Here, we break down our top tips for finding a great personal trainer from Shoreditch personal trainer, Sal Kassam, founder at Red Pill Fitness.
What is a personal trainer?
A personal trainer is a fitness professional who works with clients on a 1-1 or even small group basis in the gym. Despite the boom in online personal training, traditional personal training is as popular as ever and the more suitable option for many individuals.
A personal trainer can take a more hands-on approach to correcting form and naturally tend to get to know you on a more personal basis than you would only communicating over email.
How can a personal trainer help me?
The right personal trainer can be valuable no matter what level you are at! If you are just starting out, a personal trainer can build your confidence in the gym environment.
As you progress, they can assess your form and exercise execution to ensure that you are getting as much as possible out of each movement. No matter how much you may think you know about keeping fit or building muscle, a good trainer can suggest ways that you can make things even more optimal, or even introduce you to new methods and approaches!
What to look for when choosing a personal trainer
1. How impressive are the results?
Your first step when trying to find out more about a trainer should be taking a look through their social media. A successful personal trainer will have a page packed with transformations, testimonials and reviews.
2. Do your personalities work well together?
You will potentially be spending a few hours a week with this person – it helps if you get on! Working with someone who puts you at ease, brings out the best in you and makes the session enjoyable is key to you sticking it out and getting results.
Most PTs will offer a free consultation or trial session before you pay for anything, which is a great way to find out if you are a good fit for one another.
3. How qualified are they?
At the very least, anyone working 1-1 with clients in a UK gym should have completed a level 3 personal trainer course. So how can you separate the best from the rest? If you are surrounded by lots of great PTs, further courses and accolades can be something you take into consideration! It is always promising to know that a trainer is constantly striving to upgrade their service.
4. Can you afford it?
Now, cost shouldn’t be the number one factor here! How highly a trainer values their services can (not always) be an indication of quality. Nonetheless, budget does, of course, have to come into your decision-making process. If you do want to make things more affordable, many PTs will offer block bookings which can save you money versus paying per session. You can also look out for limited time promotions over quieter periods like Christmas.
5. How much support do you need?
Some trainers might only have contact with you for the time that you are training – and that might work perfectly for you! However, if you need somebody more attentive, make sure you know how much support is included in the package you are paying for.
Many PTs now cross over into online coaching, which can include messenger support, photo check ins, workout plans (home and gym based as needed), and more!
6. What is their availability?
If your work pattern means that you can only train at 6am through the week, make sure that the trainer will not only be in the gym then, but those slots aren’t already booked up! Before you pay for a block of sessions, make sure that your schedules are aligned and find out how far in advance you will need to secure your sessions.
Conclusion
We hope that you took something from our top 6 list of things to look for in a personal trainer! Finding the right PT early can save you time, money, and allow you to achieve your goals faster. Please let us know if you think we’ve missed anything!
