The difference between a trainer and a good trainer

By Samuel Lee

For the last few years I have had the pleasure of talking to, meeting and working with trainers from many different places. Every single trainer I have met seems to have some personal style and opinion that shows in their work and the training prescriptions given to their clients. But what is the difference between a good trainer and just another trainer going through the motions?

When it comes to the difference between success and failure in sticking with a training routine I have seen the big difference maker for clients is flexibility in the trainer. For a lot of us the driving factor for getting into the business as a trainer is wanting to share our own success with fitness with other people. The down side to this is a large amount of the trainer population see the world through one training type. When we think “this worked for me so it should work for them too” we limit the amount of people we can connect with and ultimately help.

Clients come in the door in a wide range of shapes, sizes, personalities, abilities and end goals. Even just the average weight loss client can vary from person to person so much that no two training plans will ever look exactly the same. It requires more work and patience from the trainer but to the right one this extra mile is worth every step. Connecting with the client and determining lifestyle, habits, past failure and successes will allow your trainer to tailor a plan that works just for you.

At Elite Nutrition and Performance we believe that the trainer client relationship is not one to be taken lightly. With our help we create specific, timed goals that are realistic and manageable to ensure overall, long term success. We pride ourselves in developing lasting relationships with all of our clients with regular communication about program changes, progression and of course how much clients dislike what we put them through.

Even though we go to great lengths in order to appeal to as many people as possible there is still a chance that the trainers at ENP will not work for your personality. Choosing the person you work with for your training is one of the most important decisions you can make starting out. This person is going to be in charge of your program, responsible for your planning and for your overall confidence going into this new phase in your life. Look up reviews on the trainer you are thinking about hiring in order to gauge his or her past client relationships. Make sure the type of gym you are going to is going to mesh well with the type of long term goals you have. Finally just go in for a quick meet and greet in order to find out what kind of services they offer and use this opportunity to really interview the trainer to see if you two will really click!