Switch It Up Saturday: Personal Training with a Twist!

Personal training has worked really well for me (Joann) over the years.  It has been my go to even when I was slacking at the gym.   I don’t like canceling appointments, so this made me show up!   I need to be pushed and challenged when it comes to workouts.  I find a good personal trainer keeps the workout interesting.  I would train twice a week and try to head to the gym (or outside in nice weather) for the rest of the week.

My form of exercise and strength training took a little twist last year.  I have been training with a personal trainer on and off for years.  She has taken me through 2 meniscus surgeries and an achilles tendon surgery. She has become a close friend over the years. Last year she decided to move to Florida.  

I was concerned I would not keep up my training.  I am a person who knows exactly what to do, but I need to be pushed.   If I set out to do 50 crunches, I stop at 30.   I need to be accountable to someone.   Michele kept saying, “we should train by Skype” and I laughed.   Well, we decided to try it, and I was pleasantly surprised.

It’s so easy to wake up, get dressed and head to the basement for my workout.   I set up my laptop so she can see me working out and we connect by Skype.  I inherited some equipment from Michele when she moved.  She left me a step, medicine ball, and some bands.   I had some weights that Alyson left behind when she moved out.   I’ve since added to my collection.  (TJMaxx always has some really great discounted workout pieces.   You just have to keep visiting and get lucky.  I’ve scored with some weights and a kettle bell.  I found a good deal on a bosu ball on Amazon.)

This winter was one of the coldest and snowiest in years.  Had I been training at the gym, there would have been a lot of cancellations due to weather.  Instead, I just head to the basement!

I don’t have any cardio equipment, but that didn’t stop Michele from doing circuits with me.   In between my squats and weights, she manages to get my heartbeat up with jacks, mountain climbers and other exhausting moves.  I don’t have a very large area, but I’ve made it work.  She can see my form and correct me. There is no doubt that I get just as good a workout at home as I did at the gym.  Anyone else out there have an "out of the box" experience with a trainer?