If you have been following along on
social media, you will know that I, Gary, ruptured my hamstring, avulsing the common hamstring tendon off of the ischial tuberosity. What this means is that the attachment point of my hamstring muscles was
effectively ripped off the bone, necessitating surgical reattachment.
Since surgery, I obviously have a bit of pain, and I will be in a knee brace for the next 6 weeks, severely restricting my normal activities of daily living. For the first 2 weeks, my knee is fixed at 90 degrees, which is quite awkward, as you can imagine.
As a result, I am currently dependent on crutches for mobilising, and am unable to do things like carry weights, set up machines, etc. Therefore, going to the gym alone is possible, but is very awkward and would put me in a position where I would probably lean into positions or carry objects that I shouldn't. Naturally, not doing any training does not
sit well with me.
To overcome this, I decided to get some help. On Friday, I got the assistance of my friend and fellow personal trainer
Jared O'Sullivan, the owner of
Integrity Gym, Killarney.
Jared helped me through a workout that was appropriate for my current function, and as a result, I had one of the best workouts I have had in a while. I will be doing another today.
One-to-one personal training is a very valuable experience, and if you have never worked with a trainer in person, I highly recommend you do so. You will probably find yourself pushing much harder than you normally would if training alone, and even though we are an online coaching business, I can honestly say that nothing can replace the focus and effort
you have when working with a good personal trainer in person.
With that said, seeking help is always a good way to get better faster in any area of life. Online training offers many of the benefits of in-person training, and in particular, the accountability and indirect motivation that comes from that is a strong contributor to better results. Sometimes, our clients tell us that they feel like we are there, as
they know they have to report back as to how their workouts went, what weights they lifted, etc., so they end up pushing harder.
Whether online or in-person, if you want the best results, seek out professional assistance. Even if it's just short term, the skills and knowledge gained will be carried with you for a long time.
