An Interview with Shawn Bethea - Principal GSF Trainer.
Shawn answers a few questions about his background, preferred workout methods, and offers some client advice.
Share a little about your fitness background. How did you become a Personal Trainer?
I had a very active sports background participating in football, wrestling, and track. I got involved in weight training when I was fourteen. I continued my dedication for weight training while in college, which was very useful during my football career. i also got my first personal trainer certification while in college.
what is your preferred workout routine?
My workout routine is based on super-sets. I perform one exercise then move directly into the next exercise with no rest in between. I train four days a week, alternating between upper body and lower body exercises. Some weeks I'll add an additional day to perform a full body routine or simply stretch and do cardio. I with a lot of the cardio equipment in the gym, my go-to is usually the stair-master where i can do interval training or i'll do some sprinting outdoors. interval training typically helps me burn the most calories in the shortest amount of time.
Give me three essential exercises you suggest for all clients? Why are these in your top three?
My top exercises for clients of any fitness level would be push-ups, squats and planks which is a core exercise. I would select push-ups and squats and Plank because they can be performed anywhere without equipment. These are three full body exercises will promote your muscles to work together in the end leaving with full body strength. With these exercises being full body, they will also promote your body to burn more calories per workout which may result in receiving results in a timely manner. Lastly, these exercises are the base of a lot of workout programs all my clients must execute these exercises with proper form before moving on to a more advanced version of the exercise.
What advice would you give to a client who has been struggling with weight loss and has become frustrated and does not believe working out is for them?
I have heard this often in my career as a personal trainer. I would first remind them to “Trust the process not rush the process” I understand that maybe cliché. However, let’s pretend someone were building you a house. Would you want a house that was quickly finished in three months or would you want a well put together a masterpiece that has every detail perfect just as you would imagine? If you're like me I'd hope you would select the masterpiece. You will live in your body longer than any house you can ever dream of owning. Take your health and fitness just as serious as being a homeowner.
What is the most important advice you would give to a new client?
nutrition! the cliche that you can't out train a bad diet is very true. the importance of eating the proper amounts of protein, carbohydrates and fats are essential in maintaining a good nutritious diet. It is necessary that you are being mindful of what you eat especially clients who are looking to lose weight and tone their bodies. Secondly, Strength training is a must! After the age of about twenty five individuals lose one pound of muscle, sometimes more, without the proper strength training program. to see the best results i encourage clients to exercise three to four days per week
Why would a potential client choose to work with you instead of joining a gym or working with a personal trainer in a standard gym environment?
I have worked along side a lot of great personal trainers and learned a lot from them. In my opinion someone would choose me because of my style of training and my encouragement during the training session. I am not a drill sergeant I will not yell at my clients unless they need that type of motivation then I would transform into Major Payne. Instead encouraging them to push through the tough exercises as a workout partner would. I take a functional approach to working out with my clients. I select exercises that will make everyday task easier while also keeping the routine fresh by not repeating the same exercises over and over which keeps clients from getting bored.
What advice could you give someone who was interested in improving their eating habits?
I would firstly say EAT BREAKFAST. I will say it again for the people in the back EAT BREAKFAST. I would say 7/10 clients come to me do not eat breakfast upon the first day we meet. Breakfast is the most important meal of the day to get your brain functioning and your metabolism moving. Second, I would recommend understanding the difference between protein, carbohydrates and fats. Everything has fat in it including alcohol, over-consumption of fat is the most common reason people have trouble burning fat. Lastly, stay consistent with any diet plan that you choose. Consistency is key to diet and exercise which will deliver the goals any one set out to achieve. Stay consistent.
If a client complains about a previous injury, how do you handle that when constructing a fitness regimen for him/her?
If I had a client with injuries prior to working with them. I would first ask what advice their doctor gave them about exercising and if they were cleared to work with a trainer. Going over their health history with them in the first session is important to find out which exercises give them pain before doing any exercise. After, we have had an assessment I would then create a workout program that I would constantly monitor the troubled areas, while being sure to be on the lookout for proper form during every exercise.