Looking for a 'Specific' Type of Trainer

[ProgMtl]

For my father…68 years old…

He doesn’t want to get big or anything like that…he is on blood pressure meds (desperately wants to get off them) and has a bad hip (drs. say it will need to be replaced before too long)…he is semi-active (umpires a lot of little league & junior league baseball games).

I workout at 24 hr. fitness…I know a few things about training but nothing that would really help him.

Since he’s on a bunch of different meds he doesn’t want to mess with tone of supplements.

Can anyone point me in the right direction as to what KIND of a trainer I need to look for that may specialize in something like this? I really have no idea where to start…obviously someone that knows training as well as some medicine.

Thanks for any info

[Sentoguy]

[quote]ProgMtl wrote:
For my father…68 years old…

He doesn’t want to get big or anything like that…he is on blood pressure meds (desperately wants to get off them) and has a bad hip (drs. say it will need to be replaced before too long)…he is semi-active (umpires a lot of little league & junior league baseball games).

I workout at 24 hr. fitness…I know a few things about training but nothing that would really help him.

Since he’s on a bunch of different meds he doesn’t want to mess with tone of supplements.

Can anyone point me in the right direction as to what KIND of a trainer I need to look for that may specialize in something like this? I really have no idea where to start…obviously someone that knows training as well as some medicine.

Thanks for any info[/quote]

Well first he’d need to get medical clearance to workout, and at that time his Dr. could set any limitations that he would need in terms of what he could/couldn’t do exercise wise due to his medications.

Secondly, the trainer would have to be able to change some of his paradigms. At 68 his body is rapidly losing muscle mass and his hormonal levels (test in particular) are dropping, so he probably doesn’t have to worry about becoming the next Ronnie Coleman.

But, he should still train for muscle mass/strength as it might at least help prevent the loss of further muscle mass (and probably even build some).

The more muscle mass he loses, the higher his risk for injury is going to be and the less active he’ll be able to be, resulting in a downward physical spiral.

As far as supps go, a good trainer isn’t going to push a lot of supplements. Perhaps they’ve got their 1 or 2 exotic supps that they suggest to their clients, but mostly just stick to the basic food based supps (like protein powder, fish oil, multivitamins, maybe a carb product like Waxy Maize or maltodextrin, things of that nature). None of those should have any adverse affects if taken with medications.

So basically you need a trainer that is straight forward, no nonsense, and able to work around physical limitations.

[Chris_Colucci]

[quote]ProgMtl wrote:
Can anyone point me in the right direction as to what KIND of a trainer I need to look for that may specialize in something like this?
…
I really have no idea where to start…obviously someone that knows training as well as some medicine.[/quote]
I’d actually disagree with that last part. While you might luck out finding an M.D. who closed his practice to pursue his lifelong dream of personal training (?!?), I’d rather look for an experienced trainer who’s successfully worked with older adults. Some certification organizations (like the ISSA) also have specialization programs for training seniors and older adults.

Instead of advising on medical issues, a trainer would ideally consult (or at least briefly discuss) any serious medical conditions or potential issues with the doctor himself, obviously with the client’s permission beforehand. Then he could plan accordingly.

Keep an eye out next time you’re in the gym for trainers working with older clients, then try to strike up a conversation with the client (but don’t interrupt the session to do it). Explain the situation straight-out and see how the client likes the trainer, and what they’ve accomplished so far.

I worked at one commercial gym and there was a gal known for her work with older clients. One of her oldest, an 86-year old retired lawyer, went from needing a walker to get around the gym to walking nearly-upright. It was awesome to see.

[Chris_Colucci]

[quote]Sentoguy wrote:
As far as supps go, a good trainer isn’t going to push a lot of supplements. Perhaps they’ve got their 1 or 2 exotic supps that they suggest to their clients, but mostly just stick to the basic food based supps (like protein powder, fish oil, multivitamins, maybe a carb product like Waxy Maize or maltodextrin, things of that nature).

None of those should have any adverse affects if taken with medications.[/quote]

I know we’re talking generalities here, but I have to disagree with part of this.

Someone on blood pressure-reduction or other blood-related medications (blood thinners, etc.) might want to avoid fish oils because it could thin their blood even further and lead to impaired clotting or other issues. My girlfriend’s stepdad can’t take Flameout because he’s on some medication.

On a semi-related note, I’d be overly cautious regarding carb-based PWO drinks with a client (especially an older client) who may be diabetic or pre-diabetic.

Just something for Progmtl to keep in mind, if it gets to that level and his father comes home and says “Timmy the trainer gave this No-Xplode stuff and said it should help.”

[Sentoguy]

[quote]Chris Colucci wrote:
Sentoguy wrote:
As far as supps go, a good trainer isn’t going to push a lot of supplements. Perhaps they’ve got their 1 or 2 exotic supps that they suggest to their clients, but mostly just stick to the basic food based supps (like protein powder, fish oil, multivitamins, maybe a carb product like Waxy Maize or maltodextrin, things of that nature).

None of those should have any adverse affects if taken with medications.

I know we’re talking generalities here, but I have to disagree with part of this.

Someone on blood pressure-reduction or other blood-related medications (blood thinners, etc.) might want to avoid fish oils because it could thin their blood even further and lead to impaired clotting or other issues. My girlfriend’s stepdad can’t take Flameout because he’s on some medication.
[/quote]

Hmmm, I know that omega 3’s are anti-inflamatory, but I hadn’t heard of them thinning blood. Good to know though, I’ll have to do some more research on that. Thanks.

On a semi-related note, I’d be overly cautious regarding carb-based PWO drinks with a client (especially an older client) who may be diabetic or pre-diabetic.

