With the lockdown around the world, we saw a stream of online training, online classes, LIVE workouts, online everything! From yoga to barre and especially HIIT! Now that we are slowly easing back to our new society and you’ve been thinking of hitting the gym again or even getting a PT to level up your fitness goals. I’ve come up with a list things to look out for in PT.

Disclaimer: because we all have to be so PC these days.  I’ve been training and coaching gymnastic and fitness related things, strength training,HIIT, barbell, kettlebell work and group classes for the past 7 years. These are my opinion.

1: A PT should make you feel like you have work hard based on your ability every session. Some days we may not feel 101% in the gym but the PT have made you feel like a win just by showing  up for a session every time. You know what you’re doing the gym. You may not feel like going to the gym but a PT should make you feel like damn thank god I didn’t cancel after every gym session.

2: You’re new in the gym and you don’t know what to do in the gym.

A gym can be intimidating  with people slamming weights and them walking around with their bulging muscles huge headphones around their head looking like they got their shit together. (Truth is no one does)

Get a PT who can coach you, explain the different equipment from free weights to machine etc. So in the future you want to be just as confident to hit the gym on your own and plan a routine for yourself.

3: Learn to understand how YOUR body works and how to engage muscles intended for the exercise

If you’re leaving the gym not knowing what exercise you just did, what machine you just use, what weights you just picked up. And you were basically spoon fed the entire time and you’re ok with it. That’s on you. But a PT should be able to teach you things that can be transferred to long term training goals. The PT is there to teach you, guide you, motivate you, be the guiding light not pick up the dumbbells for u and ask u to do how many reps to do and you’re tired, the work is done. No it’s not.

4: Watch for technique and form

Anyone can throw you a program and nutrition guide and ask you to do it. But the goal of having a PT is to create a training program based on your specific goals and twigging your nutrition according to your lifestyle and dietary needs not just when to eat or what to eat. It has to work for you and your individual style. Sure, I can eat chicken and broccoli everyday to be ‘clean-eating’. But is it sustainable? I don’t think so…

a PT shouldn’t be afraid to tell you to be realistic with your goals and help you even outside of the 1 hour session you guys have together. Magic don’t happen just by hitting the gym once a week.

5: Prevent injuries.

Relating back to my point no.3 if you don’t know how to use your body with the different restrictions you have such as tight shoulders, tight hamstrings, ACL tear, post-surgeries etc. A PT is there to create a special program that will fit into your needs not the other way round. If you have tight hips, let’s look how your ankles are doing, or your knees are doing. You’re a flat foot? Ok, let’s be more aware with the way you walk and the way you press our feet on the ground when we are deadlifting etc.

In conclusion,

PT is expensive.

But think of a PT as a fitness and wellness encyclopedia not a dictionary. She/He is not here to tell you to squat but how and why you squat. When your PT can answer your questions, make sense and assist you in your end goal. She/He is a good trainer. Get a trainer when you’re ready to commit to a new lifestyle change be it weight loss goals or just getting stronger or even learning a new skill. 2020 took a major turn so let’s not waste anymore time!