goals.
One piece of gym equipment which can be utilised in plenty of different ways to keep a workout fresh and interesting, are medicine balls. Not to be confused with the softer exercise or Swiss ball, medicine balls can be used by a range of clients with different fitness goals.
