Personal Training

New Semi Private Personal Training in Austin, Texas!

April 2, 2025 by Kathryn Alexander

Hey there! I am happy to announce new semi-private personal training, live in Austin, Texas!

semi private personal training Austin Texas — New semi private personal training by Kathryn Alexander (Alexander Training) in Austin, Texas!

I have had some small group training going steadily for years, and my clients are seeing great results! They are getting stronger, leaner, and making friends in the process of sweating together.

They’re doing so great that they’re bringing their own friends, and more and more people are getting in on the training.

Because of that, I have opened new hours for groups of up to 4 clients at a time. This means you’ll still get custom plans tailored to your goals, and eyes on your training form and intensity.

What is Semi Private Personal Training?

Semi-private personal training is small group training. In this case, it is up to 4 clients. You have to rest when you’re strength training, so we do an “I go, you go” method, which means you lift the weight that is for you. When you are resting, your training partner lifts. We adjust the weights between lifters so you’re doing what’s appropriate for your ability.

This method allows several people to be training together at a time, without decreasing effort or results.

Does Semi-Private Personal Training Work?

Yes! Semi-private training is great for people who thrive in a group or social atmosphere. Now, don’t get it wrong: you have to put in the work for yourself. But having a coach and accountability buddies built in? That’s a recipe for success!

How Does Semi-Private Personal Training Work?

Inherently, some exercises require more instruction. Some exercises are easy to do on your own once you’ve had a little bit of instruction.

We do a full body training, but we do have a particular goal each session. We might do a more technical lift, or a lift that you need a spot for. In that case, I am with you during your lift.

You might superset that with a less technical lift that you are comfortable doing on your own, or stretches that you need, while you are resting.

It takes planning, but that’s my job! I’ll do the planning; you do the lifting!

We meet at Big Tex Gym, in Austin, Texas.

How Do I Join? Tell Me More!

Want to see if semi-private training is a good step for you? Send me a message here, and we’ll get on the phone or meet to discuss your goals and the best plan for you!

About the author

Kathryn Alexander is a strength coach and personal trainer in Austin, Texas. She loves hiking, college football, and the feel of a perfectly knurled barbell. Read more about Kathryn here.

Benefits of Online Personal Training: How it Can Help You

April 30, 2024 by Kathryn Alexander

The rise of online personal training has revolutionized the fitness industry, offering convenience, flexibility, and personalized guidance like never before. In this article, I aim to explore the numerous benefits of online personal training, highlighting how it can help you achieve your strength fitness goals more effectively and efficiently.

With just a few clicks, you can now access world-class trainers, cutting-edge workouts, and personalized guidance from the comfort of your own home. This unprecedented accessibility has opened doors to a new era of training, where convenience, flexibility, and individualization are within reach for everyone.

And I do mean everyone! Online personal training can work for you!

a happy client: benefits of online personal training, from trainer Kathryn Alexander (Austin, Texas) — A message from a happy online personal training client of mine (Alexander Training)

Convenience Redefined

In today’s fast-paced world, convenience is king, and online personal training is a fantastic “new” way to access a coach and training program that works for you. Let’s explore how this innovative approach to fitness has redefined convenience in three significant ways.

Accessing Workouts and Guidance Anywhere, Anytime

Gone are the days of being tied to a specific location or schedule for your workouts. With online personal training, you have the freedom to access workouts and guidance from anywhere with an internet connection. And sometimes even without!

The app I use, Train Heroic, logs data offline so you can use it even in an untethered location. Whether you’re at home, traveling for work, or on vacation, all you need is a laptop, tablet, or smartphone to connect with your trainer. This level of accessibility ensures that fitness remains a priority, no matter where life takes you.

I have clients message me from all over so that we can modify their training as they travel. They simply send me a video or pictures of the facilities they can access, and I design their program from there.

Technology really facilitates great online personal training opportunities!

location flexibility, a huge benefit of online personal training

This page goes into more detail about how I use Train Heroic with my clients, in case you’d like more info about the training process.

Eliminating the Need for Commuting

One of the most significant conveniences offered by online personal training is the elimination of the need to commute to a gym. Say goodbye to rush hour traffic, crowded parking lots, and wasted time spent traveling to and from the gym.

Seriously, yall – I live in Austin, and still 80% of my online clients are from Austin too. This traffic’s a problem – but online training fixes it.

With online training, your workout space becomes wherever you choose it to be – whether it’s your living room, backyard, or a local park. By removing this barrier, online personal training saves precious time and energy, allowing you to focus more on your workouts and less on logistics.

Related: How to find the best online personal trainer. It’s a task worth spending some time on, so read here for actionable tips!

Flexibility in Scheduling

Busy schedules are no longer an excuse for skipping workouts with online personal training. Unlike traditional gym appointments, which require scheduling and may not always align with your availability, online training offers unmatched flexibility in scheduling workouts.

Truly, I only have five 7 am and 5 pm weekday time slots, though these times work for so many people. Remote training allows you to have the time you need with the training that is made for you.

Whether you’re an early riser who prefers morning workouts or a night owl who prefers to exercise after work, online personal training accommodates your schedule, allowing you to choose the time that works best for you. This flexibility empowers you to prioritize their fitness goals without compromising other aspects of your busy life.

Personalized Guidance and Support

The best training plan for you is the one made for you. Many plans might work, but personalized guidance and support are the cornerstones of success. Online personal training goes above and beyond in delivering tailored solutions that cater to the your specific needs and goals.

Customized Workout Plans

Good online personal trainers excel in creating customized workout plans that are specifically tailored to individual goals, preferences, and fitness levels, and equipment availability. By conducting thorough assessments and consultations, I learn each client’s objectives, exercise history, injury status, and any other relevant factors.

From here, I design a comprehensive training program that addresses your needs while also considering their preferences and limitations. Whether the goal is weight loss, muscle gain, strength improvement, or overall health improvement, the workout plan is created to optimize your results with the time you have available.

Ongoing Personalized Support and Accountability

One of the key advantages of online personal training is the continuous support and accountability offered by trainers throughout the fitness journey. Through regular check-ins, progress tracking, and adjustments to the training program, I ensure that my clients remain on the right path toward their goals.

I encourage my clients to give me feedback on each session either through the app, so I can see each specific exercise, or just via messaging me. This way I can answer specific questions like how much weight to use or how many reps to do.

We also do zoom or phone check ins to ensure we are on the right path in the big picture. Check-ins provide opportunities for clients to discuss their progress, share any concerns, big wins, or challenges.

I LIVE for happy feedback from my clients. I screenshot every happy note I get. I don’t even need calories to live on – I need happy people!

support and accountability, some of the many benefits of online personal training

Online Personal Training is Cost Effective

Online personal training offers a compelling value proposition compared to traditional in-person training, providing numerous benefits at a fraction of the cost. Let’s explore the cost-effectiveness of online personal training in three key aspects:

Comparing Cost to Traditional In-Person Training

Online training can be a great budget win, as it is less expensive than tradition in-person personal training. One on one in-person training is going to be the most expensive training option, simply because it takes so much time, both during preparation and in the session.

