DG member, Elaine Marrs

Fitness has always been a way of life for me. I met my husband at a gym so, guess you can say it is a family tradition. We come from different backgrounds of fitness; he is a former personal trainer and I was a college athlete.

I piddle most of the time when it comes to weight lifting. I have found that I need some kind of driving force to get focused. Last year, I was approached about joining a ” Biggest Loser ” competition at Wheat Middle school. I was at my heaviest, 170 pounds. Needless to say, it became a no-brainer for me; get healthier/happier and have the possibility to win a little money at the same time.

The staff at the Dang Gym was absolutely marvelous, supporting me through the ups and downs of training and nutrition. Anytime you choose to make a change in life, if you don’t have a good support group, you are more likely to fall short of your ultimate goal. They always asked how I was doing and if there was anything they could help me with. I talked to each of the trainers multiple times throughout the training. They were very insightful and motivating.

Towards the end of the ” Biggest Loser ” experience, the competition was getting tight and I was getting smaller than I ever expected or desired. At this point I was not just losing weight, I was losing interest. I had to seek out a new goal that would help me finish the competition. I started running and was immediately addicted. Even though I was small, it took what weight was left off. The winning weight was 128 pounds and it was me!

You may have expected the story to be over but, now I was ready to train for a marathon. Again, I returned to Jimmy for training advice, M.J. and Bob for nutrition, and Tacy for constant encouragement/updates. The members there are amazing as well. Numberous Dang Gym enthusiast kept up with my progress and always had positve things to say as well as, any previous experiences with marathon training.

I finished my first marathon in 4:17:55 gaining 1608 place out of 27,000 contestants that started. The Dang Gym has an extraordinary wealth of knowledge, a sense of family and support, for this I am truly blessed and thankful.

Elaine Marrs

Personal Trainers

You walk into the gym for the first time or, you’ve been working out for months with little results. You’ve made the decision to work with a personal trainer but, which trainer do I want?

Most of the top rate fitness facilities require their trainers to be certified with one of the top five certification organizations before a prospective employee will even be considered. NASM, NSCA, ACSM, ISSA or Ace are among the top five certifications in the country. Any of these certifications require advance study and testing at an average cost of $600. In order to keep up with advances in the fitness and nutrition industry, a trainer must earn at least 20 ceu’s every two years. Paying for a personal training package can be costly but, it’s worth it, providing that you choose a trainer with the best education the industry offers. There are places available to get a piece of paper that says certified personal trainer at a cost from $49 to $150. These so called certifications require little study and low level testing to complete. For those of you who maybe considering a career as a personal trainer remember, most high quality companies will not accept any of these certifications. Whether you are hiring a trainer or, wanting to be a trainer, do some research before spending your money.

Remember, you are basically hiring this person to do a job for you. Just like any employer would, interview the prospect. Find out about their experience and their education. Ask to speak to other members who have worked out with the trainer.

Whether you hire a trainer with a certification from one of the top five organizations or one with a lesser certification, you are going to pay the same fee. Get the best for your money, your time and your health.

M. J. Wilkerson
ISSA Certified Fitness Trainer
ISSA Certified Specialist in Performance Nutrition
ISSA Certified Specialist in Martial Arts Conditioning