First choose a club
If you are a beginner and have not yet developed the habit of doing physical exercise on a regular basis, then it is better to buy a subscription to the gym that is close to either your home or work. It’s as convenient for you personally.
Motivation is like honey - if it is there, then it is immediately gone - and there is no need to build yourself unnecessary barriers on the way to a healthy and strong body. The longer it takes you to get to your gym, the more likely you are to quit. Therefore, first you need to decide on a sports club (or several in the area) and only then start choosing a coach.
If you are ready to follow a specific coach for an hour or two through traffic jams on the other side of the city, it means that you have already chosen your difficult cross and you are reading this text in vain.
Check your fitness trainer
Chatting with your coach in between sets, give him a mini-aptitude test - bring these five questions into the conversation:
Should I take sports nutrition/supplements? Correct answer: “No!” A good coach will not, under any circumstances, recommend something like that for at least the first six months. Very good - will never recommend anything other than regular multivitamins and omega-3 fats.
Will you show me our training program for the next month? Correct answer: “Yes, of course!” The main part of the work of a personal instructor is not to lead you from exercise to apparatus, but to plan future loads and analyze the work done. If he doesn't write anything down or plan his workouts ahead, that's a very bad sign.
Do you train yourself? Correct answer: “I exercise all the time, damn it!” A specialist who is truly passionate about his profession constantly works on himself, and exhaustively: before or after a 10-12-hour working day, when clients are not looking. This gives him additional energy for work and new methodological ideas, which he will be happy to share with you.
Can I chat with your other clients? Correct answer: “Of course!” The coach everyone is excited about will be only too happy to introduce you to all of them. Recommendations from former employers are also a point in his favor. If your interviewee is wary, he may not be able to show you even one of his fans.
What will I need for training? Correct answer: “Individual heart rate monitor” An experienced instructor has more than once revived his (or other people’s) visitors from fainting.
You can lose consciousness not only through his fault, but also through your own fault: for example, if you don’t tell him about your nervous breakdown or your new diet. The trainer is not a telepath, but from the pulse monitor he will immediately understand what level of load you will handle today. If, after looking at the readings after the first two or three approaches, he sends you home, leave without making a sound.
Look around
You are not obligated to choose a coach for yourself immediately after transferring your hard-earned money to the account of the sports club. Go a couple of times just to pedal or run on the track, look at the exercise machines and all the people you meet with badges. Then go to the website of this temple of pain and study the names and surnames. Look at their profiles on social networks, evaluate the coolness of their diplomas, certificates and the veracity of their sports regalia, in general, feel like a scout.
I promise, your next visit to the gym will be much more interesting. As for the regalia: we think there should be some. Reading about the coach, one should get the impression that he periodically improves his qualifications and in every possible way improves the level of coaching skills.
What is not the most important thing in the question “How to choose a personal trainer?”
- What you definitely shouldn’t focus on when choosing a personal trainer: awards, cups, titles, titles. Ok, well done, he achieved something, but who said that he could teach people this?
- We generally run away from performing athletes (especially dubious sports such as bikinis, physicists, fitness models, etc.). First of all, they have no time for you. The process of preparing for competitions is quite complex. It takes a lot of time and requires mental effort. And here you also need to think about your wards. Secondly, the training principle will most likely be “Do as I do, everything else is wrong. You can see my result.”
- Do not pay special attention to overly popular, “elite” and “vip” trainers. Hackwork! Same programs for everyone. Sometimes they train 3 people at a time. Although everyone paid for personal training.
- The more expensive the better, not always. You can pay 5000 or 1500 for a training session and still receive equivalent services. Therefore, the high “cost” of a coach is clearly not an indicator of his qualifications.
Summing up the topic “How to choose a trainer in the gym,” I would like to give one more piece of advice. Take your time: come to the first training session and watch the work of the trainers present.
- If he (she) sits on the phone for half the workout, and the student does the number of repetitions he was told.
- Most of the workout is spent chatting rather than doing exercises.
- If a muscle coach gives his players a workout as if it were his own, and their legs give way and the area turns white around their mouth.
This is definitely not the person who will help you achieve your goal efficiently and without harm to your health.
Fitness Life project trainers are professionals in their field. You can get acquainted with them on the page Our authors and trainers.
If you have already made a serious decision to train, then the training programs of our specialists will help you with this.
Author:
Julia Golyshak is a personal bodybuilding and fitness trainer.
Certified instructor in the direction of “Stretching and healthy back” Instagram: @julia_golyshak
Take a sample
Most likely, your membership includes a so-called free “introductory training”. Choose the coach who you like the most on a purely human level. If you are a lover of hardcore and quick results, then pay attention to the least “glossy” guy with a powerlifting or weightlifting background. Usually these are large people with a slight potbelly. They don’t praise them much, but they will definitely improve the technique of performing the basics.
