Last week I was chatting to one of my newer clients, she told me that the first time she had come into Bodyfix she sat in her car and hyperventilated at the thought of walking through the door, it took her driving away and home 5 times before she finally got up the confidence to walk through that door!. She was fearful.. frightened of what she would find on the other side, that she would be judged, that people would be mean to her, that there would be only ‘meatheads’! After her visit and signing up she walked out the door with a smile that would make a Cheshire jealous!
Her experience is so similar to so many people! There is often a fear, a stigma to coming into a gym. For some people the fear is mixed with insecurity as well as desperation. They know they want to make some positive changes to their life, they know they don’t feel well in general, they hear the stories of improved wellness and health thanks to exercise, and most often they think they need to exercise only because they want to lose weight. But the desire to change is outweighed by fear, fear of injury, fear of looking stupid… and quite often fear of change. Or a perception that the gym would be full of ‘Grunters’ – A person who lifts extreme weights and grunts very loudly!
You know you need to exercise, there are a million reasons why…. Improved bone density, it helps you sleep, it gives you more energy, it helps your memory, it helps with stress, it improves posture, it makes it easier to run after your kids! It slows down wrinkles, you’ll live longer… I could go on ….. you know what else though it gives you confidence! However choosing the right trainer and gym is important for so many reasons, the relationship that you have with the people you see at the gym, the staff and most importantly with your trainer is key to you enjoying the process and wanting to come back. Lets face it, often we have to sacrifice something to go to the gym it could be more sleep, financial, time with loved ones, time at work, so you know what you need to enjoy their company and most importantly get the results that you need and want!
So here is my top tips for choosing your trainer and gym.
- Do your homework. As a trainer I find the best kind of new client is one who is referred by another client. Ask your friends and family if they can recommend anyone. Similarly do any of friends and family or work colleagues rave about a gym? Ask around.
- Try before you buy, any gym worth its weight on gold will offer a 7 day pass, try it out, if you don’t love it in 7 days, move on and try another one.
- Find your tribe- one of the reasons I love working at Bodyfix gym is because each trainer offers something different. We all have different specialities and different personalities, talk to different trainers and go with the one that feels best and makes you feel confident and welcome! The relationship between a client and a trainer is one of huge trust. It’s a particularly personal relationship, you need to be able to share the good the bad the ugly. The right trainer will become one of your biggest champions, supporters, mentors and councillor…. Make sure you choose someone who ‘gets you’!
- First Impressions count- If you are not made to feel welcome as soon as you walk through the door the first time turn around and walk out. Trust me the right gym for you will make you feel welcome from the time you open that door!
- Is the gym too busy/ too quiet/ too dirty etc for your liking? Pop in for a look around at peak times, or at times you want to train… this will give you the feeling of what it feels like when you are working out.
- Does the Gym have quality equipment? – Be wary of the cheapest out there, there is a reason it’s the cheapest! Remember you truly do get what you pay for!!
So there you go, top tips to help you make that choice, so you can walk through the door and improve your health and wellness! I don’t care how many times that you drive around the car park, I care that you open the door and walk through!