It’s easy to forget that it was only 15 years ago that personal training was not considered to be a serious career for people from a sports background.
When I started training in my local gym there were no personal trainers. At that time there was only the gym owner and an assistant to help members such as myself when we trained, took classes or needed a protein shake.
People were certainly asking for professional advice at my gym, though this advice tended to come from the gym owner or from other members.
Over the past 10 years of training clients in London I have accumulated a great deal of knowledge about personal training, but also as to why people engage the services of a personal trainer in the first place.
In this vein I would say that, for the benefit of clients, personal trainers:
Encourage a positive and engaged outlook for lifelong health and fitness.
Inject a technical focus into a workout.
Are a positive and engaging presence on the gym floor and to train with.
Have the required expertise to train safely and properly.
Inject a technical focus into a workout (my clients tend to mention my sports background, which they believe offers specific value with regard to fitness and strength-building).
Correct poor posture and strengthen the core.
Help the person training to follow a fitness lifestyle through a measured and sustainable gym routine.
Bring extra motivation for the person concerned to be dynamic and positive in their wider outlook.
Have a better understanding as to the benefits of health and fitness.
Add value through the building of a relationship with a supportive gym ally.
Play a vital role on the road to physical recovery, particularly following injury.
Have a wealth of experience to bring to fitness training, which also offers additional benefits away from the gym floor.
As alluded to above, all people are unique and have different needs. But in principle, if you are considering the benefits of engaging the services of a reputable personal trainer, take the time to consider what you will get out of the relationship and what your investment of time and money will deliver.
That way your relationship with your chosen personal trainer will be a successful one.
Julien