How to get the most out of your personal training sessions

Congratulations if you have landed here, it means you have prioritised your health and wellness and are reaching out to experts to help you! 

Personal training is one of the most important investments you may make in yourself and towards your health. It is the start of an exciting journey where you will understand your body and your personal limits in more detail than ever before. Most of our clients understand that this is no miracle overnight trick to weight loss or getting abs or gaining strength. But it is a structured and supportive plan that will probably get you the best results you have ever had. You will be working with a fitness expert and mentor who will guide you every step of the way. 

So, if you’ve signed up to personal training or have been considering it for a while, and want to make the most out of every single session, then read on for our top tips on how to maximise this incredible journey.

Consistency is key

This is definitely the most important tip! Consistency is everything when it comes to any kind of life change, including physical fitness.  Without consistency, you won’t see the results you desire and deserve. You have got to show up for yourself. Without consistency, your trainer is limited in how much they can understand about you, your body, and your patterns (such as with your energy levels, how your menstrual cycle might effect you etc.), making it harder for them to come up with a programme that will benefit you and your lifestyle.

Little and often is more effective than a lot and inconsistently. You will see the best results if you show up, even if you don’t have the best workout every time. That part doesn’t matter, the consistency does. The more you train and the more seriously you take your fitness journey, the more you will get out of your personal training journey. If you know you won’t be able to make a session, let your trainer know so you can reschedule instead of cancelling at the last minute. If your training slot isn’t working for you, ask your trainer if they can fit you in somewhere else. You want your session to fit in with your life and not be a huge stress on you every week.

Plan with your trainer on the first day of the month

It’s not a bad idea to check in with your trainer every so often and the beginning of the month is a good time to do it. There is a sense of renewal at the beginning of each month. You can check in with your trainer about your progress, what workouts are planned for the following month, any feedback you have for your trainer or that they have for you! These check-ins will help keep you on-track and motivated.

At MotivatePT, our online client portal and web-app mean it’s easy to view your upcoming sessions, with your private calendar that is shared with your personal trainer.

You can easily manage your fitness subscription, see your trainer’s qualifications and specialisms, and keep on top of your fitness schedule.

Our portal keeps your training consistent. Because when it comes to getting results, consistency is everything. Check out the video below!

Be Early 

Showing up early for your personal training sessions gives you time to make sure you have everything you need and to get in the zone before the session begins. You want your training sessions to be an opportunity for you to relax and reset. Therefore, you don’t want to start in a rush and do the session with a hectic, chaotic feeling when you could be relaxing! Show yourself how much you respect yourself and value your health and wellbeing by making enough time to fully immerse yourself in your sessions.

The time it takes to get into your fitness clothes, getting your water bottle ready, set out your equipment (such as resistance bands) and clear your space can become a ritual that helps you to put the rest of your day aside and devote your attention to yourself.

Stay Present 

Staying present during your personal training sessions is a big one, and we are going to demystify this a little bit so you can truly apply this to each and every session going forward. This is about feeling every repetition, tuning into your breath, working with your body to push limits and set new personal bests. Your trainer will notice if you’ve gone someplace else, and it’s totally okay and normal. Allow your trainer to remind you to bring your focus back to the present. Your workouts serve like a long meditation for you in a way and that’s one of the reasons you feel so good after. 

If you are just going through the motions, disengaged, with one eye on the clock or your phone, your session is not going to deliver what you need. You get out of every personal training session, virtual or in person, exactly what you put in. These sessions aren’t just about improving your physical state, they are about boosting you mentally too. 

And this isn’t just about results, this is about enjoyment. When you are truly present in any moment in life, you will find you enjoy it more, and every second of that experience will feel richer. So give this a try; in your next personal training session, turn your phone off, block out time in your diary so others know you are unavailable and start listening in to your breath, your body and your trainer.

Do your Homework 

We absolutely agree that your personal training sessions are going to be at the centre of your health and wellness programme and they are going to set the pace for you. But we are with you for one, maybe two, maybe up to 4 hours a week if we are lucky. It is really important that for the 100’s of hours that we don’t see you in the week, that you continue to honour your commitments to your programme! So if your PT has asked you to do a 20 minute set on your own in between sessions, or if she has recommended recipes because you know your nutrition is greatly jeopardising your goals, then this is your homework! And this will make the difference between seeing great progress or stagnating.

We do not sell any false promises, great results come from great dedication. We are your greatest cheerleader and it brings us joy to cheer you on. When we are not with you, we need you to stay on track! Remember, you can never out-train a bad diet.

DON’T cancel

Even if you don’t feel like it, you won’t regret it! This can be especially tempting with online personal training but you really should resist. Just show up, let your trainer do the bulk of the thinking for you, focus on their instructions and then it’s over! It’s done, your mood is boosted, you feel proud of yourself for showing up, and you stuck to your plan and commitment to your results. You’ll never regret having showed up.

How to have a positive mindset

Don’t be so hard on yourself. I love the expression “you can’t hate yourself into someone you love”. I really believe in that. Show up with self-compassion. Don’t take it too seriously. As said earlier, consistency is everything. So, if you’re being consistent that’s the bulk of the work done. We are going to push you out of your comfort zone to achieve great things, because that is exactly what you are paying for us to do! So don’t forget to smile and enjoy it. It makes for a wonderful experience for you and for your trainer, and your results will come with greater ease. You and your trainer get to thrive off each other’s energy!

Make time for other wellness practices like meditation

Take a holistic approach to your fitness journey is crucial. We are whole beings and every aspect of our lives is deeply connected to every other, so don’t ignore any of them. Any time you make for your wellness will have a positive impact on your fitness journey. For example, a daily meditation practice can improve your mood, focus, self esteem and sense of greater purpose. We have a blog post all about meditation as a wellness practice and you can find it here

Nutrition and groceries

To make the most of your personal training sessions, you need to be nourishing yourself properly. Under and overeating are both going to inhibit your results. Under eating is also not to be ignored. Your body can’t build new muscle if it doesn’t have the fuel to do it! Here is an example grocery list to get you started.

Written By Bea: Female fitness expert at MotivatePT – Reps Level 3 Qualified / Pre & Post Natal