Rice Fitness Center Archive

Welcome to the Rice Fitness Center and Fit Tips Archive, Fitness Programs' home base for quick and informative reads on fitness information.

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What can a personal trainer do for you?

All the rich and famous celebrities have one. In fact, some are rich and famous themselves. But you don't have to be either one to reap the benefits of hiring a personal trainer. More and more people, novice and veteran exercisers alike, are working with personal trainers because they offer a practical and affordable means of getting and staying healthy.

A trainer for every body

Many automatically equate personal training with gyms full of hard-core strength trainers and body builders. This is only part of the picture. Anyone, young and old, in shape and out, can utilize a personal trainer for a variety of reasons.

For example, many professional and amateur athletes work with a personal trainer during the off-season to prepare themselves for in-season competition. Individuals recovering from an injury or accident may enlist the help of a personal trainer (in conjunction with their physical therapist) to get them back in top form.

The work of a majority of personal trainers focuses on increasing and/or maintaining their clients' fitness levels, assisting them in weight loss and overseeing their strength-training and cardiovascular activities. Strength training, in particular, has received increased recognition in recent years because the lack of strength is now known to be a risk factor for disease, especially for older populations.

Tailor-made training

Personal trainers wear many hats, serving not only as coach, but also as confidant, role model, educator and a major source of motivation and encouragement.

Some people may want constant supervision two to three times a week, which makes them more likely to stick to their program because they are accountable to someone else for their exercise time. Others may prefer to see a trainer only on occasion to update their exercise program, or for periodic fitness testing to receive feedback on their progress.

It is the novice exerciser, however, who may find a personal trainer most valuable. Working with a personal trainer for a few sessions is often all it takes for some people to feel comfortable with independent exercise.

How does the Rice Personal Training system work?

Services will include a comprehensive fitness evaluation of Muscular strength and endurance, flexibility, body composition, resting blood pressure, resting pulse, height and weight.

Your trainer can provide you with the confidence and knowledge you need to achieve your fitness goals! All trainers hold national certifications in personal training supported by an educational background in health and fitness in addition to having a variety of specialty experience.

Getting Started

1. Fill out the information packet and PAR-Q forms (also available at the Operations Desk).
2. Turn in packet with completed forms to the Assistant Director for Fitness, located in the Fitness Assessment Center, located in the Rice Recreation Center Gymnasium Building off the East Gym. A Personal Trainer will contact you within 5 business days to schedule an appointment. Your Information packet and PAR-Q form must be completed before your first meeting with a trainer.

For more information, please see our section on Personal Training.