Tags: personal trainer, how to choose a trainer, is it necessary personal training, fitness trainer, fitness
More recently, a lesson with personal trainer seemed exclusively the privilege of the “famous and rich.”
Currently, more and more clients of fitness centers and clubs prefer to train with their “training consultant.”
- this is someone who can make you feel the difference between a great workout and a “so-so” one before the class even starts.
is the one who motivates you, plans your workouts and makes them safe, effective and enjoyable.
We are sure that you want your personal trainer to be no less qualified than your dentist or lawyer. In other words, he had education in the field of physical culture and health activities, knowledge and experience, plus personal qualities compatible with yours.
According to a recent IDEA survey, trainers provide most clients with a broad range of services, including nutrition advice, fitness testing, weight management programs, healthy lifestyle advice and more.
To help you choose personal trainer, this manual was developed.
You are provided special questions regarding potential candidates, the answers to which will help identify your coach. We recommend asking at least three candidates and then making your choice.
Define your goals, objectives and budget.
Frequency of sessions - Are you just looking for a one-time consultation about a training program or do you want to establish a long-term partnership?
For a modest fee, most trainers will conduct fitness testing and develop a training program that, like a suit from a designer tailor, will fit your needs.
Location - where do you want to train?
You can train at a fitness center (club) near your home or office, or, if you prefer, a trainer can come to your home.
Budget. Cost* of personal training per hour of training.
If this cost seems high, remember that you are investing in the most valuable thing you have - your health.
*Note: Discounts are often available when purchasing multiple workouts, higher frequency of sessions (three times a week instead of two), or for training with multiple clients at the same time.
The following questions will help you evaluate the qualifications of a personal trainer and determine whether his or her knowledge and experience will suit your needs.
What is your education and training experience? Are there any diplomas (certificates) from educational institutions?
To properly develop safe and effective training sessions, a personal trainer should be well-trained in exercise technique, training psychology, anatomy, and injury prevention.
A 4-year diploma in the field of physical education and recreational activities or a corresponding certificate, or both together - a certificate of coaching basic knowledge on conducting quality training sessions.
What is the level of coaching experience? Does he keep up with the latest research and trends in training techniques?
Fitness is a rapidly evolving field and you need to be able to rely on your trainer's up-to-date knowledge of exercises, healthy way life and fitness in general.
Does he know about the rules of first aid?
Extremely rare extreme situations during the training process, but it’s better to be sure that if you need to provide urgent assistance, your trainer knows exactly what to do.
Are the results of your preventive examination or a doctor’s recommendation necessary?
This information about your physical condition or past injuries is important because it can affect your performance in the training tasks and programs your coach models for you. Before providing you with an effective training program, a “quality trainer” needs to know all the relevant details regarding your health, including the medications you are taking. For example, in one of the fitness clubs, a personal trainer suggested that I do an exercise on a machine without asking if I had taken any medications today. However, in the instructions for this simulator it is written that it cannot be used if you have recently taken medications (including aspirin, which I took that day). If you are under a doctor's care due to certain circumstances, your trainer will discuss with your doctor what is relevant for your participation in training.
Are there any reviews from other clients about the trainer's knowledge and abilities?
People hire a personal trainer for many reasons, including weight loss, strengthening cardiovascular system, marathon or triathlon training, recovery from injury or illness, etc. It is important to find someone who has the knowledge and experience of the type of training that you need. By asking for feedback from other clients, you help yourself evaluate whether the trainer has the knowledge and experience to properly meet your needs.
Will your workouts be recorded, your progress recorded, and your health status updated periodically?
Your coach will help you set realistic goals - "program minimum and program maximum" - and, accordingly, evaluate the achievement of these goals.
He or she will help you focus your efforts on areas such as:
body weight, body fat, body size, cardiovascular training, strength and endurance.
From time to time, updating your medical indicators, the trainer will adjust your training as necessary to reflect your new abilities.
What is the cost of training? Are there any discounts available?
