A good personal trainer can help you achieve your health and fitness goals, while exceeding your expectations along the way. A bad trainer can simply be a huge waste of time and money. The demand for personal trainers has been steadily increasing over the last few years and with that so has the supply.
With so many options available today, it can be quite daunting to know which trainer is best for you. To tell the truth, there are many fake and incompetent trainers today who make a living off the ignorance of their clients. But there is a way to protect yourself from these types of trainers and today we are providing it to you.
So before you hire 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 yourself and commit to a trainer and their program? The trainer will expect total dedication from him.
Preparing 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 do you commit to change?
• Why do you think 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 make the difference. No matter how good the coach or his program is, if you don’t give your best on a regular basis, the result will be less than you expected. Don’t waste your time and money on something you’re not prepared for.
Take home: Commit to change first, find a coach second.
2) Are your goals and expectations realistic?
We all want to transform our bodies into a better version of ourselves, but you will frustrate yourself and the trainer alike if you expect to change overnight. Changing the body is a process that takes time and hard work. Whether your goal is to get stronger or lose body fat, your coach should be able to outline a realistic timeline for you to reach your goals and expectations.
Be wary of trainers who make big promises like massive weight loss in a short period of time or strength and speed gains in just a few weeks. If they truly understand the physical adaptation process, then they will be honest and open about what is realistic and obtainable.
Take home: A good coach won’t 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 or she certified by a reputable certifying agency?
The trainer has a college degree, which shows that he has a high level of knowledge in fitness and in human anatomy and physiology and how the body adapts to exercise.
If the trainer only has one certification, it should be understood that not all certifications are created equal. There are certain certifications that can be earned literally in the time of a weekend, while others require months of preparation before taking the certification exam.
Trainers are a dime a dozen these days, as anyone with a little money, half a brain, and a weekend could earn the title of certified personal trainer. Title does not ensure ability. Don’t give up your trust just because someone tells you he has 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?
Take home: Stick with the trainers who can actually give you honest scientific facts, not hype or hot air.
4) Does the trainer actually have real-world experience working with people like you?
Basically, there are two types of bad coaches. The former has very little education and knowledge and organizes the trainings randomly. While the second has a lot of knowledge but very little experience applying that knowledge. He must look for a trainer 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 customer population is different. They have different needs and goals and their exercise programs should reflect that.
We all know a lot of people who have years of real-world experience but still sucked at what they did. So ask the trainer about their clients’ success. Ask for testimonials and anything else that demonstrates that their ability to work with people like you would be a success.
Take home: Has the coach done that before? If not, what other reasons did they give you to trust him?
5) Does the trainer carefully review your health/training history and conduct screening tests to assess your fitness prior to starting training?
If you’re not evaluating, you’re guessing. Before you begin exercising with a trainer, you should have a health history and some type of physical evaluation done 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 to a client.
The golden rule for a personal trainer should always be to do no harm. Assessments lower the risk of doing more harm than good. Ask the trainer in advance if he conducts assessments on his clients before beginning an exercise program. If they do, ask them what type of evaluation they will carry out. If they don’t do an assessment, ask them why they don’t think it’s necessary.
Take home: If you’re not being tested, the coach is guessing. Make sure this is a normal part of the process.
6) What is the trainer’s training philosophy?
Make sure you know for a fact that the trainer has a plan of action 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 client.
• How do you track progress?
• How do you decide what is important to track?
• How do you organize training programs for your customers?
• Are the programs individualized for each client?
• What are they about, that is, what is their philosophy on training in general and with you in particular?
Take home: You need to understand what the coach’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 trainer any of your money, make sure you know what the trainer expects of you. Some trainers expect their clients to simply show up, while others expect them to be there 10 minutes early, prepped and ready to go.
• How many days a week does the trainer expect you to be able to work with them?
• Are the trainer’s expectations of what you need to eat on par with what you think is realistic and reasonable?
• How hard is the trainer pushing their clients and is that the type of intensity they are looking for?
Take home: 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 attractive 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 he is getting out of his training sessions. Be sure to ask where most of the training will take place, and then see if it’s the kind of environment where you feel you could thrive and be yourself.
For example, a weightlifter would probably be pretty upset if it turns out that the gym he signed up to work out at doesn’t have weights and almost all the machines and the middle-aged recreational patrons have good manners.
To take home: make sure you fit in before you sign on the dotted line.
9) Does the trainer’s personality and attitude feel right for you?
There are many trainers out there. You have the right to work with one that you truly enjoy being around. It shouldn’t be one thing or another type of thing when looking for a coach, where you’re forced to choose between a coach that you don’t really like but are good at what they do versus a coach that you really get along with but aren’t as good at. good at what they do.
You’re going to spend a lot of time with your coach. Personal time on it, they will regularly force you to do things that may not be that much fun, they will tell you what to do, and they will correct you regularly. It always seems to be true that we learn best from people we respect and get along with.
Take home: A trainer should be a trainer and a friend, make sure it’s someone you can respect and can actually take orders from.
10) Does the trainer let you try before you buy?
How many people buy a car on the lot without driving it first? So why would a trainer expect you to buy hundreds of dollars worth of personal training before getting behind the wheel and experiencing what it’s all about?
Ask the trainer if they have free or low-cost tests. They should have something in place that allows you to try their services at no or low cost before signing on for a longer commitment.
Take home: Ask about 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 your decision when choosing a personal trainer or other fitness professional. Remember that quality is king and if you want the best in your area, you need to do your homework first.
Jeff Weber, MS, CSCS, Pn1