Connecticut Health Club - Jim Cipriani Cutting Edge Personal Training

NEW

"Jump-Start Your Fitness"

Package

Start your training off on the right foot in 2009 with Cutting Edge Personal Training's "Jump-Start Your Fitness" Training Package. This introductory package includes:

A Complete 30-minute Fitness Consultation: this non-invasive, educational and fun analysis is not an actual workout but rather an information gathering session needed to properly build a program to meet your needs while maximizing your results. ($49 value)

3 one-hour One-one-One Personal Training Sessions with Jim ($169 value)

A 3-day trial membership to No-Limit Health & Fitness in Brookfield ($25 value)

Subscription to our Monthly Client-only Health and Fitness Newsletter (Priceless)

This entire package is valued at over $249, but it is yours for

only $99

(you save $150!)

Time slots are limited, so this is offered on a first-come, first-serve basis. Call my office or email me today to schedule your complete 30-minute fitness consultation!

(203)775-5128

First time members only

Who Needs A Personal Trainer?

Since the 1980’s, the personal training industry has grown by leaps and bounds into a major faction in the huge market of weight loss and fitness. In its embryonic stage, it was mostly for the rich and famous and the likes of those who were keeping up with the Jones’. Their desire was more for the status that was viewed along with being able to say “I have a trainer” rather than getting into any sort of shape. Twenty years later, we are looking at an industry that is being utilized by masses of people in their quest for solutions. But choosing the right personal trainer can be complicated. Who are these so called fitness “experts?” What are their credentials? Some don't even appear to workout themselves.

Deciphering who is qualified and who doesn't make the grade is hard to do, especially for the untrained individual. I have been in this business for a long time and when I take a look around me, I can see dozens of so called “experts” who don’t know their bum from their elbow. They think they know what they are talking about and, worse, so do the people they are training. These so called fitness “experts” more than likely received most of their education out of Flex Magazine or a friend whom, themselves, learned from a magazine. Hardly the basis of scientific training. There are even those out there that have received their “certifications” through the mail from a study at home course or a weekend seminar in the big city. Definitely a sub-par route for a well trained exercise leader.

To make it even more difficult in choosing a qualified fitness trainer, judging a book by its cover is not always the best idea. In fact, it can be down right hazardous. Many individuals who look great do so in spite of what they know, not because of some superior knowledge their body eludes of having. On the other side of the coin, being trained by an individual who doesn’t look like they practice what they preach is hardly motivating. I told you this was complicated.

So with all of these individuals polluting the industry, how will you know who to select as a respected fitness counselor? You want to look for a list of qualities. Not one quality…not two…but an eclectic list of qualifications. Here is a list of things to look out for when investing your money in a personal trainer:

1. Make sure they are educated. The preference hear is a college degree in a health and fitness related field, but it is not necessary. At the very least, you want to see that they are certified by a nationally recognized leader in the industry. To tell you the truth, I am not very high on certification courses. I am not saying that they don’t have their place, they are just not the say all/be all in the industry. I have actually been certified by 5 different organizations over the past 10 years. Why so many? Because they haven’t done a thing for me except take my membership fees. My knowledge was not enhanced much from many of them and the more I was able to learn through my own studies, the more I started to see that these certifications preach mediocre ways of fitness. To this day, the bulk of my knowledge has not come from my certification organizations. What certifications do you look for? There are hundreds of certification courses in the world and only a handful are considered quality by industry standards. At the top are ACSM, NSCA, and ISSA. Most of the other one's require very little knowledge to pass their tests. Most of them require home study or a weekend instructional course. Neither are going to educate anyone much in the way of being a fitness leader. All of this adds up to the fact that a certified trainer, alone, is not necessarily a qualified trainer.

2. They should practice what they preach. This may be the most important element in my opinion. Nothing in the world beats experience, and that goes for any endeavor. A great trainer should be extremely disciplined themselves and totally committed to fitness. The most knowledgeable individuals I have met in my life were not certified, nor were they even college educated. They were people who had a passion for weightlifting and devoted a great deal of their lives to their own development as well as learning the very best ways to get there. They have gone through the trial and error period for you. They have an innate ability to be intune with the human body. And, they love it and strive for knowledge as well as a higher level. Passion breeds passion. You want some one who will motivate you - - you want someone who is highly motivated themselves.

3. They should have a history of training and a list of referrals from satisfied clients. If you were to buy a car or a stereo, you may turn to a Consumer’s Report. When a company looks into hiring a new employee, they will ask for references. You are the company….the trainer is the new employee. Check those references! Do not be afraid to ask for them. A trainer who is serious about his business will have them. And a trainer who has done his clients justice will have no problem getting them. So all you trainers out there that are reading this, get written endorsements from your clients. They are an invaluable tool.

And, lastly …

4. A good trainer’s commitment to exercise and nutrition should be an ongoing process. I touched upon this a little in the second point, but this is what will separate them all. Why? Because science is telling us something new all the time about the most optimal ways of exercising and better ways of feeding the body. I have found this is one of the major facets that separates me from the pack. Not only do I have a craving for new research, I stay close to the leaders in the field. Take a look and see if your trainer is keeping up with the latest findings. With access to medical/health journals as well as the Internet, you have some resources where you can educate yourself. Next time you train with your trainer, quiz them. You will probably walk away teaching them something.

Now, I have just touched upon some of the aspects of a good personal trainer. Most of it comes down to every second of your workout being carefully orchestrated and being able to communicate it's execution. You should never have to compete for attention and for the best workout possible you should have access to top-of-the-line equipment. Your trainer should make it easy to focus on yourself and maximize that one-on-one session. With me, you are guaranteed all of these things...and more.

If you have a tax problem you would call an accountant. If you have a toothache, you call a dentist. If your car breaks down, you call a mechanic. Do you need a trainer? Have a fitness problem? Call a trainer.