Diabetes (type 11 anyhow) has to do with insulin sensitivity though, which doesn’t necessarily mean that one cannot consume carb-based PWO drinks. It simply means that one doesn’t want to consume very high amounts of carbs all day every day (no one does really).

If the days when this individual doesn’t do very intense resistance training they keep their carb intake low (say like 50g or perhaps even lower) this will help to ensure that they maintain their insulin sensitivity (actually it can often times actually essentially cure type 11 diabetes).

Adding things like omega 3’s on these days can also help to increase insulin sensitivity (which was one of the reasons I mentioned it).

[quote]
Just something for Progmtl to keep in mind, if it gets to that level and his father comes home and says “Timmy the trainer gave this No-Xplode stuff and said it should help.”[/quote]

Yeah, I’m not saying he should take something like NO-Xplode, the NO boosters and creatine probably wouldn’t be all that beneficial to him anyhow.

[jehovasfitness]

[quote]Sentoguy wrote:
Chris Colucci wrote:
Sentoguy wrote:
As far as supps go, a good trainer isn’t going to push a lot of supplements. Perhaps they’ve got their 1 or 2 exotic supps that they suggest to their clients, but mostly just stick to the basic food based supps (like protein powder, fish oil, multivitamins, maybe a carb product like Waxy Maize or maltodextrin, things of that nature).

None of those should have any adverse affects if taken with medications.

I know we’re talking generalities here, but I have to disagree with part of this.

Someone on blood pressure-reduction or other blood-related medications (blood thinners, etc.) might want to avoid fish oils because it could thin their blood even further and lead to impaired clotting or other issues. My girlfriend’s stepdad can’t take Flameout because he’s on some medication.

Hmmm, I know that omega 3’s are anti-inflamatory, but I hadn’t heard of them thinning blood. Good to know though, I’ll have to do some more research on that. Thanks.

On a semi-related note, I’d be overly cautious regarding carb-based PWO drinks with a client (especially an older client) who may be diabetic or pre-diabetic.

Diabetes (type 11 anyhow) has to do with insulin sensitivity though, which doesn’t necessarily mean that one cannot consume carb-based PWO drinks. It simply means that one doesn’t want to consume very high amounts of carbs all day every day (no one does really).

If the days when this individual doesn’t do very intense resistance training they keep their carb intake low (say like 50g or perhaps even lower) this will help to ensure that they maintain their insulin sensitivity (actually it can often times actually essentially cure type 11 diabetes).

Adding things like omega 3’s on these days can also help to increase insulin sensitivity (which was one of the reasons I mentioned it).

Just something for Progmtl to keep in mind, if it gets to that level and his father comes home and says “Timmy the trainer gave this No-Xplode stuff and said it should help.”

Yeah, I’m not saying he should take something like NO-Xplode, the NO boosters and creatine probably wouldn’t be all that beneficial to him anyhow.[/quote]

Yup, that’s one of the benefits (for most people) of fish oil is thinning of the blood. Like said, if someone is already on blood thinners, fish oil supplementation is contra-indicated.

[ProgMtl]

Thanks for the input guys…helped a lot

[Cprimero]

For the hip, read some Cressey articles and ideally get the Magnificent mobility dvd and get him doing some mobility drills. Also ask Eric some questions in his locker room thread.

Get him to try some ART and even the new five finger shoes, in his new article Dan John said they pretty much cured a hip problem .

[Sentoguy]

[quote]jehovasfitness wrote:
Sentoguy wrote:
Chris Colucci wrote:
Sentoguy wrote:
As far as supps go, a good trainer isn’t going to push a lot of supplements. Perhaps they’ve got their 1 or 2 exotic supps that they suggest to their clients, but mostly just stick to the basic food based supps (like protein powder, fish oil, multivitamins, maybe a carb product like Waxy Maize or maltodextrin, things of that nature).

None of those should have any adverse affects if taken with medications.

I know we’re talking generalities here, but I have to disagree with part of this.

Someone on blood pressure-reduction or other blood-related medications (blood thinners, etc.) might want to avoid fish oils because it could thin their blood even further and lead to impaired clotting or other issues. My girlfriend’s stepdad can’t take Flameout because he’s on some medication.

Hmmm, I know that omega 3’s are anti-inflamatory, but I hadn’t heard of them thinning blood. Good to know though, I’ll have to do some more research on that. Thanks.

On a semi-related note, I’d be overly cautious regarding carb-based PWO drinks with a client (especially an older client) who may be diabetic or pre-diabetic.

Diabetes (type 11 anyhow) has to do with insulin sensitivity though, which doesn’t necessarily mean that one cannot consume carb-based PWO drinks. It simply means that one doesn’t want to consume very high amounts of carbs all day every day (no one does really).

If the days when this individual doesn’t do very intense resistance training they keep their carb intake low (say like 50g or perhaps even lower) this will help to ensure that they maintain their insulin sensitivity (actually it can often times actually essentially cure type 11 diabetes).

Adding things like omega 3’s on these days can also help to increase insulin sensitivity (which was one of the reasons I mentioned it).

Just something for Progmtl to keep in mind, if it gets to that level and his father comes home and says “Timmy the trainer gave this No-Xplode stuff and said it should help.”

Yeah, I’m not saying he should take something like NO-Xplode, the NO boosters and creatine probably wouldn’t be all that beneficial to him anyhow.

Yup, that’s one of the benefits (for most people) of fish oil is thinning of the blood. Like said, if someone is already on blood thinners, fish oil supplementation is contra-indicated.[/quote]

Thanks for the info Fitness.