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Personal Training in Pittsburgh: Tips for Choosing the Right Program to Reach Your Goals

March 1, 2022

There are many reasons why you may want to start working with a personal trainer. Whether you’re looking for someone to keep you accountable or need help reaching your fitness goals, working with a personal trainer is a great way to help you progress on your fitness journey. When considering personal training in Pittsburgh, it’s important to find the right personal trainer for you. With so many options for personal training available, how do you decide which personal trainer is right for you? We’re here to help you determine what you need from personal training and know what to look for in a personal trainer. 

Determining What You Need From Personal Training in Pittsburgh

Personal training isn’t one-size-fits-all. Determine what your fitness goals are first. 

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Personal trainers can help you accomplish a wide range of fitness goals.

Before you decide on a personal trainer, you first need to outline your goals for your fitness journey and determine what you want to achieve with the help of personal training. Because some personal trainers have specialties of focus, you may end up working with someone who just doesn’t align with your personal goals. So, what can personal training help you accomplish?

Training for Beginners

The gym can be intimidating especially if you’re a beginner at working out. Without the proper knowledge, you may not even know how to piece together a plan to accomplish your goals. One-on-one personal training in Pittsburgh can help you determine a plan to achieve those goals and help you understand how to use gym equipment to avoid injury. 

Training for Improved Results

At some point within your own personal fitness journey, you may plateau in your results. Personal trainers can evaluate your current plan and examine your goals to make recommendations for new training ideas and equipment to use. Trainers can also help keep you motivated and challenge you to get better results

Training for Recovery

When recovering from an injury, it can be hard to get back to your regular fitness routine while avoiding further injury. When starting personal training for recovery, your personal trainer can help you come up with a plan tailored to your injuries that compliment your physical therapy. 

Training for Athletes

Whether you’re looking to get back into shape to gear up for your next sports season or looking to improve your physique to better yourself within your sport, personal training can help. Your personal trainer will work with you to come up with a plan to get you where you need to be. 

What to Consider When Choosing a Personal Trainer

With so many personal training options in Pittsburgh, finding the right personal trainer for your goals is crucial

X Shadyside training photo
Before deciding on a personal trainer, ensure that their training style suits your fitness needs. 

After deciding what you need from your personal training in Pittsburgh, it’s time to choose the right personal trainer for you. What works for one person may not work for you, so vetting a potential trainer ensures that you find the right person for you. Let’s take a look at what you should be looking for when choosing a personal trainer

Credentials

For any personal trainer, a certain level of training and education is needed. While an advanced degree is not required, personal trainers must pass a certifying exam from a reputable company. Be sure to talk with your potential trainer about their credentials to understand their training and their experience. 

Specialties

While all personal trainers will be trained in standard personal training, some personal trainers go the extra mile to specialize their practice. These can range from sport-specific to behavioral and weight management specializations. If you have specific needs for your personal training in Pittsburgh, finding a personal trainer who specializes in that area can help further tailor your regimen to your needs.  

Personality

No matter the frequency of your training, you’ll need to make sure you jive with your trainer’s personality. Many people look to their trainer for motivation, so be sure you find a personal trainer who is compatible with your needs to motivate you in the gym. 

Training Philosophy

With so many program options, you should be on the same page with your trainer on how their program works. Their preference may be for machine-based training, free-weight training, or many other methods of training. Ask your potential trainer how they run their program and see if it lines up with what you want to accomplish. 

Cost

When you work with a personal trainer, you’ll not only be investing in yourself but you’ll also be investing money into the cost of personal training. Think about your budget and what you can realistically afford. This may determine whether you work one-on-one with a personal trainer or if you need a semi-private personal trainer. 

Availability

On your search for finding the best personal trainer for you, you need to check with a potential personal trainer on their availability. To see results, you must train consistently. So, if your trainer has too many clients or limited availability when you are available, they may not be the best option for you. 

Progress

When you have goals established for yourself before starting personal training in Pittsburgh, it’s crucial that your progress is tracked. Without proper progress tracking, it’s difficult to determine fitness benchmarks and what you need to do to stay on track with your goals. 


Working with a personal trainer is a great way to help you reach whatever fitness goals you determine for yourself. Finding the right personal training program in Pittsburgh is crucial to ensure you’re making a wise investment. At X Shadyside, we have nationally-certified personal trainers to provide you with results-driven, personalized training. Ready to get started? Contact us today to start discussing your personal training goals. 

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