Personal trainer Kaspar and his client Romet talk about how rally is related to strength training and how their training journey went.

How did you find your way to a personal trainer?

At the beginning of this year I won one of the FIA youth rally programs, which gives me the opportunity to participate in their training year. It includes six rallies and many other activities. If I can do my best and get selected at the end of the year, this “scholarship” could last until 2026. This was the reason for looking for a personal trainer. If I managed to get such an opportunity, I did not want to leave anything to chance and planned to do everything as professionally as possible. I was reading profiles of different personal trainers on the internet and Kaspar caught my attention because he highlighted his passion for combining endurance sports and strength training. As you know, for rally driver are important not only strength or muscle building, but rather general endurance and the ability to effectively perform for a long time. 

What were your previous fears and preconceptions about personal training?

Perhaps there was no fear in regards to personal training itself. Although there was some concern that this service might be too expensive. Fortunately, my fears were baseless.

Name three circumstances/thoughts that personal training gave you.

1. Structure and logic of training. Before, I also forced myself to move, but all the activity was unsystematic and there was no logic in it. Knowing what you need to do will make you feel better and more confident.
2. Purpose and motivation. When I used to train, the only goal was to keep myself in shape to some extent and maybe get some pleasure from it. Now I have a definite goal to achieve something both in terms of physical performance and my own development, as well as in rally sports, which gives me great motivation to give it my all.
3. Satisfaction. In the end of the day, it is important that you move in the direction you have chosen. And when I see it happening, it gives me satisfaction.

For whom and why is personal training best suited?

In my opinion, there is no particular group for which they are suitable. Personal training is suitable for beginners and amateur athletes, as well as for professional athletes. It’s just that these groups have very different goals and training. 

 I believe that since there are people who know how to do their job, there is no point in reinventing the wheel yourself.  

Kaspar, how did your client get to train with you? Describe in more detail your collaboration and how it started.

At the end of the summer, I received an email from Romet in which he mentioned his rally goals. Since the combination of different sports and strength training is my passion, Romet did not have to wait long for my answer. The very next day we met in a cafe to discuss how we could get the most out of our collaboration. I prepared a schedule of training cycles for Romet, taking into account the rally calendar, and we set specific goals for each cycle. From now on, we meet regularly in training. On both schedules, Romet trains both on his own and with me. 

What does your most classic personal training look like?

We meet with Romet in training when we want to bring new nuances to the routine. This can be done by adding new exercises or improving the technical execution of familiar exercises. Since we are both very familiar with rallying (me as a fan and Romet as a driver), we always have fun and we have a lot to talk about. In addition, we both enjoy regular sports such as skiing, running and cycling. We often discuss what sports we can successfully add to our workouts to diversify them. 

Structure of the training plan – do you train together or on your own? Why such an approach?

Since the racing weekend of a rally driver is long and grueling, our training routine is very different from that of a classic fitness athlete. The development of cardiovascular and muscle endurance play an important role in the structure of the training plan. Romet’s strength training is largely focused on developing functional strength. Our goal is the endurance in uncomfortable conditions that rallying requires, and the ability to stay fresh and charged for the short-term maximum effort that high-speed races require. 

Name something funny or unusual about personal training?

I will name a myth that I often hear from my clients who come to personal training for the first time. It goes something like this: “Be gentle with me!” or “Please don’t kill me!” For some reason, people have the notion that a good workout has to be hard and painful, and this causes some anxiety even in personal training. But I’ll end on a positive note. 

 The most common thing I hear at the end of a workout for a first-time gym client is something along the lines of, “I didn’t think weight training could be so enjoyable!” or “It wasn’t as hard as I thought!”

3 recommendations for people who are afraid to go to the gym or to a personal trainer:

1. A trainer is the person who experiences the greatest joy when he can make a client’s life better. Feel free to contact a trainer, because none of the questions about your training will be wrong or inappropriate.
2. Everyone who works out in the gym is mostly focused on themselves and does not care how you “wandered” there. Look around the gym: nine out of ten people are wearing headphones and completely focused on their own exercises.
3. Involve an instructor already in the initial phase of training. This will help to avoid performing exercises with the wrong technique and getting used to it. By training on the advice of a trainer, you will achieve your goals much faster. Choose a straight fast track instead of a narrow winding path!

Kaspar Nisu, personal trainer

Kaspar’s passion is a harmonious combination of strength training and endurance sports. As a sports enthusiast, he participated in running, cycling, skiing and rollerblading marathons. Kaspar has a professional bodybuilding and fitness certificate issued by the Estonian Olympic Committee.

He mentions that he is most satisfied with clients who achieve the desired results under his guidance. Kaspar not only gives advice on exercises, but also helps people to lead a healthier lifestyle mentally and physically through the training process.

If you want to start your journey from scratch, contact Kaspar by email kaspar@kasparnisu.ee and follow his activities on Instagram or website.

The beginning is just one step away!