Why an investment is a Personal Trainer is the best investment you will ever make

Top ten reasons you should invest in a Personal Trainer

Before we get into the fun stuff let’s get one thing straight, this is not a sales pitch or a strategy to increase our client-base at Ritual HQ. This is my attempt at explaining why we have the jobs, the qualifications and the passion that we do. And why – if you have significant fitness/body/health goals – a coach could quite possibly be the best investment you ever make. 

I often have people give up on their gym program due to time, money, lack of motivation, or a combination of the three. These people are never the clients who have invested in regular one-on-one coaching.

Why…?

Here are ten reasons why you should invest in a coach.

1.     It’s all about what you know: We are highly qualified and have committed time to this process. So often we see people start out at the gym and they don’t want a program. They just want to come along and “do stuff’” with no real direction or understanding of how to get the results they came for. As trainers, we have invested time learning how to get results, how to train the body and how to program accordingly. We actually know shit. I can’t speak for all trainers, but I know my team at Ritual HQ continue to invest in their education and growth so that their toolbox is continually evolving for you. 

RHQ Trainers Walk the Talk.
They train, the invest in their own coach and
many of them also compete professionally.

2.     Feedback is your friend: We are going to look at your body (and not in a creepy kind of way, promise), which allows us to work out exactly what you need to do to get healthier. With all of my female clients in particular, I can see if I need to chat to them about alcohol consumption, hormones, nutrition, sleep or stress, just by looking at their body shape and distribution of body fat. Then, if the need arises, I will have an honest and open conversation about lifestyle changes that could be made to support the training this client is taking on. You won’t get this by simply joining a gym, starting out on the treadmill and popping into a few classes.

3.     Fail to plan, plan to fail: A coach is going to map out your training week with you. They are going to show you exactly when to train, what to train, at what intensity and how often. This will actually save you time. Rather than just coming in and smashing out random classes and wondering how long to stay for, you will have a specific training plan designed to suit you. Now you just have to follow it.

4.     Accountability is key: Having a coach means you are committing to an appointment that you must show up for. How often have you not gone to the gym because you got busy, tired, hungry, distracted…and the list goes on? You have made a commitment not just to yourself, but also another human who wants to help you. If this is with one of my coaches at RHQ, they won’t just let you cancel if something comes up, they will insist on a reschedule. This is part of our commitment to long-term success for our clients.

5.     To keep you on the straight and narrow: You will have specific goals that are measurable and achievable. A coach will help you set achievable and realistic goals. If we turn a blind eye to clients with unrealistic goals, we are not serving them like we should, and they won’t last long. Our job as coaches is to manage these expectations, set realistic goals and then measure the progress. And most importantly, help our clients to acknowledge and celebrate that progress!

6.     Injuries won’t keep you down: We can help you manage injuries. So many people don’t embark on any kind of fitness journey because they have an injury and don’t know how to train with or around it. There aren’t many injuries we can’t work with, and if we are unsure about the best way forward we will take the time to research and learn so we can help you. Using an injury as a reason not to train is just another excuse that can be removed from your list of objections. Instead, invest in a coach who has experience with programming around your injury. You can thank me later for this one.

Injuries can be managed with the help of a Coach

7.     What you get out is all about what you put in: If you join a gym and then plan on training off the donut you ate on your way there, this one definitely applies to you. We can help you work out what to eat and when to eat it. Most coaches have some form of nutritional qualification alongside their coaching qualification. If needed, we can work together with an appropriate dietician or nutritionist to maximise your eating plan. Working with a coach, you will learn how to fuel your training, recover properly and grow lean muscle. We can give you the planning and structure you need, because you can’t just wing it.

8.     Qualified advice from qualified professionals: If you were sick, would you go to your mate down the road for advice and medication? If you wanted to be a surgeon, would you just pick up a book and try to figure it out? If you wanted a massage, like a proper one, would you just ask your partner to do it (well you might – but you might also get more than you bargained for!)? So if you wouldn’t get unqualified advice for these things, why would you get your mate to help you in the gym, tell you what to eat or teach you how to squat? I can’t say this enough, but we legitimately know our shit. If someone wants to learn to squat for instance, there is a lot involved. Please don’t ask your mate to show you. Get a qualified coach, who walks the talk and have them teach you how to do this properly. Why? So you can squat to depth, safely and effectively.

9.     Get to know the basics: If you want to get stronger, increase lean muscle or lose body fat, at some stage it’s important you learn how to perform the three foundational exercises that are fundamental to all training – squat, bench and deadlift. Please do not attempt these without some coaching and advice. Coaching avoids injury. Simple.

10. Your success is our success: Lastly, but certainly not least, we actually care about you. We want you to live a strong, happy and healthy life. We are going to fight for you, believe in you and stalk you when you lose motivation. If you embark on a training program alone, you miss out on this beautiful partnership. You don’t get to experience what it feels like to have another human fight for your success.