by Kyle Wahlberg
wahlbergky@mnstate.edu

“That is great form, I just want you to pick up the pace a little.”
Between heavy breathing, he was able to squeak out, “wow, I can feel that.”
If you have been to the gym, you probably have heard some grunts, sighs, and gasps for breath. But what you might be hearing more of is “good work, keep it up.”
For Junior Trevor Harder, Fridays are his chance to work alongside MSUM’s personal trainer Zach Wanner. This gives him a chance to learn new things while also keeping up his five-day-per-week workout plan.
“I like working out with him, it gives me more knowledge with how to set up my workouts,” Harder said.
Harder, who has been working out off and on the past two years, decided it was time to learn new things from someone who could push him.
“The first two years I kind of worked out by myself and this year I decided to get a personal trainer,” Harder said.
That trainer is Wanner, who like Harder, decided in high school it was time for him to kick his life into gear, and that gear was working out. Once he got started, it was just what kept him going.
Wanner customizes workouts for each individual based on what they want to have happen. Whether it is to buff up, lose weight, or just tone your body, Wanner can do everything.
“I have a few clients who are already in really good shape and their goal is to tone muscle or to gain muscle,” Wanner said. “To gain knowledge from me as well as just me reassuring them that they are doing things right.”
One of the things people struggle with working out on their own is that they might have a more difficult time seeing the results, and both Wanner and Harder say it is helpful to have someone consistently telling them they are doing a good job.
“The accountability that he is keeping track of my progress has been helpful,” Harder said.
You don’t have to be a “workoutaholic” or know the difference between a squat and a barbell raise is to enjoy working out. Working out is fun; it’s something you should enjoy doing, which can be hard at first.
“I really liked the circuit training that we did. We only had like four breaks in between,” Harder says, laughing. “One thing I know is that after working out harder this year I have a lot more energy in general.”
From squats to pushups to Apollo jumps (jumping back and forth from side to side landing on one leg), Wanner will push you. However it isn’t for his benefit, it’s to get people out there to be happy with themselves and if they don’t like what they see, he is just the person to find some tips from.
With New Years coming up and the always-popular “I’m going to workout more this year” promises made by people, Wanner has some tips for you to get started and stay working out. Whether you grab a personal trainer or just simply workout on your own, it’s the initial drive that you need.
“I like to encourage a healthy lifestyle,” Wanner said. “This isn’t a fad or something you can do for a couple of months and then quit working out. I really like to instill that this is really just a lifestyle change.”