How to find the best personal trainer for you: a complete guide to getting the best personal trainer to help you reach your goals.
As briefly as possible, I am going to outline this process. It’s mostly 3 important steps.
- Think about what you want
- Do research on personal trainers or strength coaches near you
- Reach out to potential trainers you are interested and see what new options you have
Of course there are a few more steps in this, but that will get you 90% of the way there.
Think About What You Want
I know this sounds obvious. You’re probably like, “Kathryn I know what I want.”
But I really want you to sit down and think about what you want, guilt free. Not what you are expected to want, not what you wanted last year, but what you genuinely want right now. As you changed, your goals can change. You might think the world wants one particular thing for you but let that roll off your back.
What do YOU want now?
If you’re having trouble with this, I want you to answer these questions as selfishly as possible:
How do I want to feel? Is that any different than I feel right now?
Why is this important to me? What does it open up for me? Is it increase self-confidence? Is it ability to do a physical activity I want? Pickleball? Sports with the kids? Feel like a babe at the beach?
Also think about what you want as far as your schedule? Do you want to run a couple days a week? Do you enjoy lifting? Do you want to try out a new gym that you’ve seen while driving around town?
I have occasionally have clients who just cannot answer any of these questions because they’re not used to being honest about what they actually want. That makes me really sad because you get to choose what you want for your body.
Do Research on Personal Trainers Near You
Make use of google, ChatGPT, Reddit if that’s your thing. Look around town and see who has genuinely happy clients. Google “personal trainer Austin” or “Austin personal trainer” or “Kathryn Alexander personal trainer” 😉
Here is an important caveat: I want you to be open minded. I want you to know you do not have to train with someone who looks like you. Many trainers are very muscular, and you are not in danger of looking like that unless you try really, really hard.
Those people can probably actually help you a lot,even if your goal is to gain just a little bit of muscle.
It’s totally OK if as a woman you want a female personal trainer or if you have a preference either way. But I want you to know plenty of male trainers can help women and female trainers can help men.
I’ve trained many male and female clients much stronger than me. I’ve helped people put on more muscle than I’ve put on.
Remember, you’re still going to do the work. A smart experienced trainer just helps you avoid the mistakes, helps you structure your program so that is going to be effective and not waste time.
Lots of people can help you do that. They don’t have to look exactly like you to be able to help you do that. Remember, once you find the best personal trainer for you, they’ll help you reach your goals, not theirs.
Reach Out to Potential Trainers
Reach out to these trainers and set up an appointment to talk to them about what you want. Let them tell you their options. Personal trainers are getting very creative these days with how they can help you.
For example, the training app I use, TrainHeroic, allows me to do really great hybrid training. I have clients who drive in a long way to see me once or twice a month. I have others who see me three times a week in a group setting. I have some who see me one on one.
Those are obviously all different price points and different levels of involvement. You might not need anything except for a little push and a little structure. You might also need both your hands held for a good couple months. Totally depends on you.
As you talk to a potential trainer, note how responsive they are, how available they are and if they genuinely seem interested in helping you. You can ask if they have trained people with similar goals.
You can ask if you feel like they could help you. An honest trainer will tell you when they cannot. For example, I am not a bodybuilding coach. If someone wants to compete in bodybuilding, I know that they can find a coach that’s a better match for them. Ask me, I’ll give you referrals and help you find the best personal trainer for you.
Choose Your Trainer
From here, you just use your gut and choose a trainer you like. If your schedule lines up, and you believe they can help you, then it’s GO TIME!
If you’d like to talk to me about training, message me, and let’s talk about your goals! I am a personal trainer in Austin, Texas, but I can work with people all over the world. Let’s discuss if that works for you.
I can’t wait to hear about your success stories as you get on the path toward your goals!
About the author
Kathryn Alexander is a strength coach and personal trainer in Austin, Texas. She loves hiking, college football, and the feel of a perfectly knurled barbell. Read more about Kathryn here.