The trainer you have chosen is most likely a fairly experienced professional with a higher specialized education and expects an appropriate monetary reward.
What hours are classes held?
If you are busy at work all day, you can probably exercise either in the morning, or during your lunch break, or in the evening after work, i.e. at the most popular hours for customers. If you're not busy, you may have more flexibility regarding your training hours. In any case, do not feel “pressed in” and if you need to reschedule your scheduled training time, be sure to ask the trainer what hours he is free for training.
Will the coach help you achieve reasonable goals rather than unattainable results?
An illiterate trainer will promise, for example, that you will get rid of an extra 10 kg in 1 month.
It is necessary for both your health and your motivation to define realistic, achievable goals. Being realistic and achievable prevents disappointment and frustration and increases the chances of success. This is a proven way to keep you on track to achieve your goals.
Is there an exchange of information with health and fitness professionals such as doctors, nutritionists, physiotherapists, etc. ?
To provide you with as much as possible best service, a qualified trainer must use recognized sources of information on specialized issues and areas.
What is the trainer's style of communication with clients?
A “quality trainer” will never let you feel that you don’t know or can’t do anything and will always support you through positive rather than negative motivation.
The trainer must listen to you carefully in order to determine your goals and needs, understand them and clearly explain to you the program that will be developed.
He or she should also invite you to participate in the design of the program. Be prepared to write down the execution rules and key points next to the exercises in the program.
In conclusion
Know that while personal trainers are business people, most are in this profession because they care about the well-being of their clients and want them to succeed.
The trainer should ask you questions about your lifestyle, including eating habits, smoking and drinking alcohol, etc. ultimately affecting your health.
The trainer must take steps to "tailor" the program to your unique needs and establish a comfortable relationship between you.
You should feel free to raise and discuss questions or concerns you have at any time.
Pay close attention to the character of your coach. Make sure that the coach's behavior style suits your personality type, i.e. energetic or calm, assertive or soft.
Gender is also important: some people like to train with a trainer of the same gender as them, while others prefer a trainer of the opposite gender.
And lastly: You will receive good results, if you enjoy working with your trainer.
We hope you use this guide and find the right coach for you.
Good luck and stay active!
At the beginning of training, many decide what is better - to contact a trainer or to train on their own? Anyone can, but most people don’t know, and the exercises cannot be repeated correctly, which means they risk injury. A personal trainer will create a training program, show you exercises and control your technique, which will help you avoid injuries and achieve results.
There are different formats for working with a personal trainer: individual lessons, training together, training in a small group. In addition, classes with a trainer can take place either 3 times a week or 1-2, and the remaining days are independent.
Online coaching services have been gaining popularity in recent years. This option is suitable for experienced people, since you will have to work independently according to the program, and the equipment is monitored through video recordings (calorizator). The advantage of online services is their lower cost, the opportunity to get acquainted with the activities of the trainer and reviews of his clients. Remember that the requirements for the professionalism of an online trainer are the same as in gym.
It is difficult for a non-specialist to understand whether a professional is in front of him or not. In many fitness clubs, trainers are recommended by the administrator, or their portraits with all the regalia hang right in the lobby. How suitable a coach is for you can only be determined during training.
A professional always begins a session by clarifying the client’s goals and conducting a preliminary assessment of him physical condition. Then he conducts an introductory briefing, telling the client about the rules of safety and behavior in the gym, shows how to use strength and, demonstrates the exercise technique and checks its implementation.
A qualified trainer must:
- Inquire about your well-being, training experience, and health limitations;
- Discuss long-term and short-term training goals with you, draw up rough plan their achievements;
- Monitor the achievement of goals;
- Create a training program;
- Before starting the exercise, prepare the necessary equipment;
- Learn how to use exercise equipment;
- Show and explain each exercise;
- Control how you perform the exercise;
- Make changes to your training program.
A professional will not second-guess your goals, give you excessive workload, get distracted during personal training and distract you with empty talk “about life”, or make rash promises. This is what non-professionals do. A real trainer (calorizer) will teach you independence, give you knowledge about training process and will help you develop the skill of safe training, so that later you can competently train yourself.
