Are you looking for a personal trainer in Round Rock Texas? Boy, are you in luck! I know just the people you need to talk to. 🙂
I am a personal trainer in Round Rock, Texas, and Austin, Texas. I work between two gyms (Big Tex Gym and Iron Forge Gym), and my fellow trainers and I are certified personal trainers who are specialists in many different areas.
If you are looking for strength training, weight loss, group classes, muscle building, or are looking to compete in powerlifting, bodybuilding, or mixed martial arts, one of us is the perfect personal trainer for you.
My Personal Training Style
I specialize in strength & conditioning with the goal of helping people get stronger, leaner, healthier and just feel better! I have 19 years experience training and I love teaching people how to lift weights. My clients usually work with me in one on one private sessions, but I sometimes train a two or three friends with similar goals together.
Since we usually only have an approximately hour session 1-3 times a week, I also will create a custom training plan for each client and guide them through how to do on their own. It includes the basics of how to lift with different equipment toward their specific goals, the basics of nutrition, and generally living a healthier lifestyle.
I use an app called Train Heroic for this. It tells you all your numbers: sets, reps, what weight to use. It also includes video and text how-to’s for each exercise or stretch.
You can read more about my philosophy on training, and my background here.
For specific goals like bodybuilding, MMA, competitive Olympic lifting and strongman, I refer clients to trainers who specialize in those disciplines.
How Can a Personal Trainer Help You?
A skilled and experienced personal trainer can save you time, help you minimize risk of injury, and help you dial in areas you can improve that are hard to see yourself. For example, if your goal is to progress on your fitness journey and just improve your daily life, a few months of training or a handful of personal training sessions can save you months of spinning your wheels, and get you to your goal faster.
Your trainer can track your progress over time, monitoring changes in fitness levels, body composition, and performance. Your trainer can adjust your workout plan as needed to ensure continued progress and help you overcome plateaus.
If you are a professional athlete or elite athlete, the best personal trainer for you will be a strength & conditioning coach who can help you with the large goals and the smallest refinements to reach your peak potential. At this skill level, your trainer should also be highly specialized.
If you are just learning to exercise, your trainer can help you set a foundation for many years of strong and healthy living.
Sometimes, you just want a trainer to help you through your high intensity sessions, or heavy weight training sessions where you’d like a spotter.
How a Trainer Can Help With Goal Setting
Trainers can also help you with goal setting, so that whether it’s weight loss, muscle gain, improving endurance or building strength, you have a personal fitness plan that will bring you results. Long-term goals of performance or overall health and well being combined with short-term measurable goals will bring you the best results.Â
Do you need a goal to get you out of the gym? Get some step ups and lunges, and check out these Austin hikes with water and waterfalls. I have done most of these, and updated this post for summer of 2024.
Other ways a trainer can help include:
- Customized Workout Plans: This is a plan written specifically for you; you can’t find it in a google search. Based on your goals, fitness level, and any specific requirements or limitations you may have, a personal trainer can create a personalized workout plan designed to help you reach your objectives efficiently and safely.
- Proper Technique and Form: One of the most valuable roles of a personal trainer is ensuring that you perform exercises with correct form and technique to maximize effectiveness and reduce the risk of injury. They can provide hands-on guidance, demonstrations, and feedback to help you execute exercises safely and with proper form.
- Motivation and Accountability: A personal trainer can serve as a source of motivation and accountability, keeping you on track with your fitness routine, providing encouragement during challenging workouts, and helping you stay focused on your goals, even when motivation wanes.
- Nutritional Guidance: While personal trainers typically aren’t registered dietitians, many can provide general nutrition guidance and recommendations to support your fitness goals. They can offer tips on healthy eating habits, portion control, and meal planning to complement your personal training program.
- Variety and Adaptability: Personal trainers can introduce variety into your workouts for your specific needs. If a certain lift doesn’t work for you, your trainer can find a great substitute that works the same muscle group or training goal. They can incorporate different exercises, equipment, and training modalities to challenge your body in new ways and prevent workout stagnation.
- Education and Empowerment: Beyond just providing workouts, a good personal trainer will also educate you about exercise principles, proper nutrition, and healthy lifestyle habits, empowering you to make informed choices and maintain your fitness progress independently over the long term.
Check out my favorite fitness things in the North Austin area.
What Should I Look for in a Personal Trainer?
When searching for a qualified personal trainer, consider the following factors: education, years of experience, certification, investment into their own business, professionalism and reviews.
