4 Reasons to Fire your Trainer

Category: Trainer Tips / Training Tips

Wondering if your trainer is the right fit? Is it time to fire your trainer? Here are four things to lookout for.

Hiring a trainer is a big investment so I want to make sure you get the most out of it. 

Becoming a Certified Personal Trainer does not take much, you take a few courses and pass an exam. Therefore, there is a huge variety of knowledge levels out there. 

There are brand new trainers with little experience and then there are fitness professionals with a lot of additional education, certifications, experience, and knowledge. It is important to find yourself a trainer that works for you. Someone who you trust and motivates you to be your best self. 

It is important to look for trainers with experience and additional certifications especially if you have an injury or disability that may require additional attention and knowledge.

Here are a few things to help you recognize good versus not so good:

1. They Never Give You Progressions or Regressions

Muscles need to be challenged, if your trainer is not giving you progressions for exercises such as increasing the amount of weight you use or increasing the number of repetitions that you do over time, you will likely not be improving. 

Instead of progressing, seeing results, and getting closer to your goal, you will hit a plateau. A plateau is when you continue to do exercises or workouts, but you reach a place where the progress that you make gets smaller and smaller, and you stop seeing improvements in your strength and/or fitness.

Your trainer should also be knowledgeable enough to know when you might need a regression. There are plenty of factors in your day-to-day life that your trainer should consider. 

They should always consider your specific injury or disability but there are also things such as: other strenuous activities in your schedule, the temperature, how your body feels that day etc. that must be taken into account. As trainers, we want to challenge you, but we do not want to make you lay in bed for the next three days due to soreness.

2.They Never Change Your Routine

Having a workout routine is great, but our bodies learn to adapt, so in order to keep challenging yourself and continue your improvements you need to change up your routine every 4-6 weeks. Your trainer should be changing up your routine, either by teaching you new exercises, changing up the tempo, or even small changes such as adding variations to an exercise to keep your body guessing and constantly improving whether that is in strength, coordination, balance etc.

If you have been doing the same routine with your trainer for months to years you will very likely hit a plateau where you will slowly stop seeing results even though you are putting in the work. 

This is also why it is important to continuously see a trainer. It can be easy to assume that you can book in with a trainer once or twice and learn the routine and then continue to do the work on your own. I understand it is an investment, but this is an investment in yourself, your body and health. 

I am not saying you have to book sessions with a trainer 3 times per week, but if you are good at doing the routine on your own, be sure to see your trainer every 4-6 weeks so that they can change up your routine. If they don’t, it is time to find a new trainer! Meet the team at Ocean Rehab and Fitness.

3. They Never Explain the Purpose Behind an Exercise

When you are doing an exercise, how often does your trainer explain to you why you are doing this specific exercise? Every exercise that you do should have a purpose, otherwise there is no reason to be doing it. 

When a trainer explains the purpose of the exercise to you, it shows that they planned your routine, they know what you need to work on and how to help you. It shows that they are knowledgeable and have considered you specifically rather than giving you a generic one size fits all workout routine. 

In addition, understanding the purpose of an exercise can be motivating! To know and understand how it helps you will drive you to want to do it better and more often.

4. They Do Not Aim to Make You Self-Sufficient 

Good trainers educate you. They want you to understand your body so that you can continue to exercise and be active on your own. Your trainer should want you to be self-sufficient and have the ability to insert exercise and healthy habits into all parts of your life. They should not want you to rely on your trainer for a lifetime even if that means they will eventually lose business. 

Good trainers aim to motivate you to live a healthy, active lifestyle. They want the best for you now and in the long run. 

“You give a man a fish, he will eat for a day. You teach a man to fish; he will eat for a lifetime.” 

If your trainer does not believe in making you self-sufficient, they are only working for the money rather than your well-being.

Is it time to fire your trainer and move on to someone with more knowledge? Good luck on your search for the right match.

It is important to find a trainer that works well with you. Be picky! Find one that understands your specific needs. If you have an injury or disability you need a trainer with specific knowledge. Meet the team and find your trainer at Ocean Rehab and Fitness. 

Best,

Natalia