ANGIE FERGUSON
Make the most out of personal training sessions
When you invest your time and money in personal training sessions, you expect results. To maximize those results, practice a few good habits and you’re ROI (return on investment) will pay huge dividends.
» Make no excuses. Personal trainers work with a variety of clients, from all different backgrounds, and fitness abilities, but one constant that remains the same across all backgrounds is the EXCUSES. One of the biggest and most over used excuses being, ‘I have no time!’ In today’s fast paced, multitasking world, we are all busy, everyone is crunched and time is a challenge we all face, no matter what we do for a living. However, if you don’t have time to exercise three times a week, you better make time to be sick, go to the doctor and possibly the hospital.
Instead of making the excuse, change the vocabulary and say ‘I don’t have time to be sick’. When you stop making excuses and change your vocabulary, it is no longer ‘I should’ exercise, it now becomes ‘I must’. Remember, excuses don’t burn calories!
» Never withhold information. Are you on any medications? Did you injure your knee or have back surgery five years ago? Even if your health care provider has cleared you to exercise, your trainer needs to know these important health facts to keep you safe. Some medications can affect your heart rate; and prior injuries or surgeries can also af- fect your workout prescription. Even if your trainer hasn’t asked, it’s up to you to be forthcoming and tell all when it comes to your health.
» No complaining! Everyone has challenging training sessions, that’s the point. We push ourselves within safe limits so we can challenge the body and experience adaptations in our fitness. Do yourself a favor and head into your next training session with a positive attitude and be game-face ready. Don’t walk into your session complaining about the work ahead otherwise your session can become a self-fulfilling prophecy. If you think it will be poor or hard, it will be. If you go in ready to work and crush it, you will.
» Finally, follow your training plan. When you hire a personal trainer, you are investing time and money to improve your health and reach your fitness goals. While this is a GREAT investment, the only way you can reap the greatest benefits from your trainer and exercise sessions is by listening to their advice. Do your best to stick to your training plan as prescribed to get the most out of each session, each week, and each month.
Angie Ferguson is an exercise physiologist from Fort Myers, Florida. She is a USA Triathlon Advanced Level 2 coach, Ironman Certified coach, Slowtwitch Certified coach, USA Cycling coach and has a Specialty in Sports Nutrition certification. For more training tips, read her blog at www.triathlontrainingisfun.com or contact her at www.gearedup.biz.