I bought four sessions with a personal trainer - what to expect?

stepher80
stepher80 Posts: 37 Member
edited November 14 in Getting Started
I am not a newbie to gym memberships and working out so I was not scammed into buying these sessions. I truly wanted some one on one training to help me get started back on the right track and to have some accountability. I will be going in once a week with the trainer and plan to do two more workouts on my own per week. My question is how do it get the most out of my sessions? Anything specific I should be asking him for? Tomorrow is my first session and I am really excited. They are only thirty minutes each so I want them to be effective and helpful.

After these four sessions I plan to sign up for their boot camp that they offer five days a week.

Replies

  • arditarose
    arditarose Posts: 15,573 Member
    Well what are you goals? Do you want to learn how to lift? Do you want someone to just give you a good workout? First establish the goals you have for your body, and ask your trainer the best way to get there, and go down that path. Personally, I don't like just having a "workout" with a trainer. I want to be taught lifts and forms. I can do box jumps on my own.
  • canadjineh
    canadjineh Posts: 5,396 Member
    Make sure you let them know your goals right away. Get specific ie: are you working toward a sport improvement, fitness contest, general strength, power lifting, or etc. Fill them in right away on any health issues you have that will affect your lifting (arthritis, unstable joints, extreme flexibility, or). I hope you enjoy your sessions and are energized mentally & physically by them! WTG!
  • stepher80
    stepher80 Posts: 37 Member
    Good thought! Yes, I definitely have my own goals in mind beyond just working out with a trainer. I want to start lifting more but don't know proper form or even what the best exercises are for what I want to achieve. I have minimum of fifty pounds to lose from three pregnancies of weight I never got back off. I had my third and last baby last September so I'm 5 1/2 months post c-section (three of them). I have previously gone through the c25k program all the way through and loved it but didn't see a whole lot of weight loss with it. I want to get smaller and have more muscle. So I guess I will make a list tonight of all the things I want and bring it to him tomorrow. Thank you for the reply!
  • arditarose
    arditarose Posts: 15,573 Member
    edited March 2015
    stepher80 wrote: »
    Good thought! Yes, I definitely have my own goals in mind beyond just working out with a trainer. I want to start lifting more but don't know proper form or even what the best exercises are for what I want to achieve. I have minimum of fifty pounds to lose from three pregnancies of weight I never got back off. I had my third and last baby last September so I'm 5 1/2 months post c-section (three of them). I have previously gone through the c25k program all the way through and loved it but didn't see a whole lot of weight loss with it. I want to get smaller and have more muscle. So I guess I will make a list tonight of all the things I want and bring it to him tomorrow. Thank you for the reply!

    I know nothing about having babies and c-sections. If you're fine to lift after 5 and a half months, I would tell him that's what you want to do. Lifting heavy in a deficit is an awesome way to lose fat. Once you learn the lifts and the proper form, you'll be golden. Just make sure to stress you want to use barbell/free weights.
  • neaneacc
    neaneacc Posts: 224 Member
    I have learned some helpful tips along the way. Here is my advice below:
    1) bring a small notebook and pen to write down the exercises the trainer has you do together. Some will offer a sheet with the exercises printed but some don't and you will want to remember them for your own personal time in the gym.
    2) Get a water bottle. Who wants to waste valuable time going to and from the drinking fountain during a workout session. Taking too much break time drastically reduces the effectiveness of the exercises.
    3) Bring a small towel so that if you break a sweat you can wipe off and get back to work. Sweating is a good sign during a session with a trainer.
    4) Do not be afraid to ask for more weight than the trainer puts on for you. They will most likely guess low making sure that you can handle the weight. However, if you feel like you aren't working very hard during the reps the weight is too low. In the end the only one cheated is you.
    5) Ask them to recommend what you should be doing between your visits with them. If they are a good trainer they will want you to achieve your goals. They can easily tell you/show you what you can work on by yourself.
    6) They should measure you to get started. I know that no one likes this task, but it is the best way to measure improvement. A good trainer will track your weight, measurements, and possibly your body fat using a caliper.
    Good luck and let me know if you have any further questions.
  • Capt_Apollo
    Capt_Apollo Posts: 9,026 Member
    i would have him teach you all the barbell lifts if you don't already know them. dead lifts and squats and all their variants. overhead press and bench press, as well as cleans and snatches.
  • stepher80
    stepher80 Posts: 37 Member
    edited March 2015
    neaneacc wrote: »
    I have learned some helpful tips along the way. Here is my advice below:
    1) bring a small notebook and pen to write down the exercises the trainer has you do together. Some will offer a sheet with the exercises printed but some don't and you will want to remember them for your own personal time in the gym.
    2) Get a water bottle. Who wants to waste valuable time going to and from the drinking fountain during a workout session. Taking too much break time drastically reduces the effectiveness of the exercises.
    3) Bring a small towel so that if you break a sweat you can wipe off and get back to work. Sweating is a good sign during a session with a trainer.
    4) Do not be afraid to ask for more weight than the trainer puts on for you. They will most likely guess low making sure that you can handle the weight. However, if you feel like you aren't working very hard during the reps the weight is too low. In the end the only one cheated is you.
    5) Ask them to recommend what you should be doing between your visits with them. If they are a good trainer they will want you to achieve your goals. They can easily tell you/show you what you can work on by yourself.
    6) They should measure you to get started. I know that no one likes this task, but it is the best way to measure improvement. A good trainer will track your weight, measurements, and possibly your body fat using a caliper.
    Good luck and let me know if you have any further questions.


    Thank you for all these ideas! I will definitely do them! I am hoping he plans to measure me. I need to know my starting point!
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