Online personal training will still be custom written professionally, but is a fraction of the cost.

This difference in pricing makes online training a more accessible option for individuals looking to invest in their fitness without breaking the bank.

Eliminating the Need for Gym Memberships and Equipment

In theory, you can save money from gym memberships, but I sure never saved money from having a home gym LOL.

You can absolutely do a lot of work at home with just a few different sized weights (either dumbbells or kettlebells) and bands. Many of my clients do this, saving time on commuting and monthly membership fees.

Don’t say I didn’t warn you though, when you want to keep buying more for your home gym. I get some equipment discounts, so let me know when you are ready to buy.

Package Deals and Discounts on Online Personal Training

Some online personal trainers offer package deals or discounts to make their services more accessible and affordable to a wider audience. Additionally, trainers may run special promotions or offer seasonal discounts.

I offer a hybrid in-person and online training rate so that I can see clients twice monthly, and still write all their other training sessions. Many of my clients love this because we can see each other in person, but they do save money on monthly fees.

Here are all the personal training programs I offer. Please message me if you have questions about which is best for you.

Online Training Offers Flexibility in Training Options

Online personal training offers so so many training options that cater to specific needs, preferences and goals of individuals, providing unparalleled flexibility and customization in fitness programming. Let’s delve into the various training options available through online platforms and how they empower individuals to tailor their fitness journey to suit their specific needs:

Variety of Training Options

Online platforms offer a wide range of training options to accommodate different preferences and goals. These options may include:

Custom written individualized Sessions: This is what I do most of. In this case, clients opt for sessions written for them, receiving personalized attention, guidance, and support tailored to their goals and needs.
Pre-designed Workout Plans: I also write training programs that are not custom, but are written for a specific goal. One is The Home Team Training, which is written for people who exercise at home. One is called The Garage Squad, which is written for people who want to use a full gym. Finally, I have a beginner’s program which helps people start in a gym, and one written for people who travel often, so it fits many gyms. These allow you to follow independently at your pace. These plans include detailed workouts, instructional videos, and progress tracking tools so that you don’t have to commit your numbers to memory.

Exploring Different Fitness Modalities and Trainers

One of the key advantages of online training is the ability to explore different fitness modalities and trainers to find what works best for you. With a vast array of trainers and programs available online, individuals have the freedom to experiment with different approaches, styles, and methodologies to discover the one that resonates most with their goals and preferences.

Whether you’re interested in strength training, endurance training, yoga, CrossFit, or functional fitness, there’s a trainer and program out there to suit your needs.

Specialized Programs Tailored to Specific Goals

Online platforms also offer specialized programs tailored to specific goals or needs, such as weight loss, strength training, sports performance, injury rehabilitation, or prenatal fitness. These programs are designed by experienced trainers with expertise in their respective areas, incorporating evidence-based principles and proven strategies to help individuals achieve optimal results.

Whether you’re aiming to lose weight, build muscle, improve athletic performance, or recover from an injury, specialized programs provide targeted guidance and support to help you reach your goals efficiently and effectively.

In summary, online personal training offers a plethora of training options, including one-on-one sessions, group classes, pre-designed workout plans, and specialized programs, allowing individuals to customize their fitness journey to suit their unique needs and preferences. With the flexibility to explore different modalities, trainers, and programs, individuals can find the perfect fit for their goals and embark on a path to improved health, fitness, and overall well-being.

Tracking Progress and Celebrating Success

Tracking progress and celebrating success are huge components in making online training fun. I LOVE Train Heroic, the app I use with my clients, as it tells you in real time how much weight you have lifted, when you get a PR, or a rep PR. It’s a great tool to see how far you’ve come, and plays a pivotal role in keeping my clients (and me!) motivated, committed and continuing forward in their fitness goals.

Utilizing Technology to Track Progress

As I mentioned above, Train Heroic tracks all your numbers so you don’t have to memorize them. You can quickly access every bench press you’ve ever recorded, for example, and see your current working weights and maxes.

As you progress through a training session, it will also tally up the weights you have lifted, so you get a real time running number. This is my favorite part. It’s so cool to look down and see that you’ve moved thousands of pounds.

Other performance metrics, such as sets, reps, time, and intensity are tracked too. This allows me and my clients the ability to quickly evaluate performance and make optimal adjustments for the best session.

a happy client of Kathryn Alexander, online personal trainer in Austin, Texas

Importance of Tracking Progress

Tracking progress is essential for staying motivated and committed to fitness goals. Seeing tangible evidence of progress, whether it’s improvements in strength, endurance, or body composition, provides a powerful source of motivation and validation.

Progress tracking also helps clients identify areas of improvement and set realistic goals, guiding their fitness journey in a purposeful and strategic manner. By tracking progress, clients can stay accountable to their goals, maintain momentum, and celebrate incremental successes along the way.

Celebrating Client Successes and Milestones

As I mentioned above, I LIVE for my clients’ successes and milestones. I screenshot all of them and post them often.

Whether it’s reaching a weight loss milestone, achieving a new personal best in strength or endurance, or sticking to a workout routine consistently, every success is worth celebrating.

I stay in touch with my clients through the app, messaging, email, and phone or zoom calls, to support them through their training and progress. I love helping them develop the confidence to keep on with their training. I know my clients are often capable of more than they think they are, and it’s such a blessing to witness as they begin to discover this too.

Celebrating successes is just the best part of my job. I want my clients to see that they can have fun with training , and be proud of themselves, and create wins every day. I do everything I can to support that.

In short, utilizing technology for online training can really create an environment where clients can reach success and stay accountable to their goals. As they see small wins, they can clients can achieve their goals with confidence and celebrate their successes every step of the way. The benefits of online personal training really start to add up when you see your wins in everyday life!

Benefits of Online Personal Training

I encourage you to try online personal training. It is a great solution for working with someone who otherwise is geographically far, or whose schedule does not align. It allows you to work in the gym you prefer, with the coach you prefer, and work together on your specific goals.

Work With Me!

If you are looking for a personal trainer in Austin, I’d love to talk with you! If you are not in Austin, Round Rock, or central Texas, let’s talk about online training.

Message me here for a free consult about personal training in Austin, Texas, or here for online personal training, and we’ll discuss your goals, background, equipment availability, schedule, and exercise preferences.

Let’s get you strong and healthy!

About the author

Kathryn Alexander is a strength coach and personal trainer in Austin, Texas. She loves hiking, college football, and the feel of a perfectly knurled barbell. Read more about Kathryn here.

The Best Personal Training Options, Explained

February 12, 2024 by Kathryn Alexander

There are many, many personal training options available to you, so if you are looking for a trainer to help you reach your strength, fitness and weight loss goals, read on to find the best personal training options for you.

From traditional, in person one-on-one personal training sessions, to the many online and remote variations, there is certainly a method of personal training that will suit your needs.

Some are heavy on motivation and accountability to train on your own. Others are designed to help you through the session, and all you have to do is show up and work hard.

best personal training options explained

One-on-One In-Person Personal Training

This is the old school, traditional model of personal training. It’s probably what you think of when you think of personal training. One-on-one allows your coach to give you the most individualized instruction and support possible. It’s a great combo, when the lifter and Coach/personal trainer are on a team working toward the lifters goals together.

