How to Choose the Right Personal Trainer

What should I look for when choosing a personal trainer?

When you start looking for a trainer, think about who they actually work with. My in person clients are a real mix. I have had eighteen year olds who have never stepped into a gym before, men and women from their twenties through to their forties and fifties trying to get stronger, leaner or fitter, and clients in their sixties who want to keep moving well and stay healthy. Some come to lose fat, some to build muscle, some are dealing with specific injuries, some are training for marathons and some just want

to feel better day to day. Online coaching is different. That suits people who already know their way around a gym and want a deeper approach to training and the twenty three hours outside the session. Mostly guys who want to look better with their top off, improve their running from five kilometres through to marathon distance and still have a social life and a beer without guilt.

Before most of these people came to me, the main thing they struggled with was never the gym. It was nutrition. They were either unsure how to eat for fat loss, or they could not stay consistent or accountable. They would train well for a week, then lose focus. Or they would start a diet that was too strict to stick to. It is the same with training intensity. A lot of people need someone to hold them to the sessions and make sure they are pushing themselves in a way that is safe but effective.

When people choose a trainer, they make the same mistakes again and again. The biggest one is going with the cheapest option. You get what you pay for. Anyone can count reps but not everyone can coach. You need someone who listens, adapts and genuinely gets behind you. A trainer can push you during the hour you are with them and give you support, but they cannot stop you eating more than you should. So you need someone who will actually care enough to keep you honest and walk you through the habits that matter.

What makes my approach different is the relationship. If a client cannot trust me enough to be upfront about what is going on outside the gym, then we will not make long term progress. As much as someone is a client, they are also someone I spend a lot of time with and communication has to go both ways. When things get tough, honesty is what moves things forward. A good trainer creates that space.

I have seen some great results over the years. One client lost more than two stone in three months before her wedding because she put in the work every single week. I have had clients who had never run before go on to complete half marathons and marathons within a year.

Others have stayed with me for three years and lost twenty five kilograms through steady, consistent effort. Not everything has to be a fast transformation. The long term ones matter just as much.

When it comes to qualifications, most courses do not prepare you for real clients. You learn by coaching real people with different abilities, different bodies and different lives. Workshops and in person courses on anatomy and biomechanics help, but the real learning comes from experience, not textbooks.

My philosophy is simple. Whatever works best for the client is the right approach. There is no magic diet or magic workout. If someone enjoys cereal for breakfast instead of eggs, that is fine. If a chocolate bar in the evening helps them stay on track overall, that is also fine. Moderation works for most people. Aim for around eighty percent solid choices and twenty percent relaxed. Adherence beats perfection every time.

When I meet someone for the first time, I look at their past training experience, any injuries, what they enjoyed before and what they want to focus on now. I start from where they actually are, not where I think they should be. That is the only way to build something sustainable.

There are also red flags to watch for when choosing a trainer. Avoid anyone pushing fad diets. Avoid anyone giving every client the same plan. Avoid anyone who ignores injuries or barely communicates during sessions. Look for someone who is real, consistent and committed to your progress, not their social media.

If you’re trying to decide who to work with, I want you to feel informed and reassured. Every trainer is different and every client is different. There is no one size fits all. The key is finding someone who understands your goals, gets your life, and is willing to adapt as you go. If you’re unsure or want some guidance, just send me a DM, a text, or a WhatsApp. I’m happy to chat and help you figure out the best approach for you.

When someone asks me this, I always tell them the same thing. Choosing a trainer is not about finding the loudest person in the gym or the one with the most polished videos online. It is about finding someone who genuinely fits what you need, where you are starting from and the life you are living outside your sessions. Let me walk you through how I explain this to clients.