A personal training studio is hugely beneficial for most people, despite its intimidating and sometimes overwhelming connotations. However, finding the right studio and trainer for you, one that makes you feel comfortable can make things even easier to motivate yourself and discipline yourself to work harder.
You must find an exercise that you enjoy and stick to it. Whether that be walking, cycling, swimming, yoga or playing sports. Believe it or not, not all fit and healthy people lift weights.
Despite this, lifting weights is the best way to develop the entire body and focus on controlled fitness. A team of professional weightlifting and fitness trainers will share the following tips to help you make the best decision:
Why should you choose a personal training studio?
There are two primary benefits to choosing to train in a gym or studio: you have access to all three fitness disciples as well as expert trainers.
At most training studios, you have the option to use cardiovascular-based exercise machines such as exercise bikes and treadmills as well as strength training equipment like weights. On top of this, studios often provide group classes for various exercises, age groups and fitness levels.
It is normal to feel anxious about exercising in public for the first time; this is often the biggest reason people don’t exercise. If you find a studio that fits you, your goals and your personality, the embarrassment of starting will fade.
One way of finding out if a training studio will work for you is to observe the existing clients and staff. Are you comfortable exercising alongside them? Are the staff members friendly?
Keep in mind that a personal trainer that works for someone else might not work for you; large studios work for some, but they can be impersonal and smaller studios can cater for more inexperienced members.
Every studio will be different, so don’t be upset if you’re not comfortable in the first place you try.
The studio space
It is important that the studio’s floors are neat, and organised and that the equipment isn’t damaged. You should check the quality of equipment and machines to ensure they are fit for use. All equipment should be clean and well-maintained.
If you want to use the machines available, it is best if there is a wide variety to choose from. You should also be able to easily understand the charts and instructions that come with the machine, so you do not injure yourself when exercising.
On top of this, the studio’s trainers should be available to help you operate machines and equipment as well as advise correcting techniques during exercises.
Instructors and trainers
One of the key parts of your experience in a studio is the trainers. When you hire a trainer, you are paying for their experience and qualifications.
Either on a website or displayed in some way at the studio itself, trainers’ credentials will be shown. You want a trainer who not only has their fitness qualifications but one that has shown passion and has invested time and effort into gaining experience outside their qualifications.
Costs and contracts
Every personal training studio will have different membership fees that account for what services and durations they have on offer. This also means that the contracts will vary.
It is important to look out for centres that are a ‘Fitness Australia Recognised Provider’. If you’re unsure about this, you can find lists of registered fitness studios easily.
There are certain codes of practice that studios are required to follow. Again, these codes may vary depending on your location, but most studios should include:
- Registered staff that are fitness professionals
- Staff that are qualified in first aid and CPR
- Liability and professional indemnity insurance that is there if you harm yourself
- A questionnaire that assesses your risk level when participating in the services they offer
- Members of longer than three months must receive a seven-day cooling-off period
Ensuring that a studio has a good reputation is well established before you commit to a contract is important. Signing a contract should not be taken lightly as they can often be difficult to get out of.
Some other things you should look out for in your contract are whether they include:
- Car parking
- Storage lockers
- Reciprocal agreements with other studios
- The ability to put your membership on hold if you are ill
- The ability to easily cancel if you move
Try the studio before you sign up
Many fitness and training studios offer one-off visits for a low price of a free guest pass so you can try the centre, its services and facilities before committing to a contract.
If you decide to try this, be sure you try the centre at a time you would typically visit to ensure you understand the popularity of the time. This also gives you the time to check the parking, members, services and staff. Hygiene and ventilation are also important factors when testing a studio.
If you are still unsure after testing a few studios, it might be best to try single month memberships to see how you feel in the longer-term.
Exercising should be enjoyable, so you should find a studio that facilitates fun when staff that create a positive experience and environment for clients.
If you feel comfortable in the studio and excited to exercise you will know you have found the right space.
