How to pick a personal trainer

Finding the right personal trainer shouldn’t be as gruelling as leg day.

Finding the right personal trainer is tricky. You want someone who’ll learn enough about you to motivate you, challenge you and advise you as you progress at the gym. This person can be the key to unlocking your individual fitness goals – but how do you know who they are? There are so many things to consider, from compatibility to cost, and there’s no one-size-fits-all approach. But it pays to shop around: according to one study, a good personal trainer can increase your fitness success rate by around thirty per cent.

We all want different qualities in a trainer, but here are a few common things to consider in your search so you can start getting active.

Oh, and don’t forget that AIA Vitality members can enjoy great offers on membership at our partner gyms: Anytime Fitness, Virgin Active and Fitness First. You can also earn AIA Vitality points for every workout, whether solo or with a trainer.

A personal trainer can help with everything from fitness and nutrition advice to holding you accountable and pushing you further.

According to Better Health, one of the first steps towards picking a personal trainer is making sure they’re qualified. Fortunately, this doesn’t require too much sweat: Fitness Australia hosts a nationwide online directory of registered fitness professionals. If you’re looking for a trainer through a large gym, you can be confident the gym has already done the vetting for you.

It’s also worth asking for a trainer’s qualifications. Think of it like recruiting a candidate – would you hire a pharmacist who didn’t study pharmacy? A yoga instructor who was never taught to teach yoga? The same applies with fitness: a registered personal trainer in Australia will have either a Certificate IV in fitness, a diploma in fitness or exercise science, or an undergraduate degree in human movement.

How do you know if you’re going to click with a trainer? Ask someone you trust for a referral. Online referrals and reviews are also helpful.

But if you’re going in on your own, it doesn’t hurt to be thorough and consider the things you want from a trainer. Better Health outlines a list of red flags you should always watch out for, such as trainers who don’t first ask about your goals, pressure clients into signing contracts during a first session, try to upsell products like dietary pills, or promise immediate results. (You should also look out for more obvious red flags, like trainers who seem uninterested or are out of shape).

Gauge your compatibility with a trainer by simply meeting them. Many trainers offer discounted or free trial sessions, and it’s worth taking advantage to make sure you get along and are on the same page about how to achieve your goals.

Not everyone is suited to the same activities, and different gyms offer different fitness options.

Thankfully, loads of gyms around Australia offer all types of equipment, classes, and training choices. As well as finding a gym with well-maintained, state-of-the-art equipment for you and your trainer to work with, look out for gyms that offer a little bit more. Virgin Active, for instance, has hundreds of group classes (including different types of Pilates and yoga) at their Melbourne and Sydney clubs. Fitness First offers high-level personal training as well as interesting fitness classes (dance school, anyone?). And Anytime Fitness provides personal training with the options to group up (for a little extra motivation) and even use a remote coach via their specialised workout app.

Of course, cost and convenience are important factors when considering which gym – and which trainer – is right for you. If you live in an area with only a few options, you might need to strike a compromise. Travelling a little further might meet your budget requirements, but who knows: you might also find that the right trainer for you is at the gym across the road.

Staff writers come from a range of backgrounds including health, wellbeing, music, tech, culture and the arts. They spend their time researching the latest data and trends in the health market to deliver up-to-date information, helping everyday Australians live healthier lives. This is general information only and is not intended as medical, health, nutritional or other advice. You should obtain professional advice from a medical or health practitioner in relation to your own personal circumstances. The information in this article is general information only and is not intended as medical, health, nutritional or other advice. You should obtain professional advice from a medical or health practitioner in relation to your own personal circumstances.

Disclaimer:
The information in this article is general information only and is not intended as financial, medical, health, nutritional, tax or other advice. It does not take into account any individual’s personal situation or needs. You should consider obtaining professional advice from a financial adviser and/or tax specialist, or medical or health practitioner, in relation to your own circumstances and before acting on this information.