Terry Grosetti, a trainer and owner of Grosetti Performance in New Castle, believes that regardless of a persons age, a physical training program must be tailored to the individual. A personalized program, he says, helps a person achieve his or her goals and manage their overall training capacity.

Throughout the past three years, Grosetti has worked with the New Castle High School basketball team, as well as other students, administration staff, teachers and parents.

Before developing a training regimen, Grosetti wants his clients to be realistic.

Its important to know the truth, he says. You may need a lot more work than you think. You need to understand where you are and what it takes to get to where you want to be.

This is where accountability begins for the client and the trainer.

Its the difference, especially for students, between I want to succeed and I kinda want to succeed, Grosetti says. As a trainer, Im there to help them.

The training program he develops depends on the client, he says. For athletes, this can involve strength and conditioning to build the speed and power needed to play a particular sport. Reducing the risk of injury while helping the team succeed is most important.

For non-athletes, the approach is similar, but a plan is necessary to meet their specific needs. The person must know, or be taught, how to use ones body weight in positioning the hands, shoulders and feet; and how to perform jumps, push-ups or squat-thrusts the correct way.

A 6-year-old may not know how to run properly, Grosetti says. Or, may not know the proper form to use with exercise. Teach them correctly at a young age as their bodies develop and they will be in a safer position when it comes to injury risk. It also creates confidence.

A client's injury history also factors into developing any training program. Grosetti advises alerting a trainer to any prior injuries so the program excludes exercises that could aggravating the condition.

On the other hand, if the trainee had a hamstring injury, certain exercises can aid in recovery. The program can help build muscle strength and minimize the possibility of re-injury.

In terms of academic acuity, fitness can make a difference.

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It definitely helps, he says. It takes the mind off stress so that a student can learn how to better deal with challenges.

Grosetti compares learning a new workout drill to solving a math problem.

It requires a correlation between the body and the mind, he says. A student learns new ways to do things, and can transfer that approach to the real world.

No matter what shape a training program takes, a common denominator is nutrition. Grosetti says exercise and diet are equally important, and breakfast is essential.

You have to get your metabolism going early in the day, Grosetti says. Thats an important way to prepare for a day of success.

Although everyone has a different reason for motivation, Grosetti believes there is no age limit to fitness training. He considers it an investment in self, and compares it to a 401(k) plan.

You invest dollars for whenever you are older, he says. But if you dont take care of your body today, you wont be able to enjoy what youve been saving for. So invest some time and dollars in yourself. Invest in healthier food choices and a daily half-hour workout.

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