Time to get personal
In a city where the working day can be long and stressful, the health and fitness sector provides the opportunity for people to unwind, maintain fitness or lose weight.
However, some people lack the motivation to maintain a weekly training schedule. Engaging a personal trainer can provide a person with a tailor-made fitness programme that suits their individual needs and encourages them to stay committed.
'There is an ever-increasing demand from all walks of life for personal trainers in Hong Kong. Many people nowadays view personal training as a health essential and prefer the motivation and expertise that it provides,' says Darlie Leung, assistant marketing manager at California Fitness.
'Professional personal trainers help a person to make the most of their gym membership. They can provide people with a well-rounded workout, help develop core strength and ensure that the correct ways to use the machines and weights are followed.'
Trainers conduct regular in-body analysis to monitor a client's adaptability and performance. After an initial assessment, it is recommended that clients ease into their programme with two to three one-hour sessions per week for the preparation stage, then increase their load to three to four sessions once they reach the improving stage.
'Whether a person's goal is to prepare for a wedding, lose weight, improve general fitness or alleviate work-related stress, our trainers are able to map out a suitable combination of activities that will enable them to accomplish their goals,' Leung says.
'Everybody wants to look and feel better, and there are many types of training you can do that are fun, appealing and challenging to everybody,' says Andrew Wright, owner and trainer at Tribal.
'Work is stressful in Hong Kong and it's great having someone to motivate you and get the most out of the time available to train. Many people like to be told what to do so that they don't have to think about it too much,'
The minimum hourly rate is about HK$900 per session. However, some activities, such as swimming, are conducted in groups and cost HK$1,200 per month for three sessions a week.
The amount of training time a person needs to complete depends on the goals they set for themselves, Wright says. For people wanting to be competitive in an upcoming race, they may need to train for up to 30 hours a week. Others who want to lose some weight may only need to train once or twice per week.
'The key thing is just having belief in your trainer. People need to do some research and choose the right one and then fully indulge in what they say and give 100 per cent,' Wright explains.
