“Enough is enough. I’m not going to let it happen again. I’m calling that gym personal trainer right now.”
Like everybody else you and I know, Joe has a super busy life. Running to work, running the kids around, running to social events – always running, running, running.
Meanwhile, he hasn’t kept up with exercise – and it’s taking a toll on him.
His stress levels are at an all-time high, he has no energy, and he can’t stand the way he looks.
And the worst part is, he went through the exact same thing last year, and his big move was to join a gym. Joe was super proud of himself for doing that!
And then he went 5 times the whole year. Yikes.
So he’s made the BIG decision to hire one of the gym personal trainers. This is going to be HIS YEAR!
So Joe sets an appointment to get started.
Joe shows up late for the first workout, misses half the exercises, and doesn’t have time to ask any questions.
The next workout he shows up on time, and although he didn’t really know what to expect (since he didn’t get his questions answered last time), he gets the full workout.
Joe gets so sore after that workout that he cancels the next one.
Finally recovered, he attends his next scheduled workout, which includes a couple of new exercises. He feels a “twinge” in his back on one of them, but he doesn’t say anything to his trainer.
The next day, his back is killing him. He cancels again.
Once he feels better, he goes back, but by this time he isn’t really into it. He doesn’t put in a strong effort, especially on things he thinks might hurt his back.
He goes 2 more times, feels he isn’t getting his money’s worth, and quits.
Don’t be like Joe
So if you’re considering hiring a gym personal trainer, you definitely don’t want to go through what Joe did.
And the fact of the matter is, Joe could have done a few simple things that would have changed his disastrous experience to a successful one.
So what are some ways you can make sure you get your money’s worth when hiring a gym personal trainer? Here are 5:
#1 – Choose your gym personal trainer carefully
Do they have a college degree in a related field, or did they get an online certification in a weekend? How long have they been training people? Do they have experience training people like you, with a similar medical history, experience level and goals? Do they have any references or testimonials?
Naturally, you’d rather have the trainer with a 4-year college degree in exercise science, with at least a year or two of training experience, who is familiar with people in your particular situation.
You wouldn’t hire a handyman to build your dream home – likewise, strive to find the best qualified professional you can to entrust your fitness program to.
#2 – Commit to showing up
Your trainer can’t help you if you don’t show up! Take a moment now to reflect on why you want to get in shape. What do you think being in shape will do for you? How will it improve the quality of your life? Why is it important to you? Answering these questions will help you successfully make your way through the myriad of distractions we all deal with in day-to-day life and get your workouts done.
#3 – Give a Gym Personal Trainer your best effort
Working out is like any other worthwhile activity in life – you get out of it what you put into it. Every time you workout you have a choice to make: am I going to just get through this workout, or am I going to get the most I can from this workout? Make sure you come in with the attitude that you want to achieve the latter.
#4 – If it hurts, don’t do it
Exercise is supposed to help you, not hurt you. Don’t fall for the old “no pain, no gain” idea – pain is your body’s signal that something is wrong. If you feel pain during a workout, stop what you’re doing and let your trainer know immediately.
#5 – Try before you buy!
Hiring a personal trainer without trying a workout is like buying a new car without test driving it. The best way to make sure you’ll be happy with it is to try before you buy.
Your trainer will be instrumental in keeping you fit and healthy in the future, and the decision of who to select should not be taken lightly.
So take your time, talk to a few different candidates, and consider their education, background, experience and coaching style. Try out their workouts, and then make the best decision you can, and commit to putting in a maximum effort.
Let Rock Solid Fitness help you look, feel and function better by working with a personal trainer in Dunedin for 25 minutes twice a week. CLICK HERE TO SCHEDULE YOUR FREE INTRODUCTORY CONSULTATION AND WORKOUT EXPERIENCE
