How to Get the Most Out of Your Personal Trainer and Your Workouts

Over the years that I have been training I have learned and realized a great many things. One thing I've realized is that males are usually more difficult to train than females. Being a male, this is a painful realization for me to make, but it seems to be true.

Why is this? Again, I'm speaking generally, as no client, or person for that matter, is the same. However, there are some definite general trends:

1) Females assume that they can learn by asking someone that knows more than them in a given field.

2) Males assume they know everything, at least to some extent, and need to be shown that the person in the field knows more than they do.

3) Females, when motivated, try to improve themselves, and know what areas they need to work on much better than their male counterparts do.

4) Males must avoid looking foolish at all costs. This need can often cause them to do more than their bodies can stand, so they end up actually being in real danger.

The male clients that I've had, once they can get past many of these things, have turned out to be amazing clients. And, once again, all in all, everyone is different. That being said, it has been my ever continuing challenge to try to apply my deplorable-but-ever-improving psychological skills to try and understand each client. Through this application, I have noted further things that can, not only improve how the stereotypical male can improve his workouts and time in the gym, but improve the workouts of every client.

1) Assume the trainer knows more than you. Ask wise, serious questions, and expect your trainer to be able to give a good answer. A sign of a good trainer is when one can say, "I don't know. I think it would be [whatever their educated opinion is]. I will check on that, though." But, once you get a good answer from the trainer, apply it and remember it.

2) Express what's going on in your mind. Although a skilled trainer can usually tell what is going on in the minds of his/her clients, she/he can't always tell at what intensity his/her client is working out at or feeling. Keeping too stoic of an expression is a sure way to end up passed out in a corner from doing more than your body can stand.

3) Be open to try things that you haven't before. After all, that's why you're asking the advise of the trainer, right? She/he is going to show you routines that will improve you and that you have never tried before. Use that and revel in the adventure.

4) Repeat steps 1-3 as needed.

Many of these steps seem obvious. But, in actuality, these steps are rarely applied right away and must be a practiced conscious effort on the part of the client. Then, once the trainer is presented with a client of such astounding openness and workout excellence, they often have a difficult time stepping up and being the needed motivational boost that they should be.

But, when an open client and an experienced trainer find a good symbiosis, the workouts and results can be simply phenomenal. Try these little bits of advise with your trainer and see how much you can improve.

Other bits of training advise and weight loss ideas can be found at my blog.