New and longtime members can benefit from working with an Equinox Coach at some point in their training.
Training one-on-one with an Equinox Coach may seem like a no-brainer when you’re a complete newcomer in the fitness world. But you shouldn’t brush aside the knowledge and skills these pros have to offer as you progress in your journey. Even if you’re a longtime member, repeat marathoner, or serious lifter, you can benefit from working with a Coach, too, says Travis DeSisso, Vice President of Personal Training at Equinox.
“When you think about the most physically fit people in the world, a lot of times we think of them being athletes,” he says. “The question is, how many athletes follow their own training program? A very small percentage. Most of the most elite physical specimens in the world have someone guiding them on that journey. And if they need that, then most of us are going to need some form of guidance.”
If you’re not quite convinced to book a session, here are five signs that working with an Equinox Coach could be worthwhile for you.
1. You have a specific goal in mind.
No matter how much experience you have in the Club, working with a Coach can help you achieve your goals quicker and more efficiently than if you were to go at it solo, says DeSisso. Consider this: Plenty of people know how to play an instrument, but only a few can actually compose the music, he explains. It’s the same scenario between a member who knows their way around the floor and is training for, say, a triathlon or a boost in muscle mass and a Coach who can craft a specific training program that helps you consistently progress toward that goal. “Why wouldn't you want to be efficient with your time and get there faster and safer?” says DeSisso.
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2. You don’t have a particular goal to work toward.
On the flip side, an Equinox Coach can help you hone your focus and figure out what you really want to gain from your sessions. Say you have a general objective to “get fit.” Through conversations with your Coach, that basic goal will likely shift into something far more profound, says DeSisso. Your Coach might ask you: “What would you do if you were in the best shape of your life, something you can’t do today?” “And as they start to imagine that, they realize they have no idea how to get there,” he explains. “That's what our trainers can do: Guide them to this place that they maybe never even imagined.”
They’re also there to help you get the result you’re after. A Coach provides modifications and progressions and knows the ideal time to change your work volume so at the end of, say, two months, you’re significantly closer to your goal, says DeSisso.
3. You’re tight on time.
If you have just one hour a day a few times a week to work out, you’ll want to squeeze every last drop out of those training sessions. But during peak Club times — when your favorite piece of equipment is being used or all the weights you need are taken — you may struggle to have a truly fulfilling workout. Enter: An Equinox Coach, who can make adjustments on the fly. They can guide you toward the TRX straps for row variations, for instance, when the 20-pound dumbbells are missing. If there’s not a single treadmill open, they can help you get in an effective cardio session on the bike — no guesswork required.
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4. You’re coming back from a break or injury.
After suffering an injury or undergoing surgery, physical therapy will help you get back to a baseline level of functioning — but that doesn’t mean you’re ready to perform at the same level as you did before, says DeSisso. Working with a Coach in this instance will help you safely build up your fitness without aggravating any lingering issues.
Not to mention, an injury can often, in part, be traced back to a flaw in your training program, says DeSisso. For example, if your hips are weak and lacking mobility, your body will compensate; the low back — which favors stability — might become more mobile to allow for specific movement patterns (think: bending over to pick a box off the ground), increasing the risk of pain and injury. Without insight from a Coach, you may not have the best game plan (e.g., exercises to improve hip mobility, hamstring flexibility, and core strength) to prevent that injury from occurring again.
5. Your workout routine feels stale.
Working with a Coach doesn’t need to be a long-term commitment. If you’ve been performing the same routine for a while and are feeling uninspired to check into the Club, a Coach can help you bring back some excitement. Do a handful of sessions with a Coach for a fresh approach, then take those learnings and apply them to your solo sessions, suggests DeSisso. There’s no shame in having a temporary relationship with a Coach.
Regardless of your reason, you can easily sign up to be paired with an Equinox Coach at your Club’s front desk or through the app. After your first complimentary session, you’ll wonder why it took you so long to book a session in the first place.