Personal trainers are a great resource to support you on your fitness journey. Trainers can be appealing because they offer customized workouts designed specifically for your health goals, your schedule, and other variables that are personalized just for you.
However, not all trainers are alike. Some trainers might offer more personalized training or more flexibility than others. And some trainers have more experience with your specific goals than others.
If you’ve been working with a personal trainer but have been starting to feel like it might be time to change up your fitness routine, read on to find out:
There are lots of reasons it might be time to move on from your personal trainer.
The most common reasons are (1) lack of progress or (2) schedule changes. What might these look like for you?
Maybe you’ve noticed a lack of progress with your training.
For example:
If you feel comfortable, definitely bring up your feelings of a lack of progress with your trainer. See if they have any suggestions for what to change (but watch out for excuses!).
Maybe your schedule has changed and the sessions you originally committed to don’t fit your lifestyle anymore.
For example:
These are all completely normal (and potentially exciting!) experiences! It’s ok for the training you do to evolve as part of your personal journey through life. Part of that evolution might mean making the decision to part ways with your trainer.
But how exactly do you have that conversation? Especially without making things awkward?
Just like breaking off any other relationship, parting ways with a trainer can potentially make for an uncomfortable conversation.
But it doesn’t have to be! Here are some tips for how to approach this talk with your trainer.
One of the most important things to keep in mind as you’re approaching this conversation is that this change isn’t about your trainer - it’s about YOU.
Deciding to break up with your trainer is a personal decision. And you can communicate that by being honest, but respectful. It’s not a critique of your trainer, it’s just a change you need to make for reasons that are important to you.
You can also be grateful for the time you spent with your trainer, and the support they provided. In fact, though not required, some people will offer a tip or a gift when they part ways with their trainer. This can be a nice way of showing your thanks in addition to saying “thank you.”
It’s important to remember that although the conversation might feel awkward, ending your relationship with your trainer feels like a bigger deal than it actually is. It’s not that big of a deal.
Really.
You’re probably not your trainer’s only client, and you’re certainly not the only client to have decided to stop working with them. That’s part of the job; clients come and go. Some trainers are even happy when clients feel empowered to go in a different training direction.
And that’s another thing to keep in mind: you are your trainer’s CLIENT. While you might be friendly with your trainer and have developed a good relationship with them, at the end of the day this is still a business relationship. You as the client are paying for their training services. It’s ok for that transactional relationship to end at some point.
Plus, ideally you did a good job picking a trainer so you’ll have picked someone who is mature about the relationship and can handle this conversation with ease.
But what should you actually say when you have this talk with your trainer? Glad you asked!
Here are some sample phrases you can use:
Aside from what you’ll say, it can also be good to think about where/when to have this conversation with your trainer.
Should you do it in person? Over text or email? Over a call? At the end of a session? Beginning of a session? In between sessions?
At the end of the day, it’s really up to you.
Do a little self assessment and consider what would be most comfortable for you. Consider the communication method you’re most confident with. And if you’re wanting to have the conversation in person, keep in mind whether you have any upcoming sessions and when you’d feel best having this talk around those sessions (beginning? end?).
One thing you should keep in mind is that you should keep any agreements/contracts you’ve signed or sessions that have already been paid for.
So if you paid for ten sessions and after five sessions you’ve decided it might not be a good long-term fit, consider waiting to end the training relationship until after you’ve completed all ten sessions.
If you’re doing your training as a member of a gym, be sure to review your gym contract for any hidden fees or other costs associated with canceling your training or membership.
Sometimes you need to cancel your training because you didn’t get what you paid for. In these cases, things can get messy - especially when dealing with some shady Instagram trainer.
Don’t worry, we have a whole article for how to deal with that here.
Congratulations on taking a big step and breaking up with your trainer!
Now what?
Moving on from your trainer can be a huge opportunity to explore new fitness solutions that are a better fit for where you’re currently at.
First, think about why you decided to stop working with your trainer.
Ideally, you’d be able to find a trainer who can adapt to your needs as they change. Personalization, but also flexibility.
Trainwell’s virtual 1-on-1 training programs might be the perfect fit to help you evolve your training as you take this next step in your fitness journey. Trainwell’s online trainers provide that custom mix of personalization and flexibility.
Train when you want, where you want, using trainwell’s combination of advanced fitness technology and a real human trainer. You’ll be able to take advantage of personalized fitness plans developed by a trainer who takes into account your specific health, fitness, and schedule needs.
Our trainers use our motion-tracking technology to provide an even more comprehensive, state-of-the-art training experience than you might find with either another online training platform or a traditional in-person trainer.
Sound like something you’d like to try?
If trainwell sounds like it might be the perfect combination of personalization and flexibility that you’re looking for, here’s how to transition from your in-person trainer to trainwell’s remote program.
First, look for trainers who align with your fitness goals. Not sure what your fitness goals are? That’s ok! Figuring out your fitness goals with your trainer is a great first step to the client/trainer relationship. Once you’ve found the right trainer for you, you’ll have an onboarding call with them to talk through your fitness goals. Together, you can map out what’s most important to you, and how to achieve your goals.
Ready to get started? Great! Trainwell offers a free 14-day trial so you can test the waters and build your confidence using our online training program. That’s two weeks of free training to get the hang of this new training approach.
Q: Will my trainer be upset if I cancel my training with them?
A: No. Clients come and go. This is a normal part of the relationship between a client and a trainer.
Q: Should I cancel my current training program in person? Or via text or email?
A: It’s up to you! Whatever you’re most comfortable with.
Q: How do I decide what I should do next for my training?
A: Start by thinking about why you canceled your current training. Do you need more flexibility? More personalization? Would virtual training be a better fit for you than in-person training? Answering these questions can help you decide what’s next.
Q: How do I set up a virtual training program?
A: It’s easy:
Personal trainers can be a great way to support your fitness journey. But just like any relationship, there may come a time when you’re ready to move on.
Maybe your fitness goals have changed. Maybe your schedule has changed. Whatever the reason, it’s perfectly normal to break up with your personal trainer and try something new. This can be a really exciting next step for you, and it’s important to think about ending your relationship with your personal trainer as a positive, proactive step in your health and fitness journey.
The good news is there are strategies you can use to have that conversation with your trainer in a way that isn’t awkward. Be confident, and communicate in a way that you’re most comfortable. You’ve got this!
And when you’re thinking about what’s next, think about why you needed to end your relationship with your trainer.
Trainwell provides consistent, personalized, flexible long-term support with the ideal combination of real human trainers and advanced fitness technology.
If you think this could be what you’re looking for, explore trainwell’s 14-day free trial to find your next personal trainer: https://join.trainwell.net/
Written by Ella Browning.
