Introduction
Perhaps you’re looking for a personal trainer to help with your fitness journey. For many people, this can be quite daunting if they’ve never hired a personal trainer before. This article looks to answer some of your questions that you may have about personal trainers, how they can help you, and how you can start on the right foot with the best personal trainer for you!
What is the role of Personal Trainers?
The role of personal trainers is to assist clients in achieving their fitness goals, through a sharing of knowledge, skills and expertise. Personal Trainers design and delivery personalised training programmes to their clients as well as provide instruction and work individually or in a group setting to support clients in all areas from weight loss and sports performance to health condition management and weight gain.
How often should I train with a Personal Trainer?
Frequency of training with a personal trainer absolutely depends on your goals and your financial means. The most important thing is the frequency and consistency of your training, regardless of whether it is with a PT or not. However, if you can fit in 1-3 personal training sessions per week, this may be the best for you to achieve optimal progress and reap the accountability benefits of having a personal trainer.
How can I find the right Personal Trainer for me?
When looking for the right personal trainer for you, you should look for trainers who align with your fitness goals and have positive reviews. If you have a very specific goal in mind, it may be worth looking for personal trainers with specific qualifications. For example, if you want to get significantly stronger, then you may want to look for personal trainers with a level 4 S&C qualification; or if you want to incorporate functional training into your training, look for a PT with an FFC Qualification. At the very least, your personal trainer should have taken and passed a CIMSPA approved Level 3 Personal Trainer Course.
How should I prepare for my first Personal Training Session?
You should prepare for your first session by simply setting a date and confirming location. You may only need to turn up, however it may be worth checking if your Personal Trainer needs you to bring anything. We always recommend that you turn up in appropriate clothing for training, with a drink to stay hydrated throughout the session.
Can I hire a Personal Trainer if I have a medical condition?
Yes, but always ensure that you let your trainer know about your condition before beginning training with them. Alternatively, you can also look for personal trainers who have worked with people or who specialise in clients with the same condition as yourself.
Can a Personal Trainer guarantee results?
Whilst no personal trainer can guarantee specific results, a competent personal trainer will provide realistic expectations, track progress, and adjust plans to optimise results as you train with them.
Should I continue training with a Personal Trainer after reaching my initial goals?
It is completely up to you, also depending on your initial reasoning for hiring a personal trainer. Some clients may value ongoing guidance for maintaining and continuing results, whilst others prefer to transition into self-directed work. Some people may wish to continue with their personal trainers just to keep them motivated and accountable with their training.
How can I become a Personal Trainer?
Becoming a personal trainer is relatively simple. In the UK, it involves firstly acquiring the Level 2 Gym Instructor. This certification will qualify you to support and induct gym members, and work on the gym floor, however it does not qualify you to deliver tailored advice or workout programmes.
After you have acquired the level 2 certification, you can then work towards the level 3 personal trainer course. The course covers skills and knowledge in areas such as anatomy and physiology, nutrition, exercise, and client consultation, and qualifies you to deliver tailored advice & 1 to 1 sessions to clients and write workout programmes.
A great option for anyone wanting to become a personal trainer is Certified Personal Trainer Course (CPT) from the PFCA. This course combines both the level 2 gym instructor and level 3 personal trainer qualification, meaning that you can become a personal trainer from scratch, without needing to do two separate courses.
After you have completed the level 3 course and acquired your qualification, it is time to gain some experience. Many newly qualified personal trainers will concurrently work on the gym floor to maximise client acquisition opportunities as well as personal training. We highly recommend any personal trainers to continue their education.
We have a number of further education courses for personal trainers. FFC is a course which takes your personal training knowledge to the next level. You will learn how to create highly effective training and lifestyle programmes, which focus on high quality functional movement, and set yourself apart from the rest as a level above in both skill and knowledge. Our GROW course helps to develop personal trainers with the knowledge on how to build and grow their business.
