As the holidays approach, so does the seasonal assault on our thighs and butts–the result of not only rich foods, but also missed days at the gym.
Personal trainers know that routine all too well. Five top Chicago fitness experts, featured recently in Men’s Journal as among the “100 Best Trainers in America,” discussed their workout approach, plus ways to hone your own.
1. CC Cunningham
Cunningham might make you wear dirty clothes, eat freeze-dried foods or cut your sleeping hours in half. The expert trainer specializes in preparing clients for adventure travel, such as climbing to Mt. Everest’s base camp.
What’s one of the biggest mistakes people make in working out?
“People get stuck in a rut and repeat the same thing over and over. The body is incredible at adapting,” Cunningham says. “A workout that started out working, if you stick with it long enough, it will lead you down the other path. The more variety you have, the less likely you are to adjust to it.”
2. Mark Cibrario
In Cibrario’s view, a gym full of weight-lifting machines better suits a robot than a human. A seated knee-extension device, he explains, doesn’t mimic real-life movements and burns fewer calories. He helps clients improve their strength and mobility to support the body’s everyday activities and motions, training it the way it’s meant to operate.
What should people look for in a personal trainer?
“Experience. When people are looking only for a good price, they’re not going to get that. Also continuing education. Ask them, ‘What’s become more of a niche or passion that you specialize in?’ If they say nutrition, that’s great, but you’re not looking for a nutritionist.”
3. Michael Sena
It doesn’t take hours at the gym to get fit, Sena stresses. That’s the message the veteran health and fitness expert has preached on TV for seven years, most recently with the WMAQ news team. His Traveling Trainer fitness kit, also geared to fitting workouts into a busy schedule, will pop up soon in Marriott hotels.
How do you get people to start working out?
“You have to start slowly. Do just a little bit–five or 10 minutes on day one,” Sena says. “To get people going, you have to help them form the right habit. Schedule a workout during the day when you can do it reliably, when your body can expect it. There’s no best time to work out. Just whatever it is, do it the same time each day.”
4. Michael Sokol
Excuses? No clear goals? Don’t expect Sokol to share his expertise with you. The former lawyer, who has expanded his fitness business nationally, says he turns away more clients than he takes on. Multi-session packages come with an expiration date–use them or lose them.
Are there signs you’re working out too hard?
“It’s called overtraining syndrome: irritability, soreness that doesn’t go away, difficulty sleeping, lack of appetite. If your body doesn’t have time to recover, you’ll start to see negative changes.”
Any books you recommend?
“Body for Life,” by Bill Phillips. It’s a great book for putting things into perspective. Also “Weightlifting for Dummies.”
5. Clint Phillips
Phillips gets bored easily, so he figures clients do too. He combats workout boredom with less conventional approaches, asking clients to wear a weight vest or climb the stairs in the 52-story building in which he works.
What’s a common mistake people make when they lift weights?
“Outside of repeating workouts or bad form, women often don’t lift enough weight,” Phillips says. “They’re worried about becoming bulky, but women don’t have the hormones to build [that kind of] muscle. Their workout is way too mild.”
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Edited by Patrick Olsen (polsen@tribune.com) and Michael Morgan (mnmorgan@tribune.com)