This is the most time and energy intensive type of training so it will be the most expensive personal training option. It will be the most customized for you too.

In person training is great for every fitness and strength level; it offers beginners a great foundation to start and learn from, and it offers those beyond the beginner level another set of eyes on their training program and lifting style.

In-Person Personal Training in Austin and Round Rock

I offer one-on-one personal training in Austin at Big Tex Gym and in Round Rock at Iron Forge. Gym.

If you are looking for personal training in a great facility with specialized equipment in the Austin or Round Rock area, I’d be happy to do a consult with you to see if we are a good match.

Remote/Online Personal Training

Remote or online personal training is a fantastic option for the lifter who is motivated enough to do sessions on their own, or at least without the need to meet a trainer.

There are many, many benefits of online personal training, even if your trainer is local. For example, cutting that commute. Ahem, Austin traffic. Because of current technology, communication between coaches and clients has never been easier.

For my remote clients, I use the app called Train Heroic. I film and upload instructional videos, and add text instructions on how to do the exercises as well. You don’t have to watch these every time so your workout is not slowed down, but it is always there if you need a refresher.

After building a plan based on your goals, needs, equipment availability and schedule, I build your workout for you, set by set and rep by rep. I’ll input all the details in the app so you see videos of the exercises, and set, rep and weight guidance.

I’ll tell you exactly what to do!

From here, you log your workout and be in touch with me with any questions.

The summary of a finished workout is particularly satisfying. My clients and I love it!

Online personal training with Alexander Training and Train Heroic for training plans.

Hybrid Personal Training

Hybrid programs involve meeting in person on a specific interval, and my client doing his or her own session in the meantime. These are still planned out and tracked in Train Heroic, so I can see the competed workout sessions.

For example, I might meet a client once a week, and they do 3 sessions on their own until we meet again.

This is a more budget friendly personal training option, but still customized and hands on.

We’ll be strategic about the workouts we do together, doing the technically difficult exercises when I am there to help. We’ll also do the exercises my client needs a spot for when we are meeting.

This works especially well if you have a home gym or garage gym, and will get your home training sessions there. I can help you plan and organize your home gym too!

Program Design

Program design is a one time customized program purchase. This is for the independent lifter who wants a plan to exercise on their own. With personal training, the lifter and I are in communication as often as every workout. In contrast, program design is when I take the particulars of a clients goals and write a customized plan, and they handle it from there.

Of course I am always an email away. This is just a bit less communication intensive, and the price reflects that.

Programs

Finally, programs and teams in Train Heroic are going to be the most affordable training options. These are not custom written programs, they are specifically written for certain groups.

For example, The Garage Squad is written for the intermediate lifter who wants to use barbells, and work on strength.

Square One is written for a brand new beginner who wants to start in the gym.

The Home Team is written for people who prefer to workout at home, and have a few curated pieces of equipment to get the job done.

Any Gym USA is made for people who might be at a gym that has limited equipment. This shows the lifter how to get a workout anywhere without specialty bars or uncommon machines.

I currently know almost everybody in my teams and programs, and I love to have feedback and be in touch. Many of these lifters are former clients who have moved, no longer want to fight Austin traffic, or are ready to fly on their own.

I am happy to still work with all of them, and to answer questions they have about their workout plans.

Above are some features of the Train Heroic programs.

Where to Start to Find the Best Personal Training Option for You

First, identify your individual needs. Take the time to think about and answer a few questions, and this will lead you right to the answer about which personal training option is best for you.

Identify your thoughts and responses to the following questions.

What are your goals?

Be honest about what you want. You get one body; I want you to love it!

Physique goals, performance goals and procedural goals are all ok! By this I mean, a physique goal could be “I want to lose 15 pounds,” or 50 pounds. It could be, “I want to feel confident and hot in a bathing suit this summer.”

Performance goals are more along the lines of “I want to bench press 365 pounds” or “I want to run a 5k.”

Procedural goals look like, “I want to be the type of person who exercises 5 days a week and enjoys it.”

You are allowed to want what you want! You are not valid or vain or self absorbed to want a body that feels good and you feel comfortable in.

Here is a much more comprehensive article on how to find the best online personal trainer and what questions to ask.

What is your desired end result?

Think about short term and long term here. Applying those things you just pondered, think about what the long term looks like. I shared with you my goal of deadlifting 315. This is a medium-term goal. Shorten term, my goal is a performance goal: to exercise regularly.

Medium term to long term, I’d like to maintain a higher level of strength. In the extreme long term, I would just like to be independent. If I can build my strength now, then when I am old, I won’t be hindered by walking upstairs and I can live independently. Yeah I know that’s looong term, but if the Good Lord gives me that many years, I want them to be quality.

What kind of facility do you have, or equipment do you have?

Do you have what you need to reach those goals? Will you have to go to a gym or specific training sports facility? If you want to be healthier and get moderately stronger in a way that complements your life, you might be able to do everything you need at home with a few purchases.

If you want to compete in any kind of strength sport like powerlifting or Olympic lifting, you will either need to make a big purchase for home, or join a gym that has weights and barbells. Finally, if you’re competing for a specific sport such as track and field, Strongman, baseball or rugby, you’ll need a specific type training facility.

What are your proficiencies?

What are you great at? What are the things you do feel comfortable doing on your own?

What do you need help with?

Similarly, what do you need or want help with? Are there any particular lifts that you want more coaching on or need another set of eyes on you for?

How much accountability do you need?

This is a huge one! Some people thrive on having the accountability of a trainer meeting them in person. If this is you, that is ok! You’ve identified the need for accountability and there is a solution to it!

If you are regularly getting your training in without meeting someone at the gym, you might not need as much accountability.

Do you need a spotter, or need someone to be there with you?

If your biggest need is to have a strength coach who can spot you and help with your equipment, you’ll definitely need either training partners or an in-person coach.

Which Personal Training Option is Best for You?

The truth is, probably several of these personal training options would work for you! Go with your gut, and just try one! If it doesn’t work, you can switch. You will find what works for you.

If you are still stuck, reach out to me. I am happy to do a free consult and help with your current situation. Message me here!

About the author

Kathryn Alexander is a strength coach and personal trainer in Austin, Texas. She loves hiking, college football, and the feel of a perfectly knurled barbell. Read more about Kathryn here.

How Much Does a Personal Trainer Cost?

August 1, 2023 by Kathryn Alexander

Working with a good personal trainer can be on of the greatest investments you ever make. If you find a highly educated and experienced personal trainer, your trainer can help you find the best path for your health that will maximize your time spent exercising and minimize your change of injury. So how much does a personal trainer cost? Read on to find out what to pay and how to work with a trainer.

Average Personal Trainer Cost

The short answer to this is, it depends where you live and what your market is like, how involved you want your trainer to be, and what kind of facility you are working together at.

The Personal Trainer Development Center estimates the average cost at $60-70 per hour long training session.

This will very wildly depending on where you are paying for training services.

