Choosing a personal trainer is a decision that can significantly impact your fitness journey. Whether you're looking to lose weight, gain muscle, or improve overall health, a good and well-matched personal trainer will guide you, motivate you, and help you achieve your goals in a safe and effective way. But how do you find the right trainer for your needs?
Nowadays it seems like everywhere you turn, there is new advice, do’s and don’t around sports science and nutrition. No wonder people are feeling more overwhelmed and confused than ever about the best way to exercise and take care of their nutritional needs to meet their goals.
At Unreal Personal Training, we understand that every individual has unique goals, and that’s why we go to great lengths to pair you with a trainer who will best fit your needs. From the moment you contact our gym for a consultation, we begin an assessment of considerations for client-trainer pairings.
To support you more, we’ve crafted this detailed guide to help you find and recognise a personal trainer who aligns with your needs, goals and lifestyle. In this article, we’ll walk you through the steps to finding the right personal trainer, offer insights on what to look for, and explain how Unreal Personal Training stands out in providing expert, tailored services.
Why Finding the Right Personal Trainer Matters
A personal trainer isn’t just someone who tells you what exercises to do—they’re your guide, motivator, listening ear and fitness mentor. A good trainer can help you:
- Achieve your fitness goals more effectively
- Reduce the risk of injury
- Stay motivated and committed to your routine
- Gain a better understanding of your body and fitness needs
- And ultimately guide you towards developing a lifelong relationship with fitness and wellbeing.
At Unreal Personal Training, our team doesn’t just help you work out—they empower you to make lasting changes that improve your life. When choosing a personal trainer, it’s essential to focus on finding someone who truly understands your goals and has the experience and approach to help you succeed.
1. Define Your Fitness Goals First
Before searching for a personal trainer, take a moment to define your fitness goals. Ask yourself:
- Do you want to lose weight or improve your body composition?
- Are you focused on strength training or muscle building?
- Are you looking to improve flexibility or mobility?
- Do you have a specific fitness event or performance goal in mind?
- Do you need post-rehabilitation or injury management?
- Do you just need to start making changes in your lifestyle to improve your overall health?
Having clear and specific goals will help you find a trainer who is equipped to help you achieve them. For example, if you’re training for a marathon, you’ll need a trainer experienced in endurance training. If you’re recovering from an injury, look for someone with knowledge in rehabilitation and safe training techniques.
At Unreal Personal Training, we coach our clients for results in four key areas:
Lifestyle: Develop sustainable habits for training, nutrition, and overall health to support lifelong well-being.
Movement: Restore your body to peak performance by unlocking movement milestones and recovering from injuries.
Performance: Achieve personal bests and enhance performance in the gym or in sports like golf, running, and cycling.
Aesthetic: Work towards your body goals in a fun, effective, and sustainable way for lasting results.
2. Look for Qualifications and Experience
How can you tell a good Personal Trainer from a mediocre one?
Certifications and experience are critical when evaluating a trainer. At Unreal Personal Training, trainer education is central to our service delivery. We ensure our trainers are certificate holders of local and internationally recognised and reputable fitness organisations in the areas of Personal Training, Biomechanics and Nutrition, such as:
- The American Council on Exercise (ACE)
- National Academy of Sports Medicine (NASM)
- International Sports Sciences Association (ISSA)
- Girls Gone Strong Pre and Post Natal
- Pre-Script
- Mac Nutrition
These certifications ensure the trainer is qualified to design safe, effective, and personalised workout plans. In addition to certifications, check for experience in specific areas that match your goals. Some trainers might specialise in strength training, while others are experts in rehabilitation, sports performance, pre and post natal, or general fitness.
Additionally, we run our trainer education programme, Unreal Academy, dedicated to delivering evidence-based knowledge to empower our team, and ultimately our clients plus the wider fitness community.
Led by our qualified education team, Unreal Academy focuses on three core pillars:
- Art of Coaching
- Exercise Execution & Education
- Nutrition & Wellness
Whether someone is a seasoned fitness professional, a new joiner at the gym, or a person eager to learn more about the science of training and nutrition, Unreal Academy provides expert skills, knowledge, and guidance to help people level up their fitness journey, for life. Ongoing trainer education allows us to offer the most current and relevant advice to our clients, helping them stay ahead and on track with their goals.
Unreal Academy delivers internal training for our team, corporate wellness seminars and sharing and imparting knowledge with our clients. We deliver expert skills, knowledge and guidance to the benefit of the whole community.
3. Assess Their Specialisations
Not all personal trainers are created equal. Some trainers may specialise in weight loss, while others focus on building strength or improving athletic performance. It's important to match your trainer’s expertise with your fitness goals. At Unreal Personal Training, we have trainers who specialise in our key services:
- Fat Loss and Body Composition
- Strength Training and Muscle Building
- Performance or Sports-Specific Training
- Mobility and Injury Rehabilitation
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Pre and Post Natal Training
- Nutrition and Wellness
- Manual Therapy
- Competitive bodybuilding
Understanding the trainer’s specialisation can help ensure they are well-suited to your unique needs. Whether you’re recovering from an injury or preparing for a competition, choosing a trainer with the right expertise will help you progress faster and more safely.
