Choosing a Personal Trainer

How do you pick a personal trainer? This isn’t a pair of jeans- if you want results, it will take some work.

When many of us purchase a high ticket item like a car, television or finance a home, we do our research before committing to the investment. However, when most people decide they need a personal trainer, they often make that decision based on the trainer’s physical appearance, personality, or at random off of a gym bulletin board.

Research, though it takes time, is key in ensuring you are in good hands to achieve your desired results.

What to Consider

There are several factors to take into account before committing your time, money, hard work and trust in someone. There are a lot of gyms out there that will take a muscle-bound member with no exercise science background or education, offer them a $125 certification (neither accredited nor nationally recognized) plus some on-the-job training. If your family doctor told you the med school they attended had a total tuition of $125, would you have any confidence in them? “You get what you pay for” is a helpful idiom to apply to this process.

Just like any relationship, you need to make sure you and your trainer are the right fit and personality plays a role in this. If you don’t click with your trainer, you may be less motivated and your working relationship may be awkward or difficult. Do you like things cut and dry, getting straight to business and no joking around until the job is done? Well then you don’t need someone who is uber-charismatic or a great conversationalist, so mark that off the list. Do you need to be yelled at and pushed to your absolute limit to feel like you had a good workout? There is a drill sergeant type out there for you.

I once subbed for one of my trainers and the women he worked with made the comment, “You don’t talk and joke like so and so does.” I was kind of surprised because my clients and I share a lot, including laughs, but mostly during warm-up, cool down, and break periods. Later I observed a session that trainer had with his group; they spent the whole session socializing, often times walking on treadmills and not breaking a sweat. They were, however, very happy with their experience.

Another consideration is diversity of training modes. There are trainers out there that have had success in a particular format, such as body building, and they believe in this one mode above all others. A lot of people are hesitant about free weights or scared of big lifts, so they gravitate more towards machines, body weight resistance or kettlebell training. Don’t fall into niches or fads and don’t be afraid to lift heavy things. Look for a trainer who believes in integrated fitness, ideally someone who combines, body weight, free weights, plyometrics and agility training for fun, and especially flexibility and mobility exercises. The one exception to that would be if you are planning on competing in bodybuilding, powerlifting, or a sport in which you could use a specialist.

Other Barriers

There are a couple of decisions that may be made for you in your search. A good trainer is not easy to schedule with because of their workload, so you may find a great fit but they don’t have a slot that works for you. Mid-morning and mid-afternoon tend to be more flexible times in the industry if your schedule will permit.

The other factor may be budget. Personal training is a big – and valuable – investment. You have to be realistic about the financial commitment you can afford to make. Trainers at high-end studios often times charge between $75 to $95 an hour. If you have the money and want to be somewhere exclusive, go for it. You may get a more reasonable rate at a box gym, but again, do your research before committing to one of their trainers. If you want quality on a budget you might find a good trainer that has just struck out on their own and sets lower rates than their competition to build a clientele.

Have you had any traumatic injuries in the past? Do you have nagging aches and pains after competitive or recreational activities? If you answer yes to any of those you need to look for a seasoned trainer with corrective exercise or post-rehab experience. Think about any special needs that you may have; there is a trainer that specializes in that area. Trainers can earn specializations focused on cancer patients and survivors, pre-and post- natal, even sport specific like golf fitness.

One Last Look

Word of mouth is a trainer’s greatest marketing tool for a reason. Seek out reviews and testimonials as there is nothing that is going to tell you more about how compatible a trainer may be for you. The more reviews the better. Stories that highlight expertise specific to your needs and goals are a great indicator.

So, here are the high points:

Education, Certifications and Experience:
- Look for a certification with any of the following:
  - American Council on Exercise
  - American College of Sports Medicine
  - National Academy of Sports Medicine
  - National Strength and Conditioning Association
- An Exercise Science or Kinesiology degree is a bonus.