ANSWERS TO FREQUENTLY ASKED QUESTIONS

Q/ Why should I bother changing over to healthier lifestyle in the first place?

A/ Good question. Living a healthy lifestyle (improving nutritional, exercise and other lifestyle factors) gives you so much in return for such a small amount of effort. Studies and personal experiences repeatedly demonstrate that those who live a healthier lifestyle do so much better than those who do not. Consider the following benefits:

• Overall increases in the four main areas of physical fitness (strength, endurance, flexibility and coordination).
• Weight control. This is virtually guaranteed; when you switch from an unhealthy lifestyle to a better one, the weight automatically starts to come off, eventually dropping down to a more natural level.
• A vastly improved physical appearance. Losing body fat and gaining muscle will give you a more athletic and attractive body, also leading to an improved sense of confidence and self-esteem.
• Improved sleeping patterns. Nothing beats a great night of deep restful sleep and an exercise session at the end of the day ensures that.

And this is just the tip of the iceberg. There are so many benefits that time and space does not permit to list them all.

Simply put, a healthier lifestyle means a healthier and happier you.

Q/ What if I don’t take time out to live a healthy lifestyle?

A/ The consequences can be devastating and that is no exaggeration.

As you get older your body starts to deteriorate and the worse the lifestyle, the greater the damage. Putting it simply, you get old and ill before your time. Examples of this can be seen all around you and especially with those who are getting on in years. Their bodies are as stiff as a board, their bellies are hanging over their belts, they wheeze when they walk and their bones and muscles are getting softer by the day.

As just mentioned, it gets worse as you get on in years. Ever see people in the retirement villages, shuffling along on walking frames or bed-bound on rubber sheets in the high-care ward?

If you don’t take care of yourself that will be your future.

Guaranteed.

Q/ What if I don’t have time to train?

A/ You have to take care of your health otherwise you will pay the price and it’s just not worth it.

A properly designed exercise routine can be done in as little as 30-45 minutes at a minimum of 3-4 times a week which, with a little time management, is not too hard for a person to find.

Finally, if you care about yourself, take time out to train. Like the saying goes “If you don’t take time out to take care of yourself, you will have to take time out to be sick”.

Q/ What is Great Health PT?

A/ Great Health PT is a mobile Personal Fitness Training service based in Narre Warren. It originally started off as a Training Centre in Vermont and recommenced as a mobile service in 2015. I offer an an impressive range of services and exercise options catering to all ages, categories and levels of fitness and ability; these include children, seniors, pre and post-natal women, the plus-size and to those facing physical and mental difficulties, amongst others. I also offer One-On-One and Group Training and cover both the private and corporate sectors and the exercise options range from weight training to cardio to women’s self-defence.

Q/ What is the goal or main purpose of Great Health PT?

A/ To help you become a better person.

The main purpose of Great Health PT is to provide the best possible fitness instruction at the lowest possible price. But more than that, it is there to take the absolute beginner and teach them the foundation of a healthy lifestyle, instructing them in the basics of exercise, nutrition, rest and psychological health.

Unlike the large commercial gyms that are only interested in money, I started Great Health PT to train and instruct, leading beginners away from the lies, misinformation and hype of the commercial fitness industry and into the truth, guaranteeing the best possible results in health and fitness.

Q/ What can Great Health PT offer me?

A/ Everything you have been looking for in a Personal Fitness Training service. Consider the following:

• A highly qualified and experienced instructor.
• The best prices around, along with the best value for money.
• A supportive and friendly training environment.
• A wide variety of exercise options, so boredom will never be an issue.
• Convenience and efficiency. I come to you with a fully equipped gym in a van, saving you the time and expense of travelling to a gym.
• Lastly, a structured, detailed and custom designed program that guides you towards your goal of great health and fitness.

Q/ Who is the Instructor?

A/ My name is Adrian Shelton and I am the Owner and Manager of Great Health PT.

I am the sole instructor and, after years in the field, I have the qualifications, knowledge and experience to accurately guide you through your ongoing training to reaching your fitness goals.

I have been a Certified Fitness Instructor and Personal Trainer since 2002 and have been managing Great Health PT since 2007.

I hold Certificates 2, 3 and 4 in Fitness Instruction and am a Physical Activity Australia (PAA)-Certified Fitness Instructor in Gym, Personal Training and Children’s Fitness.

Aside from these I hold over seventeen other additional Certificates in Advanced Fitness Instruction in specialized areas including Pilates, Boxercise, Nutrition, Strength Training and Massage.

