I had a date with my future body today. I’m embarking on a 6 months personal training program with SAFRA EnergyOne gym starting from 1 July and today, I met my torturer trainer for the first time…
Our first meet and greet took place at SAFRA Toa Payoh EnergyOne gym where most of my training sessions will be carried out. However, we will also be working out at the 4 other EnergyOne outlets throughout Singapore to spice up the routines.
As I made my way to the meeting, trepidation overtook me. While I look forward to the health benefits and physical improvements personal training can bring, I’m apprehensive about my ability to succeed, to achieve my dream physique.
Will I be able to take the grueling training now that I am older and have multiple injuries as well as health sirens? Do I have the determination to stick to the 3-times-a-week routine and watch my diet 24/7? What if I fail?
These, and many more doubts about my capabilities swarmed my mind. I may look rather fit and to some extend, even muscular in my photos, but they are all a matter of knowing when to flex, what to suck in, and where the stud angles are. In reality, my health is a wreck and I am big and small in all the wrong places.
Can my EnergyOne Fitness Instructor turn a fragile piece of glass like me into a marble-chiseled strongman?
Hello Haswandi Hasmoon (alias Wandi)! He is the Fitness Instructor who will be coaching me towards my goal. I like his name because there are two ‘has’ in it! I’m filled with the ‘can do’ spirit just by looking at his nametag!
Looking for a personal trainer is rather like searching for a bed. You have to feel comfortable with the person you are going to work with for the long haul; one who is going to know your body as well as you do.
Our first meeting wasn’t a training session but for us to find out more about each other. This being my first time working with a trainer, I don’t want it to be just someone assigned by the gym, a person I have no confidence in, and have to live with it. Neither do I want Wandi to be stuck with a trainee he doesn’t enjoy working with.
So I shared stuff about myself while ‘interviewing’ him to understand his background and more importantly, to get a feel of his personality and training philosophy so that I know this piece of glass is in good hands.
With certifications in Strength & Conditioning and the National Coaching Accreditation Programme (NCAP), Wandi has more than 12 years of fitness coaching experience working with the Singapore Sports Council, schools and individual clients. He’s also an expert in the Malay martial art of Silat!
Wandi is more than qualified as a trainer with his various accreditations and vast experience so my mind was at ease. Now for the evaluation on personality compatibility… He’s perfect!
My initial impression was that he’s a no-nonsense kind of guy, but as we got better acquainted, I noticed that he smiles a lot and has a very unassuming, easy-going disposition. I can also feel that he sincerely wants to help me achieve my goal of looking and feeling Fabulous by 40 (which is next year! Yikes!)!
I feel very comfortable and happy to have him as my trainer and I think he’s okay with having me as a client so we got down to plan our workout schedule in no time. We set our first session to be on 1 July 2013 with a weigh in and measurements taken to establish the baseline. I have a feeling I would loathe those numbers!
“If they [clients] get no satisfaction from my session, I feel guilty,” Wandi shared with me on his training philosophy.
To me, holding himself accountable and responsible for his clients’ achievements is an iron-clad guarantee that results are definite when training with him. And he doesn’t wait for his clients to tell him if they are satisfied or not. He constantly assess their physical states throughout the gym sessions and adjust intensity or introduce exercises to make sure clients feel their muscles burn while maintaining correct training posture. Safety is paramount.
During the chat, I felt that Wandi demonstrated active listening and understood my physical concerns. He’s now charged with the dual tasks of fixing my health and helping me develop a bigger + muscular + sculpted body.
While talking to him, those questions and fears I had earlier swirled at the back of my mind. I didn’t share those concerns with him but through our conversation, I heard my answers. He assured me that personal training is not to be feared and workout sessions should be “stress-free, educational, and results-oriented”. What a relief!
With my fears neutralised, I now look forward to the start of my training sessions with Wandi. I think they are going to be a lot of fun… and filled with happy pain too!
If you’re thinking about starting a regular fitness program or need that extra help to break through your bodybuilding plateau, why not consider taking up a personal training with SAFRA? There’s currently a promotional offer of S$120 (excl. prevailing taxes) for 3 sessions at EnergyOne. That’s only S$40 per 1-hour session! It’s a really good deal considering that many private gyms and freelance trainers charge from S$65 onwards per session (I know because I’ve been shopping around).
So kickstart your fitness plan today and join me to look and feel fabulous by our next birthday!
Tagged: EnergyOne, fitness, gym, Health, Personal Training, SAFRA, SAFRA Toa Payoh
