I’m fundamentally lazy. I’m not unique in this, not least in never-walk-anywhere Doha. But, eventually, the huffing and puffing up a few flights of stairs starts to wear on the old self- esteem. But what with that whole laziness theme, I don’t trust myself to actually go to the gym on my own every day – again, not remarkable. Most of us have, at one point or another, counted thinking of putting on our gym shoes as mission accomplished workout-wise. What I needed was someone to motivate me, someone to stalk me like a ninja and make sure I actually went to the gym, and then make sure I do more than hang around the juice bar when I’m there. What I need, in short, is a personal trainer.

‘Training can help you to reach your goal the fastest and safest way. Additionally your trainer will keep you motivated along the way and stick to a regular schedule,’ says Carina, who by day is the wellness manager at Six Senses in the Sharq Village & Spa, but for one hour three times a week morphs into my own personal Satan in gym gear (she’s Austrian – the accent adds a level of sternness to blond ponytailed perkiness). ‘It is like working out with a friend who knows your body, your fitness level and your goals, and tries to bring you there with fun, motivation and support,’ she adds.

It’s also a friend who is willing to make you do just one more lunge when your legs (and if I’m honest potentially my mouth) are screaming for mercy. Carina says personal training is the way to go if you’re just starting out or coming back after an injury or break from the fitness routine. You can make it as hard or easy as you want to, with someone who knows how to work you well without breaking you at the helm. ‘You can start at any fitness level you like. Your trainer will find the right workout for you and help you to improve your fitness step by step,’ she says. ‘Your trainer knows where you are and gets you from there –
each workout is tailored according to your needs and wants.’

Most professional personal trainers have certificates in fitness as well as large amounts of training and education – they are not just the toned gym bunnies lurking in the dark corners behind the resistance machines. Carina has a masters degree in health management as well as nutritional and lifestyle consultations – she says good personal trainers will be able to give you advice and guidance on more than just the perfect push-up; they will be able to help you meet your goals in and out of the gym.

In fact, Carina has supplied clients with at-home workouts they can do while they are travelling, or on their own, outside of her supervision. ‘My main purpose in life is to make other peoples’ lives better,’ she says. ‘Clients take away a lot: fun, motivation, toned bodies. And often they don’t take something away, they leave a lot behind: their additional fat around their hips and bellies.’

Working out with Carina becomes something both exciting and dreadful: some days I bounce into the gym like Tigger in the hundred-acre wood, eager to start. Other days, not so much. And it’s on these terrible horrible no-good very bad days where I mostly just want to move to Australia and maybe eat a cookie that she really shines – with a combination of sweat and a few bouts of kickboxing exercises, working out with her never fails to succeed a lot better than chocolate at diminishing my stress levels.

Carina says this is fairly normal, especially in Qatar where many professionals are looking for an outlet. But she says everyone comes through the gym doors, and in fact working with a personal trainer is ideal for those who are intimidated or embarrassed about stepping into the gym for the first time. ‘All sorts of people: men and women who want to lose weight and tone up – which is the majority – pregnant ladies, people who want to recover from injuries or those who just want to get and stay fit.’

But the question is: is this more effective than working out on your own? While there is lots of anecdotal evidence saying that working out with a trainer helps get results, hard statistics are not easy to come by. Many gyms offer promotional packages on personal training sessions, and even complimentary fitness assessments and initial sessions with a trainer when you join – but many people never take advantage of it, thinking all they need is headphones and a treadmill. But it’s an alluring prospect, particularly for anyone well versed in The Biggest Loser, and similar TV shows where trainers work wizardly magic over waistlines. But could people have achieved these results on their own? After a few weeks of training with Carina, I’ve managed to shift 10kg, and shrink my waist by 10cm – more importantly, I feel better, and after a month working out is a habit. I’m actually going to the gym now, instead of just looking at my gym shoes and declaring it done.

And that, Carina says, is worth more than statistics. ‘Skilled personal trainers know how to help you in order to achieve your goals, and to get you where you want. Most people make the mistake to always stay at the same level with their training because it is in their comfort zone, so you need somebody to take you to the next level to improve further – or just to stop you from overdoing it and hurting yourself,’ she says. ‘Just try it out – you will feel the difference.’
Book a session with Carina at Six Senses Spa (4425 6999).