What to Look for When Hiring a Personal Trainer
Hiring a personal trainer can be one of the best things you ever do for yourself, but finding the right person to hire can be a daunting task. There are a number of factors to consider when looking for the right person to coach you, and it can be a bit overwhelming. It is crucial to choose a qualified personal trainer who provides exceptional fitness expertise and will guarantee you achieve your goals. So, how do you ensure you hire a trainer that is right for you? Here are some key factors to consider when choosing someone to lead you through your fitness journey:
Seek a trainer who:
- Customizes a training program to your specific individual needs
Exercising is a crucial part of maintaining your health, but it’s important to understand that there are a variety of different ways to do so, depending on the person performing the exercise. This means, it’s extremely crucial to communicate your wants, needs, and health history to prospective personal trainers. When hiring a personal trainer, you should seek someone who will meet your individual needs and customize your workout plan accordingly.
- Focuses on results
A great question to ask yourself when on the search for a personal trainer is, “Does this trainer have my best needs in mind?”. Your trainer should be able to listen to your wants and needs and immediately envision an end result for you. It’s important to be transparent with your prospective trainer and share your own long and short term goals as well. This will ensure you are both on the same page and confirms your prospective trainer believes they can produce a quality program that further leads to a results-driven end goal.
- Is educated and certified
In this day and age, anyone can appear to be a professional through the lens of social media. One of the most important qualities to look for in a prospective personal trainer is their level of education. Ask specific questions about your potential trainer’s educational background and ask to see their certifications. You want to ensure the prospective trainer is completely qualified to lead you through your workout in the first place. It’s also important to note, whatever workout your trainer decides to put you through should be backed up by research, education, and experience. With this added expertise, your trainer will be able to design a program that is specific to you and results-focused.
- Is a part of a team who works together
You can certainly gain a lot by working with one explicit trainer, but there is nothing more empowering than working with a whole team. Seek a trainer who is a part of something bigger than themselves and can teach you something new every time you enter the gym. Your prospective trainer should be constantly learning and growing from the people around them. If this is the case, you as the client will gain proficiency in a number of different areas of your training. Not to mention, if you are someone who needs flexibility in your schedule, hiring a trainer who is a part of a team gives you the freedom to schedule your exercises when it works best for you. Trainers who are a part of a team and work together have so much to offer and can benefit you in ways you may have never imagined.
- Uses technology to study your progress and results
Seeing evidenced based results that are backed up by science based technology is a great way to track your progress and hold yourself accountable. In your search for a personal trainer, consider hiring someone who incorporates technology into your program. Not only does this further prove they are results driven, but it also benefits you immensely. Using advanced technology precisely confirms what you, as a client, needs to work on and helps your trainer target those areas throughout your workout program. Collecting data related to your health such as body measurements, body composition, and body fat percentages, can be extremely motivating and may be the kick in the butt that encourages you to go the distance.
- Takes a holistic approach
There is no doubt that physical exercise is key to living a healthier life, but if you’re only exercising to eat those extra empty calories at the end of the day, or to make you feel better about smoking a cigarette on your lunch break, then you are not all in. If you truly want to establish healthy lifestyle changes, look for a personal trainer who is qualified to offer more than a physical workout. When you pair physical activity with nutrition, and life coaching, you can guarantee long-term success. Working out your mind and spirit alongside working out your body is the best approach to create a happier and healthier life.
-Danielle Lasky, CPT Zero Doubt Club
