What can a personal trainer do for me?
- zaydftfitness
- Apr 5, 2022
- 3 min read
Updated: May 7, 2022
Some people question the role of a Personal Trainer and how they can help you and your training. This is understandable from someone who hasn't had personal training before, with so much information available online, and questionable standards across the personal training industry.
It does take time, effort, trial & error, and experience to be an effective Personal Trainer. Here are some of the roles involved in Personal Training.
What can a Personal Trainer do for me?
Help understand and organise your goals into a structure of training that you'll be able to follow, whilst considering any limiting factors that may affect you, such as your time availability, history of exercise, history of injuries, hormone imbalances, knowledge of exercise and confidence In training.
Provide you with the relevant nutritional guidance based on your goals, eating habits, dietary needs and metabolism.
Ensure you understand and feel confident in the basic movements involved in whichever field of exercise you have discussed with your PT. Eg Fitness training, Strength training, Olympic lifting, Crossfit, Sport-Specific training, or a mix of different styles of training.
Keep you motivated and accountable during each training session, as well as those busy days or weeks when you're struggling with your eating or training routine.
Periodically adjust your training with new exercises, and variations of already-taught exercises, to help ensure you continue to progress, and to avoid tediousness or plateaus.
Help you track whichever metrics are relevant to your goals, such as your fitness, strength, speed, body weight, body fat %, metabolic age or overall body composition.
Have the confidence to safely push yourself in a gym environment.
How can you make the best use of your Personal Trainer?
Ask a lot of questions.
If you don’t fully understand what your coach has asked you to do, or why you are doing it, then make sure you ask them. Personal Training is personal, therefore every part of your plan should reflect information you have given them about you and your goals. As a Personal Trainer I really appreciate interesting and challenging questions. Questions prove that a client is interested in what they are doing, and growing an understanding. I believe most clients are more likely to adhere to something if they understand what and why they are doing it.
If you're not enjoying the training, or the nutrition, tell your PT.
It's important to give a client the exercises they need to achieve their goals (which is what they are paying for), instead of just the exercises they want to do. This can be difficult at first, but it's more difficult to deal with a client who isn't achieving their goals. With that being said, it can be a challenge to find the balance between important exercises that the client needs, and enjoyable exercises that keeps the client motivated and happy during the workout. More often than not, there are exercises that cross-over with these two themes. So if you are not enjoying your training or nutrition, and it's having an impact on your ability to follow the routine, then speak with your PT.
If your training is too difficult, or too easy, tell your PT.
Another balancing act is creating a plan that is challenging enough, but not so much that it de-moralises the client, and has an impact on their ability to follow the routine. Some clients still think they are 18 years old, and may run themselves into an early injury, whilst some clients think they are 80 years old, and may struggle to push themselves , or achieve any of their goals. One common mistake is under-estimating how strong clients truly are with certain compound exercises, such as Deadlift or Leg Press, and overestimating how strong they are in certain isolation, or single muscle group exercises, such as Bicep Curls or Lateral Raises.
Either way, if you feel your plan is too easy, or too difficult, speak with your PT, and they may adjust your routine.
Conclusion
Hiring a personal Trainer is a great way to help you achieve something that you are currently struggling to do. For most people this could be: Reducing your body fat to have a leaner physique, Increasing your muscle mass and strength, Improving your overall health and fitness, Preparing for a physical event, or simply having someone there to help keep you accountable and training optimally during each training session you do. Learn more about Personal Training or Online Coaching below.
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