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How Long Is A Personal Trainer Session?

Dr. Natalie Thomas, PT, DPT

An exercise routine, working out, strength training — whatever you want to call it — you know that it is integral to your overall fitness and health.

Of course, you can create a fitness plan yourself, but you know there are added benefits that come with personal training sessions.

But just how long should a personal trainer session last for optimal results?

Personal training sessions can be a key ingredient in helping you meet your personal fitness goals as well as receiving the overall health guidance and support you desire.

In this guide, we’ll discuss what a personal training session is, why you might need one, how long they should last, and what they might look like.

Contents

Quick Disclaimer

Personal trainers and fitness coaches are very, very different.

Fitness coaches are just that… they’re coaches. They look at you holistically and push you in a structured way to help you progress in your life.

On the other hand, personal trainers are just that… they’re trainers. Their job is to push you REALLY hard. To motivate you. However, they’re not as strategic.

For the sake of this article, we’ll use the term ‘personal trainer’ even though we’re talking about fitness coaches.

What Is A Personal Training Session?

Personal training sessions are times set aside for clients to work with a personal trainer either one-on-one or in a small group.

The trainer should know your fitness goals and needs and design a program during your sessions aimed at meeting those goals.

The trainer will also:

  • Explain and demonstrate the exercises
  • Watch you as you move through the exercises, looking for proper form and efficiency of movement
  • Offer feedback or correction

Above all, personal training sessions should be held in an environment where the client feels comfortable and safe.

At In Motion O.C., our personal training sessions should do two things:

  1. Expose any deficiency or weakness
  2. Fix it

In Motion O.C. fitness coaching is designed to:

  • Get you to do everything you want to do, safer, better, and more efficiently. 
  • Coach you through stressful situations in the gym in order to translate in other aspects outside of the gym
  • upgrade your physical and mental abilities 
  • Facilitate natural movement through your day and inhibit any fear of movement. 
  • Educate members on living a healthier lifestyle in order to adapt to their workouts. Without a healthy lifestyle, a workout is just a workout. To get the most out of it, you need to give your body the space and respect to adapt to every session.

Why Have Personal Training Sessions? – Top 3 Reasons

Personal training can benefit you, whether you are a beginner or an experienced athlete.

Everyone is different, and the aspects of their personal training will be varied, depending on things like their:

To illustrate, let us introduce you to two different people who want to benefit from personal training sessions.

  • Julie is a 40-something mom who has spent the last 15 years focused on her family and raising her children and now finds herself a little overweight, weak, and out of shape. She’s interested in consulting a personal trainer to help her get back on track. She wants to lose some weight and get stronger.
  • Tim is a 20-year-old college athlete who wants to take his exercise routine to the next level. He’s interested in hiring a personal trainer to help him with building strength and endurance so he can better perform in his sport.

Based on their needs for personal training, they both may ask the question, “How long is a personal trainer session?”

Reason # 1 – Education And Effective Techniques

Anyone can watch a workout online or design their own workout in the gym.

But many people who choose this option are often left wondering if they are doing the exercises correctly and using proper techniques effectively.

If you are wondering what to expect from a personal trainer, you can expect them to do at least two things:

  • Educate you on methods and techniques
  • Coach you on those techniques

You should leave a training session feeling like you’ve learned some valuable tips and techniques from your trainer that you can benefit from over and over again.

Reason # 2 – Personalized Plan

Our college athlete, Tim, is already very active but is seeking a personal trainer to take advantage of a plan that is designed for his particular needs.

His personal trainer will get to know him and his specific needs, which include strength building and endurance, and design a plan meant to address his goals.

Personal plans also allow for:

  • Adding variety
  • Learning new exercises 
  • Becoming familiar with new equipment
  • Adjusting workouts as necessary
  • Avoiding injury
  • Tailoring to your abilities or current conditions

Reason # 3 – Motivation And Accountability

Working out and sticking to it is hard work, and if we are honest, most of us need a little push from time to time.

A personal trainer can provide the extra motivation you need to get moving and the accountability to keep you on the road to success.