A personal trainer is not always a nutritionist. It's good if he got it additional education. If he does not have such education, then he has no right to prepare your diet, but can only limit himself to simple recommendations.
All people are different. For some, introductory instruction is enough to get comfortable in the gym, while others need a mentor. For most people 2-3 months is enough regular classes with a personal trainer. During this time, you can understand the exercises on different groups muscles and training components. You won't learn to compose training programs, but you will gain valuable skills that will allow you to .
Another important tip: if you choose a trainer in your gym, do not rush to buy the entire personal training package. Pay for one training session to ensure that you are treated to a professional. If you are looking for a trainer online, make sure of his professionalism by reading customer reviews and online publications. Whatever option you choose, only 50% of success depends on the coach, the remaining 50% depends on you, your motivation and compliance with recommendations.
The instructors in the gym, at the request of Challenger, explained who you should trust with your health, money and free time, and to whom - well, just under no circumstances.
Iskandar Radjabov
Personal trainer of the Family Wellness club, candidate master of sports in kickboxing:“Communication and only communication - main criterion choosing a coach. Only during a conversation can one determine his knowledge. The coach should also know everything about you - injuries, pain, general condition health. The result will depend directly on how frank you are. There can be no constraint between the trainer and his client - they must communicate freely and trust each other.
The first thing I do is ask clients about their injuries and chronic illnesses. I look to see if they have problems with the musculoskeletal system - scoliosis, hernia, joint problems. It immediately becomes clear what the client can and cannot do. Afterwards I ask him some general questions, asking about his lifestyle and work. My clients most often ask me about how often and how long I have been doing sports, what I eat, and why I started working in the fitness field.
Of course, you can ask your neighbor at the fitness club how he likes working out with this or that trainer. But in most cases, they will simply recommend their trainer to you. It’s better to ask the club’s clients about the successes they achieved during their training.
A trainer should not give each client the same tasks. From time to time he must change the program. Today the training gives results, but in a few months there will be almost no result from the same program. This is very important to consider.
Let's imagine a situation where there are two trainers in the gym with absolutely the same knowledge, but one is always smiling, energetic and tactful, while the other looks sloppy and is always not in the mood. Who will you choose? Same thing.
In fact, the appearance and even the body of a coach is not always an indicator. I know many competent specialists who do not have a sculpted body. So, you still shouldn’t attach too much importance to the coach’s appearance.”
Evgeny Klyukvin
personal trainer of the Pro Trainer network:Alexander Kolesnikov
professional boxing and kickboxing trainer:"Choose personal trainer according to him appearance is fundamentally wrong. A trainer may have defined muscles, but not master the technique or tactics of training. Many coaches who work now have neither physical education nor medical education, although this important factor. My clients have had cases when past trainers “pumped up” their muscles to an unnecessary level - they pumped up their shoulders or legs.
A martial arts trainer can look like anything: an old or young person, a man or a woman - the main thing is that he is close to you in spirit. Why do you need a coach who doesn’t light you up and doesn’t inspire you to do great things? This is our job!
Personal sympathy may not always coincide with good coaching qualities, so you should not choose a coach that you liked at the gym. It happens that people come to fitness centers to work former athletes who do not have special education. In their work as a trainer, they rely on the knowledge and experience received from their teacher. This is also not entirely correct.
You need to talk with your future trainer several times, watch him in the gym, see how he organizes his classes and communicates with clients. And then draw a conclusion.
At the first lesson you should definitely be asked about your health status. If everything is fine with a person, I personally usually give him an average load and, based on his well-being and feelings after training, I build future plan our work. It’s not necessary to take personal classes in the first week - walk around, work out, take a closer look, and then, after weighing all the facts, make a decision.”
In any serious endeavor, it is important to have a competent mentor. Sports are no exception, because only the knowledge of a professional will help you achieve maximum results. We will tell you how to choose a trainer who you can trust with your physical fitness.
