Gyms are about goals, right? Horsham-based female personal trainer, Becky, shares her thoughts on how it might not be quite what you expect, and how there’s a gym equivalent of non-scale victories…
What does “NSV” mean?
“NSV” is typically used as an abbreviation of “non-scale victory” – something that those on a weight-loss journey recognise as progress in some form that isn’t about the number on the scale dropping. It might be that they are able to shop in a store that they couldn’t previously access as it didn’t carry their size, or that their shoe size decreases (yes, that can be a thing with weight-loss). Generally, it is still attached to the way their body fits within the world, and they are inherently still linked to diet culture and the idea that, when it comes to bodies, smaller = better.
The fitness world can be very judgmental, and I was thinking about the idea of NSVs when I contemplated something else recently…
Fitness and accomplishment
There are lots of common goals within the fitness world, particularly among those who are just starting out with exercising. Lots of people will say that they want to run 5km, or fit into a specific outfit, or gain the confidence to buy new swimwear. Very few gym beginners will walk into a consultation with a personal trainer and state that they want to deadlift bodyweight, though, and there are a few reasons for this.
However, as time goes on, people progress and they perhaps discover a love of lifting, many of them quickly become focused on attainment. It’s then not just about entering a Hyrox or a turning up for Parkrun, but completing them within a certain time. It’s not enough for them to learn what each machine does, it’s that they want to max certain ones out. Working with a barbell becomes about adding more and more plates, consistently wanting to push their personal best higher. How do I know? I’ve been that person too. And I’ve continued to evolve.
The gym isn’t just about how much you can lift
Everyone is entitled to use the gym for the reason that suits them. There will always be people who are looking to lift heavier and heavier, and I choose to leave them to it – I’ve been there and done it to an extent, and I feel like I’ve ticked that box (for now). Lifting heavy demands that you train in a specific type of way, and relies on your body staying healthy. When you look beyond the load that you move, there are far more achievements to be had.
Working with clients of a range of abilities, and some of whom have a history of health issues has taught me a lot. A huge part of the job of a personal trainer is to observe, adjust, and provide feedback, and in the course of doing that, I’ve noticed a lot about the people I work with.
Victories in the gym
This whole thing really hit home when a client recently sat down on a machine, positioned their body, unlocked the machine to complete their work, and then locked the machine again at the end of the set. Without my help.
Whilst that sounds like an everyday occurrence not worth writing home about to the vast majority, this is massive for a lot of people. This client in particular is living with side effects of a neurological condition, struggling with range of movement and coordination. When I’d first taught them about this machine, I’d had to help them unlock and relock it, as they couldn’t reach independently. So this is measurable progress – the machine hasn’t changed, my client’s body has. And, yes, a small part of it will be that they’re not familiar with the equipment. But that’s also a victory – retaining the information on how it works, feeling confident in the environment, and pushing their body to adapt are all part of the process, and important to their development as a gym user.
Plus, more excitingly, if they can reach further and with more control in the gym, they can also do that anywhere else. Which is a massive win for them. Are they lifting more weight? On that piece of equipment, not yet. Have they progressed physically? Absolutely.
What this could mean for you
I don’t just do this for one client, I work like this with everyone. I vividly remember the inside of the gym looking like a confusing mass of metal. And, if I walk into a facility I’m not familiar with, or a new machine arrives at my own, I’m transported back to that moment. The difference now is that I have the patience with myself to figure it out, or ask for help.
A few months ago, I asked the owner of the gym I work at (who used to be my PT) to demonstrate how to use an ab wheel. He had never taught me how to, it wasn’t in my PT course and, yes, I could’ve looked it up on the internet, but why do that when we both had a minute to spare and I could get feedback from someone who knows me? I’ve been a personal trainer for over four years, and I know that I don’t know everything, so I ask. That’s how I continually improve.
It’s also how I’ve got as far as I have already. Looking for that improvement in myself makes it easier for me to spot it in others. Want me to show you how much you can get out of your gym experience? Get in touch