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Personal training in Durham

How to Choose a Personal Trainer in Durham

Durham has plenty of personal trainers and no shortage of gyms to find them in. That is good news and a problem, because picking the wrong one costs you money and, worse, a few months of your motivation. Here is what to look for, from a PT who works here.

Written by Ashton Alderson  ·  Personal Trainer & Online Coach, Durham & Newcastle

01Start with the gym, not the trainer

A PT works out of a gym, and you will need to be a member of it. So before anything else: is it somewhere you will actually go? Parking if you are driving in from Chester-le-Street, Bishop Auckland or Spennymoor. Opening hours that fit your work. A free weights area you would not feel on display in. I train at UltraFlex Durham because it has all three, and I explain the membership side on that page so there are no surprises.

02Check they are qualified

A recognised personal training qualification at minimum. Ask. Nobody with a real one minds. Then ask what else they know: nutrition, women's training, anything that matters to your goal. Six years as an Occupational Therapist in mental health is part of how I coach, and it is on my about page where anyone can check it.

03Ask how they programme

The difference between a PT and a workout buddy is a plan. Ask what a typical programme looks like for someone with your goal, how often it changes, and how they track progress. You want to hear about the weights going up over time, not "we mix it up so you never get bored". Bored is not the risk. Doing the same random session for a year is.

04Ask what happens with food

For fat loss or building muscle, food is more than half of the result. A PT who coaches sessions and says nothing about nutrition is doing half the job. A PT who hands you a 1,200 calorie meal plan is doing the wrong job. What you want is targets that fit your life and get adjusted as you go, with no food guilt attached. Here is how I think about fat loss if you want to check my working.

05Look for women's goals as the specialism

If you want glutes, shape and strength, you want a coach who programmes that on purpose. If you are in your 40s or 50s, you want one who understands what perimenopause does to training and recovery. If you have a cycle, you want a plan that accounts for it rather than one that makes you feel like you failed in the last week of every month. Ask directly whether they coach women as the main thing they do.

06Have a consultation before you pay anything

A good PT will meet you first, for free, and talk about your goal and your week before selling you anything. If the first contact is a price list, walk on. On my consultation there is no script and no pressure; you see the gym, we talk, and you decide afterwards.

07Understand the pricing

Durham PTs charge by the session, blocks work out cheaper, and training with a friend costs less again. I have written up honest local prices here so you know what a fair number looks like before you ask.

Questions to take to the first meeting

• What qualifications do you have?
• What would my programme look like, and how often would it change?
• How do you handle nutrition?
• Do you mainly coach women? What goals?
• How do you track progress?
• What does the gym membership cost on top?
• Can I train with a friend?

If you would like to put those questions to me, here is how personal training in Durham works with me, and the free consultation is where you ask them. If Newcastle is closer, I also coach at Hii Club Gosforth.

Questions people ask

Do I need to be a member of the gym my PT uses?

Usually, yes. Ask before you book, and ask what membership costs. I train at UltraFlex Durham and I explain the membership side on my Durham page.

Should I choose a female personal trainer?

If you would feel more comfortable, yes, and for a lot of women that is the thing that gets them through the door. Beyond comfort, choose on how they programme and whether they coach women's goals as the specialism.

How many sessions a week do I need?

Two is the sweet spot for most people to learn the lifts and see progress. One works if you are training on your own in between and the PT is happy to programme for it.