5 Tasks To Do Before Hiring A Personal Trainer
A Little Legwork Goes A Long Way
The decision to hire a trainer to aid you in your fitness journey isn’t one to be made lightly. It’s not just a monetary expense, but you’re also giving your time and trusting your health and safety to another person, sometimes a total stranger. Set yourself up for success by doing your research before you take the plunge, here are some tips to guide you along the way.
Watch Them Work
If you’re a regular at your gym, you may not know all the trainers personally, but you probably know who they are. Seeing how they interact with clients and other gym members can give you great insight into how they will treat you. Are they attentive? Do they offer quality feedback? Are they mindful of the members around them when the gym is crowded? A good trainer knows that they are always on stage when they’re on the floor with a client, and should present themselves accordingly. Most trainers do their own workouts at their gym as well, so watching what they do on their own time is another good way to see how they approach fitness. Maybe you’re interested in learning how to use free weights but are intimidated by them. The trainer who is constantly in the squat rack would probably be a good source to learn from. Many trainers also teach group fitness classes as well, so taking a class is a great way to get to know them as well.
Talk To Their Clients
Even in the digital age, word of mouth is still the best marketing tool for my money. The locker room is a great place to strike up a conversation about a potential trainer. What do they like/dislike? Do they feel pressure to keep training with them or do they willingly sign up for more? Are they getting results or just going through the motions until a better option comes along? When someone has been working with the same trainer for an extended period of time, it’s typically a good sign. That means the trainer is keeping things interesting, and more importantly generating positive results for their client.
Talk To The Trainer
I know this sounds incredibly obvious, but some people shy away from this because they’re afraid they going to get the hard sell right out of the gate. Should this happen, that’s a good sign you should probably look elsewhere. As a trainer, I want my schedule to be full each day, but I want to work with people who want to be there, not coerced into buying something they might not need or want. A good trainer should be happy to give you a few minutes of their time to explain their training philosophy, and how they can benefit you, and answer any questions you may have. If you don’t think that particular trainer would be a good fit for you, they should be able to recommend another trainer on staff who would be. A simple 5-minute conversation can give you a world of insight that reading their bio on the wall can’t do.
Know Their Background
A great trainer is much more than a certification and a four-year degree. Sure, those things help, but their real-world experience is vital. You’re not paying them for what they know, you’re paying them for their ability to translate what they know into results for you. Before becoming a trainer, I worked as an exercise physiologist in a cardiac and pulmonary rehab facility. I was mainly working with older adults who routinely had issues such as diabetes, hypertension, and who had received knee or hip replacements. The skills I learned there translated well to training, as I can confidently work with people of all ages who have the same issues. Most trainers have their own group of people who they enjoy working with the most.
Have Specific Goals
“I want to tone up and lose fat but not get bulky.” I have heard this more times than I care to count. While it is a good goal to have, making it more specific helps. Something like “ I want to lose 10 pounds and be able to do a strict pull-up and 20 push-ups in a row” immediately gives me a better idea of what to program for that person. And no, lifting weights will not instantly turn you into the Incredible Hulk. The bane of every trainers’ existence is the hesitancy, primarily but certainly not limited to women, of getting ‘bulky.’ There is a difference between getting bulky and gaining muscle. The first you do by eating a shitty diet and not training properly. The ladder is achieved through progressive overload, eating a healthy, protein-laden diet, and consistent time and effort in the gym.
The decision to hire a trainer should be treated just like any other major purchase you make. Do your research, ask good questions and let the experience of others guide you to help make the best possible choice.
