Taking the first step and booking a personal training session can feel daunting, especially if you haven’t exercised in a while or have never worked with a trainer before. One of the most common things I hear from new clients is that they were nervous before their first session — and that within ten minutes of arriving, that nervousness had completely disappeared.

Here’s exactly what to expect when you come for your first session at NMG Fitness, so you can arrive feeling confident and ready to go.

Before You Arrive

Once you’ve filled in the enquiry form on my website, I’ll be in touch to arrange a time that suits you. Your first session is completely free — there’s no obligation and no hard sell. I just want to meet you, understand your goals and show you what training with me looks like in practice.

You don’t need to prepare anything special. Just wear comfortable gym clothes and trainers, bring a bottle of water, and come as you are. Whatever your current fitness level, whatever your age, whatever your starting point — you are welcome.

Arriving at UNTIL Gym

We train at UNTIL, a premium private members gym with locations in Soho and Marylebone in central London. When you arrive, let the reception team know you’re there to train with Neil McGuigan and they’ll point you in the right direction. The facilities are outstanding — spacious, well equipped and a world away from the crowded commercial gyms you might be used to.

The Consultation

We’ll start by sitting down for a chat before we do anything physical. This is one of the most important parts of the whole process. I want to understand:

  • What your main goals are — weight loss, strength, fitness, energy, health
  • Your current activity levels and exercise history
  • Any injuries, health conditions or physical limitations I need to be aware of
  • Your lifestyle — work, stress levels, sleep, nutrition habits
  • What has and hasn’t worked for you in the past

This isn’t a box ticking exercise. The more I understand about you as a person, the better I can design a programme that genuinely fits your life and gets you real results.

The Session Itself

After the consultation we’ll move into a practical session. For a first session this will be relatively relaxed — the goal is to assess your movement, introduce you to some key exercises and get a feel for where you currently are physically. You won’t be pushed to your absolute limit on day one. That’s not how good training works.

We’ll cover some foundational movements — things like squats, hinges, pushing and pulling patterns — and I’ll coach you on technique throughout. By the end of the session you’ll have a clear sense of how I work, what your training will involve and the areas we’ll focus on going forward.

After the Session

We’ll finish with a cool down and a debrief. I’ll share my initial thoughts on what I’ve observed, outline what a training programme for you would look like, and answer any questions you have. If you’d like to go ahead and start training regularly, we’ll talk through the practical details then. If you want some time to think about it, that’s absolutely fine too.

There is no pressure whatsoever. My job at that first session is simply to give you the best possible experience and let the training speak for itself.

What My Clients Say

The feedback I hear most consistently after first sessions is some version of this: “I wish I’d done this sooner.” People come in nervous and leave feeling energised, motivated and genuinely excited about what’s ahead. That reaction never gets old.

If you’ve been thinking about getting a personal trainer but haven’t quite taken the plunge yet, I’d love to be the person who changes that for you.