From: Shane Doll CPT, CSCS
Founder, Shaping Concepts
Charleston, SC

Hi this is Shane. On this page you'll find some of the most frequently asked questions I receive about my products, services, and programs. If you have questions about my programs I think you'll find this page to be helpful.

If you don't find the answer to your specific question here send me an email by hitting the "About & Contact Us" tab above and I'll be happy to personally answer any questions you may have.

Q. What exactly do you do at Shaping Concepts?

A. We teach people how to lose weight and get in shape with time efficient exercise and supportive nutrition strategies. My Charleston personal training programs are ideal for individuals with a busy lifestyle.

With the unique "burst training" resistance workouts and interval cardio routines you'll never need more than 30 minutes out of your day for exercise. Shaping Concepts is a private facility that only focuses on personal fitness training.

The programs are all designed with one purpose in mind...to see you reach and exceed your health, fitness, and weight loss goals.

Q. Your program sounds interesting but I’ve tried using a personal trainer before, what makes your program different?

A. We have a saying around here that “when you train with the best, you don’t have to suffer like the rest.” Almost all our clients have tried different ways to get in shape in the past including some who have used other personal trainers.

While some of those methods have provided short term results most have fallen short in the long run because they lacked one or more essential components.

My Charleston personal training program differs from other options around town because we don’t just give you a workout, we'll help you build a comprehensive plan to address all the lifestyle changes you need to make to be successful.

My programs cover the essential components of nutrition, supplementation, resistance training, cardiovascular exercise, and behavioral modification.

Our staff of fitness professionals are certified by the top accredited personal training organizations in the country. You can rest assured knowing you're getting instruction from some of the most knowledgeable Charleston personal trainers in town.

Q. Can you really help me to lose weight when other programs have failed me?

A. We are one of the few Charleston personal training programs that actually guarantee your results or your money back. That's not just talk, I'm that confident in my programs to back it up. The difference is we're not just providing you with a cookie cutter exercise program. Your needs are unique especially when it comes to weight loss and fitness results.

We can set up your nutrition and exercise program off your actual metabolism. Everyone is different due to bio-individuality and therefore everyone needs a personalized solution. We are one of the few personal training studios in South Carolina to exclusively provide resting metabolic rate tests to determine your specific calorie needs.

With a resting metabolic rate test you can learn exactly how many calories you should be eating for weight loss. Most people don't know their numbers and therefore struggle with seeing results.

We'll provide you with all the tools you need for an amazing body transformation and be with you every step of the way with encouragement, education and accountability. The difference is real and our hundreds of satisfied clients are the proof.

Q. Why should I invest in your services when I can join a local gym for $30-60 a month?

A. Well, the first reason is I'll guarantee your results!  The second reason is we'll teach you everything you need to know where you're on your own in the gym or a health club. Plus, many people pay for a membership each month and seldom go. Think of our services as an investment in your fitness, health, and your life!

Q. I have a very busy schedule and I’m concerned about being able to fit a fitness routine into my life, can you help me?

A. The majority of our clients lead busy lives, balancing their career and family life. They've found that having an appointment to workout is extremely helpful in making exercise a part of their day.

We work around your schedule, with training sessions starting as early as 6am and going straight through to 8pm at night. Having a set appointment will make it easy for you to get in and out of the studio and on with your day..

Q. What if I've never exercised before, are your programs still for me?

A. It doesn't matter if you are an athlete or someone who's never worked out a day in their life.  We custom design each program according to your individual fitness level and goals.

Our Charleston personal trainers have extensive experience at being able to assess each individual's needs and designing a safe and effective program to get you the results you're looking for.

It all starts with the Lean Code profile and assessments we use at the beginning of your program. No other fitness facility in Charleston goes to the lengths we do to personalize your program for results.

Q. How can you offer such a strong guarantee that I'll see results?

A. Simple, the difference is in our unique approach that personalizes your program based off your bio-individuality. There is no "one size fits all" approach to fitness or weight loss and we understand that.

You'll be thoroughly evaluated and designed a program that best fits your needs and goals. Each person has a unique set of circumstances and obstacles to overcome that need to be identified first.

We'll take the time to do that then provide you with the education, support, and accountability to make improvements. The difference really lies in having a personal coach who will take the time to help you with not only exercise and nutrition, but the necessary lifestyle changes as well.

Q. How quickly can I expect to see results in your programs?

A. That depends on your commitment to the program and willingness to work on all the components to your success. Remember, it's not just about the exercise.

Obviously the more attention to you put on the nutrition and behavioral changes we'll teach you and the more consistent you are with the workouts, the faster you'll see the results you’re looking for.

You'll see changes with a loss in inches, increased energy, strength, and stamina within the first month and significant body composition changes with 12 weeks in my programs.

Q. What if I have a friend or spouse that wants to workout with me, can they join the program too?

A. Absolutely! Many of our clients bring a friend or spouse to workout with. We find this can make your workouts more enjoyable and provide you with an added layer of accountability and support.

Just let us know if you have someone you'd like to do partner training with and we’ll set you both up for a consultation at the same time.

Q. What if I have injuries or specific health concerns can you still help me?

A. Yes, we can. All our trainers are nationally certified, and we train our staff in a variety of specific protocols for working with people with all types of special conditions.

We’ve worked with clients that have had all types of health concerns including hip and knee replacements, stroke, heart attacks, MS, fibromyalgia, cancer, diabetes, and more.