How much does a Personal Trainer make?
The income of personal trainers widely varies depending on factors such as location, experience and specialisation. Entry level personal trainers might earn between £15 to £20 per hour, which can increase as they gain further experience and grow their client base.
PTs with more years of experience, further qualifications, a greater understanding of business, may earn between £50 and £100 per hour, especially in more affluent areas or when working with private clients. Furthermore, there are many extra revenue streams for personal trainers that they can tap into.
Specialised trainers who specialise in areas such as specific sports performance, rehabilitation, or those with further qualifications in strength and conditioning or nutrition may charge higher rates.
How can I find a Personal Trainer?
If you’re looking for a personal trainer, there are plenty of ways to find the right one for you. However, before you start looking, you should consider what your goals are. Whether you’re looking to lose weight, build muscle, improve athletic performance or just learn more about the gym. Knowing what your goal is will help you find the PT with the right expertise for you.
Once you’ve figured out what your goal is, the next step is to find the right trainer. The best place to start if you already have a gym membership is to ask at your gym. Make sure to specifically communicate what your goals are, so that you can maximise your chances of getting recommended to the best PT for you. If you’re not already at a gym, then simply Googling personal trainers or fitness studios near you can be a good start.
Once you have found a PT you should check in with them for a consultation or chat. Discuss your goals, ask about their experience and just make sure that their style and expertise aligns with what you want before you get started. Personal Training is highly individual, and ensuring that the foundation of the relationship between PT and client is strong is extremely important. You must feel comfortable with your PT and ensure that their style of communication works for you.
Is a Personal Trainer worth it?
Investing in a personal trainer can be worth it for many reasons.
- Personalisation of workouts: A PT will design a workout programme specific to your goals, your fitness level and any limitations you might have to ensure that you get the most out of every session.
- Accountability: Simply having a personal trainer and knowing that someone is tracking your progress and expecting you to show up to a session can help you stay consistent with your workouts and diet.
- Expertise: It goes without saying, but PTs are qualified based on their tested knowledge in exercise, some aspects of nutrition, and a healthy lifestyle. It is this expertise and knowledge which you are primarily paying to gain access to.
- Efficiency: Leading on from our point of expertise, having access to PT knowledge will cut down the learning curve of your time in the gym. Personal Trainers also help you make the most of the time in the gym within a session, ensuring that you’re performing the most effective exercises correctly.
- General Motivation and Support: A good personal trainer will not only help you reach your goals, but will also support you through challenges or self limiting beliefs that you might have around your fitness and training.
Do you need a degree to become a Personal Trainer?
No, you do not need a degree to become a personal trainer, but you do need to have completed and passed a level 3 personal trainer course.
Having said that, personal trainers are generally not allowed to write prescriptive meal plans, this right is reserved for those with the right nutrition/dietetics qualifications (a level 4 qualification in nutrition) or those with a university degree in nutrition. Therefore, if you want to become a more specialised personal trainer, then a degree may be necessary.
How can I make money as a Personal Trainer?
There are many ways to make money as a personal trainer. Whilst you’re here, be sure to check out our article on ways personal trainers can make money for a full breakdown. More briefly however, here are some of the most common ways.
- In Person Training: The most obvious method for making money, working one to one or with small groups in a gym, studio or private gym.
- Online Training: Selling workout programmes or offering virtual sessions online has become extremely popular over the past decade. It has become more popular as it allows many PTs to take on more clients, without having to make the time commitment to travel and be somewhere in person.
- Group Classes: Taking on and teaching fitness classes in a gym or studio can help you bring in extra revenue, whilst also introducing you to many potential clients. If you perform well in a group class setting, those who engage in classes are more likely to want to take you on for 1 to 1 classes.
- Content Creation: Creating free content online can be a good way of building an engaged audience. From there, some personal trainers who engage in content creation go on to sell further resources such as eBooks, sponsorship or affiliate marketing.