Mitch Calvert
Too often people feel uncomfortable joining a gym because they think they’ll be judged negatively by other people in unfamiliar surroundings.
They can come up with every excuse in the book not to go: from “lack of time” to “no energy.”
But a personal trainer may just be the helping hand they need to take that first big step.
“The first step is the hardest one when it comes to going to the gym,” said Fort Frances resident Connee Badiuk, a CanFitPro certified personal trainer. “Everyone thinks people are going to stare at them and that’s really not the case.
“And once they realize that, they quite prefer the gym environment.”
Badiuk got her certification in November, completing the online portion of the program and then passing the written and practical exam in Winnipeg.
But she’s always had a passion for fitness her whole life—and felt this job would be a perfect way to share that passion with others.
“I’m doing the Boston Marathon this spring, and I’ve been involved in fitness most of my life,” Badiuk remarked. “But it was after I qualified for Boston that I thought ‘What do I do now?’
“I love exercising and not everyone does, but if I can inspire just a few of the people I work with to become passionate about it, then it’s worth it.
“I’m really concerned with the physical state of society these days, and I’m truly happy to see the amount of people I see out running now,” she added.
Badiuk will meet people in their homes to work out a exercise program, but usually works with her clients one-on-one at Energy Fitness here.
“I will meet people at their home and we can do it there as long as they have a suitable and safe place to do it in,” she noted.
“You can get by with resistance bands and with cardio outside, you don’t need to go to a gym, but you’d have a lot more available to you to enhance your program and minimize the monotony of it if you did [go to a gym].”
Badiuk said she’s been pleasantly surprised with the response from people in town.
“It’s growing, keeping me busy that’s for sure, and I’m actually entering the world of waiting lists now,” she admitted. “People I work with tell me it’s the accountability.
“I expect them to exercise and that’s what gets them out the door and dressed to go to the gym. But once they are there, it’s all about them.”
Dennis Ogilvie, 23, currently away at Steinbach Bible College, obtained his personal trainer certification while attending Niagara College, getting credentials recognized through the Canadian Society for Exercise Physiology.
“I initially became interested in fitness as a result of playing football at [Fort High],” Ogilvie wrote in an e-mail to the Times. “Through both in- and off-season workouts, I gradually learned more and more about working out.
“I also developed a passion for pushing my body and a desire to be the best I could be.
“My training philosophy can be summed up as work + rest = success,” he explained. “Basically what this means that when it’s time to work, we work. Getting in shape requires both commitment and effort.
“Also, in contrast, you need sufficient rest. If this is done, they will likely be very successful in achieving their goals.”
Ogilvie will return to his family’s home in Emo on May 1 for the summer holidays, and is looking to train first-timers right up to premiere athletes hoping to elevate their game to another level.
“I am open to training individuals with a variety of fitness goals, however, I specialize in training athletes, including hockey, soccer, baseball, basketball, volleyball, bodybuilding, and many others,” he noted. “I’ll begin by sitting down with the client and just talk with them.
“This session allows me to get to know them better and find out exactly what their goals are.
“Once this is done, I will then develop a program based around their needs and goals.
“My job as a trainer is to instruct the client how to safely perform the exercises that are prescribed, to monitor the client’s progress, and to make adjustments to the program so that the client can continue to progress,” Ogilvie remarked.
Terry “Goose” McMahon, meanwhile, is a soon-to-be personal trainer who went the fitness route after the current economic downturn cost him his job in construction.
He said fitness has been a huge part of his life since his cousin, Josh, introduced him to it.
“I got involved in fitness about seven years ago. I weighed about 120 pounds and my cousin asked me if I wanted to start going to the gym, and I’ve been hooked ever since,” McMahon laughed.
“It’s the only thing I want to do. I love it.”
McMahon has completed the online portion of the CanFitPro course, but has to wait until April 25 for the next examination period in Winnipeg before he can complete the program.
“I offer my clients a well-rounded fitness plan, including strength, cardiovascular, and flexibility training specifically designed for the client’s goals and needs,” he said. “In April, I will also be taking sports conditioning under twist conditioning, which is an amazing program recognized internationally.”
Of course, every successful fitness program requires even greater dedication to diet and healthy eating.
“While at Niagara College, I took both basic and advanced nutrition courses, however, I am not actually certified to prescribe a nutritional plan,” Ogilvie noted.
“I can give basic nutritional advice, but I usually encourage my clients to seek out the services of a registered dietitian.”
Badiuk and McMahon agreed, noting they could do some basic counselling based on their own experiences. But for specifics, a dietitian should be approached.
“The best I can offer my clients is the basic nuts-and-bolts of nutrition for now,” McMahon said.
“A good friend of mine [Samantha Pearson] is currently in university to become a dietitian, so I will be working closely with her and hopefully will be able to offer nutrition plans with her help,” he added.
