Trainer Puts You On Track

Illawarra Mercury

Tuesday November 9, 1999

LISA SEWELL

Wollongong mother-of-two Brenda Lavender is not a movie star, top executive or an elite athlete, yet she has a personal trainer.

Once restricted to the elite, more people from all walks of life are taking advantage of the one-on-one contact a personal trainer can provide.

Most fitness centres have personal trainers on staff or can at least point you in the right direction.

Mrs Lavender, a TAFE teacher, said she decided to hire a personal trainer to give her the incentive to start, and then continue with, a healthy exercise regime.

``I needed the motivation to get started on a training program," she said, ``Then when I started going to the gym I needed someone there to push me."

Mrs Lavender said she was very happy with the results she had achieved since she started a personal training program last month.

Her personal trainer, Adrian Simpson of Eternity Personal Training and Motivation, said many people lacked the motivation to exercise regularly.

``A trainer will also pinpoint common mistakes that people are making and will fast track them to success.

``People put self-imposed limitations on themselves and if you give them a little bit of a push they will achieve more than they ever thought they could."

Mr Simpson, a Fitness NSW registered personal trainer, said contrary to popular belief, personal trainers were affordable for most people.

``Here, the minimum hourly rate would be about $30 an hour while the average is $50-60 an hour, which is really quite reasonable," he said.

``People pay a tradesman top dollar to fix their washing machine but they don't want to pay to keep themselves in shape, which I find amazing."

However, perceptions are changing and many people view personal trainers as an investment, not an indulgence.