We hold to these truths to be self-evident that not all personal trainers are the same. Like in all professions, there are specific expertise and I will do my best to parse them out for you. I tried to paint with a broad brush to get as many professionals as possible. 

General personal trainers – These professionals are  typically the base. They are who you think of when you think of personal trainers. I suggest them to the general public looking to transform their bodies. They will typically perform a general physical assessment and offer a workout plan suited to your skills and needs for a determined time. They typically work one-on-one but can accommodate two or three clients per session. The workouts are usually tailored specifically to a client or group’s needs. You can typically contact them through your local gym or online.

Fitness instructors – Fitness instructors are a more specific branch of the personal trainer family tree. They typically offer group courses such as spinning, yoga, or movement classes. Although they don’t offer one-on-one clients can ask questions and they are typically well-positioned to give a specific response. Independent fitness instructors typically offer their courses in studios, school gyms, or private gyms; while affiliated instructors are typically at your local public gym. Independent instructors  often bundle courses together, so they will have a set price for a set number of courses; for example 1 course for 15$ or 3 courses for $40 and you can attend any 3 courses. You can usually attend affiliated coaches courses based on your gym membership. Some gyms will have different types of memberships that will allow you to attend the courses. These courses are fun  ways to build a community, make friends, and go on your journey together.

Bodybuilding coaches – These coaches are more specific to the sport of bodybuilding. Although bodybuilding looks simple, I can assure you that it isn’t. If you decide to compete in a bodybuilding competition you would have to dial in your body to the point of perfection for your class or category. Each category has a look it prioritizes and these coaches can help get you as close as possible to what the judges are looking for. They typically master muscle isolation; believe it or not, the way we hold the bar, angle our feet, or even where we are looking can target a different part of our muscles. Some bodybuilding coaches can also double as dieticians since what you eat does affect what your body looks like come competition day. I would suggest these coaches to those of you bold enough to participate in a bodybuilding competition and want to put your best foot forward. 

Strength and conditioning coaches – These coaches are typically targeting peak athletic performance. They are typically involved in all different sorts of athletix (I had to). Athletes typically work with these coaches in their offseason to prepare them for their season so they can perform at their best. Athletes typically want to get bigger, faster, and stronger and these coaches will help them achieve this balance. S&C coaches implement a mix of training techniques to elicit a specific adaptation. I would suggest these coaches to athletes or people targeting a specific performance for a specific date.

Skills coaches – Often former athletes, these coaches usually work with current athletes to help them develop their skills. They will typically set up different drills and exercises to help evolve their client’s skills and ultimately help improve their performance in the chosen sport. These coaches typically get their expertise from having participated in the sport and attending numerous coaching clinics to stay up to date with the latest evolutions in the sport. These coaches can offer one-on-one coaching as well as group coaching options. As a former athlete, I trained with skills coaches and was better for it.

All of these coaches bring different expertise to the table for their specific clients. They continue to educate themselves to better serve their athletes and clients. I hope you found the type of coach you are looking for. Let me know which type of trainer you are looking for.

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