I have to praise you like I should...

When people ask me about how I am losing weight/getting fit etc the first thing I obviously say is "I've got a personal trainer, he's brilliant" (pay me a tenner later Jason!). Their response is usually "Oh, I couldn't be doing with someone barking orders at me!" Well no, me neither.

I'm guessing that with a personal trainer you need to find one who fits with your mentality and the type of person you are. I reckon a really good personal trainer is able to adapt to what their clients need.

I think we've already established I lack confidence. If my personal trainer just barked orders at me I would be demotivated and nervous, I wouldn't have the confidence to do things for myself. For me I am motivated by praise and a bit of gentle coaxing. That doesn't mean he lets me get away with copping out of things, not by a long stretch, but he encourages and convinces me that yes I can do those step ups with the blue kettlebells and no I'm not going to die doing burpees. Then when I do get it right, he tells me. "That's the best circuit I've seen you do in a long time and I'm not just saying that."

I need that praise. That praise gives me the biggest buzz. Knowing that I've listened, learnt, made progress, got something right etc and that, that has been recognised by someone else makes me very giddy.

It's got to be due praise, it wouldn't work if the praise was every session for things that didn't need praising but when praise is due it is very motivational. Don't get me wrong, I'm pretty sure that doesn't work for everyone but it works for me.

I suppose the point of my post is that if you are looking at a personal trainer you need to find one who can work out quickly what presses your buttons, what will spur you on. Just so happens I got lucky first time.

"We've come a long long way together,
Through the hard times and the good,
I have have to celebrate you baby,
I have to praise you like I should"

H x