This is the main reason Julie is looking for a personal trainer.

She’s been out of the gym for a long time and knows the challenge of getting started again. On her own, she doubts that she’ll have what it takes, so she’s counting on her trainer to be her cheerleader and a person who will hold her feet to the fire when she feels like giving up.

In Motion O.C. fitness coaches provide these things and much more. In fact, our fitness coaches and services go far beyond what you usually find in a personal trainer.

“We promise to do what benefits you as a whole person. We’re going to take care of you. Our end game is that we want clients who are healthy, live longer, are stronger, and live happier.” (Edgar Benitez, In Motion O.C. Director of Fitness)

How Long Should Your First Personal Training Session Last?

You know that having a personal trainer is going to involve time and money, so the question “How long is a personal trainer session?” is a pertinent and relevant question to ask.

One hour is the standard and most popular time for an experienced or beginner personal training session.

Is A 30 Minute Personal Training Session Enough?

Maybe both your schedule and budget are tight, and you’re wondering if you can get the same benefit from a 30-minute personal training session.

Even though some personal trainers have begun offering 30-minute sessions, they are not ideal.

And here’s why:

  • Shorter sessions leave your trainer less time to evaluate and offer feedback.
  • To get the most bang for your buck, shorter sessions need to be fast-paced, which may be overwhelming or come with a high risk of injury.
  • Thirty-minute sessions would require either leaving out the warm-up and cool-down altogether or leaving the client to complete these on their own. Either way, this option doesn’t allow the trainer to be involved in the warm-up and cool-down to watch for proper form and give feedback.

 

What To Expect From A Personal Trainer Session

All personal trainers are different. They have different personalities and use varied techniques, which makes their sessions as unique as they are.

Even though trainers and their techniques are diverse, most training sessions include:

  • An exercise program designed for you
  • Modeling of correct technique
  • Evaluation and feedback on form
  • Encouragement and support

Beginner Personal Training Session – How Your First Session Might look Different

You’ve taken the plunge and acquired a personal trainer, and you are ready to get started with your first workout.

Though your first personal training session may include a brief workout, your time will probably be spent talking with your trainer so that you can both get to know one another.

Your trainer will probably perform an intake screening, which will be critical in putting together the best personal training plan for you. You may need to fill out an intake form and answer some particular questions.

The personal trainer may ask general health questions like:

  • Do you have any diagnoses like diabetes, high blood pressure, or thyroid disease?
  • Do you have any family history of coronary disease?
  • Do you take any medications regularly?
  • What are your eating habits?
  • Do you smoke or drink?
  • What are your sleeping habits?
  • Do you have any current or past injuries?
  • What is your current exercise routine?

In addition to these basic questions, the trainer will probably take some measurements, including height and weight. The trainer may also evaluate some of your movements and gauge your flexibility.

After the intake portion, you may end the session by taking a tour of the facility and doing a brief workout.

Most importantly, your trainer should discuss your needs and goals with you and set some short-term and long-term goals together.

At your next session, your trainer will most likely have a plan created for you, and you’ll have a more intense workout.

You might have some questions for your trainer as well:

  • How long have you been a personal trainer? 
  • Why do you like being a personal trainer?
  • What kinds of exercises will I be doing?
  • Will I train with others or just individually?
  • How often will we meet?
  • When will I begin to see progress?
  • What other exercise benefits can I expect?

Did You Make The Most Of Your Session?

After each session, your trainer should give you some work to do on your own throughout the week.

When you come to your concurrent personal training sessions, your trainer will want to know how you did and if you are benefitting from your sessions together.

Your trainer should:

  • Ask about your homework and how it went
  • Want to know if you have any new concerns
  • Ask if your previous issues are improved
  • Reevaluate your goals

Clients who take advantage of the fitness side of In Motion O.C. say they “come in feeling good and leave feeling good.”

In addition to fitness coaching, In Motion O.C. offers physical therapy services. Our physical therapists and fitness coaches work together to provide the most thorough and beneficial services for our clients.

You can get started with a free consultation. Click the link below for more information.

