Which Personal Trainer? How to Choose the One Who's Right for You

If you've come to the decision that you need a personal trainer to help you get to your fitness goals, you have a big decision to make. The right personal trainer can help you feel empowered and get you to the next level in your personal fitness. The wrong personal trainer can make you feel worthless, or, even worse, cause you physical injury because of their negligence. Before you start looking for a personal trainer, get clear about your fitness goals. This will help you find a perfect match for your needs. Then take the following steps: Investigate at the local gym If you already go to a gym, you've probably seen many personal trainers in action. Personal trainers normally work with their clients in a gym atmosphere and you can spot them right away. Start taking note of the personal trainers who seem to have a lot of clients. Go at different times or days each week so you can see them in action with different clients. Be sure to take notice of their attention to their client. Are they distracted by what is going on in the gym? Are they paying attention to other people instead of their client? How is their demeanor and motivation style? Obviously, you should choose a personal trainer who is firm yet encouraging and one who pay close attention to what the client is doing, for safety's sake. Ask for recommendations If you don't already use a gym or want to change gyms, ask around to get recommendations for local personal trainers. You can ask fit people in your life if they have a trainer and who they use. Ask them about their favorite parts of working with that particular trainer. (Be sure to ask them about their least favorite parts of working with the trainer, as well.) It helps to know the trainers strengths and weaknesses so you can tell if they are going to be a good match for your needs. Ask questions Once you've decided to meet with a potential trainer, ask lots of questions about their methods, specialties and motivational style. Ask how long they've been in fitness and how long they've been training people. Ask if they specialize in any specific type of training. The closer their experience matches your needs, the better. Be sure to discuss your fitness goals and judge their response. If they want to push you past your goals and your needs, it's a sign that they may be wanting more out of the sessions than they are willing to give. For example, if you're interested in developing flexibility and not muscle, they shouldn't tell you that building more muscle will be part of your program. Try a trainer for a trial basis You can often book a single session with a trainer in order to see how you'll work together. This is a terrific way to judge a trainer and to see if they are the right fit for you. Call your gym to see if it's possible to book one session or have a short trial period for a personal trainer.