When you are considering whether this is worth it, think about the price you’d pay for a massage. It’s probably similar. Unlike your massage therapist, your trainer will usually make you a whole workout program, follow up with you, and continue to be invested in your progress. It’s not a one-time situation.

How Much Does a Personal Trainer in Austin Cost?

The average cost of a personal trainer in Austin seems to be about $100. You can find less and you can find a much more expensive but expect to pay somewhere around $100. You might also have to pay a gym membership but hopefully you will be going to the gym enough to justify that.

This number will also vary based on where you go. Again, big box gyms will have newer trainers who are taught how to sell, and you can usually find trainers on the lower end of the price range there. Self-employed trainers tend to run a bit higher.

Why Does it Cost So Much to Work With a Personal Trainer?

You might not know that there is no legal requirement in the US to be a personal trainer. Anybody can just say that here she is a trainer and start charging for it. It’s up to you to do your due diligence and make sure your trainer is educated. Of course everybody starts somewhere, but I do recommend getting a trainer with a few years experience. I would also find a trainer who has worked with people like you, who have goals like yours.

Hopefully your trainer has a degree in kinesiology or exercise science. You at least want them to have taken anatomy and physiology. If they have put years into their career, the coursework and continuing education units are very expensive. They’ve also experimented on their own bodies, and done their own workouts, and put in their own effort and sweat.

I also highly suggest finding a self-employed trainer. Find a trainer who contracts out of a gym and is not employed at a large box gym. The exception is if a local gym hires great trainers. Most often, big gyms, like Lifetime Fitness, and Gold’s, just hire anybody and teach them how to sell.

Bonus points if your trainer is a total equipment nut and loves everything about the inner workings of barbells, dumbbells, and the best machines available to you.

You don’t want that. Find someone who is proven that he or she can make it as a trainer on their own merits. In this case, the trainer is probably paying at least $500+ per month to the gym they work at.

Many trainers will buy their own equipment as well, especially those who travel to clients.

Finally, many trainers like myself who take this profession seriously also pay monthly for training software to deliver you the best workouts. We put hours in behind the scenes doing follow up planning for you. I pay for scheduling and billing software as well, to make it easier for you to make your appointments fit your schedule.

All of this plus self-employment fees goes into your trainers fee.

Other Ways to Work With a Personal Trainer

If this all seems cost prohibitive, contact the trainer you’d like to work with. Often, trainers have pairs prices, small group classes, or training programs that are at a lesser cost. In my case, I match make clients who would like to work together to reduce cost. I don’t put new people with someone immediately, because I’d like to make sure to get to know a person and his or her goals first.

I also have training programs which are about $15 – 35 a month. These are my plans that I make and maintain, and you can contact me at any point.

Trainers also make sure there aren’t gaps in your programs, and they help you add in exercises you might never even think to do, such as rear delts. They ensure you are doing a well rounded program that will get you to your results in the best way possible.

About half my clients who work with me have worked with me for years. The other half of my clients work with me for 1-3 months and then continue on their own. Most keep up with me and we are still making sure they are comfortable with their plan and progress!

This is an option as well, to budget for a trainer to teach you how to do it on their own. Most trainers are absolutely ok with this, and would love to help you learn how to do your own program.

Don’t be scared to reach out! The worst a trainer can say is that your plan doesn’t fit their business model. If so, that’s ok. They might have referrals. If not, go back to google.

Good Luck With Your Training!

I wish you the best of luck in finding your personal trainer! Here is a more in depth look at how to find a personal trainer and all of your personal training options. Let me know if I can help you at all!

About the author

Kathryn Alexander is a strength coach and personal trainer in Austin, Texas. She loves hiking, college football, and the feel of a perfectly knurled barbell. Read more about Kathryn here.

Love Notes, Volume 1

July 3, 2023 by Kathryn Alexander

Love Notes, Volume 1.

I was on a podcast recently (will link to soon) and I was explaining to the host that I screenshot feedback I get from my clients.

I call them Love Notes because they make me so happy. They range from silly to deep to downright inspiring.

He asked which are my favorites. I have tons, but here are a few of my favorites.

Abs are crying!

This one made my day! This guy has the conditioned and strong abs of anyone I’ve ever trained, so a text like this is a win-win.

Dramatic Improvement in Mental Health

This one meant so much to me! This is why I do what I do. I screenshot this one 6 years ago, and I look at it often. It means so much to me. If only everybody knew how much exercise can help!

A Much Lighter One

Hahahaha! Exercise makes you feel invincible.

All good. Love you.

This one’s my favorite. Love you too, Mom.

Want to send me happy love notes too? Check out training options here, and let’s get started working on your goals!

About the author

Kathryn Alexander is a strength coach and personal trainer in Austin, Texas. She loves hiking, college football, and the feel of a perfectly knurled barbell. Read more about Kathryn here.

When Will I See Results?

June 30, 2023 by Kathryn Alexander

“When will I see results?” This is a common question I hear, and fair! This client case study illustrates what to do when you are wondering the same.

A client recently asked me if we could change anything in her program to see progress faster. We were about eight weeks in to working with each other. She is athletic and regularly teaches and participates in Pilates classes. She also does a conditioning type class and actively dances salsa and bachata here in Austin.

As you can see, she already has a healthy lifestyle, so her main goals were to increase definition, get a little leaner, and see progress in her abs and glutes. Great goals!

Where Do I Start?

She had never worked on driving up her barbell lifts when we met, so with that in mind, we began by learning how to do the basic movements with ideal form: squat, hinge, push, pull.

The first big lift that she learned, practiced and increased weight on was the trap bar deadlift. For about a month, we prioritized deadlifting with great form, and continued the other movements as well. Then we added in the barbell squat, and began increasing her weight on the squat as her coordination and strength improved.

So here we are eight weeks in and she is squatting 95 for sets of 5 with amazing form and deadlifting 165 for sets of 3-5. She is a technically sound lifter and her form improves each week.

She trains consistently, and her strength is increasing.

Seeing Progress!

At this point, she was beginning to see strength improvements in her daily life. Pilates became easier, the bags of dog food seemed lighter. In fact, she was progressing much faster than most people do in the beginning.

She was doing fantastic!

Still, she’s an overachiever. Type A personality. She wanted results faster.

The answer wasn’t one she wanted the hear. The answer is, she was doing it. She was on the path. Sometimes it’s just takes longer than we think. Most times it takes longer than we think, and the answer is to keep going.

Laying the Foundation for Increased Work Capacity

Think about it this way: when you first start working out, you’re not as strong as you will be, and not as conditioned as you will be. In other words, your work capacity is low, or at least, has room to improve. The amount of weight you can move is limited, and the amount of time you can work hard is limited.

A smart lifting program won’t throw you in the deep in from the beginning, so hopefully you aren’t going all out, you aren’t hitting max weight lifts. What you are doing is learning the exercises, learning to move well with good form, and laying a foundation for more work.

Sure, you could do more. If your goal in life was to lose 30 pounds THIS MONTH and your life depended on it, you could push harder. In her case, that wasn’t the answer. We wanted her to work hard in a way that contributed to her already active lifestyle, and stay in a favorable position on the risk:reward ratio.

