7 Steps to Choosing your Personal Trainer

You’re thinking about getting a personal trainer. Great decision! Now what? How do you find the right one, do you choose the friend of a friend, the scary guy at the gym, or the company top on google? It’s a minefield, and I don’t blame you for getting confused. When I was training personal training clients around London all day every day, the majority of newbies I took on all had some kind of bad experience with their previous personal trainer. You wouldn’t believe some of the stories I heard, from doing a runner with hundreds of pounds, to personal trainers sticking them on the treadmill for the best part of 60 minutes. 

If you’re going to invest money in your health, it’s worth doing your research first to ensure you get it right, as it could be difference between you succeeding or not.

Make sure they understand what you want to achieve
This sounds really simple, but honestly, you have to ensure he fully understands what you want to achieve. It’s down to you, to be honest, ask yourself what you actually want to achieve. Chances are, ‘toning up a bit’ probably isn’t what you want, be specific, let them in on your goals and what actually matters to you. 


Ensure they specialise in what you want to achieve 
Most trainers think they can help everyone, it’s not a bad thing, the majority of trainers started in this industry to help people get fitter, lose weight, be better at their sport, eat well, the list goes on. The reality is, it takes a totally different approach for a women in a 40s needing to lose weight for health reasons, so a 22 year old male looking to smash his next obstacle race. It makes sense for your trainer to specialise in what you want to achieve, don’t be afraid to ask them how they plan to write your programme and why, test them, they will probably enjoy it. 


Check to see some testimonials of recent clients 
This is key. If your trainer is any good, they will have had clients in the past who have done well. Ask to see their pictures, testimonials and even meet them if they are in the same gym or studio as you. If the trainer is newly qualified, they may not have all the testimonials, but they should have 1 or 2 at least. 

Check their qualifications, ensuring they are on the Register of Exercise Professionals (REPS). 
Don’t be afraid to ask to see their qualifications. If they are in a gym, the gym checks this for you, but if it’s a friend of a friend, or someone you found online, be sure they are actually qualified, and insured. They will only get funny about it, if they are cowboys, otherwise, they will gladly share this with you. Check REPS, the national governing body for fitness professionals. Not all trainers are on here though, so just speak to your trainer about it. 


Make sure you get on. 
This is one of the biggest points to think about, and it may surprise you. You don’t have to be bezzie mates with them, but a shared interest always helps in between exercises. Seriously, you will be spending a fair bit of time with your trainer, so make sure you get on and you are happy to share your time with them!


Make sure they’re in good shape
I am always amazed at how many fitness professionals don’t practice what they preach. I’m not saying everyone has to be cover model ready, but at least look like they train, eat well and take pride in their appearance. It’s not being judgemental in the slightest, everyone has their reasons, but the truth is, you will listen more and take notice if your trainer looks the part, as you know, it’s not just something they read, they live their advice daily.


Make sure they charge you enough. 
You generally, get what you pay for, and personal training is no different. Of course, price will depend on where you are, what you want, and how much work you need. It’s tempting to go for the cheapest option, but think about this. The trainer charge £15 per session, how motivated do you think he is to see you? How much do you think he will put into your programme when you aren’t there? Compare that with a £60 per hour trainer. Expensive trainers often get better results, this is down to a few reasons. You will work harder, as the thought of wasting such a lot of money is not nice. Also, they will most likely give extra services as standard, will daily motivational texts, or diet support. Trust me, there’s a big difference. 

So in summary, there’s plenty to consider when choosing your trainer. Don’t make the decision lightly, and don’t be afraid to try a few out before committing. Most trainer offer free taster sessions, so you can make sure you get the right ‘fit’! 

If you would like our help with finding you a personal trainer in London, just get in touch, we would love to help. 

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