What to Look For in a Personal Trainer

Posted on Sep 26, 2010 by Anthony

whatYou have made the decision....whether you are just starting out or a seasoned lifter looking to bust through that plateau. Whether you are just looking to firm up, needing to burn a ton of fat or just ready to put the Krispy Kreme down and get serious about your health and fitness....you've decided to hire a personal trainer. Congratulations! Now, where do you start?

Hiring a personal trainer is easy. Hiring the right personal trainer can be tricky.

Tip #1- Make sure your trainer is certified. You would think this would go without saying, but you would be amazed how many so called "trainers" are not. Certified trainers must know the ins and outs of training, as well as be CPR and AED certified. Your life is precious, don't trust it to someone who is not qualified to take care of it.

Tip #2- A personal trainer should be in top physical shape. This is crucial! I see so many people being trained by CPTs that look as if they simply passed a certification exam, but have never exercised a day in their life. You can read all day long in a book on how to exercise properly, but nothing can replace real world experience. You wouldn't hand your hard earned money over at your local bank to a clerk with ratty hair, holey, dirty clothes on, that looks like they just crawled in off the street corner. Why? Because they don't fit the part and you would not be secure in doing so. The same applies to your health. If a trainer lacks the discipline, motivation and accountability to take care of their own body, then chances are your overall fitness is not going to be a true priority to them either.

Tip #3- Avoid gym trainers. Employee gym trainers are just that...employees of the gym. Most of the time they have a huge, revolving pool of clients the gym provides to them. More often that not, then merely supervise you as you workout, and not actually provide you with a quality, personalized exercise routine to help you achieve your goals. They are going to get their paycheck at the end of the week whether you are satisfied or not. Where is the motivation for them to go the extra mile for you?! With and independent trainer, they will go above and beyond to help you succeed because their success depends on you!

Tip #4- Beware of overly flashy websites. This one is easily overlooked, but can quickly have you wasting your hard earned money. If a trainer has an overly flashy website, you should ask yourself "Why?" Perhaps they are lacking in actual training skills and feel they need to make up for it by trying to sell you on their service. You should not ever be sold on your health and fitness. Do you want to hire a salesman to help transition your body, or do you want a trainer who can provide real results? Think about it..

Hopefully these quick tips will help you be better prepared to make a confident decision in choosing your personal trainer. Be sure you email me your feedback or with any questions you may have. Thanks for reading, and remember to train hard!

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