Thus, our choice was to steadily increase her strength and fitness in a safe and effective way. She has had some days where she worked really hard, and had some soreness carry over into her Pilates practice and dance classes, but she has never been hurt. She’s too active to risk getting hurt. If we take a month or two longer to get where she wants to be, and do so more safely, that’s a better path.

Build Your Strength!

As mentioned above, as you get stronger and fitter and increase your work capacity, you can expend more effort and energy with each training session. You’ll burn more calories and move more weight, and this is how you’ll start to see results.

This is easy to see if you use Train Heroic, the training app my clients and I use. As you lift and track your session, Train Heroic stores your data. It gives you an end-of-session summary that shows you how many pounds of weight you moved. That number is not the end all be all, but it clearly demonstrates how much work capacity can improve.

Note in the above screenshots:

Look how much her volume increased: from 6,850 pounds to 17,740!!
This is the same session, from warm up through the exercises and cool down
They are about 6 weeks apart
She rated them about a 3 on a scale of 1-10 intensity

See how much more work she was able to put in an hour? It’s just densely packed with work!

This is why you will not always see fast progress in the first few weeks. Once you have learned how to work hard safely though, it is GO time!

Focus on this process so that each workout you do will be stronger and more productive than the last. This will add up exponentially, and you’ll get more out of each workout session you do.

Keep Going!

Resist the urge to jump ship, change your whole plan, or program hop. If you are on a good program, keep giving it your all and do your best day by day. Just keep doing today what you can do today. Set yourself up today to have a productive tomorrow.

Other ways you can optimize your progress:

Get enough protein
Add in HIIT
Make sure your diet is on point (work on eliminating those things you know don’t help you, like extra desserts or Cokes)
Sleep well

Where is She Now?

In my clients case, her progress is fantastic. She doesn’t have the training perspective that I have from training hundreds – thousands? – of clients over 18 years to know how well she is doing. I have seen so many people at many stages of their exercise journey – and 8 weeks is a relatively small amount of time to get to where she is.

We are still working together and she is still doing great! We are building her foundation and growing her lifts. Each workout she is able to do more work and lift heavier, yet she feels energized after.

Her hunger for more and drive to work harder are excellent qualities that are serving her well!

When Will You See Results?

If you are looking to make more progress, but aren’t on a plan, I’d suggest starting there. Only then can you really assess if you are going the direction you want to go.

If you want to explore 1:1 to see results like my client here, and are able to do in person personal training in Austin, then let’s discuss.

Do you have questions about where to start or what kind of program to be on? Email me. I am happy to help you! Kathryn@kathrynalexander.com.

About the author

Kathryn Alexander is a strength coach and personal trainer in Austin, Texas. She loves hiking, college football, and the feel of a perfectly knurled barbell. Read more about Kathryn here.

What is Semi-Private Personal Training?

November 21, 2022 by Kathryn Alexander

If you have spent any amount of time in a gym, you might have noticed people working with personal trainers. Sometimes they are working one-on-one, sometimes in a pair, and sometimes in a small group. Maybe you have seen semi-private personal training advertised and wondered what it is.

Semi-private personal training is when a personal trainer works with 2-5 people instead of one-on-one. Semi-private personal training has some really great benefits, and some things you should consider.

A personal trainer, as opposed to a group exercise instructor, creates a program that works specifically for your unique situation and goals. This is different from a group exercise instructor because typically group exercise instructors lead classes that you can drop into. These can be fantastic workouts, and they have a lot of benefits, but they are not planned specifically with your goals in mind.

With semi-private personal training, you can get the benefits of working with other people, along with the benefits of having a trainer who planned the program specifically for you.

Structure of Semi-Private Training

Semi-private training sessions are structured very similarly to traditional one-on-one training sessions. Since I primarily teach people how to lift weights to get stronger, leaner and healthier, semi-private training sessions with me are done in the gym. I always take the time to do an individual consult, even with my semi-private clients, so I can cater the session to each individual‘s goals.

If you work with me and somebody else in a semi-private training session, you might do the same exercises as the other lifter or lifters, but your set and rep scheme will be specific to you. The weights will be specific to your ability as well. We always make accommodations according to individual needs or goals, as well. For example, if you need extra posture work because you sit many hours a day, that will be added in for you.

Recently, my client Hannah has been training in my women’s lifting semi-private group for over a year, in preparation for her wedding. Even though she trains with 2 to 3 other women, we made some specific adjustments as she got closer to the wedding date.

Is Semi-Private Personal Training for Me?

Semi-private training sessions have many benefits, including the camaraderie of other lifters, improved learning from watching others, a lower cost, potentially some schedule flexibility.

Many of my clients who lift in semi-private sessions enjoy the company of their gym friends, whether is the camaraderie, competition, or both. Most don’t know each other outside of the gym, but I found that they had similar goals and made an introduction. Sometimes they needed the same time slot as each other, and sometimes they expressed an interest to work with someone else. If your trainer isn’t able to make introductions for you, you can find a friend to come train with you as well.

Many learning models suggest that people learn movements better both from doing and watching the new movements. In this way, semi-private training can help you learn faster, and continue to learn the lifts you are practicing together. I love this aspect of semi-private training! It might be the best benefits to lifters out of any of these.

Stuck with your training and weight loss? Check out my 3 biggest tips for losing weight.

Semi-Private Training Cost

The cost of semi-private training is often a bit lower than one-on-one training. Semi-private personal training costs are typically around 60% of that of a one-on-one session, and in a small group with an experienced trainer, you can expect nearly the same amount of attention for a fraction of the cost.

Read about how to find the right personal trainer for you here.

Consider Semi-Private Training

If you are thinking about working with a trainer, consider semi-private training. It’s a really great option to learn and grow with a few people who are on your team! If you are in the Austin area and are looking to train, I’d be happy to meet you for a free consult. Click here to be in touch with me about your goals, and we can discuss from there whether individual or semi-private training is best for you.

If you’d like to follow along with the workouts my lifting group does, click the link here to join. I am always available to answer any questions you have about which training program is best for you.

Happy training!

About the author

Kathryn Alexander is a strength coach and personal trainer in Austin, Texas. She loves hiking, college football, and the feel of a perfectly knurled barbell. Read more about Kathryn here.

Managing Client Expectations

August 31, 2022 by Kathryn Alexander

I recently contributed to a piece published on BecomeaPersonalTrainer.org called “40 Personal Trainers Reveal How to Manage Client Expectations.”

The article contains a wealth of insight from many trainers and is a great read for both clients and trainers alike.

As a personal trainer, managing client expectations is key to setting them up for happiness and success.

You can read the whole article here. Spoiler alert! My advice is to encourage people to understand that the way to make a long-standing change, which is what people are truly seeking, is to make permanent changes rather than seeking a quick fix.

You’ll Be Proud With Progress

You might have a goal to gain 40 pounds of strength on your bench press, or to lose 30 pounds of fat. Both of these will require consistent work over a period of time, and you’ll be so proud and happy once you get there!

Remember though, that you’ll be proud of yourself along the way. When you’ve worked hard and earned a 30 pound increase on your bench press, you’ll be happy! When you’re exercises and make good food choices, you’ll feel great when you’ve lost 10 pounds, and are on your way to losing 30.

