Whether you’re hoping to lose weight, increase your muscle mass or just improve your general fitness, a personal trainer can really help you achieve your workout goals. However, you need to commit to the process in order to get your money’s worth.
Give them all the facts
Your trainer is there to help you, so fill them in on any important information. If you’ve suffered an injury, have a health condition, take medication or have had surgery, tell your trainer. It might affect the way they design your workouts, making your exercise plan more appropriate for you and minimising harm.
Be completely frank with your trainer, and let them know exactly what you hope to achieve, how much time you have to work out, what your goals are and what you find difficult.
Dress correctly
The gym isn’t a fashion parade, but it’s not slob city either. Make sure your workout clothing is comfortable, breathable and fits properly. If your footwear doesn’t support you correctly, or your clothing restricts you or gets in your way, your workout is going to be less effective, and could even cause you harm. Make sure you’re dressing practically to get the most out of your sessions.
Stay positive
If you’re paying your personal trainer to help you meet your fitness goals, you need to believe you can achieve them and cooperate fully with what they set out for you to do. Complaints and excuses will waste your time, money and energy, as well as frustrating your trainer. If they believe you can get one more rep out, you probably can.
Focus
Arrive for your session in the right frame of mind, and take it seriously. Remember that your personal trainer is not there to be your friend, they’re there to help you achieve goals that you have set for yourself, and get the most out of your session by concentrating on the matter at hand. LA Fitness provides great advice on the benefits of personal training and why it’s important to share relevant information with your trainer, but don’t get sidetracked into wasting time on gossip or chatter – training sessions are expensive, and you’re there to work.
Stay healthy outside the gym
From a trainer’s perspective, it’s frustrating to work with someone who undoes all your hard work the moment they leave the gym. If your trainer has given you a guide for what to do outside your sessions together, do your best to stick to it. If you’re there to lose weight, don’t destroy your hard work in the gym with fattening snacks outside it – you’re just making things harder for yourself. Commit to the process and you’ll actually see results.
Be honest
Did you really stick to your diet plan? Did you actually do all the exercises your trainer set you this week? If not, be honest. Your trainer is working on information that you give them, and if you’re holding something back it may make your exercise plan much less suitable for you. If you’re genuinely struggling, tell your trainer, as they will be able to adjust your workout plan until you find a level that works for you.
Working with a trainer can really help you achieve your goals, but only if you fully get on board. If you’re doing half a job, complaining about the difficulty, skipping your homework and wasting your time in the gym, you might as well throw your money away. Trust your trainer and work with them, and the results will soon be obvious.