Wednesday 21 June 2017

How to Make the Most of Your Personal Trainer




Investing in guidance from a personal trainer can be a very sensible thing to do. However for some, the cost may be off putting. Whether you’re already training with a personal trainer or you’re unsure how you’d get the most value from a sessions these tips should be helpful:

1) Get there early and run through a warm up routine – If you can arrive 10 minutes prior to the session and warm up this is ideal. Then, you can hit the ground running and fly straight into the session. If you’re unsure exactly what to then your trainer can you some useful drills to include. If you waste 10-15 mins of each session warming up with your trainer then over the course of a year you’ve missed out on 12 hours of productive time with your PT.

2) Get a good night sleep prior to sessions – The saying goes: “an hour before midnight is worth 2 hours after midnight.” This is so true! To improve your quality of sleep, check make sure you have a sleep routine that you start as early as possible. Basic things include avoiding a TV, phone or illuminated screen before bed, try to brush your teeth as early as possible and pack your bag the night before.

3) Don’t drink alcohol the night before sessions.. AT ALL! Even a small amount of alcohol can have a significant impact on sleep, food choices and energy so if you want to make the most of your session with a trainer then you need to go completely without alcohol during the 24 hours before training.

4) Listen and try to absorb/learn – Use the sessions as lessons. Try to absorb as much information as you can. If you don’t understand what your trainer is telling you then let them know and ask them to explain it in a different way. It’s important that you learn over time and feel more confident in your own knowledge and abilities week-on-week.

5) Stay active between sessions – An hour in the gym with me will do you good; but it’s important to stay active throughout the week. Major activities such as gym sessions, sport and group exercise classes should be part of your weekly routine. However, smaller efforts such as taking the stairs every day, walking in your lunch break and walking instead of driving short distances will all add up to make a significant impact no matter what your goal. Activity is key.

6) Foam roll after a session – The foam roller is a great way to improve recovery and aid performance. It’s important to make this part of your routine and mobilise major muscle groups and joints that have been worked during the session. Once you understand the fundamentals of this you can probably do this in your own time before and after sessions.

7) Ask your PT for session plans  - Guidance from your trainer shouldn’t be limited to an hour at a time within the gym. As your trainer for specific, tailored programs to follow in your on time in order to compliment the 1-2-1 sessions.

8) Give feedback – It’s important that you’re not only making progress but that you understand what we’re doing and (hopefully) enjoy it too in some part. Tell your PT if sessions are too hard, too easy, causing you pain or you just hated them. They may not change everything but they should at least listen.

9) Leave your lack of enthusiasm at the door – We all have good days and bad days and part of the trainers job is to listen and develop a relationship with you so they’re open to hearing about your life outside of the gym. However, once you’ve made the effort take yourself to the gym, you might as well make the most of it. It’s only an hour after all!

10) Be honest – Its essential that you’re honest with your trainer! In fact, this should probably be the 1st point. Honest about what you’re doing outside of the session, what you’re eating in your own time, how difficult sessions are, what you can and can’t do, how you’re feeling, if you’re ill, your mood, any injuries all of it! Tell them everything!