RPE

After my last post, a friend brought up RPE (Rate of Perceived Exertion) and made some great points.  My last post is incomplete without this topic.  How hard you think you’re working out can be quite different from how hard you’re really working out.

Sometimes it takes working out with a personal trainer to put forth the effort you’re supposed to.  When it’s one-on-one there’s nowhere to hide, haha.  Your trainer sees all and knows all.  There are people who might try to fake being at their limit (and might even get away with it), but I don’t see any point in doing that.  I’m paying for the session so I want to get everything I can out of it.  *I* have to do the work if *I* want the benefits.  Besides, I’m pretty sure my trainer could see right through me if I tried to fake it.  In fact there are times he’ll ask, “Is that all you’ve got?” and I realize I’ve got more to give.  Some might take the question as an easy out – a chance to say, “Yes, I’m done!”  But when I hear that question, it’s the challenge I need and want in order to dig deeper.  I rarely pushed myself like that on my own before going to a personal trainer.  Now it’s easier to push myself elsewhere (like the 1000-rep challenges or class/group workouts) because I’ve been learning that I’m capable of doing more.  This is exactly what I needed.

I think going to a personal trainer also helps to reduce (if not eliminate) excuses.  Turns out I was the queen of excuses when I was trying all my own fitness plans.  I didn’t like cardio, I didn’t want to get up early, my schedule was so busy, and so on.  To be honest, I think I was trying to figure out how to get by with the least amount of effort or disruption but was expecting incredible results.  Seriously??

You don’t get excuses with a trainer.  But really, you don’t want to make excuses either!  Maybe I’m wrong but I don’t think most people who pay for a trainer are trying to just “get by”.  Maybe this is one of the keys to my success.  I want it and I’m willing to earn it now, whereas in the past maybe I was playing games with myself.

So maybe part of the value of becoming a personal trainer is helping someone reach beyond what they thought they could do.  To give accountability and encouragement as much as fitness guidance and knowledge….

Wow, there’s a lot more to personal training than just physical fitness!  I’m so excited!!