Special Sunday edition: Training on a budget

The number one objection I get when meeting a prospective client is money. And I get it. It's enough to pay the monthly gym membership. For the average person, dropping another $200-$400 a month isn't feasible. 

Even if it’s me and you’re charmed by my good looks and humor :-) 

Not many people have the disposable income to hire a personal trainer. I had no idea what the term disposable income even meant until I worked a block away from Newbury Street in Boston. 

So what can you do if you've got a limited budget, a gym membership, and the commitment to your health and fitness? 

Buy a program. 

Yes it's ideal to have a coach or a trainer. But if you just can't swing afford to hire someone right now, there is still a better option than spending an hour on the recumbent bike or choosing to try a few nautilus machines willy nilly.*

When I first started lifting, I used the softball programs our strength coach wrote before eventually moving on to the New Rules of Lifting Series which I recommend to every person who can't afford one on one sessions. Another great option is Eric Cressey’s High Performance Handbook, which is on sale through the end of the day today (Feb. 14th). 

Can you even think of a better Valentine's Day gift??

Eric’s resource is the closest thing you could get to training at Cressey Sports Performance and includes four months of programming along with guidance on proper progressions and regressions and video instructions. I cannot emphasize enough that this resource is appropriate for anyone looking for a guide to taking better physical care of herself. Whether your goal is fat loss, muscle gain, better posture or maintaining athleticism as you age, this guide is an excellent resource. 

I bought this program myself before I ever set foot at CSP as an intern. I trained with it all of last year, prior to switching over to a power lifting program with Tony Bonvechio. Eric includes warm ups, and if you purchase the Gold version, it includes a nutrition guide from a nutritionist, all for the cost of two sessions with a personal trainer. (Depending on where you live, even less than the cost of two sessions with a coach). If you opt for the Silver version, the cost is basically the price of one session.)

Eric also includes suggestions for performing certain exercises if your gym doesn't carry certain equipment. He literally thinks of everything. 

No, I don't get anything from putting out a plug for the program. No, I'm not just plugging it because Eric likes Bon Jovi and I like Bon Jovi. 

My ultimate goal with this blog is to provide useful information and every day I'm learning how to do that better. It would be a disservice not to share the High Performance Handbook and any other resource that can help people achieve their fitness goals. Because in the end, I'm in this for you. 

The book is an immediate download, so once you purchase it, you'll have access to all of the materials right away. 

*I have a post coming later this week about free weights vs. machines. I know. I can feel your excitement all the way in Maine.