The bottom line that I want you to remember is that this is a process that requires consistency. You can do it!! You’ll be happy along the way!

Happiness, peace and personal pride are not reserved only for the end of the journey!

Finding a Personal Trainer to Help on Your Journey

Are you looking for a personal trainer to help on your fitness and health journey? If so, I’d be honored to help you get started, or continue on toward your goals. You can find info about working 1:1 with me in person here, or online here. Please email me if you have questions or would like to do a consult. kathryn@kathrynalexander.com

Happy training!

Related: What exercises are best for HIIT?

About the author

Kathryn Alexander is a strength coach and personal trainer in Austin, Texas. She loves hiking, college football, and the feel of a perfectly knurled barbell. Read more about Kathryn here.

Home Training Program now available!

December 13, 2020 by Kathryn Alexander

Big news!

The Home Team, my new home training program, just went live!

The Home Team is a training program designed to be done at home with a few dumbbells and resistance bands. It is a 4 day a week program with the option of a bonus day. It is delivered through the Train Heroic app, which I’ve been using with my clients for several years.

An example of a training day on the Train Heroic app. Click the image to visit The Home Team’s page.

By joining The Home Team, you get your own Train Heroic account. Your daily training session will include instructional videos and text, and it tracks your weights, sets, reps and progress. It is your own data center.

The Home Team is $27 a month and you can jump in or out any time.

There is a real need for effective home training programs these days. Whether you are staying in to avoid covid, a commute, or shared equipment, The Home Team will show you the way.

If you’ve ever wanted to follow my plan, now is the time! Email me or leave a comment if you have questions.

If you are ready to start your first week free, click here!

About the author

Kathryn Alexander is a strength coach and personal trainer in Austin, Texas. She loves hiking, college football, and the feel of a perfectly knurled barbell. Read more about Kathryn here.

How to Find the Best Personal Trainer For You

December 30, 2017 by Kathryn Alexander

Finding a personal trainer, like any other interpersonal interaction, is a matchmaking process. Investing in a good trainer will pay dividends over the years by adding health and vitality to your life. It is an investment, however, so make sure you choose the right trainer to maximize your benefit.

There are currently no legal requirements to be a personal trainer in the United States. Anybody can do it. Anybody. Scary, right? Estheticians and manicurists have more legal and health rules than personal trainers do. For this reason, it is extremely important to do research, and find the right trainer for you.

By knowing what to look for, you can increase your chances of finding a great working partnership and reaching your goals quickly and safely.

There are millions of personal trainers with thousands of specialties out there. You can find trainers who specialize in pre- and post-natal fitness, fitness and cancer, bodybuilding, martial arts, weight loss, and many more specialties.

How do you know who is right for you? In an industry full of big talkers and charlatans, you have to do a bit of research. It might sound overwhelming, but it is manageable and worth it. Let me help!

What Do You Want from Your Personal Trainer?

A large determining factor in who will be a good match for you is, well, YOU. What are your goals?

Do you have a physique goal to reach, like losing 15 pounds before a beach trip, or gaining 20 pounds of muscle?

Do you have a performance goal like reaching a 405 deadlift?

Do you want short or long term training? Do you want your trainer to coach you on how to get started with the goal for you to continue on your own, or do you want someone working with you continuously over a long period of time?

Are you just interested in learning how to lift safely for health and injury prevention?

Take some time to think about what you are really looking to gain from training. These goals can always change. I encourage you to THINK BIG.

You can do so much more than you think you can. Humans are almost always limited by our imagination or mental drive. Need proof? Look around! Someone with fewer resources and more limitations has most likely done what you are seeking. Let that be motivation!

I encourage you to read this post: How To Get What You Want.

Where to Start Looking for a Personal Trainer

Choose your priority goal in a few words. For example, “lose weight”.

Google “your goal” + where you live. See what pops up. Do any particular gyms or individuals stand out to you?

You can also try adding “personal trainer” in your search query. For example, “lose weight in Austin with personal trainer” or “Austin Texas personal trainer weight loss”.

A good gym is worth driving for, but if you can find a good gym close to your home, that is even better.

You will likely find a facility you would like to look into, or an independent trainer you are interested in. If you find an independent personal trainer, or find a trainer’s website, please feel free to contact that person directly.

If you find a facility you like, check out their trainer bios and see who stands out to you. Use the guidelines below to filter them. From there, you can call or drop by, and ask to speak to a training manager. Ask this person if you can have a quick conversation about finding a trainer. Gyms often have an owner or manager who is excellent at match making trainers and clients for compatibility.

If you find a facility you are interested in, check out their training policies. Are their trainers self-employed or employed by the gym?

Self Employed vs Employed Trainers

What is the difference? Trainers employed by big box gyms like Gold’s, 24 Hour Fitness or Bally’s, require clients to pay the gym, and they pay the trainer as little as 30-50% of that. This is where many trainers start, which allows them to work with a wide variety of people and learn the business of training.

You can sometimes find good trainers in these gyms, but there is very high turnover. These gyms often put more emphasis on reaching sales quotas than continuous learning, and require their trainers to work pretty awful hours. It behooves the gym to have more trainers aka salesmen, so they aren’t often stringent on the quality of hires. Like I said, you can sometimes find good trainers here because they are starting out or haven’t realized they can work on their own, but be very careful about who you trust to train you.

I prefer trainers who are self-employed working out of a gym. Usually they are contract with a facility and run their own business. Their rates are not set by the gym, they are not forced to fulfill others quotas, and they are free to take time off to go to continuing education clinics and conferences. (This is very expensive, so I budget all year to do this, but it is worth every bit.)

Besides learning from experts, I have a blast at conferences. Check out the Tactical Strength and Conditioning Conference, and The University of Texas Athletic Performance Clinic. I go to these every year, and there are more I haven’t written about yet, but this will give you an idea why it’s so important that your trainer networks and continues to educate him/herself.

This sounds a bit Darwinist, but I like the fact that independent trainers fail if they don’t keep providing value. There is no boss or manager to prop them up if their clients aren’t satisfied. This is better for you, and better for me. I don’t want bad trainers out there giving a bad name to my industry! I don’t want you to find a bad trainer, either!

True story, I worked in a gym that sold metabolic tests that they knew were faulty, therefore a complete waste of money. I was made to sit in unpaid remedial sales meetings because they noticed I didn’t sell any of these. It wasn’t because I couldn’t; I have a master’s degree in clinical exercise physiology, and I understand the value of metabolic tests when the hoses aren’t broken. I didn’t last long there, and it was the final push for me to work for myself.

One thing to note about paying independent trainers is that payment is directly between the two of you. This is nothing to be scared of because it is the same way you would probably pay your hairdresser, house cleaner, tutor or guitar teacher. However, ask how long they’ve been a trainer, how long they have been working at their particular facility, and about their refund policy.

the cutest client enjoying her conditioning

The Consult

Contact two or three of the most promising trainers and ask if they will do a consult. They should. From here, pay attention to the general feel you get from your interaction. Consider response times and thoroughness, friendliness and aptitude. Note: most trainers will do a free consultation, but some cost a small fee for the time. If the trainer provides some sort of value like an assessment, or credit toward training, that might be OK with you.

