What You Should Look For When Hiring a Personal Trainer

Getting in shape is a daunting task, but it can be made much easier with the help of a certified personal trainer. However, many people don’t know how to go about selecting the right trainer. There are three major areas one needs to focus on when hiring the right trainer:

1) What has this personal trainer accomplished in the past?

2) How did he/she accomplish it?

3) How is he/she going to do that for me?

Let’s look at each a little more in-depth:

What has this personal trainer accomplished in the past?

Many trainers are kids fresh-out-of-college that have never actually worked with a real-life client before. And while there might be a lot of theoretical knowledge, the everyday application and know-how is not yet up to speed. It’s always preferable to find a personal trainer with a track record of proven results. Ask to see his or her portfolio, with pictures and testimonials from past clients. This way, you can better gauge that trainer’s success rate. Ask them about their methods. Any trainer with his or her metal ought to be able to explain briefly why their approach works well, and what sets them apart from other trainers with a less successful track record. You want to find a trainer that has had a wide variety of clients with varied backgrounds, and thus knows how to solve a range of problems, whether physical, behavioral, or nutrition-based. Finally, it’s always preferable to find a trainer who “walks the walk”– a trainer that actually looks the part and is in shape, and is thus obviously passionate about his or her own fitness level.

How did this personal trainer accomplish his/her past successes?

After you’re sold that the trainer you’re interviewing actually has the goods, figure out how he or she has applied it in the past. Start by making sure the trainer is well educated and actually knows the science behind the human body. Make sure the personal trainer you are considering hiring avoids gimmicks and trends, and thus doesn’t go for the “easy-sale”. Even if well-educated, we all have our knowledge limitations; make sure your trainer is honest and objective enough to admit when he/she doesn’t know the answer to a question or problem, but is also ambitious enough to seek out the answer from the appropriate source or authority. Finally, make sure the prospective trainer is professional in how he/she conducts his or her business– that the trainer is consistently on time, is highly organized, and has excellent communication skills.

How is this personal trainer going to accomplish your goals for YOU?

After reviewing the trainer’s success rate and seeing how they accomplished said successes, it’s important to see then how they will individualize that program for you. First, make sure this trainer is going to take you on as a “project”, rather than as a “client”– that means they will help you with not just your exercise, but also with your nutrition plan, your cardio plan, your life-coaching and behavior-modification– basically, whatever is needed to help get you to your end-goal. Make sure the trainer is more focused on achieving your goals, and the actual training part of the equation, than merely closing the sale. Yes, sales is part of personal training, but it shouldn’t be the central focus. The focus should still revolve around your health and fitness. It’s important that your trainer is a good teacher. Unless you are planning on working with him or her for the rest of your life, you will eventually need to know how to work out on your own. Thus, you need somebody that can explain it to you. Finally, make sure your trainer is brutally honest with you, and has a strong personality. Remember, you are hiring this person to help drag you to the next level, often kicking and screaming. If you could do it on your own, you wouldn’t be hiring him/her! So the last thing you need is sugar-coated nonsense.

When trying to select the right personal trainer, just remember to focus on the three big areas: what have they accomplished in the past?; how did they accomplish it?; and how are they going to accomplish it for you?

To itemize:

1) Make sure the trainer has a proven track record of results. Anyone can talk big, but client pictures and testimonials don’t lie.

2) Make sure the trainer has a proven method of achieving results. After showing you his/her testimonials, make the trainer explain how it was accomplished.

3) Make sure the trainer has worked with a variety of clients presenting a host of different challenges (physical, nutritional, and behavioral). This will demonstrate that the trainer has good problem-solving skills, and can be successful in a variety of situations.

4) Make sure the trainer actually “walks the walk”. Many in this industry become cynical over time, but a trainer who still takes care of his or own health and physique is clearly passionate about fitness.

5) Make sure the trainer is well-educated. A scientific background, and knowing how the human body actually operates, is key.

6) Make sure the trainer is not looking for the “easy-out”. It’s simple to sell people gimmicks and trends, so avoid gimmicky trainers like the plague!

7) Make sure the trainer knows his limitations. Yes, education is key, but so is admitting that you don’t have the answer to everything– that way, you can both seek out solutions from other sources (doctors, chiropractors, etc.).

Make sure the trainer is professional. He or she should consistently be on time, not cancel appointments, be highly organized, have excellent communication skills, etc.

9) Make sure the trainer takes you on as a “project”, and not just a “client”. Yes, they are there to work you out, but they also need to help you with your nutrition, your cardio plan, your life-coaching and behavior modification, your motivation– basically, whatever it takes to actually help you achieve your goal!

10) Make sure the trainer is more focused on the training than the sale. Making the sale is an inherent part of personal training, but it should never be the focus; make sure the trainer you are considering puts your fitness and health first, and the sale second.

11) Make sure your prospective trainer is a good teacher. Unless you plan on working with him or her forever, you will eventually be doing this on your own, and thus need somebody that can teach you how and make sense of it all.

12) Make sure your trainer is brutally honest and has a strong personality. Remember, you are hiring this person to deliver you– often kicking and screaming– to a healthier lifestyle and better physique; thus you need somebody that won’t pull punches with you, and that will take the lead when necessary.