Here’s some tips on deciding which fitness professional might be right for you.

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Note* Links to my past posts on coaches vs. personal trainers & Exercise vs. Training. You can see more of those in the articles section or my Instagram feed.

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HIRE A PERSONAL TRAINER AT YOUR LOCAL GYM IF:

1.You’re new to the gym and you want to experience a wide variety of exercise. PT’s are fantastic to get you started and learn about the variety of different classes and pieces of equipment your gym has.

2.You struggle with motivation. They are some of the best people to push you through a workout several times a week. They’ll cheer you on and get you to the next rep.

3.You want a programme that varies constantly so you don’t get bored. Side note* Nothing wrong with this, if it is the thing that keeps you from being totally sedentary. Although I’ve found much value in my kind of training what I think is more important is to positively encourage anyone who is starting to exercise again, irrespective of what they’ve found that works for them. 

HIRE A COACH AT A GYM CLOSE TO YOU IF:

1.You’ve found the type of training you like, from cycling to swimming to strength training and now you want to make real progress within it.

2.You’re an athlete that wants/needs to improve performance. Coaches will specifically enhance your athletic ability. So as a coach I don’t exercise athletes because that already happens when they practice their sport. BUT I do strength train them to be faster and more powerful.

Final note - some PT’s are coaches! As I say in the story feed on the Instagram post for this article, these terms are used interchangeably. The best ones have something in common, they are easy to talk to and get results. So if in doubt ask your local fit pro for guidance. OR drop me an email if you’re stuck and need help.