If you are a person who wants to touch the abs, then choose that broad-shouldered guy with a beautiful hairstyle. He will definitely give it.
If you think that a female coach is a softer option, then you are mistaken. Usually, female trainers do not give permission, for fear of confirming the stereotype that girls are not demanding enough.
#7 Physical fitness
A very ambiguous criterion, but still you need to pay attention to it. If your future coach is in excellent shape , this may indirectly indicate that he does an excellent job with at least one client - himself. If not, this does not mean that you should refuse a coach.
There can be many reasons for a trainer’s poor physical shape - health problems, age-related decline in testosterone, a recent injury, a period of mass gain, an intensive schedule, etc. Many of them can seriously affect physical fitness, but they do not at all interfere with being a successful coach.
Look at the clients
You need those who have obviously been involved in hardware for a long time, but are still practicing under someone's careful supervision. Don’t be afraid to question him - everyone loves it when their opinion is asked. They are proud of a good trainer and advertise his services in every possible way.
The author of the text adapts to the barbell under the guidance of coach Alexander Kiselev. By the way, there is a separate heartfelt article from him about important lessons.
Choosing the right instructor
As soon as you enter the gym for the first time, you will immediately see the instructors' gaze directed at you. Each instructor immediately sees a new girl who does not understand fitness, whom he can direct to the path of truth (victim).
From my personal experience: from the very beginning of my visits, I was lucky to meet, as it later turned out, a very competent instructor who taught me how to properly work on the machines and perform various exercises.
Then, over the course of a month, instructors passing by me casually told me that I was doing something wrong. Each of them commented on the execution of the exercise in his own way, saying that each other advised incorrectly.
To be honest, it was funny for me to watch all this, their tackles were similar to the wedding dances of peacocks, when each of them tries to convince me that he is better than others in the hope of getting payment from me for his services. This happens not only to me, the instructors also court other clients of the gym in a similar way, I constantly observe this.
Be critical
Yes, it is important to trust the coach, but still filter his market. Read about training, talk to other enthusiasts. If you feel that you are being scammed into spending additional money (for example, on buying dietary supplements and sports nutrition), then this is a reason to be wary.
Over time, you yourself will understand whether you need protein shakes and pre-workout complexes; this is not a requirement for an amateur, but rather an indulgence and a reason to feel even more in the know.
Explain your problems to the instructor
Tell him everything. Not about a new boyfriend or a friend’s dress, but about your well-being, including mood swings, pain, sleep disturbances, and diet. Don't be embarrassed by awkward questions and never lie. Experts like to tell how girls secretly eat sweets and then make complaints against fitness instructors.
For example, something like this: “I plow like a horse, but there are zero results - are you a coach or who?” Keep your head up and try not to ruin your mentor’s efforts with buns and cakes. And if you snap, it’s better to honestly admit it right away. Otherwise, the instructor will begin to look for an error in the training regimen and redesign it again. As a result, small lies can lead to excessive stress and even injury.
Don't think that you are smarter than him. When you come to a yoga class, you don’t explain to the guru what you want and how he should practice with you? It's the same here. Get used to the idea - you are not a professional and, therefore, you cannot fully understand what you need. If you really want to, describe to him the figure of your dreams, but stop there and do what they tell you.
Be part of the process. Any, even a carefully developed personal program is still just an assumption. Only you can understand how well the coach got it right, and a good instructor will be happy to receive feedback from you. Just control yourself and don’t brush off every exercise you don’t like. Remember that you come to the gym to work, not to relax. Don't ask him for a nutrition program. Only a nutritionist has the right to develop it. The trainer can give general recommendations, explain what to eat with what, but this is not his responsibility and, by the way, not his professional competence.
No flirting, just business. Imagine this: you come to see a doctor and start flirting with him and hinting at continuing the relationship. Do you think he will treat you well? It's the same with the coach. So decide “on the shore” what is more important to you: flirting or your figure. At the same time, if suddenly you categorically do not like each other, open the article from the beginning and start looking for another companion. Only classes with world-class pros are worth the pain.
Go free swimming
If you listened carefully to your mentor and now have excellent technique for doing the exercises, then feel free to start training on your own. But Zozhnik advises taking additional “personal sessions” from time to time in order to get answers to the questions that arise and continue to progress.
Read on Zozhnik:
The most expensive fitness rooms in the world
Why thermal belts and wrapping with cling film are harmful
43 Little-Known Photos of Arnold Schwarzenegger
All daily diets and recipes with KBJU
Zozhnik Encyclopedia
#5 Personal qualities
If you don’t feel comfortable communicating with a coach, feel free to give him up. Trust and mutual understanding - the results of training with a fitness instructor will directly depend on all of this, and the right chemistry has the final say here.
