The Checklist: How To Find The Perfect Personal Trainer

Finding the perfect Personal Trainer is a process, and few of us hit the nail on the head first time round. It’s not cheap to go the trial and error route, so we decided to give you a bit of a helping hand. If you’ve already found your perfect PT – then why not see how they stack up against the checklist!

To really road test the PT experience, we sat down with a model partnership. Zanna van Dijk (the client) and Becca Smith (the trainer) have kicked some big goals together – making them perfect candidates for a new 3 part series.

Part 1 of the series is: The Checklist, where we ask both Becca and Zanna about the process of finding the right PT. Whilst you may’ve found a trainer who gets your heart rate up before the session has even started, we’d hate to think you weren’t actually getting your money’s worth.

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SO, THE CHECKLIST:

> BECCA (THE TRAINER)

What are the most important things to look for in a trainer?

What’s their track record? Ask for testimonials, client progress, feedback and qualifications. Costs? Find out how much the trainer charges for packages and what is included in the package. A tip though… when the cost is low, I usually find it shows the level the personal trainer is at – ‘you get what you pay for’. What type of personality do they have? A solid relationship between the client and trainer, for me, is essential. My clients are all my friends but we also keep a working/ professional relationship in the gym. Finally, what is the trainer’s own level of fitness/physique like? It may seem shallow but I see A LOT of overweight and unfit personal trainers! Surely we’re meant to be leading by example…

Why might a personal trainer work for one person but not another?

Every trainer has their own unique style of training their clients. Some trainers have a ‘soft’ approach whereas others can train people like army sergeants. It’s about finding the trainer to suit you and who you feel most comfortable with whilst pushing you and getting the best results.

What are some questions you could ask a personal trainer?

What’s included in the package/costs? How do we communicate out of the gym if I have questions or concerns (and is this ok!)? What can I expect from the sessions?

What type of qualifications should a PT have? 

A PT should always have the Level 2 and Level 3 qualification. In my opinion, nutrition is the most important aspect as they say ‘80% diet, 20% gym’. I believe 100% everything. You simply can’t outrun a bad diet. Therefore, the trainer needs to have a good, solid understanding and knowledge of nutrition as well – to really achieve big results.

How often should you see a PT? 

I don’t feel that one session a week is enough. If a client wants the best results and is 100% committed, I always advise at least two, if not three sessions a week with a trainer. Let’s face it, even the top athletes have trainers to push them beyond boundaries they thought they couldn’t get past.

> ZANNA (THE CLIENT)

What do you look for in a trainer?

I look for someone who is experienced in the field, relatable and friendly. They need to be both supportive and authoritative – I need to be told what to do!

Are you looking for a friend or a boss?

Both. A friendship is necessary or you won’t be comfortable opening up to your PT and being honest about any slip ups. However, they also need to act like a boss so you feel driven to do what they say!

How many sessions did it take for you to know it was a good fit? (excuse the pun!)

Becca is my online trainer so I don’t train with her in person. However I knew we would work together after we met in person at an event and discussed our beliefs and approaches to fitness and nutrition. We agree on most things which is important to me. After our meeting we became friends before anything else… and from there I decided to ask her to be my coach.

What are the main things you were looking for?

I was looking for someone who could take the responsibility of my training and nutrition out of my hands. I have been handling my own for years and thought I would try out having a coach to see how I coped. I actually really like having someone else govern my food/exercise as if I decide on my own I am more flexible whereas I am more likely to stick to Becca’s recommendations.

How much should you rely on your trainer, and how much comes down to internal motivation?

I would say that it is 95% internal motivation as she trains me online. She isn’t there in person to make me train hard or eat well – I have to make these choices myself. I just check in with her once or twice a week to keep her up to date with my progress and make any changes to my program. However these updates and check ins keep me on track as I don’t want to let her down!