Congratulations! You’ve just decided to take your fitness to the next level by hiring a professional who can help you reach your health and wellness goals. Having the support of a personal trainer can keep you motivated, accountable, and injury free. No more missing those weekly workouts! It can also help maximise results and time at the gym, ensuring long term progress and consistency.
But, remember there’s a fine line between making a sound investment in your future and throwing money at something that doesn’t work. In order to choose the right person you’ll need to do your due diligence to determine whether or not someone is a good fit for you and your desired training and body composition goals. After all, it’s called “personal” training for a reason.
Still struggling? Here are 8 ways to help you decide.
Philosophy. Subtle but crucial, it can play a huge role in determining what your personal training experience is like. How does the trainer develop their programme, how does he track your progress, do you know when you’re hitting benchmarks and PR’s, is it gym based or can it be done outside? What beliefs is it based off? Free weights or machines? It is important that the trainers philosophy lines up with your goals and preferences.
Experience. Practise makes perfect, so a trainer who has experience in helping clients achieve their goals is likely to be able to get the most out of you and set you on the right path to getting desired results.
Credentials. A trainer should be able to show you fitness certifications in their area of expertise. Trainers must pass exams through accredited organisations such as NASM, CIMSPA and REPS. This ensures they meet the industry standards of professionalism and competence.
Personality. Consider what motivates you? Are you someone that simply does well with positive reinforcement or do you need to be screamed and shouted at to achieve your best results? Talk to the trainer and get a feel for their style.
Location. This is an area of personal preference, consider your own habits and tendencies. Do you need something close to the office (City – Barbican/Moorgate) or something within walking distance of your home to stay motivated and consistent. Do you prefer the privacy of your own home? The one to one approach of a private personal training studio (PT Workspace)? Outdoors in your local park (Haggerston park, Rosemary gardens, Shoreditch park)? Or do you get inspired by seeing others training in a traditional gym environment?
Cost. Just like experience, cost can vary substantially between trainers in Central London and the N1 area is no different. Hourly rate is often dependant upon location, certifications, and speciality. Be sure to think about your budget before you start. If hourly sessions are currently beyond your price range, don’t despair as some trainers offer discounted bulk packages or small group sessions.
Availability. Consistency is key when working with a trainer so it’s always a good idea to enquire about their schedule. How many clients do they have? How flexible can they be? Will you need three to four regular weekly sessions at a fixed time? How far in advance do you need to book and what is their cancellation policy?
Reputation. Getting people to achieve their goals is the ultimate proof, a good trainer will be happy to share success stories, references and testimonials.
The criteria above are just guidelines, although you might be feeling overwhelmed at the prospect of choosing a personal trainer it is important to note that these rules aren’t fixed in stone. Chances are you feel stronger about some items on the list than others, that’s ok as it’ll help streamline your search. Trust your gut, look for a knowledgeable and experienced trainer who feels like a good fit. The right trainer will not only help you reach your goals but will keep you feeling comfortable, inspired and motivated throughout.
