2015 is the year of the ladies hitting the bar…bell.
Finally, we’ve come to terms with the idea that strength training and barbells aren’t just for meatheads and bodybuilders.
Every day, real women are getting stuck into strength training and conditioning programs and LOVING it. Here are 9 reasons why YOU should consider joining a semi private S&C style gym too…
1. You’ll learn proper form and technique. If you’re the kinda girl who always stuck to pink dumbbells and machines because you were worried about getting hurt, or didn’t know what to do with your gyms selection of plates, barbells and racks – semi private training is a great place to start.
Any good gym will bring you through an induction process where they teach you the fundamental movements like squat, bench and deadlift, and how to look after your mobility and recovery too.
2. Say goodbye to boredom. Good strength training always has some element of unpredictability built into it. That might be changing the rest periods, substituting movements and showing you things you’ve NEVER gone before.
Gymnastic style movements, kettlebell swings, barbell lifts running, rowing etc etc…. Learning new movements and racing against the clock to get more done is incredibly mentally stimulating, and will make the 45-60 minute class fly by.
3. Measurable results, that have nothing to do with the scales. Peter Drucker, the famous management consultant, once said “what gets measured, gets managed”. And if they only way you measure your success is against the scales, that’s what you’ll obsess about. In otherwords, it’s an “outcome” goal – not a process orientated goal.
When you focus on process and performance (like did you do a workout faster, have you gotten stronger, did you get more work done) then not only do you have a load of little battles you can and DO win, but you can also stop with the unhealthy obsession with whether the scale moves up or down a couple of lbs.
…cos we all know depending on the day, week or month, it could literally say ANYTHING, and the last thing you want for all your hard work is to be dealing with that shit right?
Focus on performance, strength and fitness, rather than bodyweight.
4. You will look shit hot. Looking good isn’t just about how much you weigh. In fact, it’s not about that at all!! It’s about your “body composition” – your muscle versus fat. Think about it this way – if you just keep trying to strip away fat then eventually you’ll end up looking like someone dumped a big ill fitting dress on a tiny model, because there’s no curves or contours.
Instead, if you want a perky butt, and curves in the RIGHT places you have to build them – and you do that with strength movements like squats, deadlifts and presses.
5. Everything can be modified / scaled to your needs. A good coach will know what someone can or can’t do, and how to get them from ground zero to top of the tower. In any small personal training group you’ll have everything from first timers to seasoned vets. A good personal trainer will recognise that…
…but a GREAT trainer will adapt the movements for individuals so that everyone gets a great workout. For example, if you can’t yet do pull ups, you might do some sort of rowing variation which works the same muscles as you build up towards pulling yourself over the bar. Or maybe you just select a slightly different weight for a given workout – it doesn’t have to be complicated.
6. New workout partners. Gyms can be lonely. You show up every day, and see the same people all the time, but no one ever says hello or throws a high 5 your way when you smash a workout. That sucks. The best part about training in a semi private group is that you all go through it together.
The teamwork, the camaraderie, and yes… the suffering! One of the quickest ways to forge new friendships is to go through tough experiences together. Just like taking the leap of faith into a new training program.
Plus, it’s always cool hearing the stories from “advanced” members about THEIR first day and how when they started off they were just like you.
7. Efficiency. Not only is training in a normal gym boring and lonely, but it’s also a waste of time. Literally. By the time you get in, pick what you’re going to do, and then wait on the next piece of equipment to become free, you’ve wasted 30-60 minutes more than you should have.
If you only have an hour to train, you want something that gets EVERYTHING in in that hour (cardio and strength work) and you get to show up without having to worry or plan about what you’re going to do – ya just let your coach take care of it.
8. It’s like personal training, but more affordable. For years there were only 2 options in the Irish gym scene – a commercial gym (€30 per month) or personal training (€500-750 per month). One got you nowhere, the other was probably out of reach. Yes, semi private training can be a significant financial investment, but you still get most of the same benefits and results that you’d get with a PT for a fraction of the price.
Typically, a semi private PT session costs €10-15 per go, which is A LOT better than the €60-80 most good PTs charge.
And if you join the right gym, your coaches will make an effort to get to know everyone on an individual level so they can help them with goal setting and long term plans. On top of getting individual attention and guidance on form and technique too.
That’s without mentioning the help with nutrition, stretching, mobility, the correct supplements to take (…and if you should even be taking them at all) and so much more.
9. Strength training is functional. I’ll never forget the day my girlfriend posted on instagram about bossing 2 trolleys around ikea and packing it all into the car herself. Things like carrying shopping, moving heavy objects and daily life just become plain easier when you’re stronger.
You get strong with real world objects in full ranges of motion which not only gives you a hotter body, but it also gets rid of aches and pains, and makes you more injury resilient. More strength is NEVER a weakness.
I could go on for days and days about why you should be joining a semi private gym and getting REAL coaching rather than just showing up a gym and getting nowhere, but if you’re not convinced by now to give it a try, there may be no hope for you… 😉
If you live around Drumcondra / Glasnevin, and want to try it out for yourself on a 2 week trial, shoot us a mail here and we’ll hook you up: https://revolutionfitness.ie/contact/
…and even you don’t, mail us anyway because we’ll probably be able to recommend somewhere near to you to try!
PS – one last thing, commercial gym classes are a great starting point to learn what group exercise feels like, but if you want real results and all of the benefits above, you’ll only get those in a semi private training group, or with a personal trainer