Robert McLaughlin's experience working with a personal trainer has a familiar beginning for many of our clients. It started with an injury. He came to Precision to work on building strength and losing weight while he was waiting to get a diagnosis for his knee. It turns out he had a torn ligament (ACL) so personal training was derailed for a while by surgery and rehab, but now he's into a routine working with his trainer David Sims.
Robert and David seem like a good match.
Says Robert, "I try to go as hard as I can and operate at my limits. Sometimes I feel like I can't move at the end of the workout, and that's what I want."
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| "One of the things I like about working with David is I don't have to plan ahead for my sessions. I just have to show up and push myself. I can trust him to put me through my paces, and that I'll see progress" says Robert McLaughlin. |
Says David, "I like to see people push themselves and accomplish things they initially think they can't do."
David has been involved in competitive sports for most of his life, but professionally up until a few years ago he was a realtor, who happened to train with Craig and Pepe. "When I was looking for something more rewarding, Craig pointed out I seemed to enjoy the gym since I was there every day, and I should consider becoming a personal trainer."
He sees personal training (both for him and his clients) as an opportunity to integrate fitness into day-to-day life. "Once people make a mental commitment to really change it becomes easy for them to find the time to workout and eating more healthy, because it's a priority."
Robert says the most valuable thing he's learned from David is that you can always find 15-20 minutes. And as Robert has learned, the results quickly follow. "Even my cardio (which is NOT my favourite), has improved to the point that other people are noticing at beer league hockey."
In theory Robert trains at the gym twice a week but he's on the road for work a lot so he often can't make it into the gym. But he works out on the road with the training routine David gave him (see below for David's Travel Training Tip).
For Robert, the trickiest part of traveling is not exercise but nutrition. He goes to lots of dinners and cocktail meetings, and often needs to grab quick snacks. "David made it clear to me at the beginning that if I wanted to see ongoing improvements I was going to need to pay attention to what I ate and when", says Robert. "But, when I'm on the road, given my schedule, I have to remind myself that I can't throw away the whole day just because I deviate on one meal".
Trainer Tip from David Sims:
Traveling, whether for work or holidays (file this away for next month), frequently disrupts workout schedules, but those excuses don't go far with David Sims.
He points out that most hotels have a gym, so you can keep right on with your regular routine. If you don't have access to a gym you can still do a full workout with only 5 square feet and 20 minutes. He'll send his clients an email with their personalized travel workout but the key components are often push-ups, sit-ups, lunges, burpees and running up and down stairs. Equipment isn't necessary but if you have the room a skipping rope and resistance bands can add some intensity to the workout.
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