A personal trainer might just be the resolution solution - Jamaica Gleaner

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It is that time again when New Year’s resolutions are made, and high on the list of what many people resolve to achieve is to lose weight and get fit, for whatever reasons. In the majority of cases, while the new year melts away, the fat and unfitness remain, lingering until another new year rolls around.

It is principally about a lack of commitment to that promise to self, indiscipline, lack of time and motivation, downright laziness. Yet, there is a way, one of many – the hiring of a personal trainer (PT), who is a person who attends to the physical and fitness needs of his or her client.

As the term implies, it is a one-on-one partnership in which the client is instructed by the PT as he/she sees fit. Sometimes the training takes place in a public space, such as a gym or open field, or it may be in the client’s own private space, at work or at home, away from the eyes of onlookers.

Recently, The Gleaner spoke with Daniel Thompson, a graduate of G.C. Foster College of Physical Education (GCFCPE), at Angels in St Catherine, where he studied sport massage therapy. He is a massage therapist, a masseur, a personal trainer and fitness instructor at the GCFCPE gym. Some of the issues discussed were the necessity for a PT, the commitment of the client, and the PT’s attitude towards his or her client, and affordability. Why, then, is a PT necessary?

He or she is the one who is going to drive the client to achieve his or her goal, to motivate and inspire the client, to give all the attention to the client, to make sure the client stick to the routine and not be distracted, to guide the exercises, and to monitor the client’s development.

This is in contrast to working out in a gym, where there are so many people to be attended to comprehensively, or working out at home alone without any serious push or guidance.

“A personal training is necessary because it keeps you accountable, because it is not just about the money … it is also about being disciplined,” Thompson said.

The PT is the client’s conscience, and while there is commitment to his or her client’s success, the client must be committed to himself or herself. Because, it doesn’t matter how much the PT tries, if the client doesn’t reciprocate, then everything will be in vain; time and money wasted.

Money well spent​

Thompson said the onus is largely on the shoulders of the client, who has paid his or her money, and the idea of not wanting to waste that money should be another motivation to stay on track. He said, “My principle is, turn up, and I will do the rest; and if you don’t up, call or text me in advance.”

Talking about money, some of the complaints from people who would love to have a PT are that they charge too much, the fees are out of their budget, and the practice of having a PT is elitist. The counterargument is that doctor’s bills and medication for non-communicable diseases are even higher, and so it is an investment in the client’s health. So, for Thompson, it is not so much about the money; it is about results and staying fit and healthy. It is money well spent.

Thompson, who himself has a PT, attends to a variety of clients with different levels of fitness and health, from people who: have sport injuries; are very unfit; are fit and healthy, but need massage therapy from time to time; are bedridden in homes; to those who might just want a full-body, stress-relieving massage.

Over the years, Thompson has played football and basketball, and was a 400-metre runner and long jumper with a dream to go as far as possible in track and field. Injuries and other factors did not allow him to maximise his potential, but he is not sitting in a corner moping over what he is yet to accomplish.

Thompson’s love for sports and fitness has inspired him to remain in the fitness industry, and he has absolutely no intention to change jobs, especially to a nine-to-five one, which is going to interfere with his freedom to be. His dream is to have a fitness complex with a gym and a farm, because the food factor is integral to weight loss and fitness. He is on Instagram at d_oraine massage therapy.

“I have a passion for farming … and I am going to make this a part of farming … healthy living … . It can work, and my employees should be athletes themselves … . It’s workable,” he said. “A personal trainer is somebody who takes into consideration someone who wants to elevate their lifestyle in a physical way, and in a more healthy way, so the objective of a physical trainer is to guide that person holistically in being physically fit.”

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