Fit to Print Volume 23 Issue 4 December 2014 | Page 5

Cover Story

Compiled by Paul Smith

The Difference Makers
Personal Training Will Change Your Life

since it involves modifying daily habits
and developing a tolerance for the fatigue
and soreness incurred through hard work.
Moreover, there is nothing fun about it
other than the personal gratification of
knowing that you have laid yet another
stone in the path toward your goal. And
that is the way it should be, as fun is the
polar opposite of work, which is why we
don't refer to exercising as a funout.
I've had the good fortune to work with a
number of clients, consistently, for years.

“Train like a girl.”
Traditionally, this phrase
is used to shame men that
aren't giving it their best
effort. However, as it
pertains to these women,
it represents the pinnacle
of fitness performance;
- Jim Cordova
Cor Cycling

Training like a Girl: Jen Sorice in the Power Rack

T

he DIY approach to fitness can
sometimes seem like treading
water: it takes a lot of time and
energy and often leaves you bored, tired,
and stuck in the same spot.
So, what if you want more than just
spinning your wheels? What if you've tried
going it alone but haven't observed much
change or benefit? What if you have
neither the time nor the inclination to
conduct all the research you need to
really understand fitness and how it is
achieved and maintained? If you see
yourself in all the “what ifs,” it may be
time to toss aside the whole DIY thing and
get to work with a personal trainer. They
are experts who know what works and
what doesn't. They know the difference
between activities that deliver benefits
and those that can actually hurt you. They
possess the knowledge and experience to
help you navigate those murky fitness
waters.
What follows are stories and snapshots of
success provided by Fitness Incentive
personal trainers. You'll see that while
specific approaches and philosophies may
vary somewhat, and that no two clients
approach training with the same issues or
goals, all illustrate the same basic truths:
there is no substitute for motivation and
support, and that expert knowledge and
experience are the real difference
makers.

Jim Cordova: “Train Like a Girl”
My training philosophy rests upon a
foundation of simplicity. Whenever I
impart my knowledge of fitness to my
clients, many are surprised to find that
it consists primarily of pushing and
pulling weights in the simplest and most
natural fashion. Effective nutrition is
just as straightforward. For those that
want to lose weight, we structure a
nutrition plan with a caloric intake
slightly below what they burn on a daily
basis and do that consistently, day in
and day out, until we've reached our
objective. Those that want to gain
weight simply add a few more calories
to their daily diet regimen so that we
minimize fat gains as we add muscle.
Do you want results along the lines of
what most people have in mind when
they think of muscle tone? While there
are methods of fine-tuning that
accelerate and maximize progress, this
is true fitness in a nutshell.
Nonetheless, I don't want to give
anyone the wrong idea. Just because
my methods are simple doesn't mean
that they do not involve a respectable
amount of time and hard work. True
fitness is not a like a get rich quick
scheme or a goal to be achieved within
a few months. It is much more accurate
to call it a lifestyle, and one that
doesn't always come easily for people

Holidays 2014 FIT to Print

They have become a testimony as to how
effective the most basic tenets of fitness
can be in terms of transforming one’s
strength, level of fitness, and overall
quality of life. The most difficult part of
this article was selecting a client that
best represents the fitness lifestyle. I am
impressed with all of them, completely
blown-away in fact, and it sure takes a lot
to impress me with respect to work ethic
in the gym! Even so, I thought I would
select from among my female clients, a
few of which have given a whole new
meaning to the phrase, “Train like a girl.”
Traditionally, this phrase is used to shame
men that aren't giving it their best effort.
However, as it pertains to these women, it
represents the pinnacle of fitness
performance; it is the ideal standard that
any individual should strive for, whether
male or female.
Ronnie Demyen (see cover) began
working with me about five years ago. She
was brand new to fitness and wanted to
improve her overall strength and muscle
tone. Ronnie presented me with a difficult
challenge right off the bat, as she had a
small frame and there wasn't much weight
to lose. At the same time, she had a
higher level of body fat than usual and
not much muscle mass