6 critical questions to ask a PT or Gym before starting

Ok, so we’ve decided to get in shape! Congratulations on making that decision! After doing some Google research, you’ve found a few decent gyms and Personal Trainers in Adelaide worth checking out. Now comes the crucial question: how do you determine whom to trust with your number one asset – your health? At Fitness Enhancement Adelaide, we understand the significance of this decision and strive to provide you with the best possible fitness solutions for you and your family.

“How much?” is normally the first question, while certainly an important one, there’s actually far more important questions. Ones where the right answers will set you up for success and the wrong answers will set you up for failure, and potentially injury.

Here are the top questions to ask either the Gym, Trainer,  weight loss program or to ask yourself. The more questions you ask others and yourself, the more likely you are to find the right solution for you!

6 critical questions to ask a pt or gym before starting1. Are they insured, qualified and Fitness Australia registered?

This one should be a no brainer, but believe it or not we very rarely get asked this question. Most Trainers will be qualified from a 6 week course. However many won’t be registered with the Australian fitness industries governing body which is Fitness Australia. While this is not a legal requirement, you will find that all of the best Trainers and/or Gyms are registered. And Fitness Enhancement is one of the few to have ever won the industries top Gold Award, we’ve actually won it twice. If you wouldn’t trust your car with an unregistered mechanic, don’t trust your body with an unregistered Trainer or Gym!

2. What experience do you have with people like me?

Not all experience is created equal! You want a Trainer with experience and success in training people like you. If a Trainers main experience is body building or his website is full of pictures of people posing, and your goal isn’t to pack on 10kg plus of muscle, then you may find the Trainer or Gym can’t or won’t cater to your goals and needs. Check out our testimonials page to see if you can relate to the success our clients have had with us.

3. Do you overcome the problems I had last time?

Odds are you’ve tried a Gym, Trainer or weight loss program before. And if you’re searching for a new one, odds are the last one didn’t end well! So look at why you failed last time, or as we prefer to say, why did the Gym or Trainer fail you as the odds are that they overpromised and under delivered to you. Did you hate the exercise, the commitment needed, hate being judged, feel that it didn’t cater to your unique needs and that you were just another number Ensure the new place you start with can cater to your needs, you shouldn’t have to dramatically change your lifestyle to cater to their needs or restrictive program. Look at how they can overcome the problems you had last time both short term and long term.

6 critical questions to ask a pt or gym before starting4. Are they passionate?

Passion is an obvious one, if they don’t seem extremely passionate about your success when you’re thinking about joining; they probably won’t be too passionate once you’ve handed over your credit cards details! Being passionate, motivated and dedicated to you and your goals is critical. If you don’t get those vibes, don’t go there. And if you join a place that avoids helping you in the Gym, and couldn’t even be bothered calling you (but can be bothered charging you) when you don’t show for a few weeks, then cancel and find someone that is passionate about your success!

5. Do I click with you?

If you don’t click with a Trainer it simply makes the session unenjoyable. However the biggest issue is they probably can’t understand you, and if they can’t understand you, they can’t possibly give you the best session and results. How can an exercise obsessed Trainer who lives off supplements and posts pics of every workout on Facebook understand that you really don’t like being the centre of attention when exercising, and while you do want to be fit, you also live in the real world and still enjoy the odd burger or bit of chocolate? Our Trainers are fit and healthy, down to earth real people that you can easily relate to.

6. Can I see myself doing this each and every week?

This might sound obvious, but the number one reason people fail is that they quit. They quit because the program doesn’t suit their goals, there’s no motivation, they don’t like it, it takes too long and the list goes on and on. Getting in shape doesn’t have to be this hard! And it shouldn’t be some 12 week challenge that sees you desperate to quit and binge on week 13. Health, fitness and general wellbeing should be seen as a journey and not a destination. If you can’t realistically see yourself doing the same thing in a years’ time, or the program is unable to cater to the curveballs that life throws at you, then don’t start with something that will set you up for failure!

Remember, your health is your number one asset!  Don’t put that trust in the cheapest or the latest fad; take a look at what is best for you and your unique goals both short term and long term!

Fitness Enhancement covers 8 major cities in Australia, including Adelaide. Want to ask our Trainers any of these questions or any others you may have? Then give us a call on 1800 PT for U, that’s 1800 783 678 or fill out the free consultation form on our home page to book a chat with us.