How to work with a personal trainer. Last week we discussed everything you need to know about how to choose a personal trainer, but do you know what the trainer expects from you? It might seem like since you’re paying someone, you don’t have any responsibilities towards them, but this relationship is a two way street and how you approach each session matters.
HOW TO WORK WITH A PERSONAL TRAINER
Be honest. It doesn’t help anyone if you aren’t honest about past or present injuries. A trainer’s priority is your health and safety. Our worst nightmare is accidentally hurting someone during a session. I remember teaching a class once and it was halfway through the class when someone piped up that she had suffered whiplash recently. I honestly thought I was going to throw up. Here I was teaching exercises that could have been potentially dangerous. If you are in a class, always let your instructor know if something is off. They won’t tell everyone as it’s just between the two of you.
Be present. Although I’m there for you, as in this is my job, I also want to see you succeed. No matter how much I want that, however, you have to want it too. A workout session is all about you, so leave the bad day and frazzled nerves outside. This is your time to focus on yourself. Besides, after the endorphins kick in, everything will seem so much better.
Be upfront. I had always wanted to try boxing, but it wasn’t until I finally spoke up that I got to do it and it was the most fun in a training session that I ever had. On this note, be very upfront about your goals. A good trainer will actually think about you in between sessions and they make an effort to plan them out. In order for me to help you, I need to know what you want. Much like in other relationships, we are not mind readers.
Be on time. Don’t forget that trainers get paid by the hour, so each minute counts. While it’s understandable that you want your hour’s worth, please understand that often we are on a schedule as well and giving you more time takes it away from someone else. In addition, remember that we are juggling our own schedule and everyone else’s as well, so please respect the 24 or 48 hour cancellation cut off. It’s there for a reason. If I can’t fill a time slot because you cancelled, I don’t get paid.
Be prepared. Don’t waste your hour by starting to get ready at 3pm if that’s when we are supposed to be meeting. Show up 15 minutes early, change and warm up before we meet. I always smirk a little when I see a trainer standing beside a treadmill, while their client warms up. Sure, I’ll stand around watching you walk or run for 5-10 minutes, but remember you are paying me to do nothing. So unless it is a part of your session, do it before we meet.
I believe that if you are working out regularly, checking in with a trainer every now and then is a must. They can give you tips on improving your form, suggest new exercises and help you get to that next level. Just remember that while they want to be there for you, you need to be there for them if you want to get the most out of your time and money.
Okay be honest do you always disclose past injuries to your instructors or trainers?
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*images courtesy of Dollar Photo Club
