Personal Trainer #1, 1st session with Leigh

Continuing from the previous post I now detest black folders

Arriving at The Ring (area of a local parked named back in high school), Leigh was already waiting. Bugger... quickly put out the ciggie, walk over and pass him the dreaded black folder hoping I never have to see it again. I know it sounds stupid, but it's not really the folder, it's what it represents. Anyway, he doesn't put the folder away, we start walking and he starts reading through my homework.  This ring we're at is on a decent slope, down was fine, the flat was better, then uphill was awful. I couldn't believe how soon I'd started puffing, this was nothing like the walks I do with the dog and then I worked it out. Chase stops at every single tree, so I have to stop and with his short legs, our pace is slow. With the trainer on the other hand, we're not walking for pleasure, this is exercise and there's some pace to it (although some of it may be due to his long legs haha).

Next issue hit when I stepped onto a brick speedbump in the road, I could feel my Plantar Fasciitis starting to let me know it wasn't liking this new exercise, so quick stretch and I can keep going. It's so hard to have a conversation or answer questions when your puffing away, but we kept walking and stopping to stretch my heel. There was a few people also on walks on the side path, we ventured up but by this time, my right heel is on fire. I was glad when Leigh suggested some different exercises. So onto squats, now I don't think I've squatted like that since school exercises classes, the first few felt fine but then I started feeling a different pain in my foot arch, not to mention jelly legs. Next was the resistance rope, standing on it and stretching it as high as I could, no heel pain with that one! (I had a passing thought of this band slipping and hitting me in the face, funnily though, it hit the trainer instead). Finally a bit more walking. One interesting thing was, that I felt more comfortable around him after he'd given up some information about himself, not work related but personal stuff. It made him more approachable (sure that's not the right word) knowing that he's not perfect.

Not sure how I'd rate the session having no comparison to put it against. But I agree with Leigh, that the walking was poor, I was disappointed in that aspect. The squats got better with repetition and my arm strength was good. He mentioned I seemed a lot more confident after the session and honestly, I did feel good, what I had done although minor, was productive.

All in all, I am really pleased I've taken this step. It's 17 hours after the session now and although I'm still in a lot of pain and gone through 3 ice-packs on my heel, I really can see myself continuing with this. With just this one session, I would highly recommend anyone with the slightest passing thought about contacting a Personal Trainer, to give it a go, there's nothing to loose and everything to gain.

I did make the trainer aware I was shopping around, and unexpectedly he was great about it, I have another session Saturday morning with a different company and 2 further options.

Pick Yourself Up Personal Training