How to Pick a Personal Trainer

How to pick a Personal Trainer:

With the recent rapid growth in the health and fitness realm, Personal Training has become mainstream. The professional health and fitness consultant a.k.a. Personal Trainer  or simply: “Trainer” seems to be everywhere, helping clients with rehab, weight loss, toning, sports training, nutrition even lifestyle coaching. The unfortunate aspect of all this training is the varying level of education and experience it’s being delivered with to its paying clientele. If you’re going to spend between on average $40-80 dollars an hour for yourself or your children, you should first investigate a few key areas of your Personal Trainers’ background to help guarantee your getting good value for your investment in your body’s future.  A good Trainer should display value in all of the following categories: Education, Experience & Insurance, Specialties & References, Price, and more. Consult to find a trainer that shines across the board and your results are likely to follow suit quickly and safely making Personal Training the fantastic experience it truly should be.

Education: Look for a dedicated quality Trainer with a University Degree. Furthermore, their degree should be in Kinesiology, Human Kinetics. They should also carry not just one, but a few certifications. Many lower level Trainers don’t bother with more than one certification (because that’s all they need to be called “certified”) and some certifications can be completed over the weekend.

If you’re concerned about your Trainer’s knowledge level, check out their certification online, (most certifying bodies are easy to find) and see if the certifying body requires applicants to have a University Degree as a prerequisite. Then, check how hard it is to actually get the certification. Finally, does your potential Trainer continually update their education to inundate clients with new techniques and protocol so they can continue to deliver an up-to-date high caliber of knowledgeable service?  

Experience & Insurance: How long has the Trainer been working. Have they ever had an insurance claim, do they have insurance coverage? To avoid some of these potential problems, try to find a Trainer that has had minimum 5 years experience and has a minimum of 2 million dollars in liability insurance coverage.

Specialties & References: Ask about their specialties such as post-natal training, arthritis rehab or if they only have an athlete training background. Also ask for references. Some Trainers may be reluctant to give out personal client information, but it never hurts to ask.

Price: Gyms often provide training from $25.00-55.00 per hour. Trainers just entering the industry tend to begin their careers at well known public gyms to gain experience. Eventually, some gain enough knowledge to charge more within their gym or begin training independently. Independent Trainers typically charge in the range of $55.00-80.00 per hour however, if they have the outlined qualifications, they’re generally more passionate and effective then trainers in gyms.

Success Rate and Personality: All the knowledge in the world is useless if you can’t communicate it to your clients. Some of the most highly educated health and fitness professionals right here in BC struggle to become successful Trainers. It’s vital to pick a trainer that can motivate, inspire, communicate and connect with you. Be sure to ask yourself: Do they give you good energy? Are they compatible with you? Do you respect them and value their opinion? Are they a positive and enjoyable person? Answers to questions such as these should give you a good grasp on your potential success and relationship with your Trainer.

Looks Can Be Deceiving:  A quantity of people pick Trainers solely based on appearance. They believe that picking a Trainer with the body they wish to achieve through Personal Training is a good idea. A better idea is to pick a Trainer that stays in shape and has the knowledge to back up their own training and the training that’s appropriate for you, the client, as well.

Get a Free Consultation:

Getting answers regarding the above areas will help you better qualify a potential Trainer. Additionally, most Trainers will be happy to offer you a free consultation to get all of these answers. Consultations are a great opportunity quiz Trainers on the above material to gain knowledge and a basic starting point for your fitness endeavors. Arm yourself with all the information you can and you’re more likely to ensure a safe and sound, positive Personal Training experience.

Best of Health.

Byron Collyer,

Certified Personal Trainer &

Women's Weight Loss Specialist

www.lightenyourlifestyle.com