First meeting with new PT

cherrychick81

Hi everyone!
I'm meeting with a new PT tomorrow evening for the first time and I'm wondering if anyone could provide me with any ideas on what to expect, what questions I should ask etc.
Any help would be great!
Thanks in advance x

sijomial

Really, really, really think about your goals.
Be specific not general phrases such as "get fitter", "get toned" - otherwise you will just get a general off the shelf program. Give him/her something they can get their teeth into!

I've seen the same PT give a god-awful and pretty pointless program to someone (who went away happy...) and also give the best squat tutorial I've ever seen IRL and it all comes down to the customer knowing (and expressing) what they want.

What are your goals? (Short term, long term.)
What are your restrictions?
What do you enjoy?

rainbowbow

i think it depends on the trainer, but the first session with my clients we go over S.M.A.R.T. goals. I would go ahead and have these goals with you before you meet with the trainer so that it's very clear what you want and what you expect.

Specific. Your goal should be clear and easy to understand.
A common goal, “get healthy,” or "get in shape" or even "get lean and toned" is too general. There are so many ways to get healthy, in shape, lean and toned. How do you want to do it? Will you be losing weight? How much? What body fat % is your goal? Do you have a BMI goal? Do you want to : Start lifting weights? Start swimming? Running? Break it down and it will be easier to manage.

Measurable. A goal to “lose weight/get toned” is not enough. How will you track your progress and how you will know when you have reached your goal? Making your goal measurable means adding a number and having specific measurements you will be tracking. Bodyfat percentage, waist/chest/arms width measurements, weight, 1RM/Lifts, etc. You need to know the exact ways you'll be tracking your progress and how often you will be tracking.

Attainable. Before you can set your goal, you have to know how high or low you want to go. This needs to be ACTUALLY attainable. I.E. If you are new to lifting weights you can expect to gain a few pounds of muscle a month. if you need to lose weight you can lose up to 1% of your total body weight per week. You need to set workout goals and calorie goals that you can actually achieve.
A measurable, attainable goal could be, “I will lose 7% of my body weight in 7 weeks” or "I will gain 2 pounds of muscle mass by working out 4 times a week and eating a calorie surplus of 250 calories a day".

Relevant/Realistic. Set goals that are important to where you are in your life right now and are relevant and realistic to your lifestyle/affluency. Don’t set a goal that someone else is pressuring you to attain or that you cannot afford.

Time-bound. Include an end time/date. This is where you can set new goals as necessary.



I personally suggest you set multiple goals from 1 week, 1 month, to 3 months. Nothing longer for now. I can pretty much guarantee that if you go into your session with a clear idea of where you want to go and you are reasonable about how long and how much effort that would take you will be more likely to get the best routine possible.

I would also say to be on the lookout for your personality and preferences when working with your trainer. Sometimes for no fault of our own we just don't mesh well with certain people. It's important that you find someone who you feel like is a good fit personality wise. For example, some people respond well to a hard-*kitten* drill sergeant type while others dont. Some like a person who is their "friend".

Cherimoose

Have you chosen them already, or are you shopping for one? If it's the latter, find out their credentials and how long they have been a trainer.

If you want to learn how to lift on your own, ask for a program in writing. Otherwise you will probably forget many details.

If weight loss is your goal, realize that very few trainers have nutrition credentials, so question any advice you receive. Also don't ask for exercises that target fat from specific body parts. Fat loss can't be targeted.

cherrychick81

Thanks everyone. It was a really good session and I will be meeting up with him regularly