If you’ve never signed up for a personal training session before, it might sound overwhelming or even intimidating – especially since so many times we hear about personal trainers for celebrities and pro athletes. But the truth is, personal training is for anyone and everyone. Because it’s all about you.
That’s how Brandy Martin describes it.
“This is 45 minutes focused entirely on you – a treat for yourself physically, emotionally, and mentally,” says Brandy, owner of Feed Your Soul Fitness. “We meet you where you’re at, whether you’ve been a gym rat for years, you have injuries and don’t know where to start, or you’ve never been to a gym before.”
If you’re curious about personal training but aren’t sure if it’s a fit for you, here’s a closer look at what a personal training session includes, the benefits of personal training, and how to prepare for your first appointment.
What a Personal Training Session Includes
When you think about personal training, underscore the word “personal.” After you sign up for your first meeting, before you step foot into the gym, you will fill out a short health questionnaire explaining any injuries, limitations, goals, and background. This gives your trainer information to tailor your experience perfectly for you.
Showing up is the hardest part (it really is!), but if you can just walk through the doors, the trainer will take care of the rest. They will greet you, get to know you, and make you feel at ease. Feed Your Soul is private, so you may very well be the only person there, or if there are others, they will be focused on their own trainer; no one will be watching you, taking photos without permission, or making you feel uncomfortable. Feed Your Soul has two studios: the main, 3,000-square-foot space and a smaller studio a few doors down.
While chatting, your trainer will run a simple mobility test to see how your body moves and to warm you up. Exactly what exercises your trainer will suggest from there varies from person to person, but whatever you do will have a nice balance between work and fun, with a ton of social support at every turn. Your session will be 45 minutes long.
Most people start by signing up for four 45-minute sessions. This helps pinpoint what feels good and doesn’t and helps your trainer understand your body’s needs and your goals. It also is enough time to start building a relationship between you and your trainer, which is where the real magic lies.
Any and all movement is valuable, but Brandy recommends a personal training session two to three times a week, if possible. Three days a week allows for an ideal breakdown of upper body, lower body, and full body.
Benefits of Personal Training
There are tons of reasons to try personal training. Here are a few benefits:
- If you are busy (and who isn’t?), it assures you maximize the time spent at the gym. No wandering around, trying to figure out what to do or how to do it. Every minute counts.
- It keeps you accountable long after the “honeymoon phase.” When a person makes the choice to start working out, it’s often prompted by something: a photo, a health diagnosis, a life event. But inevitably, that motivation fades or life throws hurdles. A trainer helps you clear those hurdles and not lose your way. In that, it keeps you consistent, which is a huge (if not the biggest) factor in making meaningful changes.
- It reduces the risk of injury. Your trainer knows how to lift safely. They will always have an eye on you.
- It builds your confidence. No one is born knowing how to exercise and lift weights, but a trained professional can teach you how. Often, fear is based in the unknown. The antidote to fear is action and education.
- It will make your workouts more effective. Trainers know where you should feel each exercise and can recommend when you can push a little harder to spark the growth you want. It’s easy to second-guess yourself or undershoot your capabilities when you’re working out alone. A trainer knows how to nudge you out of your comfort zone in a safe way and help you believe in yourself.
- It leads to variety. Sometimes we get stuck in our familiar zones. Trying new things benefits us not only muscularly, but also cognitively.
- It’s fun. Feed Your Soul’s trainers are engaged and excited to be with you. They’re much more than just babysitters with biceps.
What to Wear to a Personal Training Session
Anything. You. Want.
Seriously, you can wear whatever you feel comfortable in. If you want to wear a baggy T-shirt and sweats, go for it. If you want to wear a matchy workout outfit, sure. Tank top, joggers from Walmart, shorts, a new Amazon fit, your lucky scrunchie, leggings, your hair in a hat, whatever. There is no dress code here. No one will judge you by your clothes. Just make sure it’s comfortable and you can move in it.
And slide into some athletic shoes (no barefoot training or sandals, for safety reasons). You may also want to bring a water bottle, hair tie, and a sweat towel.
You don’t need to bring anything else. All equipment is provided. There’s a restroom, cubbies, free, ample parking, and fun music playing. The only thing the gym doesn’t have is mirrors. This is a mirror-free zone. It’s about the functionality of the body first, and the physical changes are a natural side effect of moving your body in ways that enhance your daily living.
How to Prepare for Your First Pt Session
Before your first personal training session, get enough sleep the night before. Drink some water and make sure you’re hydrated. Eat food – you don’t want to work out on an empty stomach, or you might get dizzy and lightheaded. Leave early enough that you’re not rushed to arrive.
Also, be mindful of how your body is feeling that day. Do you feel like a million bucks or did you sleep weird and now have a kink in your neck? Are you optimistic or stressed out? What is the status of your body and your brain? This is all information to share with your trainer.
So, you did it. You signed up. You filled out the questionnaire. You got enough sleep and ate enough to feel fueled for action. You are in your workout clothes. And now – now you’re in the parking lot sitting in your car second-guessing it all.
That’s normal. You wouldn’t believe how many people get to the parking lot and freeze.
“It’s OK to have those fearful, anxious thoughts. That’s a big part of you stepping forward in your health and wellness journey. That’s why you’re hiring an expert. Just fill them in. It’s only going to get better,” Brandy says. “The hardest part really is showing up. Give yourself a pat on the back for booking it, showing up, and then completing the personal training,
Want to give Personal Training a try? Schedule a chat with a coach to learn more.
