Contrary to popular belief, personal training isn’t about barking orders like a Drill Sergeant, thank the lord. Nope, it’s about breaking down barriers to help you achieve your personal goals through motivation, expert knowledge and goals. With the help of Nuffield Health personal trainer Stephen Macconville, here are 5 IDEAL ways a personal trainer gets you fit faster.
A CONSTANT POINT OF CONTACT
PTs provide a constant point of contact to motivate, inspire and support you. Whatever your questions, goals or concerns, they will provide an educated and qualified answer to help you move forward successfully. And having a PT is a great way to make sure you get out the door in the first place, as most people feel more of a sense of responsibility to attend the gym if they have booked an appointment with one.
THE HEALTH MOT
PTs are not only qualified fitness professionals; they also undertake additional clinical training in order to assess your overall health and wellbeing (if you’re up for that, of course). A key part of this is the Health MOT, which measures key information like your body mass index (BMI), resting heart rate, sugar levels and blood pressure. These are then used to give you a ‘Health Score’ with the objective being to increase this Health Score during your time as a member of a gym or programme. A repeat Health MOT every three months will help track your wellbeing progress. If there isn’t an improvement, your PT will be able to assess why and help you get back on track.
A TAILORED AND EVOLVING PROGRAMME
A PT will consider your lifestyle, any injuries you may have or any concerns about your physical health, all before developing a programme to suit your life. You can reassess your programme at any time if you feel like you’re getting bored or you’d like to challenge yourself more. This ever-evolving aspect can be a superb motivator in your fitness journey.
EXERCISING THE RIGHT WAY
Your form when exercising can have a huge effect on how effective that exercise is and also on your safety. The worst thing you can do is copy what other people are doing in the gym because, after all, who is to say that they know what they are doing? They may also be performing exercises specific to their own requirements that don’t match with your own.
A PT will set a programme that is tailored to you and ensure you perform the exercises correctly. They will also get you using fitness equipment you wouldn’t necessarily use, broadening your scope for improvement and perhaps giving some unloved muscles the attention they’re craving.
CLEVER MOTIVATION
People often struggle with motivation after the first few weeks in a gym but your PT will help you set achievable goals for each stage of your training. One of the most common mistakes people make is setting their overall goal without also setting mini-goals along the way.
But achieving these mini-goals spurs you on as you continue your training and will make you more likely to succeed. Your PT will be able to break down your goals and monitor your progress along the way, offering helpful advice if you’re falling behind and lavishing you with praise if you’re doing well. Lovely stuff and essential to a fulfilling, successful fitness journey.
