.jpg)
Let’s be honest. If I asked you to close your eyes and imagine a typical personal trainer, you’re probably imagining someone with muscles like Dwayne Johnson wearing an outfit small enough to fit your 8 year old niece. They use Instagram to constantly remind you that their body is better than yours and they eat nothing but raw broccoli and steamed chicken breast.
Fortunately, there are a few things you can look out for when hiring a personal trainer that can help you steer away from this stereotype and find someone that works for you.
1) Personality & Communication Style
Some personal trainers are like those from The Biggest Loser. They’ll get up close and personal and yell at you to keep going. They’re high energy and will let you (and the rest of the gym) know the moment they see you slacking.
Personally, this makes me CRINGE. But it might be just what you’re looking for!
On the other end of the scale, some are so kind and friendly that they will only ever push you after asking permission 4 times to do so and getting a written consent note from your Mum.
There is no right or wrong personality & communication style, but there is a right style for you. There are two things you need to be sure of. The first is that you actually get along with them. Chances are you’ll be hanging out with them a lot, so actually enjoying their company is essential. The second is that the way they communicate is effective for you.
2) Do they actually listen?
We’ve all had this same argument with a loved one:
“You weren’t listening, you ignored me!”
“I was listening! You said *repeats what they said*”
Hearing and listening are completely different things. Here’s the difference - When someone is listening to you, you actually feel heard. When they’re hearing you but aren’t listening, they might immediately talk about something else or ignore you - Either way, you don’t feel heard.
If you don’t feel heard when you’re talking to your personal trainer, you probably aren’t going to buy into the solutions they give you and therefore you’re probably wasting your time. Make sure to find someone who actually listens to you. Someone who is curious about your situation and shows empathy towards your current situation and where you want to be.
Side note: If they’re on their phone during your sessions, they aren’t listening. Don’t hire this personal trainer.
3) Do They Specialize?
Most personal trainers will specialize, or at least claim to specialize in a certain area. Usually you can find this on their website or on their personal trainer board at the local gym.
Typically, it’ll sound something like this.
Sean Specializes in:
Weight loss, strength training, building muscle, boxing, athletes, elite powerlifters, beginners and Mums.
Firstly, if they have any more than 2, maaaybe 3 specialties, the only thing they specialize in is talking sh*t. It doesn’t make sense! The best way to see who they really specialize in is to have a look at the types of people they have previously trained.
If you want to be a pro bodybuilder, look for a personal trainer who has helped lots of pro bodybuilders. If you want to lose fat, look for someone who has helped people lose fat. If you’re a newbie, look for someone who trains newbies.
Don’t fall for the idea that someone can be a specialist in 39 different areas.
4) Expectations
Some personal trainers go above and beyond, some give nutritional advice, some will program your workouts outside their sessions and some will do the bare minimum. Again, none of these methods are right or wrong, they’re just different.
Spend 15 minutes thinking about what you expect to get from a personal trainer. Write down these expectations. Then, when you have your initial consultation, ask them what you can expect if you hire them. They’ll list off what they commit to providing you.
Then, compare their answers to your list. Do they meet all your expectations? Is there anything they missed? If so, ask them whether they would also include some of the expectations you have. If they’re too far off, maybe they aren’t a good fit for you.
Setting expectations from both sides is vital. It puts everyone on the same page and sets a strong foundation to launch off together as a team.
5) Flexibility
When it comes to fitness, there are many ways of achieving the same result. A quick google of ‘which diet is best for fat loss’ will bring up hundreds of sources and studies, all contradicting each other and is an easy way to confuse yourself.
A lot of personal trainers think because they like to eat or train a certain way and it works for them, that everyone else should too. But, if your personal trainer is adamant on a particular training style, a certain exercise or a specific diet and has absolutely no flexibility, the chances of that specific style fitting your needs are extremely low.
This often leads to a cookie cutter or one size fits all approach.
A huge benefit of having a personal trainer is getting a personalized plan tailored to your needs and your personality. A plan that works with all your niggles and works towards the specific goals you have.
If you want a generalized program fit for anyone - Google ‘gym program’ and you’ll get thousands. But that’s not why you’re hiring a personal trainer.
Make sure they actually personalize your program and your whole game plan to achieve your goals.
Comments