Monday's Retail Madness

The thing FitBritt hates the most is when you decide to spulrge on something only to have it disappoint your expectations. One place this can happen often is with a personal trainer. This Monday's Retail Madness is focused on how to get the most out of your trainer.

1.) Shop Around- The first and most important thing for getting the most effective trainer is to find one that suits your needs. If you belong to a gym you will most definitely have a number of trainers at your disposal to choose from but you can also search elsewhere. A simple Google search can give you a directory for finding trainers in your area. Of course word of mouth is a really effective way for finding out about a trainer so don't be afraid to ask someone at your gym who you seeing working out with their trainer if they like that person. Ask around in your social or business circle of acquaintances if they have a trainer that they like.

2.) Figure Out Your Goals- Take a minute and write down the goals you wish to achieve from you training sessions. For example, maybe you want to lose 10 lbs, become more flexible, get flat abs, be able to run a 5K, break a plateau. Whatever your goals are write them all down.

3.) Find a Trainer Who Fits You- Most trainers have a speciality or focus area, for example weight loss or marathon training or endurance fitness. Some also have special certifications like boxing, pilates or yoga. Using your list of goals from above, try to match a trainer based on his or her speciality with your goals. Then once you have chosen a trainer, be clear with him or her about the goals you want to achieve. Show them the list and talk to them about the time frame in which you would like to achieve your goals. Your trainer can't help you train for that 5K in time if they don't know the race is in 6 weeks.

4.) Look for Deals- This may take a little bit more creativity but you can find good deals on personal training if you look around. Most gyms have an introductory special, for example, buy three sessions for $100. Ask at the desk about any of these offers. From our earlier post, check out Groupon which often has personal training packages that you can take advantage of and the discounts are great! Consider splitting the cost with someone else by training with a friend. Negotiate a rate. If you have a trainer you like, ask them if they would be willing to give you a discount if you paid up front or if you committed to a certain number of sessions.

5.) Keep the Trainer Focused on You- Don't let the trainer text or email during your session. The entire length of the session should be focused on you the entire time. The trainier can take care of other business on his or her own time.

6.) Communicate- Tell your trainer if you don't think the exercises you are doing are working, if you feel that you have not made enough progress, if you are sore or injured. Keep the trainer informed about everything, including your progress outside of the session including your own workouts and eating. By communicating with your trainer, you will have a greater likelihood for success and if things are not progressing, you'll have the chance to change before wasting a ton of money.