If you're just getting started on a new fitness journey, or have hit a plateau in your current gym floor routine, our team of expert Personal Trainers are here to help you reach your goals.
If you haven't worked with a Personal Trainer before, you may be unsure of what to expect. So let's bust the mental image of drill-seargant type trainers bellowing at you through a megaphone. It's not the movies.
Our personal training sessions are all about careful planning, measurement and motivating you to get to where you want to be.
Planning Your Goals With Your Personal Trainer
We have personal trainers for hire at all Village clubs. And they all work the Village way... the SMART way.
When it comes to planning what you want to achieve, we'll encourage you to plan SMART.
Specific, to your own lifestyle, ambitions and preferences.
Measurable, so that we always have stats to keep track of (e.g pounds lost, weight lifted, time taken to run 5k)
Achievable, because if you pick something unachievable then you'll very quickly lose motivation. We'll help you plan targets we know you can reach.
Realistic, similar to the above, though based on what is do-able for your lifestyle. We know you have a life, so your personal training sessions should become a part of it... not take over it! We'll plan your workouts around your other life commitments.
Timescale. It's easy to sit at home and say, 'I'll go tomorrow', though if we have a timescale in which to achieve success, you'll be more motivated to stick to your plan. Sometimes picking a holiday or an event in your life to work towards can be more motivating than simply saying 'I'll get there in twelve weeks'. Picture how you want to look and feel at that friend's wedding, that long-awaited beach holiday or the marathon you've just signed up for!
What Can Personal Training Achieve?
If your body is capable of it, we'll achieve it!
Trying to lose weight? Speak to us about smart food swaps and calorie tracking to help you adopt a healthier diet.We'll design a fitness programme based on fat-burning workouts and cardio to help you blitz calories.
Ready to improve your strength? We'll train you to lift more, for longer. Strength training is fast becoming popular as a way of toning the whole body. We'll create an exercise plan that focusses on increasing muscle strength and endurance.
Preparing for an running event? We'll get you ready to perform to your absolute best! Regular cardio exercise will help improve lung function, and your ability to run for longer. Strength training will improve the key muscles you use to run, and we'll also work on your posture, to reduce fatigue, back pain and help you to run faster!
Village Gym Blackpool member Clara lost 4 stone with the help of Personal Trainer Emily.
Post and Ante Natal Personal Training
If you're preparing for childbirth or have just welcomed a new addition to your family, you may need some help maintaining a safe and effective fitness regime.
Our Personal Trainers are experienced in post and ante natal training, and will ensure that any exercises you perform are done safely to avoid causing you (or your bump!) any discomfort.
We've helped many members reduce back pain, increase upper body strength and achieve weight loss with post and ate natal training techniques.
Read Paria's story of postnatal Personal Training success, at Village Gym Watford.
Personal Training For Couples
A couple that weighs together, stays together!
Grab your significant other and enjoy a Personal Training session together, for added motivation towards your individual goals. Great for couples about to tie the knot, or besties on a joint weight loss mission. You'll get all the expertise of your PT, plus the motivational boost of working out with your favourite friend!
What Questions Should I Ask My PT?
To answer this question, we asked the PT's themselves...
"There are no right or wrong questions to ask, so pick your Personal Trainer's brains and find out whatever you need to know. If you have any injuries or health issues, we need to know about them, so ask us how we can modify certain exercises to avoid injury or discomfort." (Jane, Personal Trainer at Village Gym Edinburgh)
"Find out about the personal training success stories your Personal Trainer has achieved with other clients. This will give you an idea on what they are like to work with and the results they are capable of achieving. Don't be afraid to ask about actual measurable results such as body fat, weight loss, running distances or strength performance." (Rachael, Village Gym Hull Personal Trainer)
"If you have a hectic lifestyle or family committments, ask your PT how you can best incorporate your training plan into your other life priorities. Knowing how to make your fitness plan a part of your lifestyle means you are more likely to stick at it than consider it to be a chore." (Andy, Village Gym Blackpool Personal Trainer)
Can Older People Benefit From Personal Training?
Definitely! In fact, many of our more senior members meet with their Personal Trainer regularly, in order to stay active and ensure they're exercising safely.
Your Personal Trainer will design a programme that can help ease back pain, stiff joints and help to make everyday movements such as bending and reaching much easier.
Members over a certain age have found that Personal Training has helped to relieve problems with sluggish digestion, joint pain, asthma, arthritis, osteoporosis, neck pain and sleeping difficulties.
What Makes A Great Personal Trainer?
A great Personal Trainer is friendly, experienced, fully qualified and a natural motivator.
Village Gym PTs are experts in their field, and qualified in a number of specialisms incuding exercise for older adults, post & ante natal exercise, lower back pain treatment, exercise for obesity & diabetes, plus many of our trainers also teach a variety of fitness classes.
You'll want to work with a Personal Trainer who gives you their full, undivided attention. Not someone who stands by the treadmill for 30 minutes staring at their smartphone. We don't want to watch you work out, we want to watch you smash your goals!
Choose a Personal Trainer that makes you enjoy your workout. Have a nosey around the gym floor at other members with their trainers, and go for the one whose clients are smiling!
How Will My Personal Trainer Motivate Me?
When working with a Personal Trainer at any of our health and fitness clubs, you'll receive one to one support. We'll create a programme that's tailored specifically to your goals and your ability, so you'll feel confident about achieving results and motivated to get there.
We find that members stay motivated when they see their progression, so we'll regularly measure, track, assess and modify your plan to keep your body performing to it's best and the results showing.
We like to think that your personal training sessions will be fun! We'll do our very best to ensure you find your workouts challenging yet enjoyable. So you'll come back for more! There's no better motivation than fun!
How To Choose The Right Personal Trainer
Everyone is different and finding the right trainer for you can be tricky. Here’s some tips to help you make the right choice:
Check their credentials and qualifications.
A good PT will be able to share this with you without question. There is a plethora of fitness qualifications on the market, so just check that they have the relevant level of expertise to suit your needs.
Good PT’s will have a level 3 diploma in personal training which they will have completed after spending some time as a level 2 coach. This means not only do they invest in their own development (and this benefits you as the client) but also that they have the experience of walking the gym floor and dealing with clients from all walks of life.
Ask about their experience.
Certification is great but knowing that they have experience of working an area specific to what you require is also a bonus. Perhaps you are a budding sportsman/woman and this trainer has previously worked with athletes?
Perhaps they have worked with injuries similar to yours? Reputation – have they been recommended to you? Coming from people you trust and respect this can also be a good indicator that this trainer could be the one for you.
See them in action.
Watch them working with another client. Do you like their approach? They may have a calm approach to training and be seen quietly working with clients with traditional techniques.
On the opposite end of the scale they may be very upbeat, motivational coaches who move clients around different areas of the gym using a multitude of new kit and techniques.
Although PTs can adjust approaches to suit the client when required, noticing their normal way of working is a great way to see if they may be right for you.
Check their schedule.
Are they available at times that seem suitable to you? Many of the best trainers are booked months ahead at peak times, so it’s best to check what times can work for you both before making that commitment.
Remember, you may think that you can adjust to work around the trainer initially but you have to maintain a routine long term and you don’t need the extra pressure. Start with a great routine you can make work around your busy life and you will be more likely to keep it up!
If you're ready to get started, book a consultation with our Personal Training team and let's get you on track towards smashing your fitness goals!
