Potential personal training pitfalls

Time efficient, effective exercise with workouts that deliver results in the best and fastest way possible. In a society where we're all time poor, personal trainers are a fitness trend that has grown tenfold over the last five years. This isn't merely a fitness fad either as more people experience the benefits of one-on-one personalized training. Even people who enjoy solo gym workouts or group fitness classes often opt for some individual one-on-one attention too. Regardless of the positives there are potential pitfalls that you need to avoid and make sure don't trip you up and slow down your progress.

Unless you've been living in the equivalent of a fitness cave you can't help but have noticed that more and more people you meet have a personal trainer. What's also noticeable is that they're not fitness junkies, celebrities or flashy types but regular people who simply want to improve their lives and fitness programs in a way that works. There are so many benefits you can reap from personal trainer sessions:

• setting of appropriate fitness goals
• a way of reaching targets that works
• dedicated, concentrated workouts with focus
• motivation to keep going
• ability to adapt workouts along the way
• professional advice on how to overcome plateaus or avoid them

So what are the pitfalls?
The potential pitfalls when working with a personal trainer are not negatives or weaknesses in the concept of personal training. Instead, they are thoughts and actions that can weaken the strength that personal trainer sessions promise. You need to watch out for these, nip them in the bud and look for ways to avoid them in the first place.

• Naughty boy or girl syndrome - Your relationship with your personal trainer should be a two-way street that is on the level, open and honest. If you don't do the out-of-session training or feel that you're not performing well, then you might feel that you're doing something 'bad'. Nobody likes to get caught out having slacked off, or be pulled up for not meeting expected standards. The problem arises when this results in you avoiding sessions because you feel too embarrassed to face up to what's holding you back or admit you had a lazy week. Your personal trainer might be the expert but don't get too into the teacher-bad student mode.
• Performance pressure - In a group fitness class you can step into the background more easily and get lost in the group but this isn't the case when all the attention is on you. Off days when you're not feeling at your best for one reason or another could lead to you canceling a personal training session. The problem might be that you feel too much pressure to perform because you are in the spotlight. However, a good personal trainer takes into account your whole being and this includes your approach and attitudes toward the training. Being open about how you feel is healthy.
• Inflated confidence - Because working with a personal trainer can be such a boost to your whole body and mind, some people get a false sense of success. You will no doubt feel changes and progress almost immediately because of the specialist, focused attention. However, this doesn't mean that you're 'all that' when it comes to being at the fitness level you should be. You don't want overconfidence and the excitement of having achieved so much knock you off a strategy that is planned over time.

What's important in the first place is to find the right personal trainer for you. While you need to listen to advice don't feel intimidated or that it's not your place to ask questions. You are the one that has to make the difference but we can certainly help you get to that point and stay there.