How Often Should You Work With A Personal Trainer?
Wednesday, August 25th, 2010As a personal trainer for 10 years, I have worked with clients as infrequently as once a month and as frequently as 6 times a week. A good rule of thumb is the less experience and knowledge you have about exercise, the more necessary it is to meet frequently especially in the beginning. Maybe you have been working out a long time but you still need that accountability so one weekly appointment is enough. Some people are motivated to workout on their own and just want to ‘check-in’ once a month to get some new material. There is no right answer because it depends on your particular needs and wants. Below are my recommendations:
The less experienced you are, the more often I recommend meeting with a trainer especially in the beginning. Maybe three times a week for 4 weeks. After you’ve learned enough of the basics you could start to see the trainer less frequently. Here’s why: People that don’t know much about exercise and form have a lot to learn and that’s what the trainer is there for. In the beginning I suggest doing all of your weight workouts supervised by a trainer until your form is really good. I call it my ‘high five of approval’. I will not send a client off to do weight lifting exercises on their own until I am 100% confident that their form is great. Otherwise, the result is that they may do it wrong and end up with an injury. Exercising on your own is a decision that you and your trainer should make together. Create momentum in the beginning.
If falling off your exercise schedule is a pattern for you then I suggest having once or twice weekly appointments with your trainer indefinitely. Here’s why: An appointment with your trainer once a week makes you accountable and that’s good. I have clients that I’ve worked with once or twice a week for 9 years and counting! Before they started working with me, their exercise came in waves. Not now. I keep them on track. I can’t tell you how many times I’ve had clients say to me “I never would have worked out today if we didn’t have this appointment.” Be honest with yourself, there’s no shame in admitting that you just won’t do it on your own but then do something about it. Trainers understand.
If you are at a pretty good level of fitness but you do the same exercises all the time, having an appointment once a month to spice up your routine is a great idea. Here’s why: Have you heard people talk about the need to ‘confuse your body’? What it basically means is that you don’t want you body to become too comfortable. This happens when you do the same thing all the time. Ideally, you should be challenging your body and ‘confusing’ it by doing different exercises with different levels of exertion. This is the best way to optimize your exercise. So, if you find yourself bored in your routine or not challenged but motivated enough to do it on your own, you would greatly benefit from a once a month appointment. The new material will keep you challenged and engaged.
Of course when you’re trying to figure out how often to see a trainer budget is going to come up. The two of you can talk about what you have to spend and they will help you to get the most out of your money. It’s the trainer’s job to assess the situation and make suggestions about what they think will be helpful. The two of you can then decide together how you will move forward.
Remember you don’t have to sign on for a package of sessions right away. Take your time in deciding if you have picked the right person and if you want to keep working with them. It may seem like a lot of money but if you re lucky enough to find a trainer you enjoy and you’re getting results, I am confident that it will be worth every dime!
Picking the correct Denver Personal Trainer can make or break your goal to get in shape. We can be your fitness confidant and create a individual workout plan that is best for you. Visit www.filettifitness.com today for more information.