How To Find The Perfect Personal Trainer

personaltrainer With the New Year approaching, some of you may be thinking about starting a fitness program and getting some help. Having a fitness mentor in your life can help you stay motivated, focused and on track with achieving your fitness goals. Fitness mentors can be anyone from a group fitness instructor, training partners or the more common role, a Personal Trainer.

There are a lot of great Personal Trainers out there, and they all have varying degrees of experience, skills and their unique coaching style…so how do you decide who’s right for you?

Well, before you start looking for a Personal Trainer, the first thing you need to ask yourself is “what do I want this trainer to help me with?” Most people tend to think that Personal Trainers only develop and conduct 1:1 strength training programs, but their skill levels extend far beyond that. In fact many trainers have participated in various sports and have even become coaches of the sport. And in this profession, trainers are required to constantly keep updating their knowledge so they have many skills.

Considering all this, you may be surprised at what a Personal Trainer can help you with. Do you want to learn a specific skill, are you looking to increase your strength, build muscle endurance, participate in your first 5km, develop a strong core to better enjoy salsa dancing, or become a better golfer? The options are endless.

To help you find a Personal Trainer, I have compiled a list of questions in 4 key areas, for you to ask:

Training Style & Philosophy
Communication & Personality
Experience
Personal Training Fees

Training Style & Philosophy

How does the trainer prepare your program?
How often will your program be changed?
How has the trainer expanded their knowledge of the fitness area you’re interested in, in the last year?
Ask about a key lesson they’ve learned over the last year, as a trainer.
Ask for referrals from other clients with similar goals.
What is their general philosophy in training – high volume training, interval workouts, strength training etc?
How do they validate and recognize their clients for their successes and achieving goals?
How do they keep their clients motivated during challenging times?
In addition to Personal Training certification, what other credentials does the trainer have that may be an added bonus to the type of trainer you are looking for? – Spinning Instructor, Medical Exercise Specialist, Pilate’s Instructor etc.
Does the trainer compliment their services with online coaching? With the rising popularity of heart rate & periodization training (dividing the calendar year into periods of different intensity workouts), working with a Personal Trainer who has this specialized knowledge can be very beneficial for you. A Personal Trainer /Online Fitness Coach will constantly monitor your program, make adjustments along the way, ensure you are training at the right intensity levels for each workout, have adequate rest and are constantly getting stronger, faster etc.

Communication & Personality

Does the trainer offer plenty of opportunities to ask questions?
Are they willing to explain the purpose of each workout?
Do they appear professional, yet approachable?
Do they generally possess a positive mental attitude and have passion for what they do?
Do they have a sense of humor?
Are they willing to admit mistakes?

Experience

How long have they been a personal trainer?
What past experiences does the trainer draw upon to help their clients achieve their goals: both as a client and trainer?
What is the biggest challenge/accomplishment they’ve over come in fitness?

Personal Training Fees

What is the trainer’s hourly rate?
Is there a discount for purchasing multiple sessions at once?
What is their monthly online coaching fee?
When is payment due?
What methods of payment are accepted?
Do you receive a receipt?

I hope the above information has been helpful, should you decide to work with a Personal Trainer. Engaging in a fitness activity everyday is a great way to honor your body, for the amazing things it allows us to do.