If you’re new to working out or have a specific goal you’d like to have a professional help you reach, a personal trainer can be a great resource to take advantage of. Joining a fitness center is one of the best ways to find personal trainers to work with, but after you’ve found the one that’s right for you and enrolled for a certain number of sessions, what next? Showing up is a start, but the following are a few tips for maximizing the time you have a professional trainer’s undivided attention.
1. Respect their time (and yours).
Everyone gets stuck in traffic from time to time, but if you’re consistently late for your personal training sessions, you’re wasting your own money and sending the message that it’s not a priority to you. If you then run late because of it, you’re also taking away from someone else’s training.
This also applies to what you do in session. Common time wasters include stopping to text message or check your social media notifications, and spending more time talking or socializing with your trainer than working.
Respect the purpose of the time you’ve both set aside, and you’ll be more likely to engage your trainer’s dedication and see the greatest results.
2. Be prepared, both mentally and physically.
A good personal trainer will push you out of your comfort zone, and you won’t always feel physically or mentally prepared for what they throw your way during a session, but you should always come into it ready to be pushed and surprised.
This means getting adequate rest the night before, fueling your body properly, and putting aside any mental or emotional distractions from the rest of your day. It’s not only the workout, but the focus you put into that workout that can truly make the difference between a plateau and the fitness results you’re hoping to see.
3. Trust your trainer and be honest.
Your personal trainer has training and experience, so respect that. If they think you should be doing more burpees, by all means — do more burpees! Remember that you came to them for a reason – probably because what you were doing before wasn’t getting you anywhere. If you want to progress, you need to trust your trainer. Don’t argue with them about changes, and do what they recommend even they’re not there to watch you.
Trust also includes honesty. If they ask you about your pre-workout or post-workout routine, don’t lie (more than likely, they’ll see through it, anyway!). Your trainer is there to help you overcome bad habits and will challenge you to look at the whole picture of your fitness journey, including what you eat and other ways you take care of your body. Honesty starts the chain reaction that can help them help you make good changes.
4. Pick their brains —sessions are temporary, but fitness knowledge is for a lifetime.
The key purpose of personal training sessions is to focus on personalized fitness needs and accelerate results. Once you achieve those results, your sessions may end, but the principles you learned don’t have. During your training, ask any and every question that comes to mind. If they’re a good trainer, they’ll share their knowledge or point you in the right direction to find the answers you need.
Personal training is temporary —personal fitness is for life. Keep these tips in mind, and you’ll get the most out of your fitness gym training sessions now and into the future.