Find out the challenges, best practices and training session planning tips for personal trainers. Covering how you can follow Social Distancing, Hygiene and Gym Safety guidelines for COVID-19 to get back in the gym with your clients and smash your fitness goals.
As the country eases out of lockdown, we finally have confirmation that indoor gyms and sports facilities can reopen in April*. Just a couple of weeks away. This will be a big relief for many trainers who have been unable to train their clients in gyms for the past few months.
Despite gyms temporarily closing their doors, many PTs have taken their business online to keep supporting clients throughout this difficult time. While virtual training allows you to continue training clients, there’s nothing quite like an in-person one-to-one session to motivate your clients. With the UK beginning to reopen, it’s essential to navigate the new situation safely. Your clients need to feel as safe and comfortable as possible without comprising on the experience they love.
This blog will give you the essential details needed to make sure you return to face-to-face personal training safely, and the training you can undertake to give you confidence.
This blog includes:
Personal Trainer Challenges Post Lockdown
When thinking about how you will train clients, it’s important to consider the new challenges you will face. That way, you can implement the right strategies and procedures while following all health and safety guidelines. The challenges you may face after lockdown are:
Best Practices for Training Clients at the Gym
It’s important to keep an eye on government guidelines throughout the UK as they are subject to change. What remains essential is rigorous cleaning and hygiene procedures as well as strict social distancing. Although health and safety are at the top of the to-do list, the client experience should never feel diminished. Here are five best practices to be aware of when training clients at the gym.
If possible, try to keep two metres away from your client and other members at the gym. To follow social distancing guidelines while personal training, it’s a good idea to communicate with your gym on layout and space restrictions. Find out what space you have available that allows you to stick to safety guidelines while training your clients efficiently.
Depending on the type of training you provide, you can adjust your cleaning and disinfecting needs. For example, if you focus mainly on bodyweight exercises, you can ask your client to bring their own mat. That way, there will be no shared equipment. However, if you’re using free weights and machines, you will need to disinfect equipment before and after every use. You need to both clean and sanitise shared equipment, so think about using an antiviral spray.
You will need to decide what the process will be for clients if they have COVID-19 symptoms. This might involve postponing training sessions and having a two-week restriction period on coming into the gym. Throughout your communication with your clients, you should emphasise the need to avoid sessions if they have any symptoms associated with the coronavirus.
Encourage regular hand washing on arrival and avoid touching faces. Some gyms have implemented temperature checks as well, which may be something to consider as a trainer. You may need to have a good supply of personal protective equipment (PPE) in terms of gloves and face masks. If it’s harder to socially distance on the way into the gym, it may be a good idea to recommend using a face mask on arrival.
The gym layout is likely out of your control. However, it will play a part in delivering a safe and exciting session for your clients. You may need a larger area than usual to carry out sessions, so this is something to keep in mind.
The four nations are currently approaching the easing of lockdown in slightly different ways. For example, the current guidance for PTs in England is that they can meet up with clients and provide training outdoors. As many personal trainers sit waiting for reopening, you will need to plan and communicate your next steps carefully. To effectively train clients at the gym, you need to schedule a safe session that offers the experience expected.
When planning a training session at the gym, consider the following steps:
One thing to take away from lockdown is that fitness is integral to well-being and mental health. Many personal trainers are dependent on one-to-one interaction for their livelihood. Although what lies ahead for personal trainers is relatively unknown, there are some definite tactics and best practices that you can implement into your planning to help ensure your training business remains secure. By sticking to social distancing guidelines and integrating stringent cleaning procedures, you can provide a safe and exciting training session to support your clients.
*This guidance is for gyms, swimming pools and indoor sports facilities in England. Those in Scotland, Wales and Northern Ireland should refer to guidance from the devolved administrations.
After months of prolonged lockdown and gyms remaining closed, we understand how excited you must be to return to face-to-face training in a gym environment. Following these guides and constantly checking government guidelines is the best way to make sure you’re staying up to date with the latest news and regulations to make sure your return to working in a gym is safe and seamless.
The role of trainers in the community to help re-energise people and get back to their fitness goals has never been more crucial. Trainers have the potential to make a real difference in client’s lives, especially those recovering from Covid-19 symptoms.
To help prepare you for this, we have created a new Covid-19 Rehabilitation course as part of the new School of Health, giving you the essential knowledge and skills to adapt your training to suit someone in the recovery process.
