Personal Training Tulsa – Melissa

Personal Training

Tulsa Oklahoma has a lot of outdoor activities to enjoy – Turkey Mountain, river walks, numerous trails, parks, biking, you name it! You probably know that being outdoors and staying active is beneficial for your health. (It is, of course!) But integrating regular exercises associated with the gym (like lifting weights, using cables and resistance bands, and pushing a sled), can significantly increase your ability to continue to do the outdoor activities you enjoy. Not only is stamina and cardiorespiratory endurance important to outdoor activity, but so is building balance, strength, and flexibility (not exhaustive!).

Many people have been in a situation where they pick up a box during a move and feel a little tweak in the lower back. That “little” tweak can quickly turn into something more intense and cause issues one, two, three weeks down the road. Seemingly small movements, picking up dropped keys from the ground, may even result in something feeling off for a while which is why it is important to also train for everyday life. Your body deals with multiple external forces and moves in different planes of motion throughout the day. Your training should reflect that.

Just like athletes who train before competitions, everyday activities significantly benefit from preparation and injury prevention. Have you ever twisted your ankle stepping off a rock on a hike, or tweaked your wrist catching a surprise slip? Ouch! Personal training Tulsa can help coach you on using a plyo box and a stability pad in different panes of motions that can help with ankle, knee, and hip stability and prepare you to react to unexpected situations.

Walking 30 minutes a day works your cardiorespiratory system, but also moves numerous joints throughout your body. Many people avoid walking because they experience pain in their knees or hips. Working with personal training Tulsa to practice lower extremity flexion and extension along with varied external stimuli can help build the supporting muscles used in walking and running. Other common activities like picking up a child or carrying groceries utilize squat and hinge movements and can benefit from practicing form with and without weight and in different progression stages. Squats, hinges, sled pushes, are ALL beneficial during a big move like replacing appliances (washers and dryers are HEAVY). These same exercises can help balance and stability during the aging process as well as strength training to increase bone density, decreasing certain associated risks. Trunk rotation and core activation occur when getting in and out of a car and shoulder rotation assists when tossing a ball in the backyard.

When you work with a personal training Tulsa, you can train toward any number of functions and goals: decrease injury risk, increase overall strength, build muscle, tone, change body composition, etc. Training is necessary for competitions like powerlifting and climbing a mountain. But training is also more than just lifting and pushing things around. It starts with simple movements to form a base and integrates key concepts like isometrics, plyometrics, and strengthening in both unilateral and bilateral movements, isolated and integrated engagement, or simply, mobility. Not everyone wants to deadlift three times their body weight. Not everyone wants to run a marathon or show off how many pull-ups you can do. But you might want to be able to get your pet to the vet or participate in a fun run with your kids or friends. Whatever the reason you want to workout, everyone can benefit from training with certified professionals who can determine what physical exercises may benefit you and your outdoor (or indoor) activities, demonstrate how to utilize techniques, and correct form for exercises that will be best for your goals.

Creating other healthy habits increases the success of an exercise routine. Maintaining a consistent workout schedule and staying active during non-training hours of the day will impact areas like sleep patterns, food choices, and create other positive behavioral patterns. Building an exercise routine and healthy habits is not limited to the one hour you spend with a trainer during the day. It’s making a decision to go to bed at a certain time. To get up and start the day with purpose and continue with the intention of completing a workout and staying active. To say no to some bad habits and yes to new better ones. Some people are able to workout 6 times a week! But if you aren’t able to put in that amount of time, set a goal of how many times you want to work out and what time of day, and STICK TO IT. Working with a trainer provides accountability and resources, but the most benefits come with discipline and are impacted by every choice you make throughout the day. Nobody is perfect. Keeping consistent is not always going to happen. Working with personal training Tulsa and telling people who are important to you that you are working toward a fitness goal will help you get back on track and push through times of low motivation.

A lot of people who are looking to work with a trainer are doing so because they don’t know where to start on a gym floor or don’t know the usefulness of certain exercises. No problem, we’ll break down the jargon so you can get a solid start on your workout plan and feel confident in your movement. Working with personal training Tulsa benefits both individuals new to exercise who want to build workout routines and gain strength and also those who have been working out and feel stuck or need help reaching new goals. While trainers are here to help you get familiar with exercises and guide you in your workouts, working with a trainer AND a friend might be even better. Working out with someone you know can be really motivating and a great way to increase consistency and ease nerves when approaching a new exercise or equipment. Holding a plank or wall sit while waiting for the other person to finish a ladder drill can also integrate some healthy competition!

Working with a trainer should be specific to you. We’ll work with you to set goals and find what motivates you to get moving and what will keep you active. Contact us now to connect with your personal training Tulsa and see what you can accomplish!