A little over a year ago, I started working out with a personal trainer virtually through MINT. I didn’t really know what to expect, but I knew I desperately wanted to adjust my fitness routine and I was out of ideas on how to change it on my own.

 I’d been running seriously on and off for more than 10 years, caught in an endless cycle of building up mileage and training for races before getting injured, taking several months off, and starting it all over again. I was tired of being hurt and just wanted to be able to get into a consistent fitness rhythm without having to take prolonged breaks every few years because of some muscle strain or stress fracture. 

That’s when I started personal training via Zoom last spring. Every Monday morning I log on from my home gym to work with my trainer. We chat about how I’m feeling and the goals I’m looking to achieve. Each week she leads me through a new circuit of exercises, specifically designed to help me get stronger and work towards those goals. I continue to communicate with her throughout the week, sending her videos of me doing exercises for feedback and asking follow-up questions. Thanks to her help, I’m getting stronger in ways I never would have on my own. 

Doing personal training virtually means we rarely miss a beat. It doesn’t matter if my trainer or I am away from home – I’ve even done sessions from a public park when nowhere else was available to me! Sometimes my cat makes an appearance! I recently moved out of DC and began doing the training from my new apartment’s fitness center. It offers me access to more equipment and has made my overall experience even better even though I was still getting great workouts with my dumbbell and resistance band collection at home. 

Throughout the time I’ve worked with a MINT trainer, I’ve discovered a newfound love for strength training. I used to feel running was my favorite form of exercise and all other fitness felt like a chore. Now running is an exercise I do among many and I’m able to get the same positive feelings from lifting weights or using TRX bands that I used to only get through logging miles. Having someone who is solely dedicated to paying attention to my form has been huge. No one is born knowing the right way to do a squat or a bicep curl. Having her individualized guidance helps me get more out of the exercise while reducing injury risk. It’s completely revolutionized the way I work out and has built my confidence as well. 

• Natalie, MINT Member, Personal Training Client & Ambassador