If you are in Adelaide and need a great personal trainer or more information on general fitness and how we can help you, the easiest way to start is to simply call us on 08 8378 1379.

At our main studio location on Melbourne St, North Adelaide we also offer pilates reformer classes, spin classes, group personal training, results based nutrition, and a complete health and fitness solution to get you into the best shape of your life.

To help you get started and especially for those who are looking for a personal trainer for the first time, our personal training site has plenty of information and steps you can follow to make finding the right personal trainer for you a very simple process.

Before contacting a trainer and/or signing up for some sessions, here are some things you should be aware of, questions to ask, and a checklist of minimum requirements personal trainer should have. Even though most trainers will have these, don’t be afraid to ask your personal trainer to produce any of the appropriate documentation discussed below.

A Checklist For Finding The Right Personal Trainer

1. Is the personal trainer fully qualified and registered?

All trainers should have a minimum of Certificate 3 & 4 in Fitness, with Master Trainer qualification a bonus. A Diploma in Fitness or related health science qualification is not essential but highly desirable.

They should be registered with Fitness Australia or Recreation South Australia and also hold a current Senior First Aid Certificate (and complete refresher courses every 12 months) through St John Ambulance or a similar provider.

2. Is the personal trainer fully insured?

The two most common insurance providers for South Australian trainers are Marsh Australia (provided through Fitness Australia) and JLT Sport (provided through Recreation South Australia and Kinect Australia). Personal trainers should have a minimum of $10 Million Public Liability and $5 Million Professional Indemnity cover or preferably more.

3. How many years of training experience do they have?

Personal training is a booming industry and is filled with some fantastic trainers and also some very young and inexperienced ones too.

As a minimum, 2 to 3 years of training experience is a must (preferably more), through being a gym instructor, their own training or being a personal trainer is essential so they know how to help you and provide the expertise required to get you results.

Trainers will have different areas of expertise so it’s also important to find one that matches your requirements and can help you to reach your goal.

At times, a younger trainer will struggle to develop rapport with some clients who may be better suited to someone a little closer to their age and with more experience. While personality is hard to judge on an initial meeting, it will become very important as your training progresses so it’s crucial you find someone that fits yours as well. Although you trainer should remain professional at all times, the relationship you have with your trainer can become quite close, especially if you are considering doing multiple sessions per week.

4. Do they train regularly themselves?

The personal training industry is based on great service and presentation and it’s often easy to spot a personal trainer who is not practicing what they preach.

For some trainers, personal training can be just a job, as it can be a great lifestyle and relatively well paid if they have been in the industry for a while. But it is a lifestyle thing too, and your trainer should be a walking example of it.

5. What if any knowledge do they have on nutrition?

Without question, the most important component in any weight loss program is nutrition. It is often a difficult area for personal trainers to give their clients advice on as it is usually only general advice and not a complete picture. We have a complete nutritional package for all clients who use our service through our partnership with one of Australia’s leading dietitians and most well known nutritionists.

It is absolutely fine to ask a potential trainers these questions, and all of these things should be ticked off your list before commencing any training program.

Some Other Questions To Ask Your Trainer

Not only should you ask the above, but here are a few more questions your trainer should be able to answer with some degree of certainty. It should be noted here though, that not everyone will have the same results and will depend largely on the effort you put in with the right trainer.

1. How long should it take me to reach my goal?

A trainer can help you develop a plan for achieving your goal, whether it is the more common goal of losing weight, or to increase muscle size and overall weight. Make sure they are aware of your goals and how much you want to lose.

2. What other things can I do to reach my goal?

Your trainer should be able to provide home workouts including body weight programs you can do anywhere and also put together a workout schedule for you to follow which may include walking or running for example. Nutrition will also play a big role here and only you can put into practice all the good advice your trainer should be providing.

3. How long before I see results?

This can be a hard question to answer as individual results vary greatly. It will depend largely on the level of fitness at which you begin, how much weight you have to lose (or gain), and how committed you are to achieving your goals.

4. How often should I see a personal trainer?

Again, this will be very specific to each person and follows on from questions 1-3. If you are new to exercise and really need assistance with technique you should be prepared to train 2-3 times per week for 10-12. Once you feel more confident and competent training on your own, perhaps consider reducing your training frequency to 1-2 times per week for ongoing maintenance and retain your trainer for continued motivation.

5. What is the cancellation policy?

This will vary from trainer to trainer but expect most to follow the industry standard, which is generally 24 hours notice for any cancellations otherwise your session may be forfeited. Personal trainers while providing a service are also running a business, usually their own, and similar to appointments made with related health practitioners like physiotherapists, chiropractors, etc, notice must be given in advance.

6. What is the cost of sessions and can I buy them in blocks?

Most trainers will offer a single rate per session, blocks of 5, 10, 20 or more, and will be dependent on their individual price structure. Generally, the more sessions you purchase, the more cost effective it should be, as will be the case if you train with a friend or in a small group.

Sessions should also be offered in 30, 45 and 60 minute options to suit each client and individual requirements.

Remember, even though the trainer has all the training experience that you would ultimately like to learn for yourself, you are in the position of deciding what suits you and your schedule, not theirs, so be a little fussy when choosing your trainer.

7. Where will our sessions take place?

Sessions will generally take place in a studio or outdoors, or a combination of both. If your trainer is predominantly based outdoors, an important question to ask is where the sessions will take place in bad weather or as is the case often in Adelaide during summer, extreme heat.

While there are no doubt many more, these are some excellent questions to begin with and should put you well on the way to finding the right personal trainer for you.

Visit our Locations page for a list of available personal trainers in your area.