10 THINGS YOUR PT SHOULD BE PROVIDING FOR YOU
There’s definitely a ‘fashionable’ trend these days towards living a fit and healthy lifestyle and with that brings a higher demand for the guidance and advice from fitness professionals.
Back in the day having a personal trainer used to be a luxury expense for those who could afford one however today it’s considered a necessity and an important investment in ones own health.
I’ve been fortunate enough to be in the PT game for 15 years now – pretty much a third of my entire life ? That’s a long time! I have a lot of experience but by no means enough to think I know it all. In fact far from it.
I’m always learning and always will be. The fitness industry is one that keeps you on your toes and constantly challenges you to learn and get better. It’s a requirement for all registered trainers to continually educate themselves and that’s the way it should be.
However to be a GREAT personal trainer and one that is of real benefit to a client you need a little more than a piece of paper stating you have the authority to say ”drop and give me 10”
In some circumstances believe it or not, there are trainers out there that don’t even have the proper qualifications yet still take sessions.
More to the point people are actually forking out their hard earned cash for these ”PT’s” to instruct them on how to do exercise Say whaaaaaaaaat!
Anyway in my eyes if you’re currently hiring a Personal Trainer to help you reach your goals make sure they are ticking ALL of these boxes for you. Otherwise it may pay (literally and figuratively speaking) to find a better one.
1. They’re punctual. If you have a session booked for 5.30am and your PT struts in at 5.35am then you are clearly not his/her priority. Ive seen it hundreds of times – Client is keen as mustard and ready to jump in to a sweat sesh only to be left waiting and sometimes even forgotten about. Not good enough
2. Do they listen? There is a difference between ”hearing” and ”listening” Don’t get confused between the two. Communication is imperative between client and trainer. What you want to achieve relies heavily on it so if there are barriers in this department you have a problem
3. Attention to detail. Does your trainer know how to pick apart an exercise and show you how to perform it? Is there constant feedback on technique throughout your session? And I mean constant! Not only this but I’m huge on observing body language and always keep a watchful eye over anyone that’s under my guidance. This should be the norm but unfortunately it’s not with a LOT of trainers
4. Reputation. How good are they? Do people speak well of them? Are they trustworthy? Can they provide what you’re after? Are they even qualified? Do your research and if possible stalk them a little at the gym. Check them out. Do they pay sole attention to their clients when they are with them or do they have the old wandering eye? Again YOUR results lie heavily on choosing correctly
5. Practice what you preach brother! Would you go to a dentist that was missing their front teeth? Would you get a tattoo from someone without tattoos? Likewise does your Personal Trainer walk the walk? If they don’t, how can they expect you to…
6. Passion. For me this is huge. If you’re not passionate about something it will stick out like you know what. I’m passionate about my clients health, their training, their goals and their lives. It comes naturally to me it’s fair to say. If they’re happy I’m happy. Is your PT passionate about you?
7. Do they educate you? Essentially we all hit the gym to learn and get better mentally and physically. Personal trainers are teachers. If they aren’t teaching you what you want to know find someone who will
8. They’re honest. There will come a time when a client needs some tough love to keep them moving in the right direction. It is the trainers responsibility to tell it how it is. If they’re good enough they will identify something that is getting in the way of a clients progress and get to the bottom of it
9. Humility. Another huge one for me. The industry is filled with a lot of motivational and inspirational people. Unfortunately it’s also filled with a lot of ego driven and arrogant ones too. Be wary of the ‘all about me’ aesthetically driven expert and don’t be disappointed if they can’t meet your personal needs as they are more than likely too caught up with their own
10. Are they reliable? Do the sessions they’re in charge of serve a purpose for the client and hit the mark every time? Are they available outside of sessions to provide further support for you when needed? Do they have integrity and follow through on what they say they will do for you including being there session after session without fail?
So there you have it – If you can say without a doubt that your current trainer is providing you with all of the above then you’ve struck gold, you’re in good hands and well on the way to achieving big things!
Your health and wellness is the single most important aspect of your life and therefore should demand the best attention and support network possible. Invest in your PT wisely
See you in the gym 🙂
Ben