In the Gym with Dick

Good Morning,

When you get certified as a personal trainer i guess there’s something called a job that's supposed to follow...

No, really, I'd like to make a correction for something. I keep getting asked when people find out I'm certified as a PT. "What are you doing with that?"

I think I'm giving off a false sense of inactivity. I have not applied for a job or suited up in my trainer blacks yet because I see myself as finding a way to filling my niche.

In this sense, i'm aware my style and approach do not translate into "real" very easily so I thought I'd give a fun example of what i am doing in "my work."

In the Gym with Dick

Dick. Older gentleman without a fitness goal. He has often asserted loudly and prophetically across the gym that I am his fitness hero! He checks in with me daily on my progress so as to make me want to run and hide in the ladies locker room when I spy his approach.

"Let me ask you something…Is it painful Amanda?"

One of these days my patience will betray me as I reply, no but this conversation is.

My PT certification is helping to change that. helps me see myself in a different way. I'm not the object of this man’s pity, I get to turn the tables on him now and switch into helper mode.

Last week I helped him take one step closer to his fitness goal. A goal I have determined he must reach! One day in the cardio room he hopped up on the elliptical machine next to me…to ask about my training. then he too became slowly interested in the elliptical machine. "Now tell me Amanda how do you do this?" After I programmed his machine (while running of course), my reward came as he shared the story of his son…who like me struggled with difficulties. After 20 minutes, we had a win-win…Dick had finally let go of some difficult part of his past and I had the satisfaction of knowing he’d done 20 min!

Now, we have a routine. He arrives. I’m usually running on the elliptical. He hops up beside me and we talk…sports…until he realizes he’s broken his old record. The increments of improvement are slow. we are seconding toward the goal. 20 minutes became 22min. then 22:30…23min. and after a windy aided weekend (we had a threesome with another gym patron on a nearby machine) Dick was up to 25min. Dick never wants to test the limits. He reaches 25min. and he stops! There is no boundary to push just an edge to a cliff he does not want to fall off.

Yesterday was amusing and monumental. I discovered Dick’s weakness…he’s "ageotistic." It’s what happens when an older person gets in front of a computer screen. The brain freezes and coordination of thought and movement becomes difficult. Both ellipticals were occupied (me on one and a frantically magazine flipping Fit girl on the next) so Dick hopped up on the other cardio machine beside me. This machine has the same elliptical motion but a different panel and a lot more buttons.

Midway through my run. I offered to switch. "Hey Dick why don’t we switch? You do this one and I’ll do yours." He said he didn’t want to stop me or bother me with that idea…ooookay.

I watched out of the corner of my eye while Dick hunched over in front of the screen. Slowly he studied it and started punching buttons--like the child spellin out Mama for the first time I felt proud of his independence. I had created this thing a
skillful old person getting it done on a piece of computerized fitness equipment!

"What did I just do?"

"Well, you just made yourself weigh 544 pounds."

After careful, slow, instruction he then began pushing the bolts not the buttons on the machine.

"What’s wrong here what am I doing Amanda?"

"Uh, well, you’re pushing the bolts you need to press those little buttons with the numbers on them."

"How do I do that?"

"Well, you press them…like with your finger."

"Oh is that right?"

"Yes."

By this time the magazine flipper had stopped and was giving me cautioned sideways glances. (I don’t think she ever wants either of us near her children and that’s just fine with me).

"Amanda, then tell me something else. How do I change the resistance on this thing?"

"You hit the Up or Down arrow that say RESISTANCE underneath."

Funny how screwed up the sequence of running and entering can get.

I am a seasoned ellipticator. I can run and enter…I start running to power up and adjust accordingly…I can enter stride length, goal speed, resistance and up the time without a moments awareness.

Again, I offered to switch machines. Dick was familiar with my machine. I’d have no problem doing his.

Oh no, Dick just did not have his glasses on… : )

Dick did not have his glasses on. His inability to program within the 30 second window had nothing to do with the previous three to five attempt failures just his fuzzy vision.

After glasses on things did not improve.

After he finally entered his weight correctly, the machine became exhausted and shut off.

"Now what Amanda?"

"Looks like the machine shut off. it wants you to enter everything in a certain time frame…"

"You don’t say. Maybe we should switch machines." This was actually a score point. A commonly used ploy of the "man savy"…when they finally think it was their idea just go with it.

We switched machines. Dick was now back on familiar soil but Dick’s "ageotism" kicked in…you might want to observe your oldsters for this in front of new fangled technology.

There is a magic button that they will push…over and over. It is the 1st button they have learned and it is safe…be patient, gentle and kind with them this is homebase.

Dick’s safety button was the Quickstart...which threw the screen into all manners of flashing and blipping...

(Okay Dick it’s okay…).

"Hit Enter."

"What’s that?" Dick could not hear me.

"I said hit enter."

"Where’s that?"

"It’s on the screen."

The frantic flipper had calmed and actually returned her magazine and placed it neatly in the magazine rack. That’s score point #2 (occasionally this will happen. Someone will think a little differently about their day).

After some searching, Dick found the right buttons and was on his way…to 27min. and 2 sec. a new official elliptical record!

Yes indeed we celebrated.

With a wave and a SEE YOU LATER AMANDA Dick was out the door.

Yes, I thought, my work here today is complete.

Happy Monday,

Amanda