I’m often approached by members with questions such as: “Is Personal training suitable for me?”, or “Am I fit enough to have a Personal trainer?” My answer to both of these questions is always yes, because personal training is suitable for everyone at every level of fitness. There is a clear uneasiness surrounding some people’s perception of personal training which prevents them from embarking on a course or even just trying a session or two. People are often faced with additional queries such as: Can I afford it? Will it be a waste of time and money? How many sessions will I need? Will I be pushed so far that I can’t move for 3 days after?!
Personal training is, as the name would suggest, personal to the client and this is where the benefits lie. A good personal trainer will have a clear understanding of what an individual’s goals are but more importantly what their current fitness level and ability is and will tailor both training sessions and a weekly fitness schedule accordingly.
Having coached many newly-qualified personal trainers throughout my career, one of the main areas I always try and focus on is client education. If a client is unsure as to what they doing or why, they will be more likely not to commit to their training program. What’s more, if a client learns how to perform certain exercises or workouts they are more likely to repeat these in a solo session as part of their fitness schedule, which will result in a better weekly performance towards their goal and allow PT sessions to be slightly advanced or progressed from the before. This is often the case with rehabilitation movements and exercises following an injury resulting in a client coming back to a fitness level that will allow them to set a new goal such as strength or weight loss.
Specificity is the other main area which I coach for all new PTs, does a more mature client need to stand upside down on a swiss ball, with one arm holding a 30kg Kettlebell strapped to a resistance band? Absolutely not. A personal trainer will keep a training program simple, specific, and allow it to be progressive.
Finally, personal training should always be used to compliment one’s fitness schedule and help an individual to achieve their goal that little bit quicker than training on your own. A personal trainer will make fitness aspiration their goal, set out key mile stones of progression along the way, and most of all, motivate you toward each one.
Finally, when seeking a personal trainer it’s important to understand their background. Most will specialise in a particular area or two so be sure to do your research first to ensure they are the right fit for you and your fitness goals.