Education and Experience
I recommend finding a trainer that has a degree in kinesiology or exercise science. It will help you so much if your trainer has taken anatomy, physiology, and understands the interplay between muscle groups, nutrition, the nervous system, etc. Most average personal trainers do not have a degree. This doesn’t mean a trainer can’t be a good trainer without a degree, but I do recommend asking about your potential trainer’s background and experience.
You can also ask about their experience and expertise in working with clients who have goals similar to yours. Ask about their background, specialties, and any additional certifications or training they may have in areas such as nutrition, injury rehabilitation, or specific exercise modalities.
Certification
Most certifications aren’t all that tough, so they aren’t the end-all be all goal, but trainers should have a certification. I recommend trainers who have a certification from the National Strength and Conditioning Association (NSCA) or the American Council on Exercise (ACE). NASM (the National Academy of Sports Medicine) is a staggeringly easy cert, and the International Sports Sciences Association (ISSA) advertises getting their cert in 4 weeks online. Take from that what you will.
Professionalism and Communication Style
While the job of personal training can be somewhat casual, your trainer should be professional and communicate well. Choose a personal trainer who conducts themselves professionally, respects your boundaries, and adheres to ethical standards. They should prioritize your safety, well-being, and confidentiality throughout your training sessions.
Look for a trainer who invests in his or her own business. Your trainer should have tools and equipment to give you the best experience. I invest in a very secure HIPAA compliant scheduling and payment software, a training app that my clients love, two gyms at which I pay rent, and equipment as I need it. Be wary of trainers who aren’t willing to spend any money on their own business.
A good personal trainer should be able to effectively communicate with you and motivate you to achieve your fitness goals. Look for someone who listens to your needs, communicates clearly, and provides constructive feedback and encouragement.
Continued Education
Finally, look for a personal trainer who is committed to staying up-to-date with the latest research, trends, and best practices in the fitness industry. They should demonstrate a willingness to pursue continued education and professional development to enhance their knowledge and skills.
How To Find a Personal Trainer in Round Rock, Texas
Hopefully that helped you decide how a trainer can specifically help you and your goals. Now, as far as how to find a personal trainer in Round Rock, Texas, you can try the following methods:
- You can message me. 🙂 We can see if we are a match to work together toward your goals. If I know of a trainer who is better suited for you, I will introduce you.
- Online Search: Use search engines like Google to search for personal trainers in Round Rock. You can use search terms like “personal trainer Round Rock Texas” or “fitness trainer Round Rock” to find relevant results. If you are in Cedar Park, Plugerville or any other nearby areas, of course substitute the appropriate search terms.
- Fitness Directories: Yelp and Google reviews can help you find personal trainers in your area. You can search by location and read reviews from other clients.
- Gyms and Fitness Centers: Many gyms and fitness centers in Round Rock offer personal training services. I would recommend contacting the Clay Madsen Recreation Center or Hutto Family YMCA to inquire about their personal training programs. If those don’t work, you can contact local gyms like 24 Hour Fitness or Gold’s Gym. Local rec centers also sometimes youth development or high school training programs.
- Social Media: Check social media platforms like Facebook, Instagram, or LinkedIn. Many personal trainers and fitness professionals promote their services on these platforms. You can search for hashtags like #RoundRockPersonalTrainer or #RoundRockFitness to find relevant posts.
- Ask for Recommendations: Ask friends, family members, or colleagues who live in Round Rock if they have any recommendations for personal trainers.
- Local Fitness Events or Classes: Attend local fitness events or classes in Round Rock and network with other participants or instructors. They may be able to recommend a personal trainer or provide information about available services in the area. Search “Round Rock Boot Camp” or even “Austin boot camps” to see if there are group classes or events near you.
How to Find the Best Online Personal Trainer
Are you looking for an online personal trainer? This is a great idea if your schedule or traffic or location is prohibitive. Read here for a comprehensive guide on how to find the best online personal trainer.
​Take the First Step
When you have found a trainer you are interested in working with, reach out to see if they are able to do a consult and take on a new client. Remember you are interviewing your trainer as much as they are interviewing you, to see if you are mutually a good fit to work together. See if you like their communication habits, scheduling style, and training philosophy.
Remember, a trainer can help you for as long as you enjoy the partnership. Whether you stay working together for years or just months, it’s a great learning experience, you can get in better shape, and​ you can take steps toward better physical health, mental health, and a better life.
If you’d like to do a free consult and talk more about how we could work together, please message me here: contact Kathryn Alexander. I’d love to talk to 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.
