Getting the most out of your PT session
by Carla Bolstridge in Training
Having a Personal Trainer (PT) is a fantastic way to reach your fitness potential as they will be working with you to devise a tailor made plan that will suit your needs and help you overcome any plateaus in order to reach your goals. PTs will do all they can with their knowledge and expertise to help a client hit their goals, however, this partnership is a two way process. As a client you have to meet the PT half way and cannot rely solely on the PT to do all the work. So here are 6 top tips on how you can get the most out of your PT sessions.
1.Being on time is good but being 5 minutes early is even better. It is important to check in with each other, discuss any injuries or how you felt after the previous session. This can help the PT set the pace and be mindful of anything that may need adjusting. This will also ensure that you use the allocated time with the PT optimally, so no time is wasted.
2. Communicate! Although PTs are great at reading a client’s expression, they aren’t mind readers. PTs will not know exactly how an exercise is feeling (whether it’s hurting, is too painful or feels too easy) unless you tell them, which leads onto my next tip…
3. Ask. If you’re unsure about an exercise, what muscle you should be contracting or what RPE you should be working at (rating of perceived exertion) then ask your PT. A PT shouldn’t get frustrated to explain the exercise again and should be happy to show you the exercise if needed.
4. Do your homework. Yes I know you’re not at school but if your PT has noticed a postural imbalance, for example, they’ll most likely give you exercises to do at home to correct it. Same goes with any additional stretches and foam rolling if you experience any tight areas. Doing such “homework” in-between sessions will allow you to be better prepared for each session and help you to reach your overall goals at a much swifter rate.
5. Be properly prepared prior to your session by wearing the right clothing, having water with you and feeling adequately fuelled is vital. OK, sounds obvious but failing to act on any of these elements can make your training session harder than it should be and not so enjoyable. It is wise to have made sure that you have eaten 1-2 hours before your session, a meal that is rich in lean proteins and slow releasing carbohydrates is ideal. However if you’re cutting it short, a piece of fruit 30 minutes prior to your session should also be adequate.
6. If nutritional advice is given, then follow it! Nutrition is key (you’ll find many other blogs on the website explaining how important nutrition is) and failing to tackle this element will not give you the results you were hoping for. If you are working hard towards a stronger leaner body when in the gym with your PT but not putting the same hard work in the kitchen, then this will be counterproductive.
Hopefully this blog has given you a different mind-set to think about when working with your PT and better equip you on reaching those health and fitness goals. If you need help to reach your fitness goals then check out our link on the homepage to book a FREE consultation.