Frequently asked questions
Prices
How much is a personal trainer a month?
Our one-to-one personal training costs between £125 and £365 a month.
The price varies depending on how many weekly sessions you choose to have.
Each of our packages cover all aspects of your training and nutritional needs.
How much should a personal trainer cost?
The cost of a personal trainer varies depending on the number of sessions you choose to have, the services offered, the personal trainers experience and location.
At BenYatesFitness we use our many years of experience to offer you the most effective and efficient service at an affordable price.
How much do personal trainers charge a session?
BenYatesFitness charges £35 for a 60-minute session.
The price you pay per session decreases depending on the number of sessions you purchase a month.
Do you charge cancellation fees?
7 days notice of cancellation is required for all appointments.
If 7 days notice of cancellation is given, the session will be rearranged to a convenient time that suits BenYatesFitness and the client.
Notice of less than 7 days will incur full payment of the session fee.
Clients who do not attend sessions without informing Ben Yates Fitness will be charged in full for the session and will not be offered the opportunity to move the session.
What is your lateness policy?
If the client is late for a session the session will not be extended and will end at the appointed time.
Please call your trainer if you are running late and update them with your estimated arrival time, a decision will then be made if the session will go ahead.
If Ben Yates Fitness is late, additional time will be added to the session if available or to subsequent sessions.
Training
How long is a personal trainer session?
Each personal training session and nutriton consultation lasts 60 minutes.
The training sessions include a full warm up and cool down stretching session led by me.
What is a personal training session?
A personal trainer’s main job is to create a safe and effective exercise program just for you.
Your program should be unique to you and your fitness goals.
A personal training session is your opportunity to enlist the help of a qualified professional to teach you the basics of exercising and healthy eating.
At BenYatesFitness we plan every session to your individual fitness goals and make adjustments based on how you feel that day.
A session may involve weight training, cardio elements or a mixture of both. We will always begin with a warm up and end with a cool down stretching session.
A good personal trainer will use each session as an opportunity to eductate and motivate you towards your goals.
How difficult are personal training sessions?
At Ben Yates Fitness we want our clients to look forward to their gym sessions with or without a trainer.
That means that we don't want you to leave the gym feeling worse than when you came in.
We want you going home feeling energised and raring to come back.
Each workout will take you out of your comfort zone enough for you to grow and improve but not enough that you'll be left on the gym floor shaking and feeling sick.
We understand that a gym can be a scary place so we will put you at ease and help to build your confidence one session at a time.
How many personal training sessions a week should I have?
Depending on your goals, experience and recovery abilities, you will get the most benefits training anywhere between 2-4 days per week.
We recommend 3 sessions a week for the most efficient and effective progress.
If you are super busy then once a week maybe all you can manage, however expect your progress to be slower and your muscular aches to last longer.
The ideal frequency of personal training sessions varies from person to person.
If you are just getting started with exercise and healthy eating, need regular motivation and support to get to the gym or have an injury that you're working through - You'll probably need to see a trainer a minimum of twice each week.
Many of my weekly clients reduce their frequency of personal training sessions to bi-weekly or even monthly once they've demonstrated the ability to consistently get to the gym and progress their exercises as recommended.
Will I be able to train with a friend in my programme?
At Ben Yates Fitness we offer one-to-one personal training sessions because we only want to focus on you during your session. One-to-one sessions are great if you're new to the gym or have any special requirements.
However we know that exercising can be as much fun with a buddy then alone! It’ll also give you more accountability to not only show up for your session, but I’m keeping with the programme. It’ll also give you some well needed competition!
This is why we offer small group training. Get in touch for more details.
Why can't I just do cardio to lose weight?
Cardiovascular training is great for building strong hearts and lungs however it doesn't provide the stimulus your body needs to build bigger, stronger muscles and bones.
When you diet, your goal is to preserve muscle mass whilst reducing body fat.
You know when you look at a cover model and admire their physique, it's generally two aspects that jump out.
One is the 'leanness' or body fat level which is achieved by nutrition and calorie balance.
And, the second is the shape of the body and muscles.
This is achieved by strength training and muscle hypertrophy.
And to dispel any lingering doubt, not only can women cope with and adapt to the stresses of resistance training, there is a multitude of physical and mental benefits to doing so.
Resistance training is also key to maintaining muscle mass as we get older.
Not only does it help you to look good, but you'll also benefit from increasing your strength and bone density, as well as helping to reduce the risk of falls and injuries.
I often say that I'm training now to benefit my 80-year-old self. I don't want to be reliant on a wheelchair or a stairlift in later life, and lifting weights now will hopefully go some way to preventing that.
What kind of training and exercises will we be doing in our sessions?
Your personal training programme must be bespoke for you based on your physical state, confidence, equipment available, goals and of course time.
At Ben Yates Fitness we specialise in working with you to identify the most efficient and effective measures to achieve your desired results.
This could include weight training, cardio, stretching or a combination of exercise modes.
Do personal training workouts get easier over time?
