Do You Have Any Tips on How to Make the Most of a Session with a Personal Trainer? – Tim Taylor

This question brings to mind so many thoughts I’ve had both in the early years and also recently. One of my financial clients told me that last week she started her exercise program afresh after a couple of years of almost no activity, and in short, she basically told me she couldn’t move this week, so sore she could barely sit at her desk and perform the tasks of her hardly-physical, white-collar job.

I simultaneously laughed and commiserated with her and relayed a story of when I was a young trainer and was totally on fire to get my clients in the best possible shape of their lives. A 30-something year-old man came in for his first session and by the end of his hour with me, needed to lie down right there in the gym, and afterward weakly walked into the bathroom to turnover his latest meal to one of the receptacles there. I remember being genuinely shocked and surprised, because I hadn’t put him through a terribly intense workout or anything close really, and he didn’t “look” to be extremely out of shape. The routine I had just put him through wasn’t even what we in the business would consider mild, or even a moderate workout. I had thought he could handle one or two sets of a few different exercises for each muscle group, but his physiology just wasn’t ready. The lactic acid built up faster than his body’s ability to clear it, and the result: nausea. I felt so bad at the time, and realized an important lesson: People really need to “Get in shape, to get in shape.”

Sounds odd, doesn’t it, but in reality, so many people should establish at least a minimum level of fitness and health before they can really get the most out of what a trainer can offer which, in my opinion, is to take them further than they could go on their own. I mean, people hire trainers for different reasons, but at least for me, aside from one or two sessions with a personal trainer to make sure you’re doing the routine correctly, I’d recommend spending at least a few weeks doing the most basic of exercise routines so that you’ll be ready to push yourself when you step into that personal training session where you’re sincerely asking the question, “Can you show me how to push myself to a level that will really achieve the goals I have for myself?” In other words, you’re really ready to ‘haul’ when your trainer makes the ‘call.’ Then, when you’re in that session and the ones that follow, having completed your baseline fitness “homework” beforehand so that you’re ready to push yourself at each workout, then come with your list of questions to ask your trainer while he/she’s putting you through the motions. If you don’t already have a talkative-, teaching-type trainer, press him/her for the rationale behind your workouts. Understanding the “why” will go a long way in the grand scheme when inevitably your motivation might wane and you’ll need a “reason” to enter the gym for yet another workout. In other words, the more you know and really understand, the more empowered you’ll be to forge ahead on your fitness journey, drawing from motivation that’s intrinsic in nature which, in the long run, is the strongest driver to really keep you on the right track.

‘Til next time,

Tim Taylor

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The views and opinions expressed in this article are strictly those of Mr. Taylor. The contents of this article and any reference herein to any specific commercial product, process, or service whether by trade name, trademark, manufacturer, or otherwise, does not constitute or imply its endorsement or recommendation by Twinlab and Twinlab assumes no legal liability or responsibility for the accuracy, completeness, or usefulness of any information, product, service or process disclosed or referenced herein. All information is provided on an as-is basis and is provide for information purposes only.