Tips to Get the Most Out of Personal Training Sessions
The main benefit of personal training over other fitness options is, not surprisingly, that it is personalized. Our trainers will work with you on an individual basis to understand your goals, your lifestyle, and your body to cater a work out plan to you. Getting the best results means building an honest relationship with each other and having good communication to prevent injuries and support your goals. So what information does your trainer need? What can you do to get the most out of your investment? We put together a few tips to get you started.
1. Share any injuries, pains or concerns before every session
When you first start training, your trainer will spend a lot of time discussing your overall heath and any injuries or pains you have. They will use that information to modify exercises and create your overall fitness plan. But don’t stop communicating about how you feel then! We all have good days and bad days, get sick or hurt ourselves in our day-to-day lives. Your trainer should ask you before each session how you are feeling and if anything is sore. They will likely also ask how you felt after the last session. If they don’t ask, share any info yourself! Your health and safety is the most important priority to everyone at DMSfit.
2. Check in on goals
In your free introductory session <link to sign up page>, your trainer will discuss with you what your overall goals are for your sessions – maybe you want to improve mobility, get stronger or lose weight. But those goals may shift as you become more active or your life may change in ways that allow you to increase or decrease the amount of time you spend in training. If anything changes, you have questions, or you want to just check in on your progress – ask! Our trainers are here to work with you on your wellness. There is no set path for everyone.
3. Drink lots of water and bring some with you
This is true for everyone, whether they are doing personal training or not, you probably need to drink more water. The USDA recommends 2.7 Liters of water a day for adult men and women. That can be a daunting amount, but training will go better the more you hydrate And make sure to bring water with you to sessions!
4. Proper gear
We definitely aren’t recommending that you go out and spend hundreds of dollars on special workout clothes or expensive shoes! But remember that you’ll be moving in training. You’ll want proper, supporting sneakers and clothing that gives you a range of motion. You don’t want pants that are too long and may trip you or sleeves that could get stuck in equipment. If you need recommendations on what to wear or the best sneakers, ask your trainer! Chances are they’ve tried many. And don’t worry, we won’t judge if you wear the same thing every session.
5. Pay attention to what you are doing
This one may seem obvious, but it’s the cause of many an injury. Hopefully you build a good relationship with your trainer, but be careful to not let a conversation distract you. It’s also best to use this time to forget about what is going on outside the studio. Use this time to focus on yourself – your health and your form. It will be good for your mind and it will also help prevent injuries.
If you’re new to personal training, one of our trainers will go over all this and more in your free introductory session!
April 27, 2016 @ 7:36 pm
Thanks for the article! I love the idea of being able to check in on goals. By expressing the goals you want to reach each session you are creating a constant way of checking in and actually achieving your goals. I have worked with a personal trainer a lot recently and have found it super beneficial to my overall health. I really appreciate the great suggestions and will be using them constantly in the near future.
January 6, 2017 @ 5:40 pm
I’m so glad you mention sharing any injuries, pains, or concerns with your trainer before every session. This will definitely help your trainer know the best way to give you a workout without causing you further pain or injury. It’s much better to be open and honest with what you’re feeling in order to stay safe while exercising.
August 10, 2017 @ 10:24 pm
Thank you so much for letting me know that when I am training with a personal trainer I should not get distracted by a conservation we may be having, otherwise I could be injured. I have been considering getting a personal trainer since I had my second baby two months ago. Since I am a talkative person, I can tell that I would need to make sure I wasn’t distracted and was being careful with my possible future trainer.
November 3, 2017 @ 5:39 am
My brother wants to lose weight. He appreciates this article because he wanted to try personal training. He’s now looking up some personal training services to assist him.
December 28, 2017 @ 8:13 pm
Wow, I had no idea that the quality of the gear that you bring can really make a big difference in the quality of your work out. One thing that you said that I think will help me was that you should not spend hundreds of dollars on proper gear, but you should make sure that what you have is going to support you and help you reach your goals. It is one of my new year’s resolutions to work out more this year, and I think that if I invest in some gear, I would definitely feel more inclined to go work out. thanks for the post, and I will see if there is a personal trainer in the neighborhood that could help me out as well!
January 26, 2018 @ 10:57 pm
I like that you mentioned bringing plenty of water for your personal training sessions. If you are strength training it is extra important to hydrate to get the maximum results. It will also help you avoid cramping if you haven’t been active in a while.
February 13, 2018 @ 12:42 am
For the longest time, I have been considering getting a personal trainer since being healthy on my own has been too difficult. This would be my first experience with one and I want to make sure that I am getting the most out of it. I will be sure to pay attention to what I am doing so that I can avoid injury.
May 18, 2018 @ 4:27 pm
My husband and I have been thinking of working with a personal trainer. I’d love to lose weight, and he wants to gain muscle. I appreciate your advice that our trainers will go over our goals with us starting on the first visit.
July 18, 2018 @ 11:46 pm
I’ve been trying to stay in shape recently and have been considering hiring a personal trainer. Thanks to your advice, I know to stay hydrated and bring water with me with I work out. Once I find someone to help me out, I’ll have to remember to bring water.