The modern gym is a place full of fancy machines, the ultra fit and the rest of us sweating to a heavy bass soundtrack. To the new member, this can be daunting, and even, in some cases, frightening. Combine this with the typical new gym member who either hasn’t exercised in a long time, or if they have it’s been something simple like riding a bike, walking or jogging.
Most gyms offer their new members a personalised training plan, but who are these people that actually provide that service – the personal trainer? A personal trainer is just that, a person that works directly with you, usually on your own, and guides you through your exercise regime.
In general, a personal trainer will perform the following tasks:
- A documented workout schedule that increases gradually in intensity and difficulty
- A stretching regime
- Advice on nutrition
- Guidelines on safe exercise
- Encouragement to reach your goals
- Assistance with planning your fitness and weight loss goals
Most personal trainers are associated with a particular gym and the only way to use their services is to be a member of that gym. The problem with this is that not only does the gym charge for the trainers time, they will also charge other fees on top of this – think of it as their percentage on the top. Did you know, though, that many personal trainers work freelance, that is, they are self employed. Not only are these trainers, in general, cheaper, but most of them offer very comprehensive training programmes using a variety of interesting exercises to keep their client interested.
When you’re on the hunt for a personal trainer, the most important thing to remember is that you will need to be able to work with this person, while you are under quite intense (but good!) stress. You will be tired, and, if you’re anything like me, cranky and your trainer may be yelling at you to give it one more rep, just one more rep! Fortunately, most personal trainers are quite nice people, and are able to get along with almost everybody they come across. My advice is to see if you can get a free “trial” session with a trainer before you sign up for anything long term. This will enable you to assess if you get along with the trainer.
If you’re interested in becoming a personal trainer yourself, there are many courses that you can take. Some are associated with colleges, universities or vocational institutions, and some are offered by the industry itself. If you’re wanting to work for a gym, then speak to the people in a gym, and ask them what they recommend. Look in your local newspaper for courses, or speak to the industry association in your area that accredits personal trainers.
The most important aspect of being a personal trainer is to care about the welfare of your client. You cannot treat the client just as a source of income. You must remember that you are not a drill sergeant, or trying to upsell to your client, you are a mentor to them, a coach, and hopefully and inspiration. In yourself, you are possibly the ideal fit person that you can get your client to aspire to be.
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