Investing in Your Health: What Happens If You Don't See Progress?

Investing in a personal trainer or coach can be life changing in a positive way saving you time, energy and money in the long run. However choosing the right person to help you make progress can sometimes be daunting.

It is natural to think: what happens if it doesn’t work? What if I am the one who doesn’t get the results he advertises? Will I get my monies worth?

You're not alone in these thoughts. Investing your money and trust into someone new can be challenging before you have built any rapport with them.

This article has been written to help you make an informed decision when investing in your health and to demonstrate how I ensure your investment is a safe one.

Getting the right person

Making sure you get the right person for you is a key part of making sure you get results. Here are some things to consider:

• Results: make sure the trainer has evidence of getting the results you desire. A coach should be able to display the results they have achieved in the past. My expertise lie in helping clients get stronger, lose bodyfat and run marathons and I have the proven track record to demonstrate this. I have no experience however with bodybuilding, pre and post natal training and therefore wouldn’t take on clients with those goals.

• Recommendations: Look for Google Reviews, video testimonials, and word-of-mouth referrals as valuable indicators of a trainer's reputation. You should also be able to talk to a trainer's clients if you want to. I encourage you to speak directly with my current clients if you want to hear about their firsthand experience. I know of many who would be happy to connect with you.

• Experience: Does the trainer have personal experience or a deep understanding of the challenges and successes involved in achieving goals similar to yours? I think this is incredibly important as they will have a deeper understanding of what you are going through. It’s also important to consider their overall experience in the industry and training knowledge.

• Have a conversation: talk to the person you are potentially looking to train with and see if you are a good fit. If you don’t get a good first impression or don’t get on then it might be worth looking elsewhwere.

Initial conversation

Admittedly this will vary depending on the client. If a client is eager to get started straight away I will integrate a detailed conversation into our first session.

My process is as follows:

• Find out about the prospective client: who they are, what they do, what commitments they have, what problems they are having, what their goals are.

• Find out whether they have realistic expectations of what they want to achieve and whether we are a good fit/get on.

• Work out whether our schedules would align (e.g. I don’t work Sundays or Wednesday afternoons so those times will never work for me.)

It’s only after this process and if everything works out that I would consider taking on a client.

First sessions

The first few sessions will be finding out how you move and what you are capable of. Essentially I want you to have a positive experience and go away feeling good and often capable of more. This can mean I tend to err on the side of caution however I adjust this  over time based on the individual and their physical capabilities.

While I don’t always do a specific movement screen with every client I am continuously assessing movement during our sessions. I have found over years of training people that I can pick up imbalances and weaknesses during training and therefore would prefer to get someone moving than spend 30+ minutes doing movement testing.

During these sessions we will further discuss goals, timelines and what you can realistically expect during the initial phase.

Initial phase (6-12 weeks)

What results you get in this period will be highly individual to you. Sometimes if you have someone who is highly motivated and driven they can see visible results in as little as 6 weeks. Other people take longer.

I think most people should be able to feel results (more energy, less fatigue, feel stronger, running better etc) in as little as 6 weeks. Actual tangible results (improving run times, weight loss or improving strength metrics) that you can measure often take longer and you will begin to notice them around the 12 week mark.

Results take time and this is something I will always make clear. Quick results often lead to a quick loss of those results. Taking time to form the habits, actions and processes will be the thing that allows you to get and keep long term results.

This phase may involve changing strategy if needed and will be a process of continued communication. We will often be problem solving together and making sure you have a plan that fits your needs and lifestyle.

If there are any challenges or unsustainable habits then often it's during this phase that they will come out and we solve them.

Secondary phase (12-24 weeks)

This phase is where you should really begin to see the fruits of your labour. This is often where you have solidified the habits that will allow you to see progress.

By this stage any problems should have been solved and it is consistency that will allow you to get the best results. 

What if I am still not seeing results?

If you have been consistent with the plan we have put in place then it is very unlikely you will not see results.  In over a decade of training I have always found a clear reason why someone was not getting results. Having said that I can imagine that in certain circumstances it can happen.

At this point we would normally revisit the plan we have in place to make sure everything is understood and being done. We would also potentially look to change any elements that are not working.

I’m on your side

At the end of the day it does not benefit me or you for you not to be getting results. I genuinely want and enjoy seeing my clients get epic results. Therefore I will do everything in my power to help you succeed. 

It does not benefit me or my business to make false promises, agree to unrealistic expectations or take money off someone I do not believe I can truly help. Doing that means I would let them down and build a reputation as someone who can’t deliver on what they promised- something which is contrary to good business.

Money back guarantee

I do offer a money back guarantee to anyone who doesn’t get results. While I can't guarantee specific outcomes (as individual results vary), I am confident in my ability to guide you towards your goals. However, if for any reason someone was unhappy, I would refund them in a heartbeat. 

Again, I want to be clear that I’m on your side. I don’t say I can do things I can’t deliver because it doesn’t benefit anyone.

Summary

Getting great results can be life changing so making sure you get the right person is crucial to your success. They should have a clear process in how they will achieve the results and be able to demonstrate proof of their previous work.

Going into working with them they should give you a clear outline of what can be achieved in the time frame you are looking to work together.

If you have further questions or want to explore the possibility of coaching then feel free to reach out and arrange a free consultation. 

About the Author:

Hi my name is Ollie McCarthy and I am a Running Coach and Personal Trainer in Tunbridge Wells. I help people to build fit, robust and capable bodies that look good but also perform well. This is done through a combination of running, mobility, strength and conditioning work.

E: Ollie@mccarthysf.com

T: 07828573920