A personal trainer can be the best person to guide you in your quest for fitness. Achieving fitness goals is not so easy and you might get confused and frustrated if you do not have an expert showing you the way forward. Moreover, a trainer can become a friend for life, given his priceless contribution to your fitness and health. But unfortunately, not all relationships between trainers and clients can be everlasting.
Given that you are paying a substantial amount of money to avail the services of a trainer, you must ensure that you get full value for your money. Your relationship with your trainer is a bit more complex than a simple professional commitment, because it involves trust and interpersonal dynamics. So, if the following problems keep persisting, it may be a good idea to terminate the contract with your trainer.
1. Commitment to your cause. You can judge how far your trainer is serious about your efforts to get fit, quite easily. If he cancels training sessions and is also late quite often, a good guess is that he is only interested in his paycheck. Talk it over to find out any possible and valid causes behind this, but if there are none, you know what to do.
2. Professional courtesy. Even though you have face to face sessions, your trainer should return your calls and answer your emails. It goes to show how much he values you as a client. Allow him a response time, but beyond that start looking for other options.
3. Undivided attention. Since you are paying him a handsome amount, this is the least you can expect. But if he is too busy taking calls on his cell or fails to give you prompt answers to your queries, you have every right to feel ignored. There might be interruptions, but they should definitely not be chronic.
4. Two-way communication. The best trainers encourage your feedback regarding their methods. They constantly strive to better their personal training techniques and are all ears for what you have to say. They also clarify your doubts patiently and never dismiss anything out of hand. If your trainer does not have any of these qualities, moving on would be the wise thing to do. True experts love to share their knowledge and do not make anyone feel ignorant.
5. Prescribing supplements. Trainers who are more interested to sell supplements rather than training you, are best dispensed with, particularly if those supplements are of questionable quality or are uncertified by proper authorities.
6. Chalk and cheese. Though, you and your trainer need not be compatible enough for a walk down the aisle, diametrically opposite personalities can be a big hindrance. If you like your trainer as person, you are more receptive to his ideas and methods. Just the opposite happens when you do not appreciate him at all.
7. Complex rather than inspiration. If you fell overwhelmed in the presence of your trainer, you’ll never learn from him. Your trainer might possess the perfect physique and personality, something which gives you an inferiority complex instead of inspiration. Though it is his fault, you might do better to get someone with whom you can relate better.
Most of these problems can be solved by dialogue. But if they are not, get a new trainer!
The author is a Chino boot camp instructor and has the background to tell you about good and bad trainers.
A great Upland personal trainer can help you get into amazing shape, and look your best.
