Is a personal trainer worth it? It depends on one thing.
An honest answer, from 15 years as a personal trainer.
I started coaching people one to one in 2007, and I was a personal trainer for 15 years before my work moved to remote coaching. In my experience, what decides whether coaching is worth the money is not the format, and not the trainer’s price. It is whether you are ready to commit.
Three situations, three answers.
You are not convinced yet
Then a trainer in the room is the better first step: someone who takes you through the early part of the plan directly, until you are ready to commit. I would not start you on a remote programme.
You are ready to commit
Then the format matters far less than the plan. Whether I am sitting across from you or reading your message, the coaching is the same.
Your diary moves
A session booked for seven on Tuesday is the first thing to go when a meeting runs over. A plan that moves with the week keeps going when the slot would not.
An hour, or a week.
| Question | Personal trainer, by the session | Remote coaching |
|---|---|---|
| What you pay for | An hour with a trainer, session by session | A plan for your whole week, adjusted as the week changes |
| Where | One place, usually a gym | Wherever you are that week: home, a hotel room, a gym |
| When | Fixed slots, two or three times a week | Around your diary |
| Who is beside you | The trainer, in the room | You train alone, with calls every week or two and messages in between |
| Best for | Starting out, and wanting hands-on guidance | Ready to commit, with weeks that do not run to a timetable |
Neither is better for everyone. A trainer in the room is hard to beat when you are starting out and want someone to take you through every rep. When your weeks do not run to a timetable, showing up at the same hour, day after day, regardless of how the day has gone, is the part that tends to break.
How to tell a good coach.
- Real evidence. Before and after results from their own clients, not stock photos or borrowed results.
- A refund policy you can read before you commit, not something you have to ask for.
- A method that is explained, not just implied through results photos.
- A conversation before a plan. A short call is usually enough to tell whether someone is paying attention to you, or running a template.
One warning sign is worth knowing: a coach who gives every client the plan they use themselves, whatever the fit. Ask how your plan would differ from the last client’s.
Prices in full.
Every plan is written and adjusted by me personally, around your week: about three hours a week, often less, at home, in a hotel room or in a gym. We start with a 20 minute call. If it fits, I say so. If it does not, I say that too.
Z12 is £900, paid at the start, with a full refund within 14 days. Z24, if you need it, is £2,100, in one payment or two.
What people ask first
Is a personal trainer worth the money?
If you are ready to commit, yes, in my experience. The thing that decides it is not the format, it is commitment. If you are not convinced yet, start with a trainer in person, who can take you through the early part directly, until you are ready.
Is online coaching as good as a personal trainer?
For someone who is committed, I see no meaningful difference. Whether I am sitting across from you or reading your message, the coaching is the same. What changes is that the plan covers your whole week, wherever you are, instead of an hour in one place.
The information is free. Why pay anyone?
It is free, and most of it is right for somebody. What you pay for is the decision about which part applies to you this week, and someone who notices when it stops working. The simpler we sort a problem, the higher the value.
Can a remote coach correct my form?
Yes. You film a set and I review it and reply.
How do I know a coach is any good before I pay?
Look for real results from their own clients, a refund policy you can read before you commit, and a method they explain. Then have a short call. It is usually enough to tell whether someone is paying attention to you, or running a template.
What does ZTraining cost?
Z12 is 12 weeks for £900 in total, with a full refund within 14 days. Z24 is 12 more weeks for £2,100, in one payment or two, only if we both agree it is needed.
Twenty minutes, with me.
We talk about your week, your health and what you have tried before. If the programme fits you, I will say so. If it does not, I will say that too.