As I’ve mentioned, contacting a personal trainer is your best bet to start off your new healthy lifestyle and fitness plan right. It may require some research, and you want to make sure that your personal trainer is qualified and certified to be giving you the guidance you require.

Ultimately, you are looking to create a partnership, in which your personal trainer will be giving you personalized instruction and you will be giving your best effort. This brings me to the discussion of how to get the most out of this partnership, and more specifically, your first training session.

Fitness for Dummies authors, Suzanne Schlosberg and Liz Neporant, M.A., suggest a unique approach, “Having a good sense of humor can get you through a first workout session without any ego damage. So what if you sit backward on the shoulder machine? So what if you sink to the floor when you hop onto the stair-climber?”

It’s all about learning, productivity and progress. You and your personal trainer will use your time together to sculpt a program that fits you best. Below are some tips to help you make the most of your time together:

Schedule the session at a time when the gym isn’t busy. The equipment will be free to use and your concentration will be better focused on your personal trainer and your workout.

Take notes and draw pictures. This will help you remember the correct steps of each exercise until you have them down pat. Also, think of it like keeping a workout log, something we’ve discussed before.

Ask lots of questions. Simply, no question is a dumb question. Your personal trainer is there to help.

Don’t try to impress the trainer. Your trainer doesn’t have any expectations except to see you work hard. So don’t be Arnold Schwarzenegger, take your time and learn the correct approach to working out.

For those in Fairfield County who have experience with a personal trainer, what other tips would you provide to those first timers?