A very common question we get is how often should you see a personal trainer.
Many sources will recommend 2-3 times per week, but there are several factors you should consider when deciding session frequency including budget, how motivated you are, and how fast you want results.
Budget
Budget is going to be a big factor, because of course, more sessions are going to be more expensive.
Even seeing a personal trainer once a week is still beneficial. You'll have accountability to your trainer and still be able to learn a lot. No need to worry if budgetary constraints keep you from more frequent training sessions.
So don't give up on personal training just because you can't do every single work out with a trainer.
Motivation
Motivation is another major influence on how many sessions you should do.
If you can't get yourself to go to the gym without having an appointment set up, then more frequent sessions (2-3 days of personal training per week) will be very beneficial.
You can of course start with one per week and work on developing the motivation to go on your own with your trainer, but just be aware that it may take more time to see results this way.
If you are highly motivated to work out on your own you may not need more than one or two sessions per week.
If you love working out and are using a trainer purely for things like teaching you new exercises, making sure your form is on point so you avoid injuries, and tweaking your workout program, then a lower frequency is completely fine.
Pros of More Sessions
There are several pros to doing sessions more frequently though.
First off, you will usually see results faster. Even if you already workout on your own, you will still be able to learn new exercises to implement on your own faster with more frequent sessions.
It is also more motivating, as your trainer will be checking in with you on how your nutrition and similar outside-of-session goals are going.
Because of this we typically recommend beginners, those that need motivation, and anyone that wants to get results quickly do sessions more frequently.
A big benefit to beginners is that they can quickly become proficient at a variety of exercises, and they often benefit from having more motivation. If you are not motivated, then more frequent sessions are definitely going to help, (aim to schedule at least two to three per week).
Finally, if results are time sensitive, ie you have a vacation, wedding, or photoshoot coming up, then you should also do sessions more frequently so you can get a jumpstart on results.
Pros of Less Frequent Sessions
Less frequent sessions are beneficial if you are on a tight budget, very self motivated, and are not in a rush to get results right away.
If you are on a limited budget then I recommend doing a lower frequency of sessions for a longer period of time. It will give you the chance to learn, try things on your own, and then come in and get feedback from your trainer each week.
You'll also have the motivation of the trainer for longer.
For those that are self motivated or aren't in a big rush to get the quickest results possible, less frequent sessions are fine.
If you can go to the gym on your own and do productive workouts, then there is no need for more than one or two sessions a week to have your trainer check your form, teach you some new exercises, and hold you accountable.
You can also start with a lower frequency and then work with your trainer on building the motivation to work out more frequently on your own if you need to.
This is great if you are not in a rush to get quick results, but want to work on developing the intrinsic motivation to workout.
