The Cost of Personal Training

The cost of personal training

Hiring a personal trainer is a significant investment. As one client put it: “It is not overpriced, but it is a lot of money.” As the owner of a personal training studio, I understand and want to help find solutions. When I started my business, my mission was to make personal training accessible to a wider audience. We have achieved that. I am not saying it is cheap—it is not—but combining services helps you get more from your sessions and achieve your goals while allowing us, as fitness professionals, to make a living.

There are always ways to reduce costs. You could use an online coach, find programmes online yourself or join a budget gym. At Fundamentals, you can combine services. Alongside personal training, you can use Open Gym or attend group classes. Many members book personal training every other week and attend three group classes a week. This gives them two to four weekly contact points for around €200. Still a substantial amount, but achievable for many people. And a healthy body is worth much more than a €1,500 iPhone.

What to look for when hiring a trainer

Yes, personal training costs money, but demand for good guidance is growing. The days of joining a gym and remaining an inactive member are over. Many enthusiasts respond by calling themselves personal trainers. You may not immediately recognise the differences, but they are real. Nobody is perfect, yet several points can help you find the best personal trainer in Haarlem and Heemstede:

• A thorough starting assessment. Your current level, goals and life outside exercise allow you and your trainer to create a plan tailored to your circumstances.
• Your trainer pays attention to you. If you mention an important event on Tuesday, it is good if your trainer asks about it on Friday, or at least remembers. In other words, your trainer listens.
• A step forward each session. This is progressive overload, which can take many forms: another repetition, greater range of motion or more weight. Tracking your work is essential. Any trainer can make someone sore or exhausted, but not every trainer can genuinely make someone stronger.
• Someone you trust is there for you. Considerable research examines the mental strength gained from support, literally and figuratively. Trusting someone while doing something challenging can help you produce that little extra effort.
• You address lifestyle factors together. You may train together twice a week, but the other 166 hours are yours to manage. Discuss how to make good choices then too. Where can you improve? How does it fit your life? If you want a drink, how can you balance it? These are conversations to have with your trainer.

Keep these conditions in mind and you will get value for money. Do not be dazzled by confident talk. Look carefully and critically at the person with whom you hope to build a lasting working relationship. And yes, naturally I would say this: start your search at Fundamentals!

So what does personal training in Haarlem cost? We begin with a Kickstart of three sessions for €149. After that, prices range from €75 to €110 per hour. The more sessions you purchase, the lower the hourly rate.

Thijs Avezaat — owner of Fundamentals