When I first started personal training, the majority
of my clients didn’t tell their friends that they had a trainer. Back then, in the late ‘90s, early 00’s, it
was still seen as something that only “rich” people did, along with having a
cleaner and owning a nice car. And most
of my clients didn’t want to be associated with that stereotype.
Things have changed a great deal since then. It is no longer the luxury of the upper
classes to employ a cleaner, for example; in many households, there are two
incomes which not only financially allows the family to use outside cleaning
services, but it has also become something of a necessity. If a couple is working long hours, 5 or 6
days a week, who is at home to hoover up or wash the floors? Many households have a decent car or two as
well; whereas people used to live within their means, there is now a credit
culture which, if well-managed, can work very well and create more
opportunities.
And so the same goes for having a trainer. It is still classed by many as a “luxury” but
it is no longer a taboo. Personal
training has evolved so much that it also no longer needs to be something that
is difficult to afford. A few thoughts
spring to mind when I mull over subject:
- Your health is not something that you can buy. It is not a luxury that you should invest in if you find yourself with some extra cash. Your health is essential to your quality of life – not something to either be scrimped on or ignored
- A cleaner will clean your home. A car will get you from A to B – you just need to drive it. Employing a personal trainer, on the other hand, will not automatically transform you into a beautifully honed athlete. You get out what you put it in, physically and mentally
- Having a trainer does not mean that you have to sign away a significant amount of money per month for the rest of your life. Most good trainers will work closely with you at first, but encourage you to learn how to manage your own health so that input from your trainer becomes just a monthly visit, if that
- Gone are the days when personal training meant endless jumping jacks and push ups, with your trainer standing over you screaming instructions and pushing you to work harder. A good trainer will teach you about balance – how to push yourself at certain times and take it easy at others. This is how you maintain a healthy, low stress lifestyle
- Trainers are not just for helping you lose weight. Experienced trainers will often have other areas of expertise, such as injury rehab, Pilates or yoga. They discuss with you how to get the best from your sessions – it becomes a partnership, rather than a drill sergeant versus scared participant scenario!
A good trainer genuinely wants to help you to lead the
healthiest, happiest life possible. This
is certainly the goal for David and me at TR balance.
Do feel free to drop us an email with any questions to
find out how we can help you: info@trbalance.com
