What is a Personal Trainer?
A Personal Trainer is someone who can help you reach your fitness goals. They will bring with them their particular skills and training to plan a programme of sessions for you that you will enjoy and will help you get fitter, leaner or muscular depending on what you want to achieve.
They will have a CYQ Level 3 certification or equivalent.
Why would I want a Personal Trainer?
If you've struggled to achieve the results you want (or can foresee that you will) then a PT can help by providing expert guidance and encouragement.
People at all levels can benefit from a PT. From the absolute beginner who wants to learn how to get fit to the experienced person who wants that extra push and check that they are on track.
How should I choose a Personal Trainer?
The Register of Exercise Professionals (REPS) is a good place to start. You can put in your post code and it will provide a list of trainers near you.
You can ask your family and friends for recommendations and, of course, search the internet.
Check that anyone you are considering is registered with REPs. Then you can be sure that they are qualified and insured.
Meet each of the PTs on your shortlist to see how you take to them. It's not just about who is the most qualified - you have to like them and feel there is some rapport. The sort of person who, when they tell you you can do another rep, makes you feel you want to and that you can.
What if I don't like gyms?
Depending on what you want to achieve you can train out of doors, at home or other places outside of the gym.
Bear in mind that the gym, in some ways, is an ideal place to train. If your hobby was making furniture you'd want to do that in a wood-workshop where you'd have all the tools you'd need. The gym is a bit like that, kind of like a people-workshop with the specialist equipment for getting fitter and stronger.
Perhaps if you were introduced to the gym by the right Personal Trainer you'd like the idea better.
That's tricky because it's difficult to provide you with a successful session if I don't know anything about you - and nothing can be achieved with a single session - getting fitter, healthier, stronger, etc. all depend on doing exercise routinely over time.
I'd suggest you meet me for a coffee instead (for which I don't charge) and we can find out more about each other that way.
A good pattern is to have one session each week with me and then working the plan I give you on your own a couple of extra days per week.
You get my guidance and support in person weekly, but also form the habit of going to the gym on your own and feeling ownership and autonomy from this.
We can certainly meet more than once a week if you prefer. If you'd like to meet less than once per week we should talk about your situation and check this will work for you.
This all depends on what your health issues are, of course. Exercise is generally good for improving our health, but I may need to take extra care with you depending on what your issues are.
Please get in touch so we can talk about this. Everything is in complete confidence of course. If you have a letter from your doctor or physiotherapist that would be very helpful.
I follow a set process for all new clients and this includes assessing your general health and measuring blood pressure. I will take extra care as necessary or refer you to your doctor if that looks like the right thing to do.
You're not on your own with this. Talk to me about how you feel and we'll see how we can make this easier for you.
The answer may be to go to the gym with me a few times a week and not on your own. Another answer may be to train with me in a private gym space away from other people.
Exercise needs to be part of your regular daily/weekly routine so any gym you go to has to be fairly near to your home, your work or on your route between the two.
Energize is on the District and Piccadilly lines and right by the A4 so quite accessible for many people.
The ideal plan is for you to train routinely in the same gym that I train you in, but if you live too far away then the best plan might be to meet me once a week and then train in your local gym the rest of the week.
A third option may be for us talk regularly via Skype.
I prefer to work face to face and feel I bring the most benefit from doing so, but if you're not local and would like my help then we could probably use Skype. Do get in touch if you feel this might help you.
Can I buy just one session to try you out?
That's tricky because it's difficult to provide you with a successful session if I don't know anything about you - and nothing can be achieved with a single session - getting fitter, healthier, stronger, etc. all depend on doing exercise routinely over time.
I'd suggest you meet me for a coffee instead (for which I don't charge) and we can find out more about each other that way.
How often should I see you?
A good pattern is to have one session each week with me and then working the plan I give you on your own a couple of extra days per week.
You get my guidance and support in person weekly, but also form the habit of going to the gym on your own and feeling ownership and autonomy from this.
We can certainly meet more than once a week if you prefer. If you'd like to meet less than once per week we should talk about your situation and check this will work for you.
What if I have health issues?
This all depends on what your health issues are, of course. Exercise is generally good for improving our health, but I may need to take extra care with you depending on what your issues are.
Please get in touch so we can talk about this. Everything is in complete confidence of course. If you have a letter from your doctor or physiotherapist that would be very helpful.
I follow a set process for all new clients and this includes assessing your general health and measuring blood pressure. I will take extra care as necessary or refer you to your doctor if that looks like the right thing to do.
What if I'm bashful and feel awkward in a gym?
You're not on your own with this. Talk to me about how you feel and we'll see how we can make this easier for you.
The answer may be to go to the gym with me a few times a week and not on your own. Another answer may be to train with me in a private gym space away from other people.
What if I'm too far away? How far is too far away?
Exercise needs to be part of your regular daily/weekly routine so any gym you go to has to be fairly near to your home, your work or on your route between the two.
Energize is on the District and Piccadilly lines and right by the A4 so quite accessible for many people.
The ideal plan is for you to train routinely in the same gym that I train you in, but if you live too far away then the best plan might be to meet me once a week and then train in your local gym the rest of the week.
A third option may be for us talk regularly via Skype.
Can you provide help and support remotely/online/by phone?
I prefer to work face to face and feel I bring the most benefit from doing so, but if you're not local and would like my help then we could probably use Skype. Do get in touch if you feel this might help you.
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