Press
Lovin’ Those Good Vibrations
2006 IDEA Fitness Fusion-Chicago
Fusion was the third-consecutive IDEA conference for New York City personal trainer Jamie S. Dreyer and he plans to keep the streak running. “The education is great. I get to choose from a variety of classes where I learn in an interactive setting with people who are very passionate about their professions,” he said. “The networking is invaluable. It is an opportunity to meet a full spectrum of fitness professionals, share ideas and help each other. I always return to work with greater enthusiasm for what I do. I study things I love, meet great people and write it all off as a business expense.” Dreyer—who served as an IDEA assistant as part of a work study program that trades hours served at the event for a free registration—named Greg Roskopf’s extended preconference session on Muscle Activation Techniques TM (MAT) as his favorite class. “For years now, I have passively and actively stretched tight muscles, cued and manipulated joints into alignment, and completely avoided certain positions and postures to avoid pain, all the while knowing that there was something more elemental that needed to be addressed but not having a clue as to what it was. Roskopf’s lecture provided ‘the missing link,’” shared Dreyer. “According to Roskopf, compensation patterns are in response to poor neurological connections between muscle divisions and the central nervous system, while tight muscles result from inhibition of alpha-gamma co-activation. Since his lecture, I have applied his theories in my own work with clients and have seen immediate results. I plan on becoming MAT certified and further exploring and developing the practical implications of his ideas.”
Appeared in IDEA FITNESS JOURNAL “July-August 2006”: pgs 12 &13.
Tricks of the trade Q & A
“When do you do your own workouts, and how do you fit them in around clients?”
If you are just getting started as a personal trainer, you may be tempted to take whatever sessions you can get, but this will eventually lead to adrenal fatigue and a serious case of “no life at all.” Having been a trainer for ten years, I have fallen victim to these hazards numerous times. Now my health always comes first. By practicing what I preach, I give my clients a trainer who has ample energy for their sessions. I have clearly defined hours for training clients: 8am-8pm weekdays, 9am-4pm Saturdays; I take Sundays off. I do make occasional exceptions. For example, I don’t mind starting at 7am in the summertime, because both the sun and I are up earlier.
I also limit my max number of sessions in a day to eight and my maximum for the week is 25. While I used to do as many as 38 in a week—and I know trainers who do even more—I personally think the ideal range is between 25 and 35. In a nutshell, listen to your body. It is always speaking to you. If you are constantly drowning out its cries for rest with caffeine and sugar, you probably need to rethink your workload.
Once you are getting enough sleep and me-time, all you need to do is start sweating. My mind used to be so rigid about what a workout was—intense workouts in the gym! I now listen to my body more than my stubborn mind. Today a workout can be a yoga class, running, cycling, swimming, Pilates, meditative-zone exercises, functional training, corrective exercise and sometimes some good old heavy weight training. Varying my workouts keeps me from being held hostage by time, location, attire and different energy levels.
Jamie Dreyer
Founder, Further Fitness
New York, New York
Appeared in IDEA FITNESS JOURNAL “October 2007: pgs. 36 & 37.
IDEA Member Spotlight
Jamie S. Dreyer
New York, New York
MEMBER SINCE 2004
“I speak with a very encouraging tone to let [clients] know that no matter where their fitness level is, exercise should feel good and be fun,” says Jamie Dreyer, owner of Further Fitness, a company focused on taking a holistic approach to health and wellness. “When clients seem frustrated, I remind them that progress can be measured in many different ways, and that some days, just showing up is an achievement.” Jamie believes that variety is a major asset in his “toolbox” as a personal trainer. “If someone is bored with fitness as a whole, it is simply due to lack of creativity.” To derail any possibility of boredom, Jamie has added yoga and Pilates instructors, as well as massage therapists, to his company. One of his hiring requirements, however, is that those who work for him “convey a positive aura from first contact and approach each client as a ‘sum of [his or her] parts.’”
Appeared in IDEA Fitness Journal “March 2006”, pg 11.
Like everything else, the Personal Trainer has evolved over the years. Moving from the stereotype of the muscle bound bodybuilder barking orders at his client, the personal trainer has become the well-educated Professional Fitness Trainer, or PFT, with a diverse understanding of what a workout can be and a better concept of healthy living. Today’s PFT has a more sophisticated toolbox to choose from. A good workout no longer consists solely of bench presses, bicep curls and military presses, and results are measured by more than increased muscle and decreased fat. Exercise has become more complex. More functional. More practical. Just like the human body.
There are many benefits to hiring a Professional Fitness Trainer. Being on a regular schedule is one of them. The appointment you hold with your personal fitness trainer is one that you both commit to. Your trainer makes you their priority. They promise to help guide, teach and motivate you. You promise to make your health a priority— not only by showing up, but showing up well rested and well nourished.
Having a professional tailor exercises to your specific needs will enhance your workout. Your personal fitness trainer will have a seemingly never ending basket of exercises to choose from in order to constantly challenge your body in new ways. Elastic bands, foam rollers, medicine balls, Swiss balls, and BOSUs will be used to improve your coordination, balance and proprioception. This will cut down on redundancy, make your transition between exercises smooth and at a good pace, and keep you from getting bored.
Not only will a personal fitness trainer show you what to do and how to do it properly, they will show you what not to do. Every body is unique and has its own abilities and limitations. Our job as personal fitness trainers is to assess where they lie, expanding your abilities without over stepping your limitations. We all have had times in our lives when our confidence is soaring and we feel ready to take on new feats. I say, go for it! Just let me spot you.
One additional benefit is friendship. It shouldn’t be the reason why you start looking for a personal fitness trainer but it should be what you find in the end. With all the one-on-one time, fat pinching and confiding, it is important to work with someone you really feel comfortable with. I have always felt this is an experience that both parties must look forward to to be truly successful. Because of this philosophy I can honestly say that I look forward to every client and every session.
Since I feel that this is an important relationship, I recommend taking your time committing to one. Finding the right personal fitness trainer can be difficult. Look for one with either a degree in the physical sciences, or a certification by NASM, NSCA, ACSM, or ISSA. At least three to five years experience is also a plus. Try a session or two with several trainers. If you find you can’t choose between a few of them, then don’t. If you have found several that feel good to you, then there is nothing wrong with using all of them. Every trainer has his or her own style and personality as well as schedule. Take advantage of that; it will give you a higher degree of success. The variety of styles will keep your body challenged. The variety of personalities will keep your soul nourished. The variety of schedules will keep you consistent. And if you have really good, confident professional fitness trainers, they will see the benefits for you and it will take more than trainer hopping to bruise their egos.
Jamie Dreyer holds a Fitness Specialist Degree and has been privately working with clients for nine years. He is also the owner of Further Fitness and can be reached at 212-FURTHER (387-8437) or jamie@furtherfitness.com.
Appeared in A Circle Of Light “August 2006”.