You'd think that as your body becomes stronger and more familiar with the exercises your workouts would start to feel easier.
On one hand workouts do get easier in terms of knowing what you're doing and confidence in the gym.
Indeed, many people who 'go it alone' in the gym report exactly this but wonder why they have stopped making progress in terms of strength and fitness.
What can happen is that a person's desire to push themself can drop and they find that they become stuck in their comfort zone.
When exercises are progressed frequently and consistently, the body never truly adapts to the workout, making each feel just as challenging as the one before.
A qualified personal trainer knows how to progress your training plan to keep your body guessing and moving forward at a reasonable pace.
How will you track my progress?
You can’t change what you don’t measure, so make sure you have a personal trainer that takes tracking your goals seriously.
Not only does proper tracking ensure you’re making tangible progress, but seeing that progress statistically mapped out can provide some much-needed motivation at the right time.
BenYatesFitness uses our real-time mobile phone app to track every detail of your progress from the start, with training, nutritional and habit tracking available to you at the touch of a button.
Your personal trainer can keep you updated on in-session stats and personal bests, or they can update you when you hit certain goals.
How do you assess new personal training clients?
At Ben Yates Fitness we will ask you to complete a Physical Activity Readiness Questionnaire (PAR-Q) to make sure you’re okay to exercise.
We’ll also take your blood pressure, weight and measurements, which serves as a ‘starting point’ from which to work.
We'll also ask about prior injuries or health conditions that we should be made aware of — it’s good to hear it from the member directly.
Following that, we will have a simple conversation about your goals, habits and hobbies, too.
Beyond an initial Q&A, we will take the time to assess your movements and general fitness levels.
A valid and reliable movement assessment is a good place to start and repeat later down the line to show improvement.
It helps us to identify the areas you struggle with then tailor your training programme accordingly.
Do you provide all my exercise needs or do I also have to train alone? Do you provide a training programme?
Unless you’re seeing your Personal Trainer every day of the week, you should be provided with a programme that covers the days that you're not with your trainer.
Ben Yates Fitness will provide you with a real-time mobile app that details your training programme, habit tracking and nutritonal requirements.
So even when you're not with your trainer, it's just like having them in your pocket.
How fast will I see results from personal training?
Your results depend completely upon your effort, commitment and consistency levels.
If you want the most efficient and effective results, you give 100% to your individual programme.
At Ben Yates Fitness we don't make excuses.
For every missed training session, low step count and day spent in a calorie surplus you are slowing your progress.
With full commitment, we would expect you to feel changes in your body in the first two to three weeks. Visual changes take longer, the more consistent you are with your training and nutritional protocols, the quicker the you will notice changes.
Try focusing on non-scale victories like how many more pushups you can now perform or how your favourite clothes fit.
Is it worth getting a personal trainer?
A good personal trainer has the power to make things happen that you never dreamt possible.
Our client Alpesh sums it up "You really took me on the journey to change my life and I won't forget that.".
The general objective of a personal trainer is to be able to motivate and curate a tailored plan to suit the needs and goals of their client, this can be quite relative as no one person is the same.
A Ben Yates Fitness personal trainer will greatly increase the chances of someone reaching their goals within a specific time-frame, increase their knowledge of exercise and technique, provide routine, which encourages good habits, expert guidance and advice, prevent recurring or future injuries, improve lifestyle choices and install belief.
Beginners will have basic knowledge and will be coached to understand the importance of technique and nailing the fundamentals, which are carried throughout all exercises and nutritonal protocols.
Experienced gym-goers will need the extra motivation due to repetition of the same workout routine, lack of technique to ensure the effectiveness of the exercise or overcome plateaus.
How long should you have a personal trainer for?
When you follow a proven training system, you can achieve dramatic results in a very short amount of time.
However, we ask for at least 30 days of working with us before you make judgments if things are working for you.
Some people feel confident to go it alone after 30 days, whereas others may need longer, it very much depends on you and your goals.
Often, busy people stay with Ben Yates Fitness for the long-term as they'd rather not think about their exercise programme and leave that to us. They prefer to turn up for their appointment and simply do as we tell them to.
Is there a minimum time I have to commit to personal training sessions for?
When you follow a proven training system, you can achieve dramatic results in a very short amount of time.
However, we ask for at least 30 days of working with us before you make judgments if things are working for you.
It's amazing what kind of results you can achieve in 12 weeks.
In most cases our clients stay with Ben Yates Fitness for a minimum of 4-5 months to instill new habits and built momentum.
About me
How do I know you are the right personal trainer for me?
Click on the button below and schedule your complimentary 15 minute Zoom virtual consultation.
During the consultation, we will discuss your fitness and health goals, your biggest challenges and suggest the best strategy to achieve your goals.
No high-pressure sales call, just honest advice from a fitness professional.
If at the end of the call, you're still not convinced, I'll happily recommend a more suitable personal trainer for you.
Unless training in silence is something you prefer to do, choose a Personal Trainer who is a good listener and an interesting talker, and with whom you have some interests in common.
What are your personal training qualifications?
