To cancel my personal fitness coach today?

[Pikaso]

I’m booked on a personal session with a gym instructor at my gym. I’ve been a member for around a year but I’ve never had a plan done due to Covid.

However! I did a weights and tone up class on Wednesday morning and I’m still in a lot of pain from that! Literally every part of me hurts, especially my core muscles.

Should I still go or would it be reasonable to cancel until I can actually move without wincing?

If you have an option to cancel without penalty then I would. If you had twisted your ankle or got another injury, you probably wouldn't go.

All that pain is your muscles repairing and getting stronger, and it does go after a few days. Keep at it!!

Is the coach employed by the gym (and will therefore be paid anyway) or self employed?

If the former, I think it’s okay to ask to reschedule. If the latter, it would be unreasonable to cancel at such short notice as they’d be unlikely to be able to fill that slot.

I’d still go, but that’s because I know from experience that the movement will actually help your muscles loosen. And if you explain you have doms to the trainer they should go easy on you.

I would go. They’ll be used to people aching from work outs. The movement may well help with the pain.
It’s late to cancel if they won’t be paid.

Go!

Just say you’re in pain and ask for a more relaxed session, perhaps focussed on stretching

I would deffo still go, mostly because the movement will help with the DOMS.

I also wouldn’t want them to peg me as a canceller so early in January

I wouldnt actually - in order for that pain to go you do need to continue. Explain to him and he can come up with a session that eases and helps. Otherwise it will continue

Go you'll feel better

I think you’d be unreasonable to cancel. It’s not really pain, unless you e pulled a muscle - it’s the discomfort from using your body in a way that is new. It’s given the fancy name DOMS - delayed onset muscle soreness, and because of the way the lactic acid works, it tends to be more sore two days after unaccustomed exercise.

The best thing is more exercise.

Tell your trainer that you’re sore from a new/ unaccustomed exercise class, and she/he will adjust, and probably give you some stretches and warm ups which will help alleviate the muscle stiffness.

But DOMS is good - it means you’re subjecting your body to new stresses which help you get stronger, and get your muscles working.

If you start to train sensibly, you’ll need to learn the difference between this kind of discomfort, and actual pain.

Go. The movement will help you!

thing is.. if you stop now then when you get back into it your muscles with be in pain again, the pain only stops once your muscles get used to it

Go, you can ask the PT to focus on mobility and stretches today which will ease it. But as the others say, the best thing is really to help your body get accustomed to the extra work.

I just started back at the gym this week after letting it slide for nearly 2 years so I really feel you OP. My legs and arse were killing me first thing. I did, however, go back in again this morning, and I do feel better for it. I MUST remember to foam roll tonight before bed though, or tomorrow is going to be bad!

And also it’s unreasonable - pretty shoddy behaviour really - to cancel at such short notice. It leaves the trainer out of pocket - although my trainer still charges if it’s less than 48 hours notice.

It’s always better to turn up than not. I’ve turned up at training sessions with back spasms (actual pain, not DOMS), and we work on that. I’ve learnt some really useful stretches and movements to help alleviate this lower back pain and stiffness. And the right kind of movement helps - it’s the medicine!

There are very few situations in terms of muscles and other soft tissue issues, when properly conducted movement does not help. Most physiotherapists, for example, will encourage you to keep moving - even with injuries. The point is to do the health- giving movements, and learn how to care for your body in this way.

Don’t cancel! Explain to them where you are sore and a good coach will help you. I tell mine exactly where I hurt and he either gets the massage gun out or we do loads of targeted stretching beforehand- I always feel amazing afterwards. It doesn’t feel like it now but moving the muscles a bit more really does help!

Is it a PT that you will be seeing regularly or just a one off time for a plan? If it’s going to be regular then a good PT won’t get you to exercise right away but will use the first session to find out information about you/ your fitness and nutrition and your goals. You might have to demonstrate certain things to show what you’re capable of and to see what muscle weaknesses you have but it won’t be intense at all and will hardly feel like a workout.

Good luck- definitely go!

I’d go. You’re going to get muscle soreness (DOMS) every time you work out so if you cancel after every workout you’ll never go!

It’s actually best to keep moving, so tell your PT and they can tailor your session for you.

Personal trainer here -- @LaChanticleer has nailed it 👏

Sounds like DOMS to me. Sprains or strains which are two different things, by the way tend to present as sharper pain. There's usually swelling, which you don't get with DOMS. Of course if it is a sprain or a strain you should follow RICE -- rest, ice, compression, elevate.

If you want the PT to make adjustments, it would be good practice to give her or him a little advance notice. Some PTs are really good on the hop but I prefer a little time in advance if I need to change a planned session to accommodate how a client's feeling on the day.

Go. The best thing you can do for sore muscles from a work out is another workout. The absolute best thing you can do which will banish the pain immediately is a swim.

Can you see your PT and then go for a swim afterwards? Gym, swim and sauna and you'll be right as rain

I’d go

Get your butt down there!!!

Go! I wouldn't cancel

@Sidge

I’d go. You’re going to get muscle soreness (DOMS) every time you work out so if you cancel after every workout you’ll never go!

It’s actually best to keep moving, so tell your PT and they can tailor your session for you.

I was going to say exactly this. When I went to a personal trainer she'd do a lot of stretching and rehab with me if I was aching and go a bit easier on the hard stuff. It is all good for you.

The whole point of having a PT (for me) would be to make me accountable and make me exercise. So no, don't cancel. Tell them where you're sore but moving those muscles will actually help.

Definitely go you will feel better for it I was like that last week first day back in over a year another session actually really helped me with the pain .

If you're in pain rather than regular DOMS I'd say you need to go part from anything else to discuss itwith the PT

Pain would worry me, DOMS I'd totally expect and work through