Blog Archives
How Original is Your Personal Trainer?
One of my Ballet Strength exercises
As a San Diego Personal Trainer who started strength training during my career as a Professional Ballet Dancer, I know that originality is what gets results. When I first started experimenting with weight training, I knew that the typical exercises that other types of athletes did in the gym would not work for me. This is how I came up with my own training method.
My training method simply put is this; There are no two bodies the same. The clients movement patterns and genetic makeup should determine how you choreograph the right exercises for each individual. No two individuals should be given the same series of exercises. Since a lot of my unique exercises are Ballet based, I am able to easily determine what types of movement patterns each of my clients bodies are comfortable doing, and which areas they will need to work on.
This is why Dancers make such wonderful trainers. If you haven’t studied movement in the form of dance, it is hard to accurately design a precise strength training program for an individual using my training methods. Tracey Anderson is a wonderful example of a former semi-pro Dancer who is using her Dance smarts as the most trusted personal trainer of the stars!
Your San Diego personal trainer should be a leader, not a follower. Originality is the key to your clients success.
Committed to Your Health,
Losing Our Preferences
Sometimes embarking upon a new Health or Fitness venture requires losing your preferences. I am finding this more and more as I learn about different types of clients particularly the clients who succeed in meeting their weight loss goals. It all comes down to goals, choices, and losing your preferences.
The clients who are getting results are the ones who are making sacrifices. My Saturday and Sunday morning clients are a wonderful example. Sure, maybe they would love to sleep in on a Saturday morning, (hey, I would too) but instead they are training with me early so that they can have the rest of the day to spend with their families without compromising their weight loss routine. This is real dedication and an example of a client who chose to lose their preferences to meet their goals.
Look, I’m not saying eat something your allergic to or stop spending time at the beach. I’m saying that you have to give up your bad habits in order to embrace a new, healthier one! It takes a lot more than exercise in order to truly change your physical appearance and lose weight. Your weight loss success depends on your ability to change. If you know it all then why did you hire a Personal Trainer or Nutritionist?
Another example is a client who is given a Diet and Meal Plan but fails to use it because her husband refuses to eat healthy. This client will never lose weight because her support system is not in place. If her husband isn’t willing to try making changes to his diet to support his wife, chances are, his wife won’t either. In this case, the client chooses to continue eating the way she always did and submits to the unhealthy ways of her husband. Do you think this client will succeed?
So try something new! You never know, you just might like it, and if it’s something that will make you live a longer, healthier life it just might be worth it too.
It all goes back to goal setting.
Improve Your Energy!
Does your battery feel like it needs to be recharged? Here are 5 quick and easy ways to boost your energy so that you can feel great day after day!
1. Workout- You should be active at least 30 minutes every day, whether you are going for a walk, working out with your trainer, or going to the gym. You may feel lethargic and reluctant to start exercising, but once you have finished you will feel refreshed and energized.
2. Eat the Right Foods- Ther are many energy robbing foods that you need to avoid when you’re feeling a bit lethargic. These foods include sugar, caffeine, and carbs. You also want to make sure that you are drinking enough water throught the day. Feeling lazy mid-afternoon? A glass of water will actually do you a lot more good than that cup of coffee.
3. Stretch- Tight muscles in the morning sometimes only make you want to go back to sleep. A good way to prevent this stiffness is to stretch before bed and to take a calcium/magnesium supplement if you are anticipating some pain in the morning. If you can’t remember to stretch before bed, place a tera-band on your night stand or write yourself a reminder!
4. Power Nap- Ever heard the old saying, 20 minutes is like 2 hours? Well it’s true. Take a 20 minute nap and you will wake up refreshed. Sleep any longer than 20 minutes and you may wake up groggy.
5. Pump up your Iron- Low energy for active Women can sometimes be a sign of low Iron. This can be especially noticeable around that favorite time of the month. Red meat, spinach, seafood, and dark green vegetables are wonderful ways to maximize your iron absorption.
For more information on how you can improve your energy through Fitness visit nikolklein.com.
-Nikol Klein
Get Ballet Legs!
Even though I’ve been quite busy over the past few weeks with an abundance of new clients, I still found some time to get some video work done for all of my blog followers. My latest creation is an instructional video showing 4 different variations of a Ballet Leg sequence. All you need to perform these movements is the back of a chair, couch or railing.
You don’t have to be a Dancer to have Ballet Legs! Enjoy!
Best in Health,
Nikol Klein, ISSA CPT/SPN, Professional Ballet Dancer
My Diet and Workout Secrets Revealed
A Favorite Exercise of mine.
Here you have it, my secrets revealed. This is what works for ME…there is absolutely no guarantee that it will work for you.
Since making the change from being a full-time Professional Ballet Dancer to a full-time Personal Trainer, I have definitely had to watch my daily activity and food intake. I must admit, I was a bit worried at first that I would gain weight or lose muscle tone. Luckily, this simply didn’t happen! With a dialed-in diet and workout plan, I have been able to maintain my “ballerina” weight and actually improve upon my physical appearance.
Workouts- As a Personal Trainer, I train up to 8 clients a day which gives me a wonderful opportunity to demonstrate exercises and workout with my clients at times. Sometimes I perform and demonstrate the same exercises with 3 different clients in one day. This definitely keeps me toned! If you want the honest truth, I don’t weight train a whole lot on my own. I go through a dynamic strength training, Plyometric and abdominal workout 2 days per week for 45 minutes max. If I’m feeling a little heavy or bloated I will do skipping cardio combinations on the Treadmill for 30 minutes. I also make sure that I’m taking a ballet class, or pilates class at least 1 morning per week to stay limber. With almost 20 clients, it’s hard to find time for yourself!
Diet- I eat what I want. Yes, I said it. The difference is that I eat in moderation frequently throughout the day. I eat lots of fresh foods, fruits and vegetables, and lean protein. Here is an example of a typical day for me; Breakfast-1 cup Vanilla Yogurt with assorted fresh Berries and flax seed. Lunch-Tuna or Turkey Sandwich on Wheat Bread or a Large salad. Afternoon Snack- Apple or Orange. Dinner- Grilled Salmon or Chicken with Broccoli and 1/2 cup Basmati Rice. It’s all about portion control. Resist getting seconds. If I need something fast, I eat Mexican food. Restaurants like Rubios or La Salsa are great, healthy Mexican Restaurants. Just ask for the sauce or dressing on the side and ask for “no cheese” and “no chips!”
Being raised in a Vegetarian family definitely made me aware of healthy choices as a child. I feel that this is something that is lacking in a lot of areas of the country where families think it is acceptable to raise their kids on Big Macs.
I hope you enjoyed reading about my Exercise and Diet habits. If you are interested in finding the best daily workout and meal plan, please visit www.nikolklein.com.
-Nikol Klein, ISSA CPT/SPN
