Personal Training Outside of the Gym

The obvious place to find a personal trainer is in the gym however a small handful of clients will prefer to have sessions elsewhere. This may be due to lack of gym membership, the sport they are doing or even a specific event they are training for. A good example of this will be marathon runners or cyclists whereby only a small amount can be learnt from a treadmill or exercise bike and real world experience needs to be incorporated into their session to give the client a feel of what it will really be like on race day. Therefore we have put together our top tips for training clients outside to ensure their session is as safe and successful as within those gym walls.

1. Plan Ahead

If running or cycling it is important to plan your route ahead of time. It is important to check road conditions, weather and traffic to ensure your journey is safe and the client can gain maximum benefit. If they want to train a certain muscle or for a certain course then you can plan ahead to ensure the route incorporates what they need such as hills or downhill descents, road or trail, etc. To mix it up you can also include stops for stretching, rest or even some quick lunges, squats or burpees!

2. Check area guidelines

If you are training a client in a park then it is a good idea to check the park’s guidelines on usage. Some parks such as Hyde Park and Richmond Park give out a certain number of fitness licenses’ each year so that only those registered can use the park to train clients. Other smaller parks tend not to have such strict rules on usage but it always worth checking with the local council.

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3. Prepare your client

Rather than springing the idea of an outdoor training session on your client as they turn up to a session in regular gym attire it is probably best to let them know beforehand so that they can come prepared. This is especially key in the cooler months where running leggings, long sleeved jackets and perhaps even gloves should be recommended to keep them warm during the session.

4. Get inventive!

So there may not be state of the art gym equipment outside but you can always improvise and use what you can find! A bench can be great for tricep dips, two lampposts or trees can be used as markers for some sprinting practice or a climbing frame can provide the perfect chin up bar.

At Protectivity our Personal Trainer Insurance offers cover across the UK whether outside or in the gym so you can rest assured that whilst training your client you are protected. It is always good to have some variety in training and offering sessions outside is a good chance for personal trainers to offer a change of scenery for their client’s workout. Just make sure you follow our top tips to keep you and your client safe and most importantly have fun!

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