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6 COSTLY MISCONCEPTIONS ABOUT PERSONAL TRAINING

MISCONCEPTION #1

I CAN TRAIN MYSELF. Exercise is one of the only industries where people think, “I can do it all on my own.” I don’t want to take any power away from the individual,  but exercise is a science. Think of it like this: You can build your own house without architects, contractors and subcontractors, but what would be the quality of that house? Would it meet all the codes? Would it be a good use of your time and energy? What would be the cost to fix all the mistakes down the road? Or would it be much easier, more efficient, and more cost-effective in the long run to hire a professional? When it comes to training, you need to hire someone who knows how to get you to burn fat, gain lean muscle, and feel amazing in the safest, fastest, and most effective way.

MISCONCEPTION #2

EDUCATION IS THE END-ALL, BE-ALL. When it comes to picking a personal trainer, education is a MUST. But it should not be the only factor. I have hired many trainers that had masters degrees in exercise science, and they had no clue how to execute a training program or interact with a client in the correct way.

Science is a very left-brained activity, and the art of personal training is very right-brained. The art of personal training is having the emotional intelligence to meet the client where they are at and get them to where they would like to be in a non-threatening manner. This is why our personal trainers must have the science background, as well as complete a rigorous 3-month in-house certification showing they can implement the art of personal training, coaching and understand the science all at the same time.

MISCONCEPTION #3

I WILL GET INJURED IF I DO PERSONAL TRAINING. Our bodies are designed to move a lot.
Movement, oxygen consumption and a good diet is the fuel to a healthy, strong
and fit body. A healthy, strong and fit body leads to a happy and more
enjoyable life. The more we move, the happier we are. That is why depressed
people move less.

Movement itself is more effective than antidepressants. With that being said, the more we move the more there is a chance for injury. This is statistically proven. For example, athletes have a higher injury rate, because they move a lot in a fast and dynamic environment. Does this mean that we should stop movement all together? Should athletes stop playing sports because of the increased chance of injury? Or should we focus on moving correctly and minimizing the risk for injury and strengthen the body for unexpected times when we need strength, endurance and power. A perfect example of this is when an EarthFIT client has surgery for an unrelated health issue. Very often, the EarthFIT client recovers from the surgery 50 percent faster because of the unique EarthFIT training method.

When we create our individualized EarthFIT fitness programs for our clients, we are always assessing and analyzing RISK VS REWARD. This simple analysis prevents 99 percent of injuries related to training. The truth is, I have met more people that are injured making their beds or stepping off a curb, than from training.

MISCONCEPTION #4

I WILL GET BULKY. Many women, in particular, during a fitness assessment will say
the following, “I want to tone up but I don’t want to get bulky.” Any female
bodybuilder will attest how difficult it is to get bulky. It is a full time
job, literally. They must train for hours a day and eat a strict diet.

Training for 30 minutes three to four times per week is designed to burn fat, gain lean muscle, and regulate hormones. It will never cause bulk. The reality is, women do not have enough testosterone to get bulky. You have to train a specific way (hypertrophy training) and eat a specific diet consisting of a lot of protein. The myth of bulking up may come from using an inexperienced trainer. When not supervised by an educated and experienced professional, some people may start a training regimen and increase their calorie intake thinking it will help with their training. When in fact, the increased calories puts more fat on top of the muscle they are gaining. This phenomena leads to what many women think is bulking up.

MISCONCEPTION #5

THE ONLY REASON TO TRAIN IS TO CHANGE YOUR BODY. Improving your body may be the reason you think
you want to train. But that is not the real reason.  Deep in the recesses
of your mind is the ‘reptilian brain’ and it’s only job is to scan the
environment for threats and keep you alive.

Death is not the only thing it is trying to prevent. It is also
preventing social death, as well a multitude of other unpleasant feelings.

When EarthFIT clients give me testimonials, I will ask a specific
question: “What was your life like before EarthFIT?” The response is, “I had no
energy. I had joint aches and pains. I felt weak.” Then I will ask, “What is
your life like now after training at EarthFIT?” They say, “I feel amazing. I
have more energy. I have more confidence. I feel happier. I am stronger. My
kids and my husband are now healthier too. I have less joint pain.”

At that point I will say, “Remember you lost 30 lbs.” They will say, “Oh yeah! I forgot to mention that.” The reality is they came to EarthFIT because they thought they wanted to lose weight. In the end, what brought them to training was to increase happiness through feeling healthy, less pain, increased confidence and self esteem, and having more time and energy to spend with loved ones. The weight loss is a bonus.

You can see real responses here that confirm this:

Krystal Testimonial https://vimeo.com/301623706

Erin Testimonial https://vimeo.com/299528805

Jasmina Testimonial https://vimeo.com/297190370

Cherimie Testimonial https://vimeo.com/297190310

Alyssa Testimonial https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=U8-1Aq-LBqY

Jen Testimonial https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=9J2b1K0Pzgs

Tom Testimonial https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=9EvmH7atJiI

Deb Testimonial https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=SY0wh75w6uY

MISCONCEPTION #6

DIET VS EXERCISE. Exercise alone has the ability to increase happiness, help you lose weight and burn fat. But exercise alone cannot achieve your desired goals. A combination of a good training program with a nutrition plan that is enjoyable and easy to follow will help you achieve those goals. Our EarthFIT Fuel 90 Day Challenge program changes the way people see food and their mindset toward it. In combination with training three times a week and doing recovery training sessions two times a week, an individual can transform into a TOTALLY different person in 90 days.

Here are a few examples:

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