Please let us know about your specific needs and we’ll be up front with you on whether or not our staff is qualified to assist you.

With our "Physicians Communication Program" we'll coordinate with your doctor on your program and make sure you get the complete care you need. Another small difference that really makes our programs unique.

Q. What can I do about the muscle soreness and how long will this last?

A. Although discomforting, the muscle soreness and pain your experience after your first few workouts is a positive sign. It means that your muscles have responded to the increased demands of your new workouts and are breaking down in order to rebuild stronger.

The muscle soreness often referred to as “DOMS” or (delayed onset muscle soreness) may actually start 24-48 hours after your workout. This is due to micro trauma or small tears that occur on the muscle fibers. The best treatment for DOMS is simply ibuprofen to reduce the inflammation and discomfort.

Your body will adapt to the new demands of your resistance training and the soreness will go away after your first few workouts. Periodically through your program, especially when your trainer introduces a new stimulus you will be sore again for a day or so.

This is part of your normal progression and should be expected. However, if you continue to be sore after every workout it’s an indication that something is wrong. You may be over training and/or not receiving adequate nutrition and rest for recovery.

Please consult with your trainer if you’re experiencing persistent soreness and muscle or joint pain. 

Q. How fast will I lose weight and how much weight can I expect to lose in the first 4-6 weeks?

A. This will vary from individual to individual so I can’t give you an exact number but here’s what you should expect. Remember this is not a “Hollywood Diet” or some other quick-fix where you’ll lose a significant amount of weight overnight. When you first start your program the increased physical activity will often result in weight loss of a few pounds.

Some individuals will find they've actually gained a pound or two in the first week or two of our programs. This is completely normal because when you start doing resistance training your muscles will undergo inflammation.

Your body responds by having your muscle cells hold more water to aid in the repair and rebuilding process. The water weight gain is only temporary but you should be aware of this happening..

The entire process of getting your body to effectively and efficiently burn fat stores requires a synergistic approach of changes in your diet, cardiovascular exercise and resistance training.

Your objective is to continually improve and progress in all THREE of these areas if you want to see a body transformation. You can’t just do the resistance training for example and not make changes in your diet or with cardio and expect to see significant changes.

A decrease in 1-2% of body fat in the first 4-6 weeks is very good. If you follow the program correctly you’ll start to see the most significant changes in body fat loss after about twelve weeks.

This is due to the fact that as you progress to higher levels of intensity with your workouts you’ll begin to maximize fat burning. It simply takes several weeks of progression before you can get to that level.

Evaluate your progress by how your clothes fit and use the mirror instead of the scale in the beginning of your program.

Q. How often will my progress be evaluated?

A. We evaluate your progress monthly according to the metrics that you would like to track for your goals including weight, body fat %, circumference measurements, muscular strength, muscular endurance, cardio respiratory endurance, and others.

Q. What should I do if I reach a plateau in my weight loss?

A. Weight loss does not always occur in a linear fashion but rather happens in accordance to the physiological changes that are happening in your body.

Think of it this way, your body likes to be in a state of homeostasis or balance. It will always look to achieve that sense of balance. If you’ve reached a plateau that means you’re in a state of homeostasis and need to change things up.

Our objective is to provide your body with the correct nutrition for releasing fat stores and continually increase the intensity of your exercise so you’ll burn more fat for energy needs.

The most common mistake people make is failing to increase their calories as they progress to higher levels of intensity with their workouts. Remember, calories are nothing more than fuel and you must provide your body with enough fuel to keep your metabolism on high and effectively burn stored body fat.

A metabolic profile assessment is an extremely valuable and effective tool in times when you’ve reached a plateau. You can learn exactly how many calories you need to consume for weight loss.

Ask your trainer about completing a metabolic profile assessment if you’ve reached a plateau in your weight loss. Better yet, complete a metabolic profile assessment in the beginning of your program.

The right information is always an essential part of any successful program. Your metabolism in unique due to bio individuality and therefore a personalized approach must be taken with nutrition and exercise strategies.

Q. As a woman I'm concerned, will I get big, bulky muscles from weight training?

A. I completely understand your concern and want to ease any worries you may have right now. Resistance training is an essential component for any successful fat loss program.

Women need to build lean muscle not only to raise their metabolism and burn fat more efficiently but to also stabilize hormonal levels. For example, the more lean muscle you have the better you can counter the effects of insulin resistance.

Contrary to a popular myth and misconception, lifting weights will not automatically make you get "big and bulky" muscles. The weight lifting programs we design for women are created specifically for toning and firming.

The objective is to increase the amount of lean muscle you have thereby reducing the amount of body fat. This requires a progressive and varied intensity resistance training program.

Q. Ok, this all sounds great and I’m very interested. What’s the next step on getting started?

A. The next step is to fill out the web form below and request your FREE no-obligations consultation and trial of my Charleston personal training programs.

You can also reach us by phone at 843-971-8665 M-F during normal business hours. If we happen to miss your call, just leave a message and we’ll get right back to you!

Sincerely,

Shane Doll CPT, CSCS
President
Shaping Concepts Personal Training Studios
1009 Anna Knapp Blvd #101
Mt. Pleasant, SC 29464
Phone: 843-971-8665

Shane Doll is a certified personal trainer, fat loss expert, speaker, author and founder of Shaping Concepts Fitness Training Studios. Learn how you can receive a FREE no obligations trial of his Charleston personal training programs.