How to Hire a Personal Trainer
I am constantly amazed at the low barrier for entry into the fitness industry, particularly for personal trainers. You might be surprised to learn that there are no state licensing procedures and virtually no oversight of personal trainer practices. There are certifications (which I’ll discuss later), but a certification is not necessary for anyone to wear a t-shirt that says “Personal Trainer” or to start a business as a personal trainer. In this posting I’ll give you some tips for ensuring that you hire an experienced personal trainer.
I get most of my referrals from word of mouth. Even if you get a referral from a trusted friend, I encourage you to still apply the same rigor to your potential trainer.
Is the trainer “certified?” There are various certifying bodies and there is a move afoot to apply uniform standards to the certification process, but we aren’t there yet. Unfortunately, some certificates are garbage and anyone who can afford to pay $49 can get a certification. Any of the following certifications are very good: the American College of Sports Medicine (ACMS) is by far the best and is the most rigorous. Also good are the National Academy of Sports Medicine (NASM) and the American Council on Exercise (ACE). If the trainer says that they have a certification, be sure to go to the website for the certifying body and confirm that this is the case. Most of the reputable companies, such as the three mentioned above, allow you to check a trainer’s credentials. If you don’t have web access, ask to see their certification paper.
There is no substitute for experience. If you are a 55 year old woman, do you really want a 20-something kid training you? I would suggest someone that is in your age cohort who “gets” your issues (menopause, etc.). If you have low back problems, be sure that the trainer has extensive experience with training others with low back issues. In general, avoid trainers who have less than three years of full time training experience.
Spend some time observing. I encourage you to discretely watch trainers work with their clients. If the trainer is constantly on the phone, run for the hills. If they are not laser-focused on the client, then they will waste your money. The hour should be all about you, and not about the trainer. Look for trainers who are constantly vigilant of their clients form and who are confident. Also, look at the client. Are they having fun, but still working hard? Do they appear pleased with the experience? Is the trainer talking a lot about themselves or are they listening to the client?
An assessment process. Your potential trainer should offer you a free assessment. This assessment should consist of a fairly extensive medical history, measures of muscular imbalances, balance, posture, and flexibility. If the trainer offers to start training you right away during that first session, rather than doing a comprehensive assessment, you could be at risk of injury. How can a complete stranger expect to be able to train you safely if they know nothing about how your body works? In order to put together a decent workout plan, your trainer should include exercises to address any postural issues or muscular imbalances. If they don’t, you run the risk of the trainer exacerbating any underlying issues.
Chemistry. You will likely spend many hours with your trainer, so use the assessment time to figure out if the two of you have “chemistry.” For example, do you like the way the trainer communicates with you? Do they appear to be knowledgeable? Do they have a sense of humor? Are they laser-focused on you and you only (not the “hot” men or women in the gym)?
Check references! If the trainer says that they’ve trained a lot of folks with your particular issue (weight loss, strengthening, osteoarthritis, low back pain, pregnancy fibromyalgia, multiple sclerosis, etc.) ask for a reference from at least two other clients they have trained who have the same issue. If they can’t supply them, then they probably aren’t the trainer for you. If you are perfectly healthy, also get at least two references and call them.
I hope that this post has been helpful. Feel free to contact me if you have any questions.
