Is One On One PT a thing of the past?
What Makes a Good Personal Trainer? (And Why 1-to-1 PT Isn’t Always the Best Option)
If you’re trying to lose weight, build muscle, or improve your fitness, hiring a personal trainer can seem like the obvious solution.
After all, having someone guide you, keep you accountable, and structure your workouts should help you get better results.
But here’s something many people don’t think about before they hire one:
What actually makes a good personal trainer?
Because simply hiring a PT doesn’t guarantee results.
A good personal trainer does far more than count your reps or shout encouragement during a workout. The best trainers combine expert coaching, structured programming, and ongoing support to help clients make real progress.
In this article we’ll cover:
What makes a good personal trainer
The pros and cons of 1-to-1 personal training
Why semi-private and online coaching are becoming more popular
What Makes a Good Personal Trainer?
A good personal trainer should provide much more than just a workout session.
The best trainers create a clear plan that moves you closer to your goal over time.
This usually includes:
1. Structured Training Programmes
One of the biggest benefits of working with a trainer is having a well designed workout programme that focuses on progression.
Your training should follow a clear plan that gradually increases intensity, strength, and performance over time.
If every session is completely random, it’s very difficult to track progress or make meaningful improvements.
2. Expert Coaching and Technique Guidance
A good personal trainer will help you improve your exercise technique, posture, and movement quality.
This not only helps you get better results from each exercise, but also reduces the risk of injury.
Proper coaching can make a huge difference, especially if you’re new to strength training.
3. Accountability and Support
One of the biggest reasons people hire a personal trainer is accountability.
Knowing someone is expecting you to show up to a session — or checking in on your progress — makes it much easier to stay consistent with your training.
Consistency is ultimately what drives results.
4. Nutrition Guidance
Training alone is rarely enough to achieve most fitness goals.
A good trainer will often help guide you with nutrition habits, calorie intake, and lifestyle changes that support your training programme.
5. Ongoing Support Outside the Gym
Great trainers don’t just work with you during your sessions.
They also provide regular check-ins, progress tracking, and support between workouts to keep you moving forward.
(Quick side note: if your trainer gives you something different every session, never checks in between workouts, and doesn’t have a clear plan for progression — there’s a good chance you’re not getting the results you’re paying for.)
Pros of Hiring a Personal Trainer
Working with a good personal trainer can provide several major benefits.
Expert Programme Design
You’re following a structured programme built specifically around your goals.
Accountability
Knowing someone is expecting you at the gym helps you stay consistent.
Professional Coaching
A trainer can correct your form and ensure you’re performing exercises effectively.
Nutritional Support
Many trainers provide guidance on how to improve your eating habits.
Personal Attention
During 1-to-1 sessions, you have the trainer’s full attention.
The Downsides of 1-to-1 Personal Training
While personal training can be valuable, there are also a few potential drawbacks.
Cost
One of the biggest barriers to working with a personal trainer is price.
Across most areas of the UK, personal training sessions typically cost between £30 and £50 per session.
If you train four times per week, that could add up to around:
£640 per month.
For many people, this simply isn’t sustainable long-term.
Limited Availability
Good trainers are usually busy.
That means their schedules fill up quickly, which can make it difficult to find session times that fit around your work, family, or other commitments.
Constant Supervision
For some people, having a trainer watching every rep is motivating.
For others, it can feel uncomfortable.
Not everyone enjoys having someone observing their workout the entire time.
And realistically, many people don’t want to pay £40 per session just to have someone count their reps.
Why Semi-Private Personal Training Is Becoming More Popular
Because of these downsides, many people are now choosing semi-private personal training or online coaching instead.
Semi-private training offers many of the same benefits as personal training, but with greater flexibility and a much lower cost.
Members still receive:
A personalised training programme
Professional coaching and guidance
Nutritional support
Regular progress check-ins
Accountability and support
The difference is that sessions take place in small groups, with each person following their own personalised programme while a coach moves between members providing support and guidance.
This means you still receive expert coaching — just in a more flexible environment.
A More Flexible Coaching Option
Our semi-private coaching programme gives members access to:
Unlimited access to over 20 coached sessions per week
A personalised training programme delivered through our coaching app
Open gym access
Nutrition coaching
Regular progress check-ins
Ongoing support via message or calls
Our online coaching packages include all of the above as well, with the exception of the in-person semi-private sessions.
Comparing the Cost
Earlier we mentioned that training four times per week with a personal trainer could cost around £640 per month.
You might expect semi-private coaching to be expensive too.
But our memberships start at just £127 for your first six weeks, and then £157 per month afterwards.
There are no contracts or long-term commitments — just 30 days’ notice if you ever decide to cancel.
If you’re training four times per week, that’s a saving of roughly:
£5,796 per year compared to traditional one-to-one personal training.
That’s nearly £6,000 saved each year, while still getting the structure, coaching, and support needed to achieve real results.
Final Thoughts
Working with a good personal trainer can absolutely help you reach your fitness goals faster.
But traditional 1-to-1 personal training isn’t always the most practical or affordable option.
For many people, semi-private coaching or online coaching provides the perfect balance of structure, flexibility, support, and cost.
