How Much Does Personal Training Cost?
If your reading this it means you have a big goal you want to make a reality and your wondering if Personal Training and nutrition coaching is a worthy investment. This is a great question and one I get asked a lot, and for understandable reasons. Today I aim to answer the not so simple question, How Much Does Personal Training Cost?
On the face of it you might think it’s a simple case of X cost Y, but with everyone looking to achieve different goals and having their own set of personal circumstances. X costs Y often overlooks a number of factors that will impact how successful you will be at hitting your goal.
In this article, I will try to answer the question of how much personal training cost? both at Fundamentally FIT but also where your investment goes from a wider perspective. This article is longer than usual but investing in your health is such an important decision I wanted to take the time to try and answer it as fully as possible so that you can make the absolute best decision for your needs.
Experience
Within the Fitness industry, the number Personal Trainers leaving is very high each year and for a multitude of reasons beyond the scope of this blog. I have seen statistics as high as 89% of new trainers leaving the industry within two years of qualifying. While I feel this is potentially on the high side I don’t think it is dramatically far off the mark.
One of the biggest factors that affect the cost of a personal trainer is the experience. Like all industries, experienced practitioners cost more to hire, however ultimately, they speed up your rate progress as they have more experienced based strategies, knowledge and confidence dealing with your specific needs.
A newly qualified trainer will be keen to learn and deliver good results (we have all been there) but this route can lead you to spend more in the long run. Sessions or program costs might at face value be lower, but if they are not as well equipped to deal with your needs then you could end up spending more in the long run or not hitting your goals and stopping.
It is always sensible to check newer trainers have the qualification and insurance to deal with your specialist needs as well as general needs. General health, fitness, and weight loss is fine, however, if you suffer from high blood pressure, diabetes or arthritis as just a few examples or you take ongoing medication then you would be smart to seek out an exercise referral qualified instructor as they will be able to safely program for your needs.
At Fundamentally FIT I hold a Level 3 qualification in Personal Training, Level 3 qualification in Pre and Post Natal Training and a Level 3 Diploma in Exercise Referral Instruction. I am also completing my Level 4 qualification in Obesity and Diabetes which, once complete will be my specialist area of work. I have also been in the industry for eight years, running boot camps and circuit classes, working with 1-2-1 clients and coaching triathlon (BTF L2 qualified Coach).
Alongside, my professional qualifications I also hold numerous instructor awards as part of my professional development. These must be completed each year to ensure I remain up to date with my skills and are a set requirement of both my insurance and to remain on the Register of Exercise Professionals (REPS). This is always worth checking as many trainers are not affiliated or insured.
Alongside my qualifications in nutrition for weight management and sports nutrition, I am also a qualified Nutrition Coach. This follows a two-year course with Body Type Nutrition. I have also presented on the work with my clients at the Body Type Nutrition Conference to both the public and my peers. I have also presented for Menzies on employee resilience in the workplace and worked with Glaxo Smith Kline on their Men’s Health initiative in their Worthing factory.
Experience importantly extends to nutrition coaching, a vitally important factor in your weight loss success. Many Personal Trainers are either not qualified or drastically underqualified to coach in this field. Many make recommendations based on current trends or what they do themselves. Most Personal Trainers are not equipped to coach nutrition despite the common conception many people have.
If you are cost sensitive then hiring a new trainer can be a great way to go, just make sure you are confident they can help with your specific needs, not just the general ones, they hold the correct insurance and they inspire you to get stuck in. If you are truly ready to commit and want to get results faster, or you are concerned about your specialist requirements then It would be better to invest a little more money in a more experienced trainer for peace of mind.
Does Your Trainer Have Another Job?
This might seem like an odd thing to mention in a blog about Personal Training costs, but it plays a leading role as to why your trainer is charging you the rate that they do.
The health and fitness industry has a high proportion of people that only work part time with clients or in their classes. This can be due to family commitments; PT revenue being used a second income or simply because they have a love of teaching and coaching but do not wish to do it full time.
Many of these trainers are highly skilled and the cost of the sessions are often lower than that of a Personal Trainer who works in the industry full time. The compromise comes as a client when your trainer is distracted by other factors outside of your goals and training, like their main job and income for example. Personal Training should be client focussed. It is also more likely that they don’t keep up to date with personal development due to finacial and time constraints.
For myself, I only work with my Personal Training and Nutrition clients. Fundamentally FIT therefore is my not only my business but my sole focus and the needs of those clients which I serve each day. I also have many additional benefits I am able to offer my clients, like our online nutrition education course, Blueprint for a Healthier Life, access to a private training studio, email support, meal plans and a host of other features. These enhance the results of my clients but are also reflected in the cost of training alongside my experience. I invest heavily in personal development and upskilling, new equipment and enhancing my customer experience year-round. This is often simply not feasible for a part-time trainer.
Fundamentally FIT would never be as cheap as a part-time trainer as this would not reflect the enhanced value and results our services are uniquely able to offer.