Fitness is fraught with questions that are not so easy to answer for beginners. One of them concerns the role of the trainer in shaping the desired body. Is the help of a trainer really necessary in the gym? The answer is clear: his help is needed, not only for beginners, but also for professionals.
Firstly, the trainer can competently demonstrate the correct technique for performing exercises both on simulators and with free weights. Correct technique is a guarantee of safe training. For the same reason, training with a trainer is much more effective, because you don’t have to learn from your own mistakes.
Secondly, training with a mentor has a tremendous motivational effect. A competent coach has knowledge of psychology, and therefore will immediately find your weak points, forcing you to work with redoubled force for results. Even professionals who are faced with a loss of motivation need the help of a coach as a kind of sports psychologist.
Choosing a fitness trainer is not as simple as it seems at first glance. There are several rules and criteria that you can follow to find the best mentor.
Choosing a fitness room
You need to start choosing a trainer in a fitness club by choosing the fitness club itself. Finding a gym on its own is not easy, but this will help significantly narrow down your search for a sports mentor. If you choose good fitness club, then the question of how to choose a personal trainer will disappear by itself.
If the help of a professional is really important to you, look for a gym where the price of a subscription will be higher than that prevailing in your city. As a rule, expensive fitness clubs do not hire people whose professionalism they have to doubt. How to choose a hall for your future sporting victories, you can read.
Trainer information
Having decided on a gym, you can begin to study its coaching staff. Fitness clubs that value their reputation are sure to post all the information about trainers on their website or a special stand. Pay attention to their education, experience, awards and certificates.
Having met the trainers of the gym in absentia, you should see their work with your own eyes. Take a closer look at how the trainers you like work with their clients. It’s good if they don’t just walk around the room with a supervisory look, but carefully monitor their clients and take notes. Such unremarkable little things can say a lot about the professionalism of a coach.
Customer Experience
Do you want to find out the whole truth and make the truly right choice of a trainer in the gym? Chat with fitness club clients who train with the trainer you like. It is advisable not to disturb them during classes, but to approach them after training so that communication can be better.
Undoubtedly, people are pleased when they are interested in their opinion, and therefore they will definitely answer your questions. If a coach is not as good as he seems, then his client will definitely let him know about it.
Trial lesson
If your fitness club membership includes a free trial visit, be sure to take advantage of it. Immediately choose the coach who inspires your trust. Try to install with it good relationship from the very beginning of your work together, so that future sessions are as comfortable as possible.
In addition to the work of the coach, you will have to pay attention to the work of other personnel. Sometimes the rudeness of administrators and the laziness of service staff can spoil the impression of even an excellent fitness club in all respects.
See how friendly the employees are to make sure of your choice. It is worth paying attention to the cleanliness both in the hall itself and in the locker rooms. The trainer should not supervise several people at the same time unless it is a group lesson.
Take the minimum course
Even when you have found your mentor and you are no longer interested in how to choose a fitness instructor, you should not relax. Do not buy a subscription for more than a month, having barely met the trainer and the gym. At first, be prepared to analyze everything that is happening.
As your membership comes to an end, think about whether you would like to change your choice? If you are satisfied with the result of your searches and see good results, feel free to buy a subscription for a longer period.
Feel free to change coaches if you don’t like something.
Obviously, the first opinion can be deceptive. Even a coach who is well proven at first may not be the best option.
You should not trust your coach unconditionally. Study information about training yourself on specialized websites, communicate with other athletes. If what the instructor tells you is fundamentally at odds with generally accepted sports norms, then this is a reason to take a closer look at the instructor.
If you realize that your coach is encouraging you to spend extra money, suggesting the need to consume sports nutrition and buy additional tasks, then be wary. A coach who pursues exclusively material gain in his work does not best choice. Don't be afraid to change your coach if you don't like him.
Style Summary.
