Why Hire a Personal Trainer?

I'm new to the gym

If you’ve recently joined a gym for the first time and have never had a formal exercise routine before, a personal trainer can help familiarize you with available equipment and help you develop a program.

Maybe you were athletic and fit in high school or college, and then life happened, and you let your health and fitness slide while focusing on other priorities. Now you’re ready to get back to it, and while you remember the process, you could use some help getting started again. 

Perhaps you’ve decided that you want to lose 20 pounds before a summer vacation, or you’d like to run your first 5K, or your doctor has prescribed exercise to help you control your blood sugar, or you’d like to be stronger to play with your grandkids. A personal trainer can help you design a program to meet your goals, and eliminate a lot of the guesswork you might run into through trial-and-error. 

Even the most well-designed programs eventually stop producing the results that you want. Whether your program just needs a few tweaks or a complete overhaul, or if you just want to go in a different direction and try something new, a personal trainer can help you design a program that will reignite the fire. 

There’s nothing wrong with going to the gym and just doing a hodgepodge of different movements – that’s a core tenet of Crossfit, a training style that has gotten many people in outstanding physical condition. But if you’d like a more formalized program to measure your progress, and a coach to make sure you’re sticking to it, a personal trainer can help. 

How do I hire a Personal Trainer?

Step 1: Choose a Personal Trainer

Selecting an appropriate personal trainer is essential. It is important to find someone with whom you feel comfortable and who understands your fitness objectives. Consider their areas of expertise, training philosophy, and availability.
Recommendations from friends or family can also be helpful.

Arrange an initial consultation to discuss your fitness goals, current health status, and any specific requirements or limitations. The trainer will explain their approach and answer any questions about their training methods.
There are usually some forms to complete at this time, such as consent forms and the Physical Activity Readiness Questionnaire (PAR-Q).

During the initial meeting, the trainer will conduct physical assessments to evaluate your current fitness level. These assessments typically include checking posture, body composition, mobility, strength, and cardiovascular endurance. The results will help tailor the training program to your specific needs and abilities.
The assessments performed will depend on your goals, and not all assessments are required for every client.

Clearly outline short-term and long-term fitness goals. Whether the aim is to lose weight, build muscle, improve endurance, or enhance overall health, describe the desired outcomes. The trainer will assist in setting realistic milestones and creating a timeline for reaching them.
If there are no specific goals beyond general fitness or health, the trainer can help define these goals.

Experience a sample workout to understand the trainer’s style and instruction. This session helps determine compatibility and allows adjustments to the program if needed. The trainer will observe form, effort level, and responsiveness to exercises.
This is an opportunity to try out the gym’s equipment and inform the trainer of preferred or disliked exercises.

Based on the goals and assessment, the trainer will recommend a structured multi-week or month-long training plan. The plan will outline session frequency, workout focus, and progression strategy. Costs will also be provided.
The trainer will work within your budget to ensure the best possibility of success.

Review the proposal, finalize scheduling, and agree on payment terms. Commit to the plan and begin the personalized fitness journey!