Use this template if you are stuck on what to say:

Hi _____,

I found your information on _____ and would like to talk to you about personal training. I would like to (goal, ie, lose 15 pounds, gain 20 pounds muscle, get a 405 deadlift) and would like to meet you for a consult. Can we discuss my goals and your background to see if we are a good match?

The best way to reach me is _____.

Thank you,

_______

Easy peasy! You can share more information if you would like. Most trainers will get right back to you to schedule, but don’t be put off if a trainer suggests referring you. This can happen if a trainer thinks he or she is not the right trainer for you, in which case, trust that! It can also happen if a trainer is booked. If he or she doesn’t provide a referral, feel free to ask.

Questions to ask your Personal Trainer

The best case trainer is a person who values education, experiences, communicates clearly and empathetically, and does his or her own training.

Personal Trainer’s Education

Look for a trainer who values education. Look for a college degree in kinesiology, exercise physiology, biology, pre-med, or a related field. There is absolutely no substitute for the investment of time, money, and energy of going to college to learn from professors, in labs. Degrees take years to earn, and certs usually require a few weeks of study.

Unfortunately, there are trainers with degrees who aren’t good at being a trainer or aren’t good people. Likewise, there are competent, good hearted trainers out there without degrees. In this case, AND in the case of trainers with a degree, you want to see a certification or multiple certifications from NSCA, ACSM, ACE, or The Cooper Institute. There are many many other certifications out there (hundreds!) but these are the best.

Personal Trainer’s Experience

This is going to be one of the most important determinators in whether you want to work with a trainer. How long has this person been training? Does he or she have experience with people in similar situations with similar goals? If not, is he upfront about that? Yes, everybody has to start somewhere. Brand new trainers should work at a gym where they can learn from and with others, or at university where they are guided.

I mean no disrespect, but please be wary of training with someone who just “found their passion” and jumped in. It takes more than just getting their own body in shape to be able to help others. Being a good trainer also means learning things you aren’t passionate about (hello, chemistry, accounting, statistics, so I can filter out bad research!) and sticking it out.

And yes, I was a beginner too. But I was a beginner at a university with a graduate assistant guiding me, and a training manager guiding her.

Testimonials

Does this trainer have testimonials from happy clients? Is there a variety of success in their testimonials? Look for people to not only see physical transformation, but also mention that they learned how to lift, or developed a greater faith in themselves through their time with this trainer. Your trainer should not only have tactical knowledge, but should also give you tools for life, too. I am a much much better trainer in year 13 of training instead of year 1, not only for what I’ve learned in another decade, but also because I communicate better.

Here are my favorite testimonials, which I call my success stories.

Extras

Does this trainer have a website? Does she have a blog? Social media presence? Does he or she offer a community on Facebook or forums? Does she offer any information or other resources? Does she offer training programs beyond he work out you do together? None of the above are necessary to be a competent trainer, but they are make or break for some people.

For example, I have a website and a blog that I am continuously updating. I have over 200 exercise video tutorials, and provide my clients individually written training programs through an app called Train Heroic. My clients love Train Heroic, and I love that it helps them learn.

I do not have a community meet up or Facebook group. For some people, this is a deal breaker. If the community is important to you, seek out trainers who seem to have built that up with teams, group classes, or meet up events.

Practicalities

Do your schedules match up? Does he or she have availability when you need, and how will you accommodate travel schedules, etc.?

Soft Skills

Does he or she listen and hear you? Do you like this person? You might not be BFFs, but you’ll be spending time together so compatibility matters!

Kathryn Alexander female personal trainer

Dealbreakers in a Personal Trainer

Beware of:

The Super Expert

Trainers who say they can do/are experts in everything. NO ONE has time to be an expert in everything. No, instafmous trainer, you are NOT an expert in weight loss, muscle gain, botty gaining, powerlifting, Olympic lifting, running, training older clients, teen development, athletic development, youth sports, group training and yoga. You think I’m kidding? I wish I was. Sadly, people this delusional are out there.

Hard Sellers

If you trainer insists you must buy sessions otherwise you are neglecting yourself making a bad decision, or otherwise makes you feel bad about yourself, thank them for their time and leave.

Big Sellers

If a trainer pushes you to pay for 20 sessions up front and you do not want to, consider if you want to continue. This is not an inherently bad situation; you might want to pay for sessions up front to create a commitment. Trainers should ask for prepayment, too. However, if you want to pay monthly and push for an excessively large prepayment, stick to your guns.

The Bottom Line

After you have talked to the trainers you are interested in, do a truthful gut check. Do you have a good feeling about this trainer? Does this person seem like a professional in his or her chosen field, or someone who jumped into training following a whimsical passion or because he or she was all out of other options? The bottom line is, passion is ok, but education, experience, and professionalism are better.

When you have decided, contact the trainer you would like to work with and schedule a first session. Drop the others a quick email to update them.

If you are stuck here, try this template:

Hi ____,

Thank you for meeting me to discuss my training goals. I have decided to go another route with training, so I won’t be scheduling with you at this time. I appreciate your time, and wish you the best.

Thank you,

______

Professional trainers will completely understand, and appreciate your discerning nature. Remember it is your right to pick a trainer best for you, and you are under no obligation to anyone.

Training can be the best decision you ever made! You can stop training at any point you would like, or seek another trainer if one just doesn’t work out. You have nothing to lose! I encourage you to try it. Best of luck finding the best personal trainer for you!

If you have more questions, or are local and would like to set up a consult, please message me here at my contact page and I’ll get back to you ASAP.

About the author

Kathryn Alexander is a strength coach and personal trainer in Austin, Texas. She loves hiking, college football, and the feel of a perfectly knurled barbell. Read more about Kathryn here.

The 6 Most Important Ways an Experienced Personal Trainer Can Help You

April 24, 2015 by Kathryn Alexander

Seems like personal trainers are a dime a dozen these days, doesn’t it? Is it a fad, just a passing fancy, to hire someone to tell you you’re doing a good job and count your reps out loud?

No actually, not at all! A trainer with a degree in exercise physiology, current certifications, and experience with many clients can help you in immeasurable ways. Just like the tax accountant you hire, and the doctor you consult, a professional trainer is a wealth of knowledge in his or her field.

Consider this: are you getting results the way you are training now? Are you satisfied with your physique and performance? We are long past New Year’s Resolutions, and spring break even sneaked past us. If you aren’t where you want to be for the rest of summer, consider consulting with a trainer.

Given the plethora of exercise options, workout gadgets, and get-fit-now! marketing out there, a personal trainer’s guidance is invaluable.

Of course, you know the obvious benefits of having a trainer: they help you be consistent, they motivate, they encourage. The less obvious benefits of a professional personal trainer are far more important though. Read on for the 6 most important ways an experienced personal trainer can help you.

A Personal Trainer Can Save You Time

Time is the only commodity we cannot gain more of. You can save money, ration goods, stockpile supplies but you cannot change time. How many people do you know that go to the gym regularly, work hard, sweat, but never seem to change? Many people do this! Why is that?

