How a personal trainer can help you achieve your fitness goals
If you are reading this article, there is a very good chance that you have a health & fitness goal that means a lot to you, and you are considering enlisting the help of a personal trainer. This can be a fantastic investment, finding the right fitness coach can remove guesswork and pave the way for you to great success.
Top personal trainers won’t just create an effective workout program for you, they will also provide high level of accountability all the way through the process until you are ready to fly solo.
But not all personal trainers are created equal, the wrong trainer can waste your time and money and even in extreme cases be so abrasive that they actually leave you with a negative association with exercise, not ideal, especially if you are just starting out.
Of course, let’s address the elephant in the room. I am a personal trainer writing a guide teaching you how to hire a personal trainer, I have a well-known online personal training service, so of course, I have a horse in the race, but I’m going to put all of that to the side because I know that just like any interpersonal relationship, it comes down to right fit, and there are many wonderful trainers out there, in fact, I know many of them, and interviewed many of them on my podcast.
What I will do with this article is help you spot the right fit for you, and avoid a trainer or service that could end up wasting your time.
The reason I am writing this is that in a recent survey of my clients, 87% had worked with another personal trainer before finding me, whether in person, online or with some kind of fitness app and 71% has tried multiple options.
Finding the right personal trainer can be hard. In undertaking your research, you’re likely to find hundreds of trainers, some in person and some working as online fitness coaches, each offering different levels of service, different products and are likely to have varying philosophical approaches to fitness. How can you know which one is right for you?
In short, there isn’t going to be one right answer. In terms of hitting your fitness goals, there are myriad approaches that you can take and still reach the end goal. Really, the key to any health & fitness goal is going to be consistently implementing the fundamentals so making sure you are in the right place straight out of the gate is very important.
If you don’t have faith in the program, trust your trainer and have a frictionless experience with the way workouts and meals are delivered, eventually, your eyes are going to start to wander, and you’ll start to consider switching programs mid-way through, and this is energy and focus that should be going into your training program.
The most linear route to your goals is to find an approach that works for you and to stay the course, but again if you are going to dedicate yourself to this, you need to know you are in the right hands.
This is where your choice of coach comes in. You’re not just looking for the best personal trainer, you’re looking for the best personal trainer for you and your fitness goals. If you don’t get on with your fitness coach, or find yourself bumping up against their coaching style, you’re more likely to fall off track or look for more palatable alternatives elsewhere.
What to look for in a personal trainer
Their approach to fitness
From a coach’s website, social media content and general messaging you will be able to get an intuitive feel for their style of coaching. Would you rather work with a strict corrective style? Or would you benefit from a more encouraging style of coaching? If you really want to do a deep dive, perhaps they have longer-form interviews and conversations you could listen to which could help you decide if they are the type of person you would like to be in regular communication with.
Who do they work with
It pays to get a feel for the type of person your coach is actively trying to help. Don’t get me wrong a great personal trainer can adapt and work with almost anyone. But if you can clearly see that they are trying to attract 20-year-old bodybuilders for example, and you are a 45-year-old professional with 3 young children, your lifestyle will be completely different.
So whilst you might share similar fitness goals the recommended route to get there may be completely different as context matters. Therefore it pays to know that your potential coach would be sympathetic to and well equipped to help you overcome the particular challenges you are likely to experience.
Communication
Some people require a face-to-face training session or live coaching sessions. While others prefer the flexibility of training in their own schedule knowing that their online personal trainer is available for communication online via instant messaging or email. This can be a very efficient way to communicate and there is no need to sync up schedules.
For others, the ability to jump on a call with their coach is an important factor in making a decision. You’ll need to know what the best form of communication will be for you to achieve everything you would like to in your program.
Accountability
Do you consider yourself a self-starter who will easily autonomously stick to a workout plan? Or would you prefer that a PT proactively prompt you when you start to go off-course? For some just knowing that there is a level of oversight and someone to be accountable to will make all the difference in sticking to a program. Providing an excellent springboard for creating long-term habits.
Reputation
It is always reassuring to know that someone comes recommended. Many coaches will have results and testimonials available online. Find reviews from others with similar circumstances to yourself, and these comparisons may help you to decide if a trainer is right for you.
Of course, if a personal trainer you know has been featured in media publications often or has even had material written about them that is a good sign that additional third parties have vetted them for professionalism, qualifications and expertise.
Additional Services
For many trainers, a workout plan is only one aspect of their offering. Meal Plans, nutrition guidance, habit tracking, mindfulness, mobility, and even life coaching are additional elements that may be on offer with some providers, so be sure to weigh up these options to decide how comprehensive a service you need.
Still not sure? Make a shortlist of 3-4 trainers that could be a good fit and see if you can get them on the phone to discuss your goals, take some time to speak with them, don’t buy anything on the call, just take some time to decide if they’re the right fit for you.
Of course, I would love you to consider my online personal training service. Please feel free to schedule a consultation call on the link below to discuss how I might be able to help you reach your goals.