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Interview with Hande Erel, Personal Trainer

Sponsored by Hande Erel.

Hande Bertelsen, Personal Trainer.

Hande is a certified personal trainer from New York who is passionate about helping people become a stronger version of themselves to be fit for life. Specializing in pregnancy and postnatal training, functional training and post-orthopedic training, her philosophy is centered around empowering clients to take a lifelong journey to wellness through personalized program design and coaching. We spoke with her about what sparked her interest in fitness and her experience living and working abroad.

Why Do You Do What You Do?

I have always been a sports enthusiast. As a kid, all I wanted to do was play outside and try out new sports, and that hasn’t changed. For as long as I can remember I have been fascinated by how the human body moves. The combination of being physically active with a curiosity for the science behind movement lead to my study of kinesiology.

What Motivates You?

I would say witnessing the transformation my clients go through is the best motivation there is; it’s not only a physical transformation, but a mental one as well. That keeps me going! It motivates me to do better for my clients and to keep up with recent scientific studies. I am constantly thinking about movement patterns that a particular client would enjoy. This really gets me excited.

Have You Worked In Other Countries? What’s It Like Working in Spain?

Yes! I have worked in New York, Istanbul and here in sunny Barcelona. I have loved every bit of it. I have not experienced cultural barriers. It takes a specific personality, a disciplinary mindset to approach and work with a personal trainer. I think it has more to do with personality than culture. Once someone starts to train with me, I don’t see any cultural differences that affect our training sessions.

How Often Do You Exercise ? What’s Your Workout Routine Like?

Unlike what people may think, I only exercise three times a week. I go all out, though. Which is why I need a day in between for recovery and rest. Although I have a program that I periodically update, some days I just start moving and see where my body takes me. I can start off doing calisthenics and soon it can turn into strength training, and other times I simply stick to the program.

Do You Have Advice for People Who Want to Make Healthy Lifestyle Changes?

What’s the Challenge in Your Line of Work?

I would say changing clients' mindset. Sometimes clients come to me with a specific goal that is short term and unsustainable. It isn’t always easy, but it’s possible to take that kind of thinking and change the approach for a more long-term, sustainable way of life. I take pride in trying to figure out how to get into my clients head, so to speak, so I can really connect with them to break that way of thinking.

What Makes a Personal Trainer Good?

There are plenty of personal trainers out there. What makes a personal trainer good is the one that knows anatomy and science for sure. A  great personal trainer also knows how to listen to their client’s needs. But what makes a personal trainer irreplaceable is the one who can combine that scientific knowledge and impeccable communication skills with rapid adaptation to a client's personality.

In my experience, creating a space for your client to open up is essential. The one hour they have with you is more than just moving their body in a safe and effective way. In my opinion, a personal trainer needs to also create a space for the client to forget about their daily responsibilities and stressors so that they can just be.

You can learn more about how Hande can help reach your fitness goals on her website at handebertelsen.com and you can connect with her on social media on Facebook, Instagram @hande_personal_trainer and LinkedIn.

Sponsored by Hande Erel.

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