I am a fully qualified and insured Level 2 Fitness Instructor, Spin instructor and a Level 3 Personal Trainer with over 20 years sport and fitness experience.
I also hold a Joint Professional Life Coaching and Counselling Diploma.
Certificates are available upon request.
What is your personal training style?
Some people work well under pressure. These people feel motivated by having someone there who will push them to their very limit, drill sergeant-like in their determination, but there are other people that crumble in these scenarios.
Rather than me explain my personal training style, here a few words from my past and present clients:
Jason - Ben is likeable, knowledgeable, easy to talk to, focused and attentive.
Helen - Ben is personable, relatable & offers the right amout of ‘encouragement’. Ie, just the right amount of pushy.
Emma - Ben is very easy to talk to and understands that there are things that prevent people from just doing it (as frustrating as that must be). He is foreceful without bullying. Thinking back to the running I did, Ben pushed me without being heavy handed. Heis very adaptable in thinking as injuries have occurred etc & been very encouraging.
Ellie - Ben's input doesn’t just stop when we leave the exercise sessions. He highlights the importance of changing daily habits, and that 1/2 hours exercise a week isn’t going to fix everything (although it really helps on the fitness front)! I enjoy the use of the apps for daily targets/goals so you don’t feel totally alone on days where there is no face to face contact.
Lisa - Ben has a very easy manner with clients. He is easy to talk to and what he says makes sense. And the banter isn’t bad!!!
Martin - Ben has excellent communication skills and is very talented at building rapport which is an essential skill. We can all learn from each other but not everyone is receptive to new ideas or change hence when all else fails lead by example, Ben practices what he preaches.
Can I have some references so I can contact your previous and existing personal clients?
Of course, just ask and we will provide as many references and testimonials as you require.
Can you tell me a bit about yourself? Why are you a personal trainer?
I'm Ben, I'm a married father of two boys, 1 Maltese dog and 2 cats.
When I was younger I wanted to be a vet - that didn't quite work out.
I've tried lots of different jobs, I was a Police Officer at one point but quickly realised I'm not one for taking orders.
Health and fitness has underpinned everything I have done for the last 20 years of my life.
And, it's something that I constantly read about and learnt about in my spare time so eventually it was a natural progression that lead to me taking my Personal Training qualifications.
I am a Personal Trainer and Life Coach simply because it is my passion to help people transform their lives and fulfil their potential.
I strongly believe that whatever you do, give it everything you’ve got, give it 100% and have no regrets about trying hard enough.
Never use excuses, always take responsibility for your choices, take risks, try things and learn from your mistakes.
Be consistent, be relentless, work hard and show up every day.
Nutrition
Do you offer nutritional advice?
Most personal trainers will have some insight into what you should include in your diet to get the fuel your body needs.
That said, you should be cautious about a PT that begins prescribing you strict meal plans or asking you to cut out certain food groups altogether.
At BenYatesFitness we offer a monthly 1-hour long nutrional consultation were we discuss your progress, healthy eating strategies, your calorie intake and any other questions you may have.
If you feel that you require the help of a registered nutritionist or dietitcian, BenYatesFitness are happy to recommend one.
What's the best diet for weight loss?
Simply put, the best diet for weight loss is the one you adhere to.
The purpose of your nutritonal consultation is to discuss your dietry habits and beliefs before tailoring a solution that suits you and your lifestyle.
What should I eat before a personal training session?
Ideally, you should have eaten before you exercise.
Eating an easily digested carbohydrate an hour or so before you hit the gym ensures that you'll have enough energy to get through your session.
Try fruit, yogurt or toast and peanut butter; not too much or you'll feel sluggish and heavy.
If, however, you exercise first thing in the morning, eating before your workout may not be an option.
Many people find that they can tolerate exercise on an empty stomach first thing but need something on hand immediately at the end of the session.
Experiment with the types of food and the timing of your pre-workout meal to discover what works best for you.
Always have water or suitable drink available throughout the session.
What should I eat after a personal training session?
Eating after a workout is important. Skipping post-workout refueling can leave you feeling tired, foggy and sometimes nauseus, especially if you haven't eaten pre-workout
You need to replenish your glycogen stores and 'feed' the muscles that you've just trained.
We recommend a light snack containing both protein and carbohydrates. We will discuss this further during your nutritional consultation.
And don't forget, plenty of water.
Places Gym Hinckley
When is Places Gym Hinckley open and what are the busiest times?
Opening hours are;
Mon - Thurs : 6am - 10pm
Friday : 6am - 8pm
Sat - Sun : 8am - 6pm
The busiest times at Places Gym Hinckley are 6am to 7am weekdays and 4:30pm to 7:30pm weekdays.
Weekends can be busy from 8am to 9am.
Do I need to be a member of Places Gym Hinckley?
Yes, otherwise you will have to pay an extra entrance fee to the gym before every session.
It will work out cheaper for you if you have a monthly gym membership.
Enquire at https://placesgym.org/gym/hinckley/ for the latest membership options and offers.
