It Takes Two To Train
This month, we caught up with an Elixr personal trainer and one of her clients to find out whether two really is better than one when it comes to training.
Meet the personal trainer
Esther Hesse has worked as a personal trainer at Elixr for almost three years. Her fitness philosophy focuses on strength, moving well and being healthy over skinny, and she challenges herself and others to “Be fearless in the pursuit of what sets your soul on fire.”
Meet the client
Monique Bowie is a naturopathy student and model living in Bondi. She started training with Esther earlier this year and has sessions twice a week. Monique has been an Elixr member for just on five months and she’s thrilled she signed up!
Esther weighs in…
How did you assess Monique’s fitness requirements when she first came to you?
I’m so lucky that I was able to do my Functional Movement Screen (FMS) certification at Elixr last year. With Moni, as with all my new clients, I completed the FMS with her and then met with her to chat about her goals and the reasons she had chosen to reach out to me.
Can you explain the FMS in a little more detail?
Absolutely. The FMS is a system which, in conjunction with a series of other tests, allows me to evaluate a client’s movement abilities by assessing their balance, stability, movement, strength and endurance, and identifying their body’s imbalances, weaknesses, asymmetries and movement restrictions.
How did you go about designing a training programme for Monique?
My programs are always tailored to my clients’ individual needs. With Moni’s program, I modified a few of the exercises to work around her abilities. When dysfunction is identified, we work on improving those movement patterns before loading her up.
How do you encourage Monique to push her limits?
I ask all my clients to think about the deeper reason behind their motivation to exercise. Doing it purely for weight loss or for that toned butt they’ve always wanted isn’t enough. When you exercise for superficial reasons, you tend to stop the minute you start to see results. Having a meaningful reason inspires you to make exercise a part of your everyday life because you need it and want it.
Are you happy with Monique’s progress?
Yes, most definitely! The key with Moni (and all my other clients) is to stay consistent.
Monique weighs in…
How has having a personal trainer helped you realise your fitness goals?
My fitness goals are to get strong and toned and stay slim. Having a personal trainer helps keep me motivated and interested (I’m always learning new exercises) and I’m pushed to my limit. Before I started working with Esther, I didn’t really know what I should be doing at the gym to achieve my specific goals. Esther has helped steer me in the right direction. She cares about my fitness goals and wants me to succeed and I honestly get excited to train with her!
How has your view of fitness changed since you began training with Esther?
I discovered that many of the exercises I thought I was doing right, I was doing incorrectly – my form was wrong, which can lead to all sorts of injuries.
Has Esther helped you make significant strides in your fitness journey?
Definitely. Before training with Esther, I took Pilates classes and did a little bit of running as I didn’t really know what to do at the gym. Esther has changed the course of my fitness journey by showing me what exercises I should be doing, constantly teaching me new exercises, and helping me improve my posture.
Would you encourage others to sign up with a personal trainer?
Yes! The results I’ve achieved since I started working with Esther are amazing and I’ve learnt so much. Having her on this journey keeps me motivated and helps me work towards my goals.
Keen to discover more about Elixr personal training and how it can help you achieve your fitness goals? Let us know today.
