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Emily is a smart, funny woman. A dream client, really. She showed up on time, worked hard on short and long term goals, and her sense of humor made me laugh every session. 

Emily began training with me in July 2015. She was already beautiful and fit, but wanted to start being more active, both for her upcoming wedding, and to be healthy in general. The pull up goal, though… that might have been my favorite.

Emily wanted to learn how to lift, but didn’t consider herself a gym person. (Yet.) She wanted to learn the right way, and that served her well. 

What she didn’t realize was that this was a huge benefit to her since her form was perfect; she moved naturally, completely devoid of bad habits.

Can I tell y’all that this girl is a trooper? She had no idea how hard she worked, simply because she didn’t have a gauge. I have worked with clients for over 11 years, so I have a huge perspective of people in the gym and can tell you honestly she worked harder than most people. She set her mind to it, and got the job done. Another set of heavy squats? Ok. Three more heavy deadlifts? Done.

I asked her a few questions about her gym experience. See below.

Why did you decide to go to a gym and lift instead of zumba, group classes, etc.?

Before last summer I hated gyms. I always felt intimidated when I would go because I did not know how to use the machines or weight lifting equipment. Of course I could ask someone, but who wants to do that? I’ve tried the group classes and I’d find myself in the far back corner not really trying that hard and wishing the class would just hurry up and be over. I would also find excuses to not make it to a certain class because the class time would not fit with my schedule that day. For someone like me, just getting to a gym with flexible hours is important. Knowing how to actually use the equipment was the next step.

Why did you decide to see a trainer?

I needed someone to push me, hold me accountable AND I wanted to learn how to properly use gym equipment. I’ve known people to hurt themselves lifting weights, whether from bad form or too heavy of weight and I didn’t want that to be me. I had a friend training with Kathryn and I used my upcoming wedding as the motivating kick I needed to get myself in a gym.

What was your main goal? 

I wanted to be stronger and healthier. I wanted to not be scared to go to the gym by myself. Oh, and I wanted to be able to do a pull up.

What was your favorite part of working out?

I am really surprised that I liked squats so much. (Kathryn: she’s good at them! See proof below.) I mean I actually enjoyed working out! I didn’t enjoy pull-ups much, but it felt so great when I was able to do several of them in a row. The results I saw in the mirror were also quite nice. Having friends and family notice my muscles was very flattering.

Anything surprising you learned from the gym? 

Gyms aren’t scary (though I always knew that). I feel totally comfortable being the only female in the free weight section of the gym now. 

Anything else you want to add about your experience?

If you’re considering making some healthy changes to your life, a personal trainer is a great way to start. I think learning proper technique and form is vital and something you can take with you when your training ends. Kathryn makes the whole experience fun. I was sad when my training with her ended, but I’m going to the gym by myself now 2-3 times a week and I’m very thankful for all that she has taught me. It’s definitely worth it!

About the author

Kathryn Alexander is a strength coach and personal trainer in Austin, Texas. She loves hiking, college football, and the feel of a perfectly knurled barbell. Read more about Kathryn here.