Blog Why you should only work with a Certified Personal Trainer

With the personal training and the fitness industry at an all-time high, finding a personal trainer is becoming easier and easier for those looking to shake up or pick up their fitness regimes and see real results, fast.
However, as hundreds of certified personal trainers qualify each year, scarily, the same number of unqualified trainers enter the fitness world and work with hundreds of unsuspecting clients.
Some clients are now becoming much more savvy before parting with their cash and trusting their new trainer. Researching trainers on the internet and asking more questions regarding professional experience, qualifications and often references are not uncommon in today’s customer driven world, along with Police Checks or a Disclosure Scotland check locally here in Edinburgh.
So, for those considering working with a personal trainer, take a look at the reasons a professional certification is a must have and be wary of cheap personal trainers, like everything in life, you get what you pay for, and working with a certified professional personal trainer with a wealth of experience to draw on, isn’t and shouldn’t be cheap.
Expertise
Certified personal trainers are experts in the field of fitness. They are dedicated and possess practical and expert knowledge on different kinds of situations, body types, nutrition and lifestyle. It would be impossible for a regular fitness fan to match the expertise of a certified trainer.
Clients should make a habit of asking personal trainers for their qualifications before embarking on a business relationship. Gyms also require proof of a recognised qualification before allowing trainers to work in their club and qualifications must be kept up to date each year.
Technical Assistance
An expert certified personal trainer will keep a constant watch on exercise techniques and patterns, and provide guidance for maximum effectiveness and results. If you play a particular sport, the right personal trainer can help you improve your skill by showing you new and specific training techniques based on your sport of choice. The trainer will incorporate skills training into your program so you improve not only your strength and endurance, but your agility and mental focus.
Simply having experience of using gym equipment on a personal level or participating in regular sports activities, does not provide this in-depth knowledge to be able to prescribe appropriate programs for clients. A client can often see through this during the initial consultation stage and if in doubt, push back.
Motivation
One of the main reasons people benefit from a certified personal trainer is that they lack the motivation to stick to a consistent exercise program on their own, without the commitment to a trainer. A certified personal trainer provides structure, accountability, and motivation that encourages a healthy and fit lifestyle. For those that aren’t professional qualified, humour and a few words of wisdom will only get you so far, before your clients begin to get demotivated and lose faith in you and their own abilities.
Efficiency
A certified personal trainer focuses on results, putting an end to inefficient workouts. Those with a reputable qualification will have efficient processes, plans and strategies to help clients achieve maximum results in minimal time. Not everyone is a good planner, but those that are educated in doing so are the ones that will succeed, and the ones clients will recommend to others.
Break Through Plateaus
Clients working with inexperienced or unqualified personal trainers can often find that they hit a wall, and the routine they have been doing for months is no longer having an effect. This is where the one-trick ponies are weeded out from the real experts. A certified personal trainer has the know-how to recognise when a client need variety, and can break out of the routine to maximise results. Clients that don’t see results don’t and shouldn’t stick around for too long!
If you’re considering becoming a qualified Personal Trainer, ensure you use a recognised certifying body, such as REP’s. Clients, beware and ask, ask, ask!
For more information on selecting a certified personal trainer or for an informal discussion about your own training needs, please get in touch via www.masterpersonaltraining.co.uk We have over 9 years of professional personal training experience and are fully REPS’s registered, certified and insured, offering you the safest and most experienced personal training experience possible.