You always see and hear in advertisements, “Consult your physician before starting this or any exercise plans.” It’s there for legal reasons, mainly, but also, equipment companies, gyms and trainers never want to cause a client harm.
It’s the right thing to do for yourself, as well. You should speak to a doctor if you have been out of the fitness game for a while. Or if you have chronic injuries/conditions. Your doctor can tell you what your limitations currently are and given your history, what might be detrimental.
And you should definitely tell your trainer all of that before starting your regimen. A good trainer will adjust exercises as needed so you can still benefit, or so you focus on strengthening a particular area (such as an injured shoulder).
House Calls
However, with insurance the way it often is, people don’t go to the doctor unless they have to, and at your annual physicals, you don’t always remember to say, “By the way, Doc, I want to take up yoga. What do I need to look out for?”
For years, I’ve partnered with Dr. Matthew Mazurek. While he practices in Minnesota and SFC is based in Las Vegas, he is licensed in Arizona and Nevada as well and thanks to technology, we can connect you with him.
How It Works
Our fitness model works like this. Clients start with me and we work out goals and desires based on my strengths as a personal trainer combined with my knowledge of diet and nutrition. Dr. Mazurek’s consultations come in on an as-needed basis. His role is strictly one as a medical consultant to determine if any medical conditions or chronic medical conditions warrant further workup or modification for physical activity, etc.
The medical consultation is thorough and part of it deals with a psychological evaluation as it relates to fitness. As we have both seen many times over the years, a lot of fitness plans never get off the ground, simply because there are issues a client is unaware of or sometimes unwilling to face. The sad truth is, the body follows the mind and if the mind is in the habit of cheating on food, or not believing the discipline of fitness is worth the result … the body can only do so much.
If the doctor thinks a client may benefit from additional counseling, he may recommend that. A big note here – we aren’t trying to solve any mommy issues or see if you’re hearing voices. We look for the red flags that we (or a professional counselor) can help you overcome so you can transform yourself in a healthy manner.
Another big note here is that Dr. Mazurek does not prescribe weight loss medications. The foundation of Sports Fitness Connection is transformation through wellness, not drugs or surgery. Yes, sometimes those things are unavoidable. I have severe sleep apnea and have investigated several things for my condition. But generally, if we can connect the body to the mind through sports (again, our definition of a sport is almost anything that involves movement) and provide you with a customized plans tailored to your wants and needs – then give you the tools, guidance and support necessary to change – you can change your entire lifestyle.
Dr. Mazurek makes his recommendations and then I develop your plan for exercise and nutrition once you’ve addressed any medical conditions or issues that need to be treated.
Then, the hard work starts. 🙂
It’s not every personal trainer that can offer medical consultation as part of the fitness journey. I’m proud to say we’ve worked well together for years and Dr. Mazurek will be the first to tell you about his own fitness journey with me, and what helped him.
At the end of the day, personal training is exactly what it says. We are training a person – not a number, not a faceless body, but an entire person with a medical and exercise history (large or small) that comes with them. It would be great if we all started from the same place genetically or educationally – but we don’t
We look at the entire person and mold our strategies, so we can help mold you into what you want to be. To help you launch the habits you want to launch and live the life you want to live.
To start your journey today, call 702.761.6506 or email me at terry@sportsfitnessconnection.com.
