Welcome back #fitfam and thank you for reading! Today I’d like to share my thoughts on things you should consider when selecting a personal trainer. Once you have made the decision to hire a personal trainer, it is important to find the right fit, which is a two-way street. Let’s discuss the key factors in this very important decision!
Chemistry – The first consideration to make is chemistry. This is a give and take element that is a necessity to achieve optimal results if both parties are committed. If you are hiring someone that you do not already know (and even if you do), it is reasonable to request an in-person or live virtual meeting or demo session to get a gauge of how the two of you will interact. A simple 10-15 minute sample of what the trainer has to offer is a small sacrifice to ensure that both parties are fully on-board.
Also keep in mind that this will also give the trainer a chance to see if they want to work with you as well. To be completely honest, I do not accept every client because sometimes the connection is not there. The opposite is true as well, after a demo session, my services have been declined because the client did not like my style of training. Also, if you are hiring a family member, friend, or former co-worker, understand that in a training session, when physical stress is high, the chemistry may not be the same. So for the sake of the friendship, be careful when hiring someone you are already familiar with.
Certifications and Area of Expertise – This one is both direct and a bit tricky. I’ll start with the most direct first – area of expertise. Not all trainers are created equal and neither are our skillsets. For example, though I have carved my physique to look chiseled and defined, most of my clients do not look like me. In reality, my specialty is body sculpting (firmer legs, leaner arms, smaller waist, larger rear, etc) and weight management and most of my clients are women. I do not train body builders and though I have the skills to train athletes, I currently work with athletes in my family only. As such, I consistently invest in tools and education that will allow me to offer the best guidance possible to those who seek to manage their weight and sculpt their bodies.
Which leads me to the tricky part – certifications. There’s a handful of organizations who issue well-respected certifications to include NASM, ISSA, and ACE and also many universities provide certifications as part of specific degree plans. For trainers who new to the industry, I recommend that you work with someone who has obtained a certification and that it is up-to-date. Certifications must be renewed every two years to be considered up-to-date, however, they are not required to function as an independent personal trainer. In general, maintaining an up-to-date certification is required to be eligible for personal trainer liability insurance and also to remain current on new information and techniques. On the other hand, more seasoned trainers do not necessarily need certifications as their experience and industry exposure will place them at the forefront of education without continuously paying a certification organization to gain a small amount of knowledge. Also, don’t be fooled by the ‘personal trainers’ at some gyms – these are often internal only certifications that are not valid outside of that facility.Â
In the end, your comfort level is the key component to finding the right trainer who will maximize your efforts and results!
Lastly, I have training programs as low as $75/month that will supplement and guide you to your goals.
If you are interested in following along with my journey or contacting my company, I can be found on social media platforms:
Website – Total Camo Fitness
Facebook – Total Camo Fitness
YouTube – Total Camo Fitness
These are some genuine tips. Thank you for sharing.
Thank you for reading, just doing my part to share my personal experiences in hopes of helping others.
Great article. I agree it’s important to have a connection with your trainer
It’s one of those things you don’t think about before you hire.
This is really good to know. I will def keep these tips in mind when looking for a trainer!
Thank you for reading Krystal! Feel free to contact me if you have any additional questions before hiring a workout guide.
GREAT tips! I like how you started with chemistry. I still keep in touch with one of my trainers many years later. We ended up friends. He was tough on me when he trained me, but it was a mutual respect.
Chemistry is the secret ingredient to success in my opinion. I get along very well with my clients and I find that it makes it easier to push the envelope sometimes because we are familiar and they know that I care about them being successful in their journey. It’s super cool that you’ve kept in touch with your trainer.
You make a great point that it’s not always going to be a fit. And it’s okay if it’s not. The same goes for choosing a counselor or therapist! 🙂 It has to work for both parties.
Hi Skye! Yes, I would imagine its even more important to get the right fit when choosing a counselor/therapist. It definitely has to work for everyone.
Thank you for sharing. I currently use Beachbody and even in this app, I am selective of who to use on this journey.
Thank you for reading! It is very important to be selective. The most in-depth catalogue I’ve found online is Caroline Girvan and most of her content is free on YouTube.