CA’s Personal Training offers a great way to get guidance on getting fit
By Tripp Laino, February 2018
Bonnie Pace was already a standout as Howard County’s top personal trainer for five of the last six years (she received an honorable mention in the sixth). But the veteran trainer says it is a recent development — receiving her master’s degree in nutrition in 2016 — that really sets her apart from the crowd.
“You can’t out-exercise a bad diet,” Pace said. “I can teach someone how to do an exercise properly and get stronger and prevent injury, but if I can teach somebody how to change their diet and make it part of their lifestyle, it is life-altering.”
Those nutrition sessions can be alternated with personal training sessions no matter which of CA’s personal trainers you use, meaning you can always get the best of both worlds!
CA offers a variety of personal training options to fit your lifestyle, increase your energy and get the results you want, including private hour and half-hour sessions, semi-private sessions (2-3 people) and small group training. And it’s incredibly customizable — CA’s trainers are able to help you up your game in specific sports like golf, tennis or soccer, among others, or deal with a specific ailment, like Parkinson’s disease.
New clients and anyone who hasn’t purchased personal training in a year are eligible for a special rate: three sessions for $149. To learn more about this special, schedule your free Fitness Consultation at the front desk or ask to speak with one of our fitness training supervisors. In addition to personal training, CA has a team of nutrition professionals who can make a difference in anyone’s performance — whether that’s weight loss or working toward better health.
“We all do a really good job of helping our clients achieve their goals in a safe, effective manner,” Pace said. “People are always driven by results. As a trainer, you want to keep in touch with people about what their goal is so that you’re on the same page and helping them move in the right direction.”
Michele Fox, one of CA’s trainers, helps match new clients with personal trainers at Columbia Athletic Club. Fox jokes that the first session with a new client is basically a blind date, with a trainer trying to assess the best way to meet someone’s goals.
“Personal training is not always about weight loss,” Fox said. “Sometimes it’s very personal — someone may have trouble getting into their car or doing day-to-day activities.”
Fox said all of CA’s trainers can adapt workouts — even for issues as simple as a lack of motivation.
“When people have bad days or things aren’t going well, I want them to use this as an outlet, not cancel because they’re having a bad day,” Fox said.
Tom Mungo, who’s been training with Fox for about a year, said he appreciates the connection he’s made with her through training.
“When I came, my goal was to not only lose weight but come off medication,” he said. “Michele’s help — she really pushes me — has helped me do both of those things.”
Though she’s been singled out for honors recently, Pace is quick to point out the skill of the personal training staff and their desire to improve lives for members and residents like Mungo.
“We’re helping people to enhance their lives,” she said. “As a company, it’s our mission to engage our diverse community, cultivate a unique sense of place and enhance quality of life. that sets us apart, and we really want our trainers to help better the community. It’s more than just the bottom line for us.”
For more information, visit columbiaassociation.org personaltraining.
