What another busy week! We have just started a couple of new programs at the gym which is always exciting. One is a Mums and Bubs Fitness class for mums who want to exercise and bring their babies along. The other is a Mind, Exercise and Nutrition program for kids who are overweight which i think is great as we have far too many obese or overweight kids in our country and education really is the key.
What I want to talk about today though is a little bit of a rant (I try not to do this too often lol) and also a little bit of advice IMO (in my opinion) for those people out there who may be looking for a trainer to help them but aren't exactly sure what they are looking for.
My number one rule when looking for anyone who considers themselves a professional at their career is make sure they "walk the walk" and don't just "talk the talk". That is, they have to practise what they preach. Would you book an appointment with a hairdresser who had an awful haircut? Would you eat at a restaurant where the chef didn't eat his own food yet told you it was delicious? Probably not.
In the same respect would you hire a personal trainer who told you they could help you lose weight, get fit, gain muscle but were overweight, possessed no muscle tone themselves or had a poor level of fitness? I don't know about you but my answer would definitely be NO.
In my experience as a personal trainer, a lot of people believe the job simply entails spending the hour or however long the session may be telling other people what to do in order to achieve their health and fitness goals. For some trainers this may be the case but for me personal training isn't a job it has slowly but surely become a lifestyle. I think at some point that is only natural.
As I have said in previous posts, i believe to be a great personal trainer you have to have walked in your clients shoes so to speak. This doesn't mean you have to have struggled with weight like I have but it means you have to have been pushed out of your comfort zone, felt the physical pain, struggled with the mental challenges. You have to have had a goal and stuck to it despite all these things, committed to something and not given in till the results have come.
Lets be honest your clients shouldn't really look fitter, stronger and healthier than you do because at the end of the day- how is it that you can push a person towards their goal but can't push yourself anywhere near as hard?
Another annoyance would have to be trainers who post things on Facebook of all places about eating ice cream and chocolate etc. Don't get me wrong yes we are human and I know I indulge occasionally but don't put it all over social media and then turn around and try and tell your clients they can't eat the same thing! You as the trainer are supposed to be an example, a role model, someone to look up to. Don't just preach- PRACTISE WHAT YOU PREACH!
My advice to people looking for a good trainer is not to just go on price, or how many clients they have, or how intense a session may be. While these are all important factors I recommend looking for a trainer who doesn't just talk about the lifestyle, someone who actually lives and breathes it. Look for someone who pushes themselves just as hard if not harder than they push you, someone who doesn't just talk about eating clean and its benefits but actually does it (and trust me you can tell who these people are.) The good news is that most personal trainers are just like this, they live the lifestyle and love it- it's not just a job it's a passion. But just be aware that unfortunately there are some out there who simply should not be in the profession.
So there is my little rant/opinion on what to look for in a PT. As you guys know I take my job pretty seriously so hate to see people out there paying for trainers who are really not in it. If you are going to spend the money make it worth your while! In relation to this post I will be starting up a Facebook page very soon with pics of my own transformation (to prove I practise what I preach), plus links to this blog, motivational stuff, videos and more so watch this space!
Will try to get a fit FREAK up this week but as mentioned its been very crazy this week so if not this week next week for sure. In the meantime as always eat CLEAN, train MEAN and live LEAN :)
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