Here in South Florida, we have a surplus of professional athletes. Golf pro’s in Jupiter, tennis pro’s in Boca Raton, and tons of aspiring baseball and football players who want to make it in the MLB and NFL. Are the fitness and training needs of Florida professional athletes different than the rest of us? Absolutely. And while I won’t reveal who trains with my wife and I, in our private, West Palm Beach personal training facility, I can provide the following 5 tips for professional athletes to consider when hiring a personal trainer.
1. Need-based training. More so than the rest of us, you should know EXACTLY what you want from a personal trainer. Need to build leg and core strength? Improve your flexibility? Increase stamina? While staying in shape and being fit for many of us is a lifestyle choice, for you, the professional athlete in Palm Beach, it’s your job. Know what you specifically want or need from a personal trainer. Only then, can you set goals and will a trainer be able to really help you the most. You need a plan of attack with specific time frames, commitments and goals. You need a lot more than a “make me a better player or athlete” attitude or expectation. Competition is too fierce to just “go to the gym.”
2. Injury and injuries: recuperating and preventing. Since you make a living on the field, on the court, or trying to get there, we need to be extra sensitive about aggravating old injuries and preventing future ones. Know where your trouble spots are or where they might be. Has your lower back been giving you trouble? Then we might need to strengthen your core and increase your flexibility from your hamstrings through your hips. Does your left knee bother you when you swing, or turn 90 degrees? Maybe we need to work on balance and flexibility between your quads and hamstrings. All athletes should be concerned about their hamstrings as this is one area that injury can linger for months on end.
3. Substance over form? Are your goals with a trainer to actually work on a particular muscle group, or improve stability or agility or coordination? Or…..do you also want to look better? Is your agent suggesting that you lose 20 pounds ? Well, if you have fitness goals beyond getting better at your sport, you need a personal trainer who has a serious understanding of diet. Focusing on what, when and how much to eat is so important and can be more challenging for pro athletes on the road. We can help with surviving the road and staying on point with your diet no matter what the situation is. We understand that life and know about the challenges and sacrifices it takes to be successful. Ignoring your diet or neglecting it, is a sure fire way to give your opponent a leg up on you.
4. What’s holding you back? Take a serious look at where you have failed or lost. What’s holding you back from getting to the next level, turning pro, or winning that next match or game? Were you tired from the last tennis match? Then we need to work on the recovery process as it pertains to you. Did you feel weak in your last road game or in the 4th quarter? Then we need to talk about your stamina, endurance, as well as your diet https://fitandpsyched.com/blog/pros-and-cons-of-the-keto-diet/. Or are you simply just not driving the ball as long as you used to? Understanding where you can improve or where you’ve fallen short will permit you to focus on a plan of attack in the future. Now we can get the most out of your training sessions and your personal trainer. After all, your livelihood is on the line.
5. Have a vision. Where do you want to be next season? Next year? Most professional athletes recognize that their “window” for success doesn’t last forever. Your chance, or time frame, to really excel, to really crush the competition, is limited and finite. Take a strong, hard look into next season and 2, 3 or 5 years from now. What do you want to see? What do you want to do? Then fashion a fitness program with your trainer to get there. For the rest of us, we can train, lift weights, do cardio, lose weight, grow stronger, every day for the rest of our lives. For you, the aspiring athlete in Florida, or professional athlete, your “true” time, your best time, to excel, to win, to be a champion…. is limited. Use your time, and your trainer, wisely. Good luck!
Here at Fit and Psyched, located at 1177 Clare Ave Unit #2 in West Palm Beach, Florida, we utilize several forms of exercise to help get our clients results. If you are considering hiring a personal trainer in the West Palm Beach area, please contact us @ 561-223-1112 or fill out the form on our website for a free, no pressure consultation. No contracts or gym members here, we are strictly a family owned and operated personal training facility. While you’re filling out your consultation form, please take a look at some of our transformation pics and testimonials from past and present clients who have accomplished their health and fitness goals.