The key is finding a coaching system that gives you:
A clear plan
Expert guidance
Accountability
Ongoing support
Because ultimately, consistency and progression are what drive real results.What Makes a Good Personal Trainer? (And Why 1-to-1 PT Isn’t Always the Best Option)
If you’re trying to lose weight, build muscle, or improve your fitness, hiring a personal trainer can seem like the obvious solution.
After all, having someone guide you, keep you accountable, and structure your workouts should help you get better results.
But here’s something many people don’t think about before they hire one:
What actually makes a good personal trainer?
Because simply hiring a PT doesn’t guarantee results.
A good personal trainer does far more than count your reps or shout encouragement during a workout. The best trainers combine expert coaching, structured programming, and ongoing support to help clients make real progress.
In this article we’ll cover:
What makes a good personal trainer
The pros and cons of 1-to-1 personal training
Why semi-private and online coaching are becoming more popular
What Makes a Good Personal Trainer?
A good personal trainer should provide much more than just a workout session.
The best trainers create a clear plan that moves you closer to your goal over time.
This usually includes:
1. Structured Training Programmes
One of the biggest benefits of working with a trainer is having a well designed workout programme that focuses on progression.
Your training should follow a clear plan that gradually increases intensity, strength, and performance over time.
If every session is completely random, it’s very difficult to track progress or make meaningful improvements.
2. Expert Coaching and Technique Guidance
A good personal trainer will help you improve your exercise technique, posture, and movement quality.
This not only helps you get better results from each exercise, but also reduces the risk of injury.
Proper coaching can make a huge difference, especially if you’re new to strength training.
3. Accountability and Support
One of the biggest reasons people hire a personal trainer is accountability.
Knowing someone is expecting you to show up to a session — or checking in on your progress — makes it much easier to stay consistent with your training.
Consistency is ultimately what drives results.
4. Nutrition Guidance
Training alone is rarely enough to achieve most fitness goals.
A good trainer will often help guide you with nutrition habits, calorie intake, and lifestyle changes that support your training programme.
5. Ongoing Support Outside the Gym
Great trainers don’t just work with you during your sessions.
They also provide regular check-ins, progress tracking, and support between workouts to keep you moving forward.
(Quick side note: if your trainer gives you something different every session, never checks in between workouts, and doesn’t have a clear plan for progression — there’s a good chance you’re not getting the results you’re paying for.)
Pros of Hiring a Personal Trainer
Working with a good personal trainer can provide several major benefits.
Expert Programme Design
You’re following a structured programme built specifically around your goals.
Accountability
Knowing someone is expecting you at the gym helps you stay consistent.
Professional Coaching
A trainer can correct your form and ensure you’re performing exercises effectively.
Nutritional Support
Many trainers provide guidance on how to improve your eating habits.
Personal Attention
During 1-to-1 sessions, you have the trainer’s full attention.
The Downsides of 1-to-1 Personal Training
While personal training can be valuable, there are also a few potential drawbacks.
Cost
One of the biggest barriers to working with a personal trainer is price.
Across most areas of the UK, personal training sessions typically cost between £30 and £50 per session.
If you train four times per week, that could add up to around:
£640 per month.
For many people, this simply isn’t sustainable long-term.
Limited Availability
Good trainers are usually busy.
That means their schedules fill up quickly, which can make it difficult to find session times that fit around your work, family, or other commitments.
Constant Supervision
For some people, having a trainer watching every rep is motivating.
For others, it can feel uncomfortable.
Not everyone enjoys having someone observing their workout the entire time.
And realistically, many people don’t want to pay £40 per session just to have someone count their reps.
Why Semi-Private Personal Training Is Becoming More Popular
Because of these downsides, many people are now choosing semi-private personal training or online coaching instead.
Semi-private training offers many of the same benefits as personal training, but with greater flexibility and a much lower cost.
Members still receive:
A personalised training programme
Professional coaching and guidance
Nutritional support
Regular progress check-ins
Accountability and support
The difference is that sessions take place in small groups, with each person following their own personalised programme while a coach moves between members providing support and guidance.
This means you still receive expert coaching — just in a more flexible environment.
A More Flexible Coaching Option
Our semi-private coaching programme gives members access to:
Unlimited access to over 20 coached sessions per week
A personalised training programme delivered through our coaching app
Open gym access
Nutrition coaching
Regular progress check-ins
Ongoing support via message or calls
Our online coaching packages include all of the above as well, with the exception of the in-person semi-private sessions.
Comparing the Cost
Earlier we mentioned that training four times per week with a personal trainer could cost around £640 per month.
You might expect semi-private coaching to be expensive too.
But our memberships start at just £127 for your first six weeks, and then £157 per month afterwards.
There are no contracts or long-term commitments — just 30 days’ notice if you ever decide to cancel.
If you’re training four times per week, that’s a saving of roughly:
£5,796 per year compared to traditional one-to-one personal training.
That’s nearly £6,000 saved each year, while still getting the structure, coaching, and support needed to achieve real results.
Final Thoughts
Working with a good personal trainer can absolutely help you reach your fitness goals faster.
But traditional 1-to-1 personal training isn’t always the most practical or affordable option.
For many people, semi-private coaching or online coaching provides the perfect balance of structure, flexibility, support, and cost.
The key is finding a coaching system that gives you:
A clear plan
Expert guidance
Accountability
Ongoing support
Because ultimately, consistency and progression are what drive real results.