Your Goals & Expectations
When estimating the cost of working with a Personal Trainer it’s sensible to look far beyond the hourly rate and think about the investment you are prepared to make to achieve your goals. Alongside this, it is also advisable to be realistic about how long it will take to achieve them.
For example, if you want to run a marathon but have never run before and plan on hiring a Personal Trainer for eight weeks, then no Personal Trainer will be able to Safely deliver this kind of result in that time frame at any price point.
Equally, if you want to lose three stone in eight weeks, then the same is equally true with the important factor here being the ability to achieve these outcomes safely.
Many of my weight loss clients are three of more stone overweight and this typically has occurred over a prolonged period, 2-3 years on average. To lose this weight effectively and keep it off for the long term you need hard work, yes, but also education on diet, exercise, and sustainable lifestyle change. Without this, the weight is 100% cast iron guaranteed to come back on. This education process takes time, just like the original weight gain was gradual (in most cases).
Here are some typical time spans for both a weight loss and running goal based on an otherwise healthy individual carrying no injuries and with no additional health complaints.
Steady Weight loss = 1-3 Pounds loss per week
Half a stone: 3-7+ weeks
1 Stone: 6-14+ weeks
2 Stone: 14- 28+ weeks
3 Stone: 21-42+ weeks
These guidelines carry a lot of caveats as weight loss is never 100% consistent due to a multitude of factors. However, you can see that realistically a weight loss of three stone is going to take most people over a year to achieve. Yes, it could be done in as little as 14 weeks in theory (3 pounds loss per week), however achieving this safely and maintain it will be very difficult and unrealistic for the majority of people.
When deciding how much to invest in your training it is worth considering where you would like to be for the investment you want to make. Would you like help to lose all three stone for example, in which case plan you training budget of around 9-12 months? Or, do you want help losing half the desired weight and then manage the rest on your own, in which case plan for 5-6 months training.
Running Goals – Based on a beginner runner with no injuries, reasonable starting fitness, no medical restrictions and a non-smoker.
5K – 8-12 Weeks
10K – 4-6 months
½ Marathon – 8 months+
Marathon – 12-18 months
These are basic estimations and will vary from person to person. Predicting a marathon preparation time is also tricky as there are many variables to consider on an individual basis. For a beginner, however, 12-18 months would allow sufficient time to adapt to the training and perform to a good standard for their ability. Runners with previous experience of ½ marathons could realistically prepare for a marathon in around 6 months.
How Much Does Personal Training Cost? – Fundamentally FIT
As you can see there are many variables that can affect the cost of the Personal Trainer you choose, and we have only discussed a few of them here today. The cost of training with Fundamentally FIT is based on the fact we have been in the industry for a long time and have helped our clients successfully achieve their goals, time and time again (check out our testimonials page). Shameless plug time, sorry – From life-changing weight loss to world championship qualifying performances and everything in between, our experience genuinely delivers proven results. Our clients goals are at the center of everything we do.
1-2-1 Personal Training
All our Personal Training (1-2-1) includes nutrition coaching as standard, access to our online nutrition education platform and written training programs to support your success. Personal training programs also included fitness testing and ongoing reports of progress, a food diary and detailed dietary analysis and ongoing support and coaching in both diet and exercise. The cost is best viewed as a monthly investment based on your goals, how long you feel they will take to achieve and of course your budget. A lot of time is spent outside of the hour training session working on developing your fitness testing report, dietary analysis, coaching aids and of course writing your PT and home training programs.
Training with us is simple, we offer Peak and Off-Peak training hours.
Peak training hours are from 5.00 pm – 9.00 pm and costs £55.00 per session.
Off-Peak, Training hours are from 9.00 am – 4.00 pm and cost £50.00 per session.
Block Bookings
Block bookings are ideal for those who travel or struggle with a regular weekly commitment. The block booking rate is £70 per session for a minimum booking of 10 sessions paid in advance. Each block booking has an expiry date when it must be redeemed by. The cost is higher for these sessions to reflect the added flexibility offered. This service includes all the same benefits as our main 1-2-1 Personal Training programs. Some people ask why our block booking is more expensive than our ongoing programs and the answer is that people tend to be less committed on a block booking and we are required to hold space in our limited diary, thus meaning the cost to retain your flexibility is a premium.
Bespoke Packages
Finally, we have our bespoke training packages. These are specifically for those working to a deadline-based goal. This might be eight weeks until a wedding, or training during the summer holidays while the children are off school. These plans will be designed, and rates agreed by consultation only. If in doubt reach out and let’s have a chat about your goals and needs.
Next Steps…
Option 1: Fill in the consultation request form below and we will be in touch to arrange a convenient time to discuss your goals and how we can help you achieve them. P.S. it’s complimentary so why not?
Option 2: Happy with the cost but still not sure if Fundamentally FIT is right for you, head over to our testimonials page and see what people like you are saying about our services.
Option 3: Like what you hear but want to understand more about the different types of programs we offer. Head over to our Programs page and find your perfect match.
Good Luck & Speak Soon.
Andy Strong
