If you’re in the market for a personal trainer, not just anyone will do. I’m definitely your best bet…hehe…just kidding. You want to make sure that your trainer is exactly what you need…you are paying good money for them and their expertise. Here are some questions to ask yourself or ask your potential trainer before beginning a fitness program with him or her.
- Is the trainer nationally certified? There are a zillion personal trainer certifications out there, but only a handful of them are nationally recognized. The National Commission for Certifying Agencies (NCCA) is an organization ensures the public’s health, welfare and safety. The NCCA accredited personal training certification programs are listed below:
o American Council on Exercise (ACE)
o American College of Sports Medicine (ACSM)
o The Cooper Institute (CI)
o International Fitness Professionals Assn. (IFPA)
o National Academy of Sports Medicine (NASM)
o National Council for Certified Personal Trainers (NCCPT)
o National Commission for Health Education Credentialing (NCHEC)
o National Council on Strength and Fitness (NCSF)
o National Exercise & Sports Trainers Assn. (NESTA)
o National Exercise Trainers Association (NETA)
o National Federation of Professional Trainers (NFPT)
o National Strength & Conditioning Association (NSCA)
o Training and Wellness Certification Commission (TW-CC)
- Does the trainer practice what he/she preaches? An unfit trainer may not be the best person to take advice from. This doesn’t mean that a male trainer has to have a body builder’s body or a female trainer has to be a size zero, it just means that they should be in good shape, eat right, exercise and take care of their body…just as they are helping you do!
- How do current and past clients feel about their experience? That’s right, ask for references…you want to make sure that they have satisfied clients that are able to reach their goals with the trainers help.
- Will the training be convenient? If your trainer is at a place that’s hard for you to get to or is too far away from home or is at an bad time, you are more likely to cancel sessions, flake out or just not go.
- Does your personality match that of the trainer? If you are a person that responds well to gentle encouragement, your trainer should not be a yeller, boot-camp sergeant of a trainer. Make sure to meet the trainer or talk for a bit over the phone to see if your personalities and styles are the same. Also, consider whether you are comfortable with a trainer of the opposite sex since training can be somewhat physical.
Other questions to ask a potential personal trainer:
- How long have you been training and what kind of clients do you normally work with?
- How do you motivate your clients to reach their goals?
- How do you measure achievement? Do you have a fitness evaluation you use?
- Knowing my specific fitness goals, what kind of workout plan will you develop to help me?
- How often will you change my workout routine?
- What are your rates?
- What is your cancellation policy?
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