Make Personal Training Personal — Tips from Dave Hansey, Douglasville Personal Trainer
Personal training should be JUST THAT — personal. If your trainer is not giving you a unique workout for you - then what exactly are they doing for you.
A great personal training routine starts with an analysis of YOU. What are your goals, your medical conditions, your specific weaknesses and strengths.
There is nothing that bothers me more in the gym than someone paying for personal training and not getting professional training. As a consumer, you should demand the following from your personal trainer:
1 - A unique workout to you — If they don’t make one and keep notes on you - they are shortchanging you
2 - A copy of your workout if you want — You should be able to get a written copy so if you need to or decide to “fly solo” for a while, you can.
3 - An analysis of your strengths, weaknesses and goals and a benchmark. This will usually be your weight, but also measurements (if you are comfortable with that), fat analysis and posture and movement analysis. This should also be a medical history. If you have high blood pressure or other chronic condition — IT IS CRITICAL you disclose that. A trainer that does not have you fill out a medical form is not professional. Here is why:
- A person with high blood pressure needs to have their workout adapted. They have a lower maximum heart rate which requires a different measurement than cardio machines provide. They also need to not do isometric exercises.
So really — there are so many great trainers out there and a lot of really “fly by night” ones so use these as guidelines to get the most personal training, results and safety for your money.
