Anyone looking for a personal trainer in Zug or Cham finds a dozen offers quickly. From the outside it is hard to tell what your training will actually be like.
We have been doing personal training in Cham since 2016. Here are the five things we would check ourselves if we were looking for someone. They help you whoever you end up choosing.
1. The qualification, and what came after it
In Switzerland the term «personal trainer» is not a protected title. So it is worth asking directly: which training, which diploma, which association?
Membership of the Swiss Personal Trainer Association SPTV is one sign of solid work. The second point, often overlooked, is continuing education: what has this person learned in the past three years? Someone who takes courses regularly brings new knowledge straight into your training.
2. What happens before you train for the first time
For us this is the most important point. Ask what is on the programme before the first session and how your plan comes about.
A proper assessment belongs before the first plan: how mobile are you, where is strength unevenly distributed, which injuries or operations have you had, what does your daily life take off you and what does it demand? On that basis, exercises and loads can be chosen for a reason, and your plan fits you from the start.
3. How progress is made visible
Progress can be measured, not just felt. Ask how the two of you will recognise that something has changed, and how often the plan gets revised.
That can be weights and repetitions, a repeat mobility test, a body composition measurement, or simply whether you get up the stairs without your knee pulling. What matters is that these points are set from the beginning and that you look at them together regularly.
4. What happens when something hurts
For almost everyone who trains for a while, a shoulder, a back or a knee speaks up at some point. What matters is what happens then.
Ask directly: which physiotherapy practice do you work with, and how do you exchange information? Is the exercise adapted or replaced, and who decides that? The answer tells you how well you are looked after when things do not run smoothly.
5. Whether it fits your life
The best coaching is no use if you cannot keep it up. Before you sign, clarify the unspectacular things too: how far is the journey, is there parking, at what times are appointments possible, how short notice can you reschedule at?
And talk openly about frequency. Ask how many sessions a week make sense for your goal, then check honestly whether that fits your calendar. A plan you can keep twice a week takes you further than one that looks better on paper.
How we do it in Cham
The entry check comes first. It takes 60 minutes: mobility and strength tests, body fat measurement, health questionnaire and goal setting. It is free and it is the basis for every personal training with us. We deliberately do not offer a classic trial session in one to one training, because without that basis we would only be guessing. For small group personal training there is a trial session.
Then you get a plan that is yours. You train one to one with your coach or in a small group with no more than five others. After eight sessions we adjust the plan, and a body scan shows what has changed.
Our coaches come from elite sport. Anina Back spent seven years in the Swiss triathlon national team and is a member of the SPTV. René Back played professional ice hockey for 21 years, Peter Guggisberg for 17 years with four Swiss championship titles. Both hold the YPSI Trainer B licence. The team continues its education every year, among other things in Assess & Correct and Pre Script.
The physiotherapy practice is in the same building. Coach and therapist talk to each other directly when something is bothering you. If you prefer, you can also do your personal training directly with one of our physiotherapists.
Our studio is at Riedstrasse 7 in Cham. From 2 January 2027 we will also train during the day at the new studio in the Papieri site.
Frequently asked questions
Do I need any experience to start personal training?
No. In the entry check we see where you are and build from there. Even if you have never trained with weights, we start exactly where you are right now.
How often should I train?
We work with you for at least three months and twice a week. That creates enough training stimulus, and after the basic build up we can work towards your goal specifically. If you travel a long way, we adjust the frequency.
What is the difference between one to one training and small group personal training?
In one to one training your coach belongs to you for the whole hour and you arrange appointments individually. In the small group you train with no more than five others at fixed times that you book yourself. You get your own plan either way.
Do health insurers contribute?
We are QualiCert certified. With suitable supplementary insurance, many Swiss health insurers contribute to the cost of the small group personal training that Anina Back leads personally. It is best to check with your insurer first.
I have complaints. Can I still train?
As a rule, yes. We adapt exercises and loads. After an operation or with acute pain, we clarify with you beforehand whether medical clearance is needed.
Can I train on my own between sessions?
From 2 January 2027, yes. As long as your personal training or small group subscription is running, you can also train on your own at the Papieri, with the plan we write for you.
Want to know where you stand before you decide? Book an entry check or write to us at .
Anina Back