So you’re a local resident in Rossendale and you’re thinking of taking on a personal trainer ey? Well, whether you aim to banish the buddah belly, or you want to run up and down Peel Tower twice without stopping, you’ve come to the right place.
At some point or other most people end up considering a personal trainer to help them reach that next level. It can be a confusing time, and it seems as though everywhere you go, advice and information contradicts itself.
Worry not, we’ve put together a handy little guide that will help you find that perfect personal trainer in 5 easy-to-follow steps.
1. Know exactly what it is you want;
Firstly, you need to get to grips with what it is you want to achieve and understand how you plan to get there. Do some research, look around online and read fitness blogs. These resources are free to access and they can help you really narrow down what type of personal trainer you’re looking for.
Start with your goals:
– How much are you trying to lose? 1 stone? 10 stone? 15 stone? be very specific with what you want.
– Are you trying to lift heavier weights? Maybe you want to run 10k?
– Do you want to just feel healthier and look better?
– Or do you want to take part in competitive body-building?
Clearly defining your goals and your motivation to find a trainer, means you set yourself up for success from the very start. It also means you can speak to the potential PT and match their experience and knowledge to your very specific goals.
So you’ve found a potential PT match made in heaven. Well the next step is sitting down and having a heart-to-heart with each other. Having an in-depth conversation scheduled by the PT is a brilliant sign that you’ve found one of the ‘good ones’.
The personal trainer should;
– Ask you about your relationship with exercise and nutrition previously,
– Listen to you whole-heartedly and encourage you to provide as much information as possible,
– Discuss any previous injury or illness that could impact your ability to train,
– Show an interest in nutrition, after all much of the battle is won in the kitchen,
– Actually practice what they preach, after all you wouldn’t trust a dentist with no teeth!
– Set you realistic targets, but manage your expectations.
– Avoid promising you ‘guaranteed results’ or selling their services on the notion of 12 weeks to peak physical condition.
Having this conversation with a potential trainer will tell you a lot about their capability and will reinforce your decision to choose them. You will be able to tell if something isn’t quite right, and it’s important to take your time and choose wisely so you don’t end up wasting your time or money.
3. Don’t ignore the signs that something isn’t right;
Keep your wits about you when choosing your PT, oftentimes having a hunch that something isn’t right transpires to be true. You need to be confident that the trainer you choose is going to work to the best of their ability, and completely cater to your goals.
There’s nothing worse than forking out your hard-earned cash whilst wasting your time being confused with overly complex, and unnecessary workouts. There are unfortunately a few ‘bad apples’ out there who’ll make you do ridiculous and ineffective workouts to make it seem like they know the score, when in reality, they don’t know their ass from their elbow.
Sure strenuous workouts and difficult movements are all part and parcel, however your plan should be designed to help you gradually improve and not just get you out of breath. Each week you should be making slow and steady progress towards your original targets until you reach and exceed them.
Remember, you’re hiring the trainer and you want to get what you paid for. Don’t settle for less than you deserve, and make sure the plan you have had created is tailored to you.
4. Read through, and understand their qualifications,
It seems like everyone these days is either a MUA or PT on Facebook, and just because they have achieved a basic level certification, you should know what that means on their ability to train you.
Reputable PT’s will proudly display their qualifications on their website, or social media, and at first glance they may all look the same, but take time to actually carry out a little research around them and understand what they are certified to do. Check out our qualifications at hamers360fitness here.
It’s not just having a certification that makes or breaks a trainer, you want to separate the wheat from the chaff and talk to them about their industry experience. I’m sure very few people would trust a surgeon who’s never actually performed surgery, well this is kind of the same thing.
Speak to the trainer about their successes, their craziest clients, their failures and the reason why they chose to work in personal training. Those who are worth their salt should be more than happy to talk about their career and give you real examples of previous clients. If you’re dealing with an inexperienced trainer they’ll surely give themselves away as you ask them about their history.
We’re not saying that your trainer has to be the worlds’ most experienced fitness coach, but you do want to be confident that their ability is suited to yours.
Unfortunately, good PT’s aren’t cheap, and you generally get what you pay for. You aren’t paying for just their time with you, you are paying for the years of experience they have, the 1000’s of books they’ve read, the countless hours they’ve put in with clients, and the knowledge they’ve developed through learning, training and coaching.
When you combine these factors, is easy to see why a personal trainer shouldn’t cost less than a gym membership.
5. Check out our 5 signs you need a personal trainer,
Whether you’re completely new to fitness, or you’ve been working out for years, read the five blatantly obvious signs you need a PT here. This should give you an indication of whether you’re a prime candidate for personal training or not.
As if by magic, you’re now armed to the teeth with all you need to know about finding yourself a personal trainer in Rossendale. Hopefully by following our guide you’ll be able to confidently make a decision that has the power to change your life.
Here at Hamers360Fitness, we do provide personal training, and if you’d like to find out about our prices and what we offer click the button below.