I have also spent thousands of hours in researching, developing and teaching Women’s Self-Defence and I am the author of “Common-sense Self-Defence: A Comprehensive Guide to Women’s Self-Defence”, on which all of my Women’s Self-Defence classes are based.

Finally, all references, qualifications and certificates are available for inspection upon request.

Q/ Is it anything like “The Biggest Loser”, with all the screaming, shouting and being pushed to the breaking point?

A/ Absolutely not. Their approach has nothing to do with genuine fitness instruction and training but more to do with ratings and outright sadism. Pitting people against each other in order to lose the most weight the fastest is not only pointless but also potentially dangerous, as it can drive a person to extremes. The same applies to driving the body too far; it is only a matter of time before the body fails and injuries occur, not to mention the heightened risks of collapsing and heart failure through excessive stress.

My approach is completely different. I understand that the new trainee has not exercised in a long time and is not ready for advanced training; this is why I always place them on a beginner’s program that slowly eases them into the routine of regular training. This gives their bodies the time to slowly and surely improve and develop, along with building up their psychological ability to tolerate the discomfort of exercise. Once they become accustomed to the routine I urge them to increase the intensity of their training, trying more advanced forms of exercise and the like.

At no point will you catch me screaming, shouting, and insulting or pushing clients to their limit. It serves no positive purpose and only drags the client down. Instead, I go in the opposite direction. I treat adults like they are adults and treat each person on an individual basis, taking into account their strengths and weaknesses. Whether it is Group or Personal One-On-One training, I urge the client to work within their range and then taking it to the higher levels of exertion where appropriate, to excel and to always give it their personal best on the day.

As your Personal Fitness Instructor, you will always get my best, so you become your best.

Q/ Are there any kinds of intrusive or embarrassing procedures such as disrobing for fitness testing and so on?

A/ Absolutely none. There is no disrobing or undressing of any kind, neither are there body fat tests using callipers, scales or tape measures. I go out of my way to make sure that my approach is as comfortable and non-confronting as possible.

Q/ Is there any kind of fitness testing?

A/ Yes, but is very mild and as non-confronting as possible. The fitness test I use is a combination of:

• A Physical Activity Readiness Questionnaire (PAR-Q). As the name implies, it is simply a questionnaire that helps to gain an understanding of the Participant’s health in general and covers areas to do with nutrition, exercise, injuries and other lifestyle factors.
• Clearances from both your Medical Practitioner and Physiotherapist, stating that you are fit to engage in a fitness program.
• A mild physical fitness test that covers issues such as resting and active pulse rate and respiration and also your flexibility and mobility through a range of motions.

Further tests, such as those demonstrating strength, are not done as you will be demonstrating these things as you proceed with your workout and only after a thorough warm up.

Q/ What are the terms of joining up; are there any extra fees, long-term contracts or strings attached?

A/ None at all. I try to keep things as affordable, accessible and casual as possible. This means there are no joining or membership fees or long-term contracts to be signed.

As for payment, there is no paying by EFTPOS, credit cards or direct debiting. After the initial Introductory Training session, subsequent sessions can be only purchased in advance and in either blocks of 5 or 10 sessions (an extra free session is included with the latter block); this is done to encourage clients into sticking with the training program over several sessions.

Payment is only by cash in advance and receipts can be provided upon request.

The only thing I have trainees sign off on is an Application Form which supplies with me with the client’s contact details, health history and so on; it also includes a couple of Disclaimers that cover me in terms of liability and the like.

The best part of the deal is the affordability; all of my training is easily at the best pricing around and I encourage potential clients to shop around and see that Great Health PT offers the best pricing and services around.

Q/ Where do I start?

A/ It’s just a simple process of following some basic steps, from the initial contact, to a no-charge Consultation to the initial Introductory session.

PLEASE GO TO THE START PAGE FOR MORE

Q/ What do I bring to the training sessions?

A/ Just bring the following to the training session:

• Comfortable clothing (standard gym wear) and gym shoes (runners).
• A large towel.
• A bottle of water.
• A large floor mat. A floor mat is a thin foam rubber sheet around the same size as a large towel and is used in Yoga and Pilates classes. Kmart sells a thick floor mat under the brand name Aerial for around $12. They can also be purchased from sporting goods stores.
• Boxing gloves for the kick-boxercise sessions. I can supply some on the day if you don’t have any but, for the purposes of hygiene and safety, it is best to have your own pair for personal use. They too can be purchased from Kmart and other stores.

LOOKING FORWARD TO HEARING FROM YOU. ALL THE BEST, ADRIAN.