5 Insider Tips on Picking an Personal Trainer
Have you ever had to hire a lawyer? Prior to hiring them, how would you know that they’re good? How would you know that they were worth your time, hard earned money, and would get you the ryou seek? Unless they came recommended from someone you trust, it’s very likely that you had no clue until your experience was complete.
The same problems occur when choosing other service professionals. Personal training is no different.
Before hiring a personal trainer, here’s a few tips from an industry insider. These are a few key areas you need to pay attention to.
Please note that with this list, exceptions to each rule exist. If 1 of these qualities is missing - this should raise an eyebrow. If the personal trainer you’re considering is missing several of these qualities: tread carefully before working with them.
1. Does the video match the audio?
A good personal trainer walks the walk and practices what they preach. If you’re looking to lose body fat and the trainer you're considering has the physique of melted candle – you need to question their commitment to their profession and whether their methods truly work. Is it so much to ask for a trainer to be in shape? (Note: round is not a shape). This goes similarly for other goals. If you’re looking to increase your strength to elite levels – at some point, your coach should have done the same. Do exceptions exist? Absolutely. However, that trainer should be able to show you a consistent body of work of clientele who’ve achieved what you wish to achieve.
2. Ask to see workouts
Training programs need to be dedicated to specific goals. Workouts for fat loss is completely different than training for muscle building, strength, or athletics. A good personal trainer should be able to show you plans for people with different goals. If all plans look exactly the same - run.
Additionally, these plans should be individualized. Nothing is a bigger waste of money than cookie cutter plans. We’ve spoken about this before HERE.
Furthermore, if a trainer doesn’t have ANY written workouts – consider this a huge red flag. A true professional personal trainer knows there is no easier way to get someone results than having a plan and tracking progress. If a trainer is winging your program, they are leaving your results to chance.
3. Certifications and Continuing Education
Contrary to popular belief, university or college education for personal training is at best, horrendous. Seeking a trainer who has these qualifications is no guarantee of quality. The fact is these institutions are approximately two decades behind the curve when it comes to teaching effective training methods and techniques.
You should ask a trainer about their certifications. Again, it is no guarantee of quality, but it should give you a general idea of what type of training they value. A simple Google search will give you a quick low down of what they’ve learned.
The best sign that this trainer is a keeper? They show commitment to educating themselves. No single certification is truly complete. To excel – like other professions – trainers need to continually educate themselves and get better. One area that is highly underrated is internships and consultations with other top professionals. A smart and effective personal trainer will use these strategies to get their clients results.
4. Results that Can’t Be Faked
It’s incredibly difficult to find a lawyer who doesn’t overcharge. Similarly, in a cowboy industry such as personal training – finding a trainer with strong ethics is rare.
The fitness industry is filled with drugs, photoshop and faked or stolen testimonials. It’s not a pretty picture, but that’s the reality of the industry.
When judging a trainer, you should look for testimonials that are incredibly difficult or can’t be faked. Place a high priority on video testimonials and a large number of Google reviews.
5. Do you actually like them?
Personal training is ultimately about relationships. A great trainer wants you to reach your goals – even more than you want to reach them.
I’ve known many skilled personal trainers that failed to recognize this key point. As a result, they remained under-booked and struggling for clients.
A personal trainer is someone you’re going to spend a few hours per week with for at minimum, a few months. If they don’t care about your results, or if they have a personality that would make Mother Theresa herself say “wow that guy’s an asshole”, you’ll want to reconsider working with them – no matter how talented they may be.