Personal training is a rewarding and challenging career, but it's not without its pitfalls. The following seven mistakes are common among personal trainers, and I want to help you avoid them so that you can enjoy your time in the profession.
Not following your own training plan
- Don't be afraid to ask for help
- Don't do something just because you saw it in a magazine
- Make changes if you're not seeing results
Using bad form
Bad form can be difficult to spot, especially in the beginning when you're still getting used to the movements. You can avoid bad form by keeping these tips in mind:
- Keep your back flat and chest out throughout all exercises. If it's not, try adjusting your stance or placing a towel under your heels for extra stability.
- Don't use momentum when lifting weights; instead focus on doing each rep with control and perfect form. If necessary, reduce the weight until this becomes easier for you (but don't sacrifice safety!).
Not eating enough
You've been told to eat enough, but what does that really mean? How much should you be eating and how do you know if you're getting enough of the right things?
The answer is simple: You should be eating enough calories to support your training goals and activity levels. If you are trying to lose weight, or just maintain a healthy weight with some extra muscle mass, then this means eating less than your maintenance level (the number of calories required by your body at rest). The opposite is true if you want to gain muscle mass--you'll need more than 10% above maintenance levels (i.e., 11-12 times the amount).
The easiest way to figure out what this means for your own situation is with an online calculator like this one from Healthline or Bodybuilding.com's Calorie Calculator . These calculators use several factors such as age, height/weight ratio (BMI), goal(s), activity level(s) etc., which allows them determine exactly how many calories each person needs daily in order achieve those results within six months' time frame
Not having an accountability partner
The first mistake is not having an accountability partner. Having someone to help keep you on track and motivated is essential, especially when it comes to getting in shape.
Your accountability partner can be anyone who will hold you accountable for your goals and encourage you when times get tough. For example, if one of your goals is to lose weight and eat healthier foods, then they could check in with you every few days by asking how much weight has been lost so far? Or maybe they'd ask where the best place was located nearby that sells low-calorie options like salads or smoothies (and order their own). This kind of interaction between two people helps each other stay motivated throughout the process--and it could even lead into future friendships!
Lack of consistency
If you're not consistent with your training, it's going to be very hard to see results. Consistency is the key to success in any fitness endeavor and personal training is no exception.
Be sure that you are scheduling regular appointments with your trainer so that they can help keep you on track with your goals and motivate/inspire you when needed. If possible, even consider meeting with them more often than just once per week--for example: two sessions per week instead of just one session would be ideal!
Make sure that if something comes up in life (like an illness or family emergency) where it doesn't seem possible for someone like me (or any other personal trainer) then this doesn't mean we won't still find ways around those obstacles together as long as both parties work at making things happen instead of giving up hope too soon because something didn't go according to plan."
Not respecting your body's limits.
You are your own best judge of how your body feels, and it's important that you listen to yourself. If something feels "off," take a day or two off from training. If the problem persists, see a doctor or physical therapist who can help determine the cause of the pain and prescribe an appropriate treatment plan.
If you find yourself struggling with overtraining symptoms such as fatigue, decreased performance, poor sleep quality and/or increased injuries--stop exercising! This is not only bad for your health but also counterproductive in terms of achieving results from your personal training sessions with me!
Not setting aside enough time for recovery.
Rest days and sleep are essential to recovery, but many people neglect these important components. The best way to make sure you're getting enough rest is by tracking your sleep habits with a sleep tracker device or app. You can also use this time wisely by catching up on reading or watching TV shows that don't involve any high-intensity workouts!
If you're feeling tired during the day and need something more active than napping in order to get energized again, try doing some light stretching exercises like yoga poses or Pilates moves instead of lifting weights at the gym--they'll help stretch out sore muscles while giving them a break from intense activity too!
It's important to understand why these mistakes are happening and how to avoid them in the future.
By understanding the reasons behind these mistakes and learning how to avoid them in the future, you can set yourself up for success. Most importantly, it's important that you learn from your own mistakes. By doing so, you'll be able to avoid making the same ones over again and get more out of your workouts in general.
It's also helpful to learn from other people's experiences as well--they may have made some similar errors but learned from them in different ways than you did! It all depends on how open-minded each person was at their first training session with a personal trainer or coach (or even if they had any).
Conclusion
I hope you've found this article helpful, and that it has inspired you to avoid these common mistakes. If you're looking for more information on how to get started with personal training or how to set up your own home gym, check out our blog!