How to choose a trainer in the gym is not an easy question; it requires a lot of time. However, if you manage to find a mentor who will multiply your efforts with his professional knowledge, then you will not regret the efforts made to find him. Find an instructor so that each training session takes place in a comfortable environment and brings maximum results.
So, you have decided to work out under the guidance of a personal trainer. And this the right decision, because a personal trainer will make your workouts complete. Pros of training with an instructor:
1. Work for results. Working with a trainer, you will achieve your goal within a certain period of time, which cannot be said about independent training.
2. Ensuring control. A personal trainer will not allow you to be lazy, not complete the required number of repetitions, or rest for a long time between approaches. As a result, training will become more effective and productive, and discipline will increase.
3. Correct technique. The trainer will show you how to perform the exercises correctly and set the technique.
4. Avoiding injuries that occur as a result of non-compliance with safety precautions.
5. Individual program training. It is necessary to achieve your goals. Specific exercises, number of approaches, repetitions, weight - all this is determined for you by the trainer. The program is tailored to your initial training, body shape, physical capabilities and health status.
6. Recommendations for the nutrition you need to achieve your goals (weight loss/gain) muscle mass etc.) A personal trainer can create a nutrition program and advise on your questions.
7. Increase fitness literacy and proper nutrition. During the training, you will learn a lot of new things, dispel myths, which will be useful to you in the future and will help you avoid mistakes.
8. Support your motivation. The coach will not allow you to quit training, because... interested in your result.
9. Psychological support. The trainer is ready to listen to you and give advice regarding training and nutrition.
10. Trainings take place by appointment, at a time convenient for you. If necessary, it is always possible to call and reschedule the training.
But he will do all this provided that he is a competent instructor interested in your result. How can one recognize him so worthy? Don't rush to buy a subscription to personal training at the first available coach. Better take it trial lesson, and then it will become clear to you whether you are on the right path.
You should not trust the instructor if he:
Didn't ask you about your goals and medical contraindications.
Instead, he took you to the nearest machine with instructions: 3 sets of 20 repetitions.
Doesn't keep any notes in a notebook.
Didn't register your initial weight and volumes.
He is not attentive to you, does not listen to you, instead he talks a lot and is not to the point.
Doesn't count the number of repetitions and approaches.
He does not show the technique by example, only in words.
Does not control your performance, does not correct errors
Constantly distracted by the phone, answering calls, messages or accessing social networks.
Is overly strict or rude, does not take your well-being into account, raises his voice
The whole lesson tells about himself, his achievements, awards, the volume of his biceps, record weight on the bench press and squat.
Doesn't look like a fitness trainer in appearance. Namely, if he has a pronounced overweight or vice versa, it wouldn’t hurt to gain muscle mass. A coach's appearance is his calling card.
Signs of a competent coach:
He's interested in you. The goals of your training are interesting and important to him, and he can also help you decide on them.
He listens carefully.
He is constantly jotting down something in his notebook.
He uses his phone only as a timer.
Answers your questions in detail but clearly.
Asks you about your diet and eating habits.
On next lesson told me to come with a nutrition report for the last few days
Controls your every move, keeps score.
Tactful and respectful, but at the same time demanding
He's doing great sports uniform, would you like to be like him
The results of his students are impressive and inspiring
What questions should you ask your coach?
- About his education and work experience. Ideally, it should be the highest sporting level. Non-sports higher education is also completely acceptable, provided that you undergo highly qualified training. Specialized courses, seminars, trainings. It is also very good if your first education is medical.
About the existing achievements of both him and his wards. If he is a multiple winner of various competitions, that’s great. However, at the same time, the success of his clients is measured in their transformation, under the guidance of such a titled trainer. If the instructor cannot boast of cups and medals, but at the same time his charges change before our eyes in better side, then God be with them, cups. Your goal is to transform yourself: lose weight or gain weight, and he will help!
When will you get the first results from your training? An adequate trainer will not promise you mountains of gold: minus 20 kg in a month, but will honestly say that if you follow proper nutrition and training regimen, the first results will come in 3-4 weeks.