It is because they aren’t making a direct path between their present situation and their goals.

Why would you want to spend the time in the gym, the effort, the sweat, the time away from your family or other hobbies, if you aren’t making full use of it? Find a good trainer to help you establish the safest but fastest way to get the body and performance you want.

An Experienced Personal Trainer Has a Trained Eye for Movement

This is two-fold. First, your trainer will obviously have a different point of view. He or she can stand behind you, beside you, and see your joint angles, the bar path, and bar speed. Do you know exactly what your back is doing on your third deadlift rep? Most people don’t.

Do you know, objectively, how quickly the bar moved on that heavy set? Probably not. What you feel is extremely subjective, and isn’t always the best predictor of how to modify your next working set. This is why many people find videoing and replaying their lifts helpful.

I kid you not, this is exactly how my mind sees movement. Do you notice the angle of my back on the first squat? That green line? I want to maintain that as I squat. But, on my second squat, my hips shot up before my shoulders, changing the angle of that line. It is now illustrated in red. This video gave me pointers to work on, and I have improved tremendously in the months since.

A trainer will be even more beneficial than a video, because in addition to another visual angle, an experienced trainer will have a much fuller perspective. If you are not a personal trainer, it makes sense that you spend the vast majority of hours in your week becoming an expert in something else. A good trainer, on the other hand, is in the gym all those hours that you are not, becoming an expert on lifting and coaching.

In the 10 years that I have been a certified personal trainer, I have seen thousands and thousands of lifts. Many have been successful, many have been missed lifts. Others have been in the gray area between; a completed lift with ugly form, an easy PR, a grinder that was narrowly missed.

Because I have seen so many different lifters with a wide variety of experiences levels and technique, I can easily see the exhaustion near a maximal lift. I can see the body nearing a breaking point, or conversely, the body that can safely handle more, even if the lifter feels exhausted. Working out in a fatigued state is when it is most important to choose your next sets carefully, and a good trainer can be sure you don’t leave good work undone, or push unsafely.

A Personal Trainer Can Give You New Ideas and Breathe New Life Into Your Routine

Are you, like your gym acquaintances who seem to make no progress, spinning your wheels? There is a very fine line between a groove and a rut. You want to get into a groove. Changing workouts too frequently is not beneficial. Doing something different every week won’t let you master the exercises enough to earn results.

A well designed workout, which you take weeks to fine tune and perfect, will bring you the best results. Stay too long in that same exact workout, and it becomes a rut. The challenge is finding that well designed workout, committing to it for the right period of time, and knowing when to change.

Often, people know when it is time to change workouts. They feel bored and become uninterested in going through the same motions. Results taper off, and progress becomes rare. The issue is that while they are aware that they need a change, they might not know what to do next.

This is when a trainer’s input becomes valuable. A knowledgeable trainer will be able to introduce you to exercises which are the next step for your level of competence. These will be exercises that are specific to you and your goals, and not just busy work, or exercises that are just different for the sake of being different.

An Experienced Personal Trainer Can Help You See Through the BS

Fitness is a multi-billion dollar industry in the U.S. Check out America’s fitness related consumption in 2012.

Source: http://www.statista.com/statistics/242190/us-fitness-industry-revenue-by-sector/

Clearly, Americans are interested in fitness, wellness, and aesthetics. However, not all of these things are genuinely good products, or even honest efforts at providing a quality product to the consumer.

Shiny fitness fads blow through Instagram and other social media outlets like wildfire; everybody jumps on the bandwagon with the “in” move or product. Weird abductions on the yes/no machine, anyone? #belfies? Shake weights, sauna suits, squeems, and waist trainers.

Ack! Google “worst fitness trends” for some laughs, but don’t actually try these things. Many can be dangerous, and if you unknowingly jump on these trends, you could cause more harm than just embarrassment at being seen in public with the worst footwear ever (ahem, Skechers toning shoes endorsed by fitness icon, Kim Kardashian).

By the way, Skechers paid $40 million to consumers in a settlement because the shoes have caused injury and have no basis for the claim to improve fitness.

The Thighmaster does not spot reduce fat on the thighs, but it does contribute to a poor movement pattern which can cause knee pain and ACL injuries. Most people do not need to strengthen their adductors, but actually need the opposite. Knee valgus, which is collapse of the knees inward toward each other, is a common occurrence and is exacerbated when the adductors are stronger in proportion then the abductors. Squeezing the legs together with the Thighmaster reinforces this movement pattern.

Waist trainers compress internal organs and can damage ribs. Sauna suits can excessively dehydrate you. Both of these can even make you lose consciousness.

I digress. Rely on a professional personal trainer to help you find safe, effective exercises tailored toward your goals.

A Personal Trainer Can Solve Biomechanical Issues that are Unique to You

We are all the same, but we are all different. We all have the same muscular originations and insertions. The long head of my biceps originates on my supraglenoid tubercle, which is on the scapula. So does yours. But my scapula and yours are differently shaped, which is why some people have pain from heavy dips, and some don’t. And some people are more prone to impingement in the shoulder from upright rows than others.

How do you know how your bones are shaped, and what exercises to avoid? Without exploratory surgery, you probably don’t. Becoming adept at listening to your body can help you head off problems before they become severe. A competent personal trainer who understands anatomy can help you solve problems you don’t even know you have, saving you time and injury.

I, for example, am hyper curious, which is another way to spell “nosy”. Just kidding. But, I always wonder what works, what doesn’t. And, I ask! I ask people why they do the workouts they do, what their goals are, if their program has yielded results, and if they have had adverse effects like overuse injuries. I ask for tips that have helped their motivation, meal planning, and mindset. The collective knowledge and experience from the many individuals’ trial, error, and success is invaluable.

A Personal Trainer Can Help You Avoid Injury

Do you know what population is in danger from doing planks? Do you know simple tweaks to make dips less likely to cause joint pain?

Trainers can cause injuries that won’t manifest themselves for years down the road.

Most importantly, did you know there is no legal requirement, qualification or certification to be a personal trainer in the US? It is a completely unregulated industry with no barriers to entry. Your neighbor kid who dropped out of high school can be a personal trainer, and if he’s a good salesman, he might even collect money from people for his “services”.

Your esthetician who does your facials, hair cuts, and manicures require more certification for their services than any personal trainer out there. Scary, isn’t it?

To answer the above questions, high blood pressure is a contraindication for isometric exercises like planks. A better and safer option is to do pushups while breathing regularly. Max effort lifts become isometric when the lifter fails, so knowing when/if to max is a critical decision too. Retracting the shoulders minimizes stress on the front of the shoulder, so dips are less likely to cause pain or injury.

In some populations, pushups are a safer option than planks for core work.

I do hope that all of you reading are happy with your present situation, but working toward your goals too. I love to see people succeed! If I can help you do that, or if you have questions, please contact me!

kalexandertraining@gmail.com

About the author

Kathryn Alexander is a strength coach and personal trainer in Austin, Texas. She loves hiking, college football, and the feel of a perfectly knurled barbell. Read more about Kathryn here.