It takes professional skills to be a physical trainer<\/p>\n
The Jakarta Post, Jakarta<\/p>\n
In the first few sessions at the gym, Heidi still had some
\nexcuses not to exercise to the limit.<\/p>\n
\"You know, it's my first time back to the gym again after two
\nmonths off. So, it's normal if I can't do all of the sets,
\nright?\" she said to her instructor after a session at the Jakarta
\nHilton International's Life Spa & Fitness Center.<\/p>\n
But now, after a month, her grace period is over.<\/p>\n
Thomas Weber, the center's program director who assists Heidi
\nfor the three-month program, is no longer soft on her. Gradually,
\nThomas increased the weight, the repetitions and the variety of
\nthe exercises.<\/p>\n
\"We've done a lot of exercise for the lower body, so now we're
\ngoing to work out on the upper body as well,\" he said, while
\nescorting Heidi to several machines that, for her, looked like
\ntorture devices from the Middle Ages.<\/p>\n
When Heidi grimaced, showing her lack of muscle strength due
\nto years of a sedentary lifestyle, Thomas no longer felt sorry
\nfor her and did not heed Heidi's wish to stop the exercise.<\/p>\n
\"Come on, you can do it. It's just several sets before the
\nweekend, come on,\" he said mercilessly.<\/p>\n
One morning, while Heidi was having a break between sets and
\npanting on one of the machines, Thomas excused himself for a
\nmoment, approaching a lady who was on a stepper.<\/p>\n
He then corrected the lady's movement by showing her the right
\nmovement on another stepper nearby.<\/p>\n
\"You shouldn't bend your knee all the way,\" he said.<\/p>\n
The lady, while thanking him for the correction, was a bit
\nupset.<\/p>\n
\"I've been doing this for 16 years, you know. Why has there
\nnever been an instructor who told me the right way to use it?
\nWhat's the use of those instructors then? Why didn't they ever
\ntell me how to do it right? I could get an injury, you know,\" she
\nsaid.<\/p>\n
Have you ever come to the gym, just wanting to do some
\nexercise, but get little, if any, help from the instructors?<\/p>\n
Heidi remembered her own experience a long time ago when she
\nwas still in college. She went to the gym, completely clueless
\nabout what to do, but no one offered help.<\/p>\n
Not until she asked one of the instructors to help her did
\nthey give some assistance.<\/p>\n
Heidi's colleague at her office, Yuli, also had the same
\nexperience.<\/p>\n
\"I really felt abandoned. I had to wave several times to get
\nthe (gym) instructors' attention. But later on, when I asked them
\nabout the possibility of having a personal trainer, they suddenly
\nbecame very nice to me,\" she said.<\/p>\n
\"I started thinking, maybe it's a trick. So that I will get a
\npersonal trainer and pay more money.\"<\/p>\n
According to Thomas, it is the instructor's job to assist
\nevery guest who comes to the gym.<\/p>\n
\"That means showing them the right position and movement, what
\nto do and not to do. That is, of course, in addition to telling
\nthe guests how to use the machines,\" said the German native.<\/p>\n
The problem with instructors here, he added, is their lack of
\neducation in physical training.<\/p>\n
\"I did a complete two-and-a-half year course in physical
\neducation. So, I got to know not just the basic thing instructors
\nshould know. But I learned about basic anatomy as well,\" Thomas
\nsaid.<\/p>\n
\"While instructors here only do a two-week or three-month
\ncourse. It's not even a full course. Well, that's not enough.\"<\/p>\n
About the trick to get the customer to pay more by hiring a
\npersonal trainer, Thomas said that it was possible.<\/p>\n
\"Well, I hope it doesn't happen here,\" he added.<\/p>\n
Another problem with instructors, he added, is the culture.<\/p>\n
\"Some instructors are reluctant to approach the guests,
\nespecially if the guests are famous people or foreigners. Well,
\nthey have a long way to go. Physical education has yet to develop
\nhere,\" he said.<\/p>\n
Suddenly he became alert and changed the subject. \"OK, then.
\nNext set,\" he commanded Heidi, who thought that he had forgotten
\nabout her session.<\/p>\n
She soon came to realize, while she was gasping on the torture
\nmachine again, how weak her upper body was as she could not
\nfinish even a single set.<\/p>\n
\"Oh my God. I think I'm going to die,\" Heidi said, while
\ntrying to catch her breath.<\/p>",
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"sponsor": "Okusi Associates",
"sponsor_url": "https:\/\/okusiassociates.com"
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