Many of our trainers are also athletes who achieve personal fitness accolades, and have experienced first hand what it takes to push themselves beyond where they have gone before.
From bodybuilding, to HYROX, marathons and triathletes, the trainers at Unreal Personal Training will walk the talk and go the distance for their clients.
4. Effective Communication and Compatibility
One of the key traits of a great trainer is their ability to communicate effectively. A good trainer will preempt to your needs, explain exercises clearly, and provide feedback that helps you improve. They should also be patient, supportive, and able to adjust their approach based on your verbal and non verbal feedback. Feedback is important to observe session by session, and a good trainer will pay attention to things such as exertion levels, fatigue, sleep hygiene, nutrition, mood, menstrual cycle and lifestyle.
When selecting a trainer, ask yourself:
- Do they listen to my concerns and goals?
- Are they able to explain complex movements in simple terms?
- Do they make adjustments when I struggle with certain exercises?
- Do they know when I can be pushed further, do they know when to pull back?
At Unreal Personal Training, our trainers have high levels of Emotional Intelligence and are skilled communicators who take the time to get to know their clients. Every person is different, and therefore we tailor our approach based on each individual’s unique needs and preferences.
5. Consider Personality and Motivation Style
A personal trainer’s personality and motivation style play a significant role in your overall experience. Some people prefer a no-nonsense, tough-love approach, while others might respond better to a supportive and encouraging style. It’s important to find a trainer whose personality and motivational style resonate with you.
The team at Unreal Personal Training are from a wide-ranging backgrounds and bring a variety of different personalities and training styles. Whether you need a trainer who will push you hard or someone who provides consistent encouragement, we have the right fit for you.
We go to great lengths during your initial consult to understand which technical as well as soft skills will be required to get the best out of a new client.
Book your Free Consultation here!
6. Trial Sessions and Flexibility
Some Personal Trainers offer trial sessions to potential clients wishing to try before they buy. At Unreal Personal Training we believe our services are of an exceptional standard and our trainers are highly qualified to coach you at any level of proficiency.
Whilst we do not offer free trials, we conduct a deep and thorough consultation session leaving you confident that Unreal Personal Training is the best place to step towards your fitness goals.
Book your Free Consultation here!
And if you need more time to consider, we guarantee you won’t be pressured into making decisions unnecessarily, as we want our clients to be excited to be starting their fitness journey, not reluctant.
We incorporate a Fit3D body scan at your first session, to develop a baseline for your physical condition, and your trainer will be in regular contact with you as you adjust to your new training schedule.
During your consultation and initial training session, we recommend you pay attention to:
- How well the trainer listens to your goals
- Whether the workout feels personalised to you
- How motivated and supported you feel during the session
We always encourage feedback about our trainers from our clients to ensure they are getting the best workout and support possible, and that trainers are the right fit. We also provide flexible scheduling to ensure your training fits seamlessly into your busy lifestyle.
Unreal Personal Training offers 1:1 Training Sessions 24/7, by appointment only.
7. Client Success Stories and Testimonials
When considering a personal trainer, it’s important to hear about their previous successes. Ask for client testimonials or success stories that demonstrate how the trainer has helped others achieve their goals. Personal success stories can give you confidence in the trainer’s ability to help you achieve your goals as well.
We love sharing our client success stories. From weight loss transformations to athletes improving their performance, and clients ticking off bodybuilding bucket lists, our trainers have helped countless individuals reach their fitness goals. Check out our IG for regular client results and testimonials @unrealpersonaltrainingsg.
Our client community is also happy to share their stories to inspire and motivate new clients.
"Although I was already active before going to Unreal, it was with them that I dropped 12kg (10kg within 6 months - it has been a year and I've kept the weight off while increasing my calorie intake), went from 32kg to 90kg on my DL, and pushed past my endurance to move more weight."
- Joey
"Khai was able to observe my limitations and make appropriate adjustments based on how I was feeling, without ever letting me slack off! In the last year, he managed to keep me training regularly, through my health issues. Khai was reassuring and made me feel very safe in the gym.”
- Denise
“Unreal Personal Training provides excellent services. The facilities are top-notch, and the supportive community adds to the overall positive experience. The atmosphere is welcoming, and the group activities foster a sense of camaraderie among the trainers and members.”
- Kelly Pereira
"I will strongly recommend Unreal Personal Training for anyone looking to achieve real results. The team is also super friendly, you also get a complimentary protein shake (post workout) to help you meet your protein goals 😊”
- Hector Au
"The QC here is stringent, and the PTs are encouraged to continually learn and grow so I know I'm getting quality training. You really get what you pay for here.”
- Joey Chen
Conclusion: Investing in Your Health at Unreal Personal Training
Finding the right personal trainer is crucial to achieving your fitness goals. It’s important to choose someone who understands your unique needs, offers expert advice, and provides support throughout your journey. We are dedicated to helping you find the trainer who will best support your goals and guide you every step of the way.
By following these guidelines and understanding your own needs and goals as you find the right trainer, you’ll set yourself up for success. We invite you to book a consultation with us here at Unreal Personal Training and experience the level of quality and commitment we promise for you to reach your full potential.
Real Trainers. UNREAL Results.