Another important point is motivation . A coach that is too soft will not help you get the most out of your deadlift, while a coach that is too tough and demanding may even discourage you from coming to the gym. So after talking with the trainer, answer the main question for yourself - do you have an incentive to go to the gym? If yes, give the candidate a plus in karma. No - move on to the next one.
Able to competently design workouts
First of all, it means that many people have certain physical limitations due to injuries and health conditions. It is critically important to take into account this specificity in order not to harm the ward. In addition, the trainer must take into account the individual characteristics of the body (body type, lagging muscle groups, etc.) and be able to effectively apply various exercise techniques in search of the most suitable one.
How to speed up weight loss
To lose weight, a girl must not only work out in the gym, but also adjust her diet.
To do this, you need to follow these rules: It is important to create a small calorie deficit, give up simple carbohydrates, and maintain an ideal balance of proteins/fats/carbohydrates. For the last question, it is better to consult a nutritionist or use online calculators. Drinking regime should be observed
This will help speed up your metabolism and fat burning process. You need to avoid stress, normalize your daily routine, sleep at least 8 hours, give up bad habits. Girls can speed up weight loss with fat-burning supplements based on caffeine and L-carnitine. However, you should know that they are only effective with exercise and diet. In addition, dietary supplements may cause adverse reactions, so consult your doctor or experienced trainer before using them.
It is important to completely change your lifestyle to burn fat faster
Make inquiries
It is not difficult to find out how the coach you are interested in behaves with his students. It’s enough to start a conversation about him in the club’s locker room. Clients are usually happy to tell each other their impressions of the classes. Personal trainer Elena Kovylina suggested what exactly to ask the neighbors at the lockers: “The main thing is to find out whether the clients’ lifestyle has changed in any way after they began training with this instructor. If he couldn’t convince his players that to stay in shape you need to not only train three times a week, but also watch your diet, then he’s worthless.”
Where to look for a trainer
When choosing a professional instructor, start by choosing a fitness club.
Priority, the “rocking chair” closest to the house does not work here.
It may turn out to be a weak fitness club, where trainers change every month, and no one cares about their qualifications.
By choosing a “convenient” but undignified club, you risk working with a coach who will not only not help you develop, but will also undermine your health.
Millions of “broken” backs and spinal hernias are an example of this.
Therefore, do not try to save money on a fitness club.
Choose a reputable establishment, remembering to first read reviews about it on the Internet.
Moreover, buy one-time lessons at a couple of clubs you like, watch the instructors at work and ask the visitors’ opinions.
(Rules of etiquette)
You decide to go to the gym. Here are some rules of conduct during training.
Don't lift weights that you can't lift 10 to 12 times. For the first two months, work on technique with light to moderate weights.
If you are asked to provide backup, be sure to help the athlete. But if you're not sure you can help him lift that weight alone, let him know.
If a person practices in front of a mirror, in order to see that the exercise is performed correctly, do not block his view.
When training, do not use the machine for a long time. The exercise is performed for about 30 seconds, and then, while you rest, you can let another person do a set on this machine. Thus, three people can exercise at the same time on one simulator. After your approach, set the weight of the machine for the next person exercising.
If you need to work out on an already occupied barbell, then this can be done if the difference in weight between you and the other person is not large. If there is a large difference in training weights, it is better to ask the practitioner how many approaches he has left for this exercise. And wait for the bar to become free. It’s best not to cool off, but to perform sets of another exercise.
During the approach, the athlete fully concentrates on lifting the weight. At this moment there is no need to contact him with questions and conversation. Wait for him to finish his approach.
Before training, you should not “spray” yourself generously with perfume, cologne or deodorant. It still won't save you from sweat. And there may be people in the room who will find the smell of your perfume unpleasant.
Bring two towels with you to your workout. One for wiping the sweat off your face, the other for lining your workout bench. If a lot of your sweat remains on the bench during your approach, wipe it down for other exercisers.
After completing the approaches, put your equipment back in its place. Remove heavy weights from the apparatus. For example, after you, a girl may be training on a machine (lying leg press) and she will not be able to lift heavy 20-kilogram plates.
There is no need to distract people who are exercising with long conversations; people go to the gym to work out, not to chat about trifles. It's better to ask your question after training. When you receive a phone call, you don’t need to talk long and loudly on the phone. If the call is important, it is better to leave the room at this time.
When starting to do the exercise, keep a distance from other exercisers. Some exercises require a lot of free space.
Do not throw the barbell and handles of the exercise machine noisily; lower the implements smoothly, without noise. There is no need to shout while doing the exercises.
If you work out alone, then over time you can find a training partner in the gym. It will be best if the working weights of the shells are approximately the same.
