Personal Trainer in Cape Town

Four things in writing: expiry date (12 weeks is fair for a 10-pack), freeze policy for illness or travel, refund terms for unused sessions, and whether the trainer you met actually delivers every session or hands you to a junior.

Many independents offer a free or discounted first consultation-plus-workout because packages are where they earn. Treat it as a two-way interview: they assess you, you assess whether their coaching style and programming logic make sense.

A standard 60-minute one-on-one session is priced per session, with most trainers offering 5-, 10- or 20-session packages that cut the per-session price by 10-20%. Mobile trainers who come to your home usually add 10-25% for travel.

Look for a nationally recognised certification, a current first aid/CPR certificate, and liability insurance. Ask to see all three before your first paid session — a legitimate trainer will show them without hesitation.

Gym-based sessions are usually the cheapest because the facility is included. Mobile trainers add a travel premium of roughly 10-25%, but you save the gym membership and commute, so total cost can even out if you don't otherwise use a gym.

Two to three sessions a week is the sweet spot for most strength or fat-loss goals. On a tight budget, one supervised session a week plus a written program you follow on your own days delivers most of the benefit at a third of the cost.

Most one-on-one sessions run R200-R600, with R300-R400 typical in the big metros. Packages of 8-12 sessions per month usually bring the per-session rate down 10-20%.

Standard PT, no — but biokineticist sessions are claimable on many medical aid plans, and Discovery Vitality and similar programmes reward gym attendance with points and cashbacks. If rehab is the goal, the biokineticist route can cost you less net.