10 things to know before hiring a personal trainer

A good personal trainer can help you achieve your health and fitness goals, while exceeding your expectations along the way. A bad coach can simply be a great waste of time and money. The demand for personal trainers has been on the rise in recent years and with it, so has the supply.

With so many options available today, it can be quite overwhelming to know which coach is the best for you. Truth be told, there are plenty of incompetent phony coaches today who make a living out of the ignorance of their clients. But there is a way to protect yourself from these types of trainers and we provide it for you today.

So before hiring a personal trainer, make sure you have all the answers to these 10 very important questions:

1) Are you physically and mentally ready to start an exercise program with a personal trainer?

It can be quite easy to forget about the most important factor when hiring a personal trainer: YOU. Are you willing and ready to dedicate and commit to a coach and their program? The coach will expect complete dedication from you.

Willingness for change is a critical part of the equation in determining whether or not you will ultimately succeed. Some simple questions to ask yourself before moving forward should include:

• On a scale of 1 to 10, how much are you committed to change?

• Why do you feel you need a personal trainer?

• Why do you think a personal trainer will help you be successful?

Remember that in the end it will be your attitude and effort that makes the difference. No matter how good the trainer or your program is, if you don’t do your best regularly, the result will be less than you expected. Don’t waste your time and money on something you are not prepared for.

Take-home: Commit to change first, then find a coach.

2) Are your goals and expectations realistic?

We all want to transform our bodies into a better version of ourselves, but you will frustrate both yourself and the coach if you expect to change overnight. Changing the body is a process that requires time and hard work. Whether your goal is to get stronger or lose body fat, your coach should be able to set a realistic schedule for you to reach your goals and expectations.

Be wary of trainers who make big promises, like massive weight loss in a short amount of time or super strength and speed gains in just a few weeks. If they truly understand the physical adaptation process, they will be honest and open to what is realistic and affordable.

Point to remember: a good coach will not tell you what you want to hear, but what you need to hear.

3) Does the personal trainer have a college degree in a related field (exercise science, sports science, and kinesiology) or is he certified by a reputable certifying agency?

Preferably, the trainer has a college degree, as it demonstrates that they have a high level of knowledge in fitness and human anatomy and physiology and how the body adapts to exercise.

If the trainer has only one certification, it should be understood that not all certifications are the same. There are certain certifications that can be earned literally in a weekend, while others require months of preparation before taking the certification exam.

Coaches cost a dime a dozen these days, as anyone with a few dollars, half a brain, and a weekend could earn the title of certified personal trainer. The title does not assure the ability. Don’t give up your trust just because someone tells you they have a certification or even a degree. These should be minimal and mandatory, but the selection process should never end there. Just because they know something doesn’t mean they can apply it. Ask them about their education and certifications. What are they? How long did it take them to get them?

Point to remember: stick with the trainers who can really give you honest scientific data, not hype or bragging.

4) Does the coach have real world experience working with people like you?

There are basically two types of bad coaches. The former has very little education and knowledge and randomly combines the trainings. While the second has a lot of knowledge but very little experience in applying that knowledge. You need to find a coach who has both the intelligence and the looks. Sorry, I mean intelligence and experience. And when we say experience we mean people like you. Every customer and every customer population is different. They have different needs and goals and their exercise programs should reflect that.

We all know many people who have years of experience in the real world, but are still bad at what they do. Ask the coach about the success of his clients. Ask for testimonials and anything else that shows that your ability to work with people like you would be successful.

Point to remember: Has the trainer been there before, if not, what other reasons did he give you to trust him?

5) Does the trainer carefully examine your health / training history and perform assessment tests to assess your fitness before starting training?

If you are not evaluating, you are guessing. Before you begin exercising with a trainer, they should complete a medical history and some form of physical evaluation to assess your current health and well-being. Understanding a client’s abilities and limitations is an absolutely critical factor in designing training programs that are most appropriate and useful for a client.

The golden rule for a personal trainer should always be to do no harm. Assessments reduce the risk of doing more harm than good. Ask the trainer beforehand if he conducts assessments on his clients before starting an exercise program. If you ask them what kind of evaluation they will carry out. If they don’t do an evaluation, ask them why they don’t think it’s necessary.

Point to remember: if you are not being tested, the trainer is guessing. Make sure this is a normal part of the process.

6) What is the training philosophy of the trainer?

Make sure you know for a fact that the trainer has an action plan for you. This should include some sort of organized approach to their training program and how they plan to progress from week to week and month to month. A coach should never shoot from the hip when designing workouts. An unprepared coach means an unprepared athlete or an unimpressed customer.

• How do you track progress?

• How do you decide what is important to track?

• How do you organize training programs for your clients?

• Are the programs individualized for each client?

• What are they about, that is, what is their philosophy about training in general and specifically with you?

Point to remember: You need to understand what the trainer’s goals are for you and exactly how they plan to get you there.

7) What does the trainer expect from his clients?

Before you give a coach some of your money, make sure you know what the coach expects of you. Some coaches expect their clients to just show up, while others wait for them to be there 10 minutes early, warmed up and ready to go.

• How many days a week does the trainer expect to be able to work with them?

• Are the trainer’s expectations of what you need to eat on par with what you consider realistic and reasonable?

• How hard is the coach pushing his clients and is it the kind of intensity you are looking for?

Main point: make sure the trainer’s expectations are realistic and reasonable for you to meet.

8) Is the training environment comfortable and motivating?

A training center should be like a second home; comfortable and welcoming but inspiring and motivating. Not all fitness facilities are the same. Sometimes there is little the coach can do about it, but it can still make a big difference in what you are getting out of your training sessions. Make sure to ask where most of the workouts will take place, and then see if it’s the kind of environment that you feel like you could thrive in and be yourself.

For example, a weightlifter would probably be quite upset if it turns out that the gym he signed up to train in has no weights and nearly all machines and mild-mannered recreational middle-aged clients.

To take home: Make sure to fit before signing on the dotted line.

9) Does the coach’s personality and attitude feel good to you?

There are many trainers out there. You have the right to work with someone you really enjoy. It shouldn’t be one kind of thing or another when looking for a coach, where you are forced to choose between a coach that you don’t really like but who is good compared to a coach that you really get along with but are not that good at. what they do.

You are going to spend a lot of time with your coach. In that personal moment, they will force you to do things that may not be so fun, tell you what to do, and correct you regularly. It always seems to be true that we learn best from people we respect and get along with.

Point to remember: a coach should be a coach and a friend, make sure it is someone you can respect and who really takes your orders.

10) Does the coach let you try before you buy?

How many people buy a car on the lot without driving it first? So why would a coach expect you to buy hundreds of dollars worth of personal training before getting behind the wheel and experiencing what it is all about?

Ask the trainer if they have any free or low-cost trials. They should have something in place that allows you to test their services for free or low cost before signing a longer commitment.

Point home: ask for a free or low-cost test drive before you buy, this should always be an option for you.

There you have it, 10 critical questions to help you make up your mind when choosing a personal trainer or other fitness professional. Remember that quality is king and if you want the best in your area, you must do your homework first.

Jeff Weber, MS, CSCS, Pn1