How to Choose a Personal Trainer

By eHow Sports & Fitness Editor

Choose a Personal Trainer

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A personal trainer can greatly improve your chances of attaining your fitness goals, so it's important to choose one who's certified, motivating and, above all, knowledgeable.

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Instructions

Difficulty: Moderately Easy

Things You’ll Need:

Health Club Memberships
Personal Trainer Certification

Step1

Determine your fitness goal. Whether it's to lose weight or complete a marathon, a clear goal will help you narrow the choices of trainers and find one with related experience and expertise.

Step2

Consider where you want to work out. Location can often determine your selection of trainers.

Step3

Decide how much you're willing to spend. Trainers can cost anywhere from $25 to $200 an hour, depending on their professional background, clientele and services.

Step4

Research your options by requesting trainers' brochures from local gyms and asking for referrals from friends.

Step5

Check for certification. Your trainer should be certified by at least one nationally recognized organization, such as the American College of Sports Medicine (ACSM), the American Council on Exercise (ACE), the Aerobics and Fitness Association of America (AFAA) or the National Strength and Conditioning Council (NSCC).

Step6

Check for personal liability insurance. Most trainers are required to carry insurance to protect their clients and themselves against personal injury and property loss.

Step7

Ask if the trainer knows CPR. Most certifications require CPR training, but it's good to ask anyway.

Step8

Talk with the trainer and determine whether you feel comfortