Deciding to hire a personal trainer can feel like a HUGE investment in yourself and your health, and personally, I want to make sure that I am spending my money in the right place.
When I first worked with a personal trainer a few years ago, I gave up because I was a simultaneous mixture of intimidates and lacking confidence. Although I was gaining muscle, I had felt like I wasn’t significantly becoming any better in the fitness world. However, this was entirely my fault because I wasn’t making the time to work out on my own and care for my diet as well. Few years later, I decided to toughen it out. If I wanted to get into perfect shape and achieve peak health for my body, I was going to have to work for it. Nothing gold comes for free.
Eventually, a hired a new trainer. Nothing was wrong with the old trainer, but I noticed significant improvements because I was holistically investing time into caring for my body. So, one more time. What made the difference between those two times? My difference in approach. The second time around, I put in some effort both in the gym and kitchen in order to achieve the results I wanted.
Based on what I have learned as a client, here are my top 5 tips to help you make the most out of your personal training sessions:
1. Find the right trainer for you.
Finding the right trainer can have a huge impact you and may be even your main source of motivation — but how do you do that? Talk to other members at your local gym and ask them about their trainers and how they work with them. Hone in on the techniques and methods certain trainers use and decide which one is most suitable for your desired workout regime.
Small group classes are taught by personal trainers as well and can be a great place to see them in action. As a matter of fact, I found my personal trainer by taking a small group fitness class that she teaches. I absolutely loved how she interacted with others and her methods, so I approached her, introduced myself, and the rest was history.
Don’t forget that you can also speak with someone at the training desk and they can help match you with a trainer based on what you are looking for. It is important to take the time to consider a trainers’ qualifications and training as well as how great of match they are to your needs and goals.
Maybe you want someone who has experience helping rehabilitate people with injuries, or maybe you’re interested in seeking out someone who has trained as a competitive bodybuilder. If anything else, you can also take a look at your trainers’ availability and see if their schedule suits yours.
Most importantly, if working with a certain trainer doesn’t work out for you, don’t be afraid to find a new trainer. It won’t hurt their feelings.
2) Be clear about your goals.
If you are not clear about what you want to accomplish, or if you don’t downright state what you want, how do you expect your trainer to do their best to help you hit a target? Do you want to tone up? Work on your balance? Lose weight? Increase your endurance? Build up those thighs? All of the above? Then relay that to your trainer.
It is important that you and your trainer are on the same page about what you want to accomplish. If over time, your progress or goals shift in a different direction than expected, then take the time to reassess your goals and discuss them with your trainer. Communication is key, and if I hadn’t relayed exactly what I wanted to my trainer, I don’t think I would have been as happy with my experience.
3) Show up.
This may seem a little easy, but it’s not always that simple for some. It’s important to show up to the appointments you make, as trainers are often in demand and a no show can deprive someone else of their training slot. Not to mention that this can waste a trainer’s precious time that they were going to take out in order to invest on you.
Likewise, you paid for that time, so get the most out of every minute. Don’t just show up. Get out there with your head in the game and goal planned out. Be ready to face obstacles and challenges that you will need to come. You have to be in the zone and leave your mental “to do” list at the door. The time is for you and your trainer to focus solely on the work at hands.
4) Work hard.
As emphasized before, you won’t get the results you want by just wishing for them. The reality is that getting fit requires hard work and consistency. When you work with a trainer, you need to have realistic expectations that you feel you can meet. Not only will realistic expectations motivate you, but all of your hard work won’t feel like a lost cause.
If you work with a trainer 2 hours a week, that’s about 1% of your week. The decisions you make during the remaining 99% of the week — in terms of nutrition and your workouts — are up to you.
5) Communicate.
I may sound like a broken record here, but open communication with your trainer is essential. Ask questions and clear up any confusion you may have. Your trainer is an expert who has spent years learning and maneuvering the fitness world, so take that pool of knowledge to your advantage. Ask your trainer about routines you should adopt and what you should be doing for your workouts the rest of the week. If you have some setbacks, such as you haven’t been sleeping well or something became particularly sore after a workout, let your trainer know so that adjustments can be made. If you want to try something during your workout, or if something hurts, don’t hesitate to speak up.
And of course, when trainers ask you questions about your lifestyle and diet, be honest. If you lived the perfect lifestyle, why would you need a trainer? They are there to help you, not judge you. If it’s been a week since I didn’t get many good workouts in on my own, or if I’ve been slacking on acquiring certain type of nutrition, I let my trainer know so that she can adjust plans for my session. Your health and safety are a priority. Lying to your trainer won’t do you any good. They will be able to see through your facade based on your performance, so just be straightforward.
All in all, hiring a personal trainer has helped me with my fitness journey and has been a decision I do not regret. Looking at the progress I made with my trainer, I do not think I would’ve gotten as far on my own. If you are hesitant about working with a trainer but want to try it out, just do it! It’s one of the best investments you can make in yourself and your health.
I hope these tips help motivate you to try out a personal training session and improves your relationship with you trainer so that in the end, they can help you meet, and perhaps even surpass, your goals.
What was your experience trying out a personal training session like? I’d love to know!
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