What are the benefits of using a functional trainer?
As the name suggests, my priority is function, which means very different things to different people. Some want to enjoy skiing and cycling holidays without injury, others want to be able to play a game of football with their kids without getting out of breath or play a round of golf without pulling their shoulder. Many simply want to able to enjoy day to day life: getting up and down the stairs, running for the bus, taking a walk in the park.
The point is, functional training is tailored to your goals, whether you’re an athlete pursuing peak performance or a parent who wants to keep up with the seemingly infinite energy of children.
I also minimise conflict with your current lifestyle. It would be great if we could all spend hours a day exercising, but most of us have nine to fives (or more), hobbies to pursue and loved ones to spend time with. Ambitious exercise programmes that require sacrifice of your passions and obligations don’t tend to last very long. Health and fitness should be dedicated to our lives, not the other way around.
This means I set gradual, realistic goals using programmes that take up only as much time and effort as you can spare. I manage this by trading time for precision, prescribing exercises that specifically target the structures most in need of work. Everyone has a different balance of strengths and weaknesses and I use this knowledge to squeeze the most out of every minute of training.
Is there more to functional training than exercise?
Along with the prescribed exercises and one-to-one training, I’ll also suggest simple lifestyle and dietary changes that can benefit your health and fitness without unreasonable sacrifice.
For example, we can take a look at your commute and replace sections of it with walking instead of using transport. We can go through your diet and find ways to improve your nutrition, even when you’re out at a restaurant or bar. If a last minute deadline means you’re not going to be able to get away from your desk, you can ask me for exercises to do while sitting.
Most importantly, my advice is available whenever you need it, whether you’re at work, on holiday or have simply forgotten how to do an exercise I showed you. Thanks to smartphones, you really do have a trainer in your pocket.
What improvements can I expect?
While your results will depend on the amount of time you can commit to the programmes and your goals, I aim for my clients to see significant progress within six weeks and their goals achieved within six months.
For example, one of my clients needed to prepare for a national rowing qualifiers, so I helped with their strength and conditioning training and got them to a high national level within two months. At the other end, an elderly client was having trouble walking without getting out of breath and was unable to climb stairs. By six weeks, they were walking comfortably and by six months they were cycling again and entirely physically self sufficient.
How often do I need to see you?
I see most clients once a week for guided training, with a daily exercise programme that you do in your own time, but fortnightly or monthly appointments are also available with the same level of out of hours access. To book your first session contact us at info@westlondonphysio.co.uk or call 0207 937 1628.
Ryno Erasmus
Functional Trainer
