It’s true that you can begin a career as a personal trainer with little to no equipment. All you really need is a training space, willing clients, and all the knowledge and experience you’ve gathered. But if you want to be efficient and, more importantly, manage your clients effectively, you need a personal trainer starter kit.
The problem is, which equipment should be in your personal equipment trainer starter kit? Budget constraints mean you can’t exactly get everything. But, you also want to get the right ones to improve your practice.
Well, you’re in luck because this article shows you the most important equipment to begin with. These are cost-effective and critical to your performance as a workout pro.
Top 10 equipment for your personal trainer starter kit
1. Client Logbook
Unless you have a Sherlock holmes-level photographic memory, you can’t remember every single detail of your client’s sessions. You need a place to store information like your clients’ routines, previous equipment used, the number of reps, and the area you focused on in the last session.
Besides tracking progress, you also need this information to prepare for the next session and ensure that you keep your client’s training focused on their goal. Keeping all this information in a book, instead of in your head can also help you avoid burnout as PT.
The thing about log books is they can be digital or hard copies, depending on the one you prefer. You will never forget a digital logbook at home and can access it anywhere. On the other hand, a hardcopy logbook has an old-school, authentic feel. Plus, it registers more strongly with a client.
Whichever one you choose, remember that client logbooks are a critical part of your personal trainer arsenal, especially when you’re trying to become a successful personal trainer.
Why do you need a client logbook?
- Easy tracking: Keep a close eye on all your clients’ progress without breaking a sweat
- Mobility: Client logbooks are so light and easy to move around that you’ll forget you have them on you!
If you’d rather go with an online client logbook, Striive is an excellent option to consider. It lets you handle bookings, track client progress, and even process your payments.
2. Resistance Bands
The beauty of resistance bands is their flexibility. You can use them for clients of all age groups and training progress. Plus, they are highly mobile and can be adapted to train any body part, from the chest to the calves.
Resistance bands are also exciting to use, and they give a subconscious signal of exertion and hard work, which can be great for morale with your clients. You can modify them to help your clients build muscle strength, burn fat or just get a good simple workout.
One more thing you’ll appreciate about resistance bands is that they have zero restrictions. Whether you’re training clients at home, in the gym, or online, you can break them out and help your clients enjoy their workouts. They are a critical part of your equipment list.
Why do you need resistance bands?
- Adaptability: You can adapt these to do basically any exercise you want
- Cost-effectiveness: Some resistance bands cost less than $20
3. Exercise Mats
Think of exercise mats as your mobile gym space. These are indispensable to your personal trainer starter kit because they help you create an instant training surface for your clients. Exercise mats are especially useful for you if you see clients in many different environments.
Additionally, exercise mats provide a “gym-like surface” for home training: they lessen floor noise, aid body movement, and provide an easy-to-grip surface for any client, regardless of age or dexterity.
It’s important to note that exercise mats are different from yoga mats. You may need both or just one, depending on what you’re trying to accomplish.
Yoga mats are narrower and less durable, perfectly suited for slow and calm exercises. Exercise mats, on the other hand, are broader and more durable. In fact, exercise mats can accommodate different weights and activities. As a result, they are suitable for all kinds of clients and activities.
Why should you add an exercise mat to your equipment for training clients?
- Comfort: Exercise mats offer cushioning that protects the joint and a comfortable surface to exercise on.
- Flexibility: Save space when necessary, and whip them back out to work out again.
4. Training Smartwatch
Another must-have tool is a training smartwatch. Think of them as stopwatches on steroids. They don’t just help you time your clients and set quick goals; they are also highly customizable, keeping you connected to everything else that you need to track.
But that’s not all; a training smartwatch can also help you appear more professional and give your instructions more gravity when training clients. When thinking of shopping for your training equipment list, be sure to add a smartwatch.
Why do you need a training smartwatch?
- Goal setting: Quickly set client goals and track them during the workout
- Health tracker: Monitor your own health as well because the stress of training can take a toll.
5. Skipping Ropes
Skipping ropes are the best cardio equipment for your starter kit, in my opinion. You can pack them up immediately, teach any client to use them without fear of injury, and they require very little maintenance.
Skipping ropes are also great in unique training conditions where you want to improve your client’s coordination and enhance their spatial awareness.
Why do you need a skipping rope?
- Great cardio: Nothing is more cardio intensive than jumping in one spot several times over while moving virtually every part of your body
- Portable: Whether you’re training in the park or in your client’s home, skipping ropes are a reliable way to help clients burn fat
6. Kettlebells
Kettlebells are powerful tools that can help your clients get shredded, tone their muscles, or simply improve their strength. They are not as versatile as resistance bands, but they can help you focus clients’ training on specific goals.
Kettlebells are not the first choice for most workout pros building their training starter kit because they are heavy and tough to move around. However, if you have your own space or can manage to move them around, they can be an indispensable addition to your kit.
You can look forward to harnessing their versatility for your clients and do everything from increasing range of motion to strengthening the lower back and building posterior chain strength. Kettle bells are also instrumental in calorie-destroying HIIT exercises for clients looking to burn fat.
Why should you buy kettlebells?
- Versatile training: Kettlebells can help you produce massive results in a short time given the right routine
- Compact: Kettlebells have small footprints, which makes them very easy to store.
7. Medicine Balls
You cannot eliminate medicine balls from your training equipment list. They embody balance, endurance, and strength, the three cores of fitness – that’s why they need to be a part of your training equipment list right now. Plus, they can help clients work out large muscle groups across several joints in the body.
Why do you need medicine balls?
- Rehabilitation benefits: Medicine balls are excellent for clients undergoing recovery
- Versatility: You can use a medicine ball to exercise virtually every part of the body, which makes them a worthy investment.
8. Personal training software
Instead of using a digital or hard-copy client logbook, you could take things one step further and use training software. Even though these are obviously more expensive than logbooks, they have tremendous benefits too.
For one, you can customize your clients’ training to a greater degree and build programs from scratch with resources and suggestions at your disposal. Personal training software can also take the edge off and make it easier for you to focus on other things, like the actual training session.
Why do you need personal training software?
- Less work for you: Focus on the actual training and let the software do the rest.
- A wealth of resources: Many personal training software systems also come with additional resources to make your life easier
9. Boxing equipment
Boxing equipment is a significant investment with a massive payoff. They are great for motivation and will give you many options for training clients. With boxing pads and gloves, you can guide your client through a boxing routine, teaching them a little self-defense and getting them to burn fat while having fun. If you’re looking to add equipment to your gym building your own gym space, you can also invest in some heavy bags, give clients some pointers on how to use them, and let them go to town.
You’ll be surprised that clients will start looking forward to your routines if it means they can use boxing equipment to have fun and exercise.
Why do you need boxing equipment?
- Great motivators: Sandbags, especially, can help clients stay motivated because it puts an obstacle directly in front of them and allows them to confront it.
- Versatile training tools: Help clients build strength, improve coordination, and burn fat at the same time.
10. First Aid Kits
First aid kits aren’t exactly a training tool, but they are critical to your client’s safety in case of an accident. Having these around can help increase your proactivity and keep your clients safe until you can get access to more advanced care.
Combined with first aid training, a kit makes you a better personal trainer and positions you as the best option for your clients, even if they don’t immediately realize it.
Why do you need first-aid kits?
- Professionalism: The truth is, that your clients will feel safer in your hands if they know that you can handle an emergency situation.
To Wrap It Up
It’s not always easy to decide which equipment should go in your personal trainer starter kit. But these 10 are a great place to start. With them, you’re ready to train all clients in any niche and start building a successful practice for yourself.
