A bad personal trainer doesn’t just waste your money. They waste your Tuesdays. Central London has no shortage of PTs, so here’s how to spot one.
Spot the warning signs
- They’re watching the clock. You’re mid-set and they’re counting down to their next client.
- Everyone gets the same workout. Your goals, your knees and your week, all ignored in one printout.
- Burpees as punishment. If feeling sick is the measure of a good session, something’s gone wrong.
- No plan, no tracking. If they can’t tell you what you lifted last week, they’re guessing.
- They’re selling you shakes. Usually with a code for 10% off.
What it really costs
- Time. Months of turning up without moving forward.
- Motivation. Nothing kills it faster than no results.
- Your body. Bad form, coached badly, catches up with you.
And no PT at all?
Training on your own is great, and many people do it brilliantly. The catch is the guesswork: a stranger’s programme off YouTube, or laps of the gym looking for an empty bench. Even a few sessions with a good coach give you a plan you can take away and run with.
A good coach gets you further, faster, and keeps you there.
Train with a coach who’s paying attention.
One-to-one at Fitness First on the Strand, Covent Garden.