I just had to write this after hearing a few horror stories the last few days.
There are some very good PTs out there but a heap of bad ones.
If you are paying good money for Personal Training here are some things you should be looking for.
1. Does he/she look like they train,and do they promote a healthy lifestyle and or do they look like they have just competed at a doughnut eating festival or just got in from a weekend bender? Go for the first one, i’ m not saying the second one may not have any knowledge but if they can’t practice what they preach they are a hypocrite when they are shouting at you for not eating the fish and broccoli they told you to(lol).
2. Do they measure your results, and i don’t mean do they get you to jump on the scales( worst way to track progress imo). Do they take progress pics, do skin fold measurements, do they keep track of the exercises you do and write everything down and ‘track your progression. If they aren’t doing it, how can they expect you too when you are training on your own.
3. If they are on their phone when they are training you – get rid. Their focus should be on your session, not what is happening on facebook. No ONE should have a phone on the gym floor- client or trainer unless it is being used as an ipod during a workout.
4. Do they give you a generic meal plan that uses about 8 food types? , if the answer is yes, they have probably given the same low calorie meal plan to every other client. It is complete bollocks. Each person is different – age,weight, sex and training volume all make the amount of calories needed for each person very different. All that will happen with this low calorie diet is you will hate food, have cravings, and when you break, have a bad rebound and put weight on again. if you can’t see yourself eating that meal plan in 12 months time, you shouldn”tbe eating it. If any trainer says eat this because i told you to, get rid
5. Does your trainer base your workouts around compound movements focusing on form and range of movement or does he try and get you to lift weights too heavy for you telling you to push though it!! or do stupid exercises like bicep curls standing on a bosu ball telling you its engaging your core more. go for PT 1 , PT 2 is a moron.
6. Do they have the necessary qualifications – if they are using kettlebells they should have done at least a level 1 kettlebell instructor course , especially for a snatch or swing, which, if done wrong could cause injury, and that meal plan – do they have the minimum of an accredited certificate of nutrition, if not they are not qualified to be giving out meal plans.Make sure you check this. We have all our credentials on our website, your PT should too(if they have a website)
If your personal trainer does any of the dodgy stuff we just mentioned then i think its time you ditch them.
If you want to train with trainers that are proffessional, care about all their clients, structure every clients workout and nutriton according to there personal needs rather than sending a cookie cutter plan and diet then give us a call or eamil today as we also do online coaching
Ps. I am no saint. I was a bad lad when i was young and am not trying to stand on my soapbox like i am whiter than white.
I like a drink now and again and i also eat what i want ( in moderation) using a iifym approach but i am not daft either and know what a good trainer should be doing and also what they shouldnt.