Anyone can call themselves a personal trainer!
Personal trainer. Which qualification do you need?
In Switzerland, the title of personal trainer is not protected by law and is not tied to any common standards. So anyone can call themselves a personal trainer! Even without ever having completed any qualification in fitness. It seems that soon every ambitious gym-goer will think they are a personal trainer. Many fitness enthusiasts already advertise themselves as such on social media channels like Instagram. More and more poor-quality online training plans are being sold too, by so-called personal trainers.
A personal trainer should have a sound fitness trainer qualification, which several schools in Switzerland offer. The school should hold a recognised certification such as ISO or EduQua. Unfortunately, a weekend workshop is not enough. In the fitness jungle, customers can barely find their way any more. There are plenty of black sheep who want their toned bodies to suggest expertise. Do not be dazzled.
How does a personal trainer differ from a fitness trainer?
A fitness trainer who works in a gym has to look after several people at once. In classic 1:1 personal training, the personal trainer looks after just one client. It is obvious that the fitness trainer cannot look after every member equally well.
In a trial or introductory session, the fitness trainer’s goal is to explain the exercises as precisely as possible in the time available, so that the member can then train correctly on their own. In that sense they act as a kind of teacher. In a good gym, sessions with a coach should be available without limit, meaning the session can be repeated as often as you like. The trainer should also hold a recognised qualification .
A personal trainer has one advantage when training with a client. Because they attend every session, they do not need to explain the exercises so thoroughly that the client could do them alone. That would not be in a personal trainer’s interest either. A “good” personal trainer regularly gives the client the feeling that they need them in order to train. It is therefore no surprise that many put together a new workout for every session to keep the client motivated.
Who is a personal trainer right for?
You only need a personal trainer if you cannot find the motivation to train yourself. If you really want to pay at least CHF 100.- per session, at least ask your personal trainer which qualification they have completed, and compare personal trainers.
In a good gym, the trainers will also give you a session free of charge. You can choose the interval between your appointments with the trainer yourself, too. So why spend CHF 100.- per session when a good gym already gives you this with a trainer on site? Ask at your gym.
