If you work in a gym or train clients, you already know the moves. But if your clients speak English, you need the right words to guide them clearly and confidently.
I’ve worked with trainers from Brazil, Italy, and Japan. The ones who learned the specific English vocabulary for personal trainers didn’t just survive in international gyms — they built bigger client bases and earned more trust.
Here’s exactly what you need.
1. Body Parts and Movement Directions
You use these every session. Get them automatic.
Major muscle groups:
- Chest, back, shoulders, arms (biceps, triceps), legs (quads, hamstrings, glutes), core, abs
Directions and positions:
- Up, down, forward, backward, to the side
- Squeeze, push, pull, rotate, hinge
Example:
“Squeeze your glutes at the top. Then slowly lower yourself down.”
2. The Trainer’s Most Used Phrases
Clients don’t know what you’re thinking. Tell them clearly.
Setup phrases:
- “Set your feet shoulder-width apart.”
- “Grip the bar with your palms facing down.”
Correction phrases:
- “Keep your chest up.”
- “Don’t let your knees cave in.”
Encouragement phrases:
- “One more rep – you've got it.”
- “Control the negative – slow and steady.”
These phrases make you sound professional and keep clients safe.
3. Equipment Names and Descriptions
Miscommunication with equipment can cause injury. Make sure your vocabulary is precise.
| Equipment | What you might say |
|---|---|
| Dumbbells | “Grab the 10-kg dumbbells.” |
| Barbell | “Load the barbell with 20 kg on each side.” |
| Kettlebell | “Hinge at your hips and swing the kettlebell to chest height.” |
| Resistance band | “Step on the band and pull the handles up.” |
| Cable machine | “Set the pulley at shoulder height and pull across your body.” |
| Foam roller | “Roll out your quads slowly.” |
Don’t assume clients know the English names. Point and say the word at the same time. They’ll learn fast.
4. Talking About Goals and Progress
This is where you build long-term relationships.
Common client goals:
- “I want to lose weight.”
- “I want to build muscle.”
- “I want to improve my posture.”
Your response structure:
- Acknowledge the goal.
- Set a realistic timeline.
- Explain what success looks like.
Client: “I want to tone my arms.”
You: “Great. We’ll focus on triceps and biceps twice a week. In about six weeks, you’ll see more definition.”
5. A Typical Session Flow — Key Language
Here’s how a 60-minute personal training session sounds in English. Visualize the flow below.
“Let’s start with five minutes on the rower.”
“Three sets of eight squats. Rest 60 seconds.”
“Now lunges and lateral raises, no rest between.”
“Stretch your hamstrings and hold for 30 seconds.”
6. Putting It All Together — A Real Dialogue
You: “Today we’re doing push and pull exercises. Start with the barbell row.”
Client: “How many reps?”
You: “Three sets of ten. Keep your back straight.”
Client: “Like this?”
You: “Almost. Tuck your chin and pull the bar to your belly button. That’s it – perfect.”
Short, clear, and confident. That’s all you need.
7. One Tip That Changed My Training
The best trainers I’ve seen don’t use complicated English. They use simple, repeatable phrases and say them the same way every time.
Why? Because clients relax when they understand you. They stop worrying about the language and start focusing on the movement.
So learn 20 phrases well. Not 100 phrases poorly.
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📝 Related Practice Section
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