HERE’S SOMETHING YOU NEED TO KNOW ABOUT PERSONAL TRAINING!
There are often so many misconceptions about what personal training is, but here are some more commonly known ones.
Personal training is just a workout plan to follow, accompanied by some basic nutritional advice.
Or that militant trainer who feels it’s their job to literally try and break you every session, in the hopes that they can add one more tally to the ego-board.
Whilst some people’s experience of personal training will attest to this, there’s a lot more that actually goes into helping you achieve your goal.
So for those of you whose view of personal training may have been affected by such approaches, I hope this article helps to restore your faith in the personal training industry.
If there’s one thing that my experience in the industry has taught me, it’s that the strategies behind achieving a client’s goal are often simple, but it’s us as humans that are complicated.
I want to be very clear here, just because something is simple, doesn’t mean it’s going to be easy. It might be simple to understand that you have to be in a calorie deficit to lose body fat, but the actual application of it is the difficult part.
Understanding this was one of the foundations that changed the game for me.
As great as it would be to have people programmed like robots that only needed a 3 step manual on how to lose body fat, it’s not the reality of the world that we live in. Nor does it reflect the reality of how you operate.
In order to truly help you overcome the barriers that stand in the way of achieving a result, it’s always important to appreciate you as an individual.
Based on a number of different reasons you will all have very different relationships with food, that may cause you to view it in a completely different light.
For one person food may be seen as a very cultural experience, something that brings people together and connects families.
Trying to get such a person to cut out all family & social dinners, is more than likely only going to end up in a dissatisfied client and a rather frustrated PT.
In this case, opting for a nutritional strategy that prioritises their goal, but still allows them to enjoy such experiences would prove to be much more beneficial in the long run.
Just so you know there are many ways you can still enjoy the foods you love, whilst still being able to achieve a level of results.
For the next person, food could simply just be a means of getting fuel & might be something they choose solely based on convenience.
Such a person may not have all the time in the world to prepare all their meals for the week, and the likelihood of them committing to such a plan would be 0 to none.
In this case, opting for a nutritional strategy that gives them a framework that fits into their busy lifestyle, or routine would prove to be more beneficial.
Alternatively, due to the perceived cost of meal planning themselves, such a person may find massive value in delegating their meals out to a meal prep company.
The point I’m making here is that as personal trainers, it’s our duty to make sure that we have a better understanding of everything that makes you, you.
That could be, but not limited to;
Your values
Your hobbies
What makes you happy
What is important to you
Your current relationship with food
All of these and more could be the difference in someone achieving a level of result they are happy with, vs someone who feels like they’ve been given the short straw.
Without a better understanding of you as a person, the service provided will always be very subpar and impersonal. It’s almost like trying to throw something at a wall and hope it sticks.
So when looking for a trainer that can help you work towards your goals, here are 3 things I’d suggest you look out for.
Is this trainer best suited to help you achieve your individual goal?
By this I mean, does this person specialise in the area or direction that you are heading in. For someone working towards weight loss, working with a bodybuilding coach might not be the best fit for both parties.
Is this trainer someone who can explain to you why they prescribe a certain approach/exercise for you?
As much as it’s important to trust the process, it’s always important to know why you do what you do. Personally, a big part of what helps people build their confidence is educating them along the way.
You’ll always feel more confident walking into a gym knowing what to do vs just going into the gym and training whatever you feel like on that given day.
Is this trainer who makes you feel like you can be honest & open?
The last thing you want each time you confess the weekend mishaps to your trainer is a constant bollocking. Remember it’s not a classroom, it’s a relationship that should help you better understand why you do what you do.
In doing so, you will always be more likely to be honest & accountable further down the line with your trainer. Do bear in mind that at times your trainer will be the person to tell you the things you need to hear, even when you don’t want to.