Personal Training Sessions – The Warm-Up

Though each person’s training session will be designed with them in mind, in general, most sessions will include a warm-up and a cool-down.

How long should a warm-up last?

In general, a warm-up will last from 5 to 10 minutes and is designed to gradually get you ready for the workout by slowly increasing your heart rate and your range of motion.

Proper warm-ups are WAY more than just warming up the muscles.

They’re actually a neurological exercise that help to loosen the muscles.

Think about it like this:

The average person attending a 5pm fitness session is likely coming straight from work. They’re tense. Their minds are focused on upcoming projects. Or on drama with coworkers.

So a proper warm-up needs to get them in the present moment.

A warm-up should involve natural movements. We like to relate it to children playing.

When children are playing, their bodies move naturally. They don’t carry any stress.
During warm-ups, we mimic that by doing movements like:

  • Obstacle courses
  • Farmer carries
  • Free form battle ropes
  • And more

Not only that, but we sometimes structure these warm-ups with music.

  • During the chorus, you do one type of movement
  • During the verses, you do another type of movement

Why is this helpful?

You don’t have to count reps. You don’t have to focus on anything but moving. You can let your mind go.

Also, you start to get into a rhythm. Rhythmic movement is a very natural, primal thing that our bodies align with.

Personal Training Sessions – The Work

After you’ve warmed up, loosened up your body, and increased your heart rate a bit, you’re ready to get to work.

How long will this portion last?

The actual workout portion of your session will probably last about 30 to 40 minutes.

But the work of the training session will look different depending on your:

  • Goals
  • Needs
  • Personalized plan

Remember Tim and Julie? Their workouts will look very different.

Since Tim is an avid athlete looking to build his strength and endurance, his personal training sessions may include:

  • Deadlifts
  • Sandbag squats
  • Farmer carries holding kettlebells
  • Sled pushes and sled drags
  • Sandbag carries

Julie, on the other hand, wants to get in shape and lose some weight, and since it’s been a while since she’s been in the gym, she’ll probably start off slow and work up to more intense workouts.

Her workouts might include:

  • Battle ropes
  • Sled pushes and sled drags
  • Cable exercises
  • A lot of groundwork movements like bridges, side planks, etc

The types of exercises and routines are endless.

The fitness coaches at In Motion O.C. are skilled and experienced at putting together the best plan for you that will allow you to work efficiently and help you meet your goals.

Personal Training Sessions – The Cool-Down

The cool-down might arguably be the best part of the personal training session.

You’ve worked hard, you’re proud of your effort, and now you can end your session on a high note.

Just as a warm-up gradually gets you ready for the actual workout, cooling down gradually helps you recover by decreasing your heart rate to its normal resting rate. Cool-downs also help to reduce the chance of injury.

You’ve spent about 5-10 minutes on the warm-up, around 30-40 minutes on the workout, so now you’ll probably spend another 5-10 minutes on the cool-down.

A cool-down may include:

  • A slow walk
  • Deep breathing
  • Stretches that:
    • Are deep and prolonged
    • Target the muscles used during the workout

How Long Should You Have A Personal Trainer?

How long you retain a personal trainer depends on your specific issues, goals, and needs.

Our athlete friend, Tim, may be able to meet his goals with a personal trainer in 3 months, where Julie may need the help and encouragement of a personal trainer for a year or more.

If you are asking this question and the others we’ve discussed above, you should do yourself a favor and give In Motion O.C. a call.

Since In Motion O.C. is focused on both physical therapy and fitness, we are especially suited to help clients who:

  • Deal with chronic or current injuries
  • Want to lose weight, get stronger, and feel better

What does In Motion O.C. Fitness coaching have to offer you?

Among many other things, we offer:

  • Camaraderie from working out in small groups
  • Relationship that comes with knowing our clients well
  • Optimal fitness
  • Exceptional customer service
  • A knowledgeable staff
  • Cutting edge training methods
  • A family vibe in a comfortable and safe environment

Your health is our #1 priority, and we are passionate about taking care of you first on a human to human basis.

We are here for you.

Contact us today to schedule your free consultation.

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