[Starseeker]

I’ve been visiting the gym more or less regularly during the past years, but I always only participated in group classes because it was easier, didn’t require creating a training plan, and most importantly – I don’t have to use the machines and weight in the gym ‘open space’, where I feel very uncomfortable.

Group classes have been getting gradually more crowded, and right now it’s impossible to get in unless I manage to sign up about two days beforehand, right after the registration opens. That’s one reason why I started looking for a personal trainer, the other being the fact that I want to learn to use the equipment on the open gym because it would make training independently much easier. I finally mustered the courage to get an appointment with a PT and I rather liked her, so we’re going to meet every week.

1-h meeting is ~$40. I asked if she could prepare me a training plan to train by myself, because obviously I want to work out more often than on once-per-week meeting with a PT. She said of course and a workout plan costs ~$30.

Now that’s why I’m looking for advice: I was convinced that a PT would make me a workout plan (and maybe even a diet plan, if they specialise in this area too) within the budget of the meetings (by which I mean $40/1h). I was surprised to learn that a plan would cost extra (and almost as much as one meeting). Do you know if this is common practice or not? Do all PTs charge extra for all the services apart from meetings at the gym?

You could probably tell me to go see some other PTs too to see, but the thing is that booking an appointment with this one was already way out of my comfort zone, and I don’t feel ready to go through meeting a new person, telling them about my life and visiting a new gym all over again, at least for now. Besides, I haven’t found many female PTs (a must for me) who work in gyms that have a good location for me to commute.
Technically there is some possibility for me to research this topic and make a basic workout plan for myself (I have some knowledge about physical therapy), but I’m not sure how well this would work.

I’d love to hear your thoughts on this matter.