Fitness Gets Personal

Newcastle Herald

Tuesday April 25, 2000

writes Linda Barnier

As the temperature drops, so too does motivation to exercise. That's when personal trainers come to the rescue, writes Linda Barnier.

WITH the winter months looming, most of us are inclined to hang up our joggers and take to the sofa with a big bowl of warm pudding.

But, for people who are serious, really serious, about getting and staying fit, the smart thing to do would be go out and find an expert to keep them going.

That's where personal trainers come in.

Starting from about $15 a session, a personal trainer becomes your conscience ? someone to hold your hand through those tight tummy curls, shout encouragement, motivate when you cannot run another minute on the treadmill and push you through hours of gruelling exercises.

Personal trainers make you do it.

Owner of The Personal Edge Chris Delaney predicts `heaps' of people will give up training during the chilly season because gyms and fitness centres fail to motivate them.

Chris has operated the Darby St training studio for the past five years and said a lot of `average, everyday people' were turning to personal trainers for motivation.

`There's been a real shift of people using trainers because they can see we get results,' Chris said.

Chris develops a tailor-made program for each client and offers group sessions for those looking to cut costs.

`Groups are small, so I can still maintain one-on-one contact,' he said.

Chris's clients are mostly female, ranging in age from 25 to 60.

They include business and sports people, housewives and professionals.

`All of them have extremely busy lifestyles and as a result, don't have a lot of time to exercise or (they) have just lost motivation,' Chris said.

Without Chris's help, Sue, 28, says she would have crumpled in a heap.

Sue, a professional, worked 70 hours a week, ate take-away foods, was sick and on the verge of a breakdown before Chris came into her life late last year.

`Training has given me more energy, motivation and better work performance,' she said.

`When I first started I was really too stressed to make any suggestions so he was making them for me.

`My diet was bad ? I was eating anything I could get my hands on when I got home from work at 2am.

`The stress just crept up on me where I felt I couldn't cope any longer.'

Sue said she looked forward to her tri-weekly sessions, which included jogging, stair climbing, weight training and stretching.

`It's something I look forward to and I know I'll keep coming through the cooler months because I'll have Chris rousing on me if I don't!' she said.