Campus trainer Dale Lablans explains why knowing is half the battle
Laurie Brownrigg
Contributor
With Halloween over, candy and chocolates are now gloriously underpriced and Christmas goodies are just around the corner. You can’t help but wonder: can you have your cake and eat it too? Sure, and all without saying goodbye to your favourite pair of skinny jeans.
Instead of replacing an entire wardrobe with larger sizes, it just might be easier (especially on the wallet) to start hitting the gym.
Dale Lablans, an athletic trainer at York, gave insight into how our varsity athletes and professionals stay motivated and train themselves.
“Motivation, making sure you put yourself out there to succeed, and dieting are the most important things to working out,” says Lablans.
Lablans majored in kinesiology at Queen’s University. He has played competitive sports all his life, including hockey and rugby at the university level. Alongside Adam Douglas, York’s strength and conditioning specialist, he works with all 19 York varsity teams, scheduling workouts, creating a variety of intense workouts, and providing all the information and tools for athletes to excel.
After being involved in sports and training for years, Lablans knows the most common mistake with people when it comes to working out.
“Not having a plan,” he says. “Take goals, break them down. Be specific, make them measurable and time sensitive. Set goals with some kind of paradigm and find out how to work towards them.”
Chris Smith, linebacker for the Toronto Argonauts, has been training with Lablans for two years, and plans to continue throughout the off-season. Why does Smith, who can take advantage of CFL resources, come out to York?
“He’s the best trainer I’ve ever had,” says Smith.
Kind of makes you want to join a varsity team to get in on those workouts, doesn’t it? Well for those of us not on one, Lablans offers words of advice for anyone looking to stay motivated to achieving those goals.
“[Empower] yourself with knowledge,” he says. “We are able to […] explain to our athletes why they’re doing certain drills and exercises. If they understand, they’re more likely to buy in and commit. It’s important to set goals, and work towards them. Keep yourself interested by setting goals, reaching them, and know why you’re doing each exercise and what it does for you.”
