Don’t answer your doorbell, phone, fax, pager, or e-mail. This just
wastes the trainer’s time and distracts you from your workout. Also, if
you have kids, make sure that someone is watching them. Your trainer
won’t be happy if your 5-year-old runs into the room screaming,
“Mommy! Mommy! My Scene Barbie is sick!”
Don’t whine. Get yourself in a positive frame of mind before your
training sessions.Liz used to train a woman who wanted to tone her legs but who hated to
do leg exercises. While working out, she used to curse at Liz very loudly,
to the point where people would turn around and stare. The management
eventually asked Liz and her client to go elsewhere, but Liz refused to
work with the client any longer.Schedule in advance. You’ll have a very happy trainer if you schedule a
month in advance. (Just make sure that it’s a schedule you can stick to.)
At the very least, don’t call in the morning and expect a session that
afternoon.
If canceling or rescheduling, give your trainer as much time as possible.
Many trainers have a 24-hour cancellation policy, which requires you to
cancel or reschedule your session with at least 24 hours’ notice. This
allows your trainer time to adjust his schedule and possibly fit someone
else into that spot. It also helps keep a positive rapport with your trainer.Speak up. Just because you’ve hired a trainer doesn’t mean you’ve lost
the power of speech. If something doesn’t feel right, say so. Your trainer
isn’t a mind reader.
One woman we know severely pulled her inner-thigh muscles because a
trainer went overboard on a stretch. Afterward, she said she felt pain for
nearly a minute before she heard a loud pop. Why didn’t she say any-
thing? Because she didn’t want to question the trainer. Granted, the
trainer should have paid better attention, but he couldn’t have been
expected to know how the woman felt.Keep the relationship professional. Your trainer isn’t your therapist.
Inevitably, you’ll get into personal stuff; after all, this is your personal
trainer. But don’t take your bad day out on your trainer, and don’t
expect your trainer to fix your life. And never make a pass at your
trainer, just as he or she shouldn’t be making a pass at you or making
inappropriate comments.56 Part I: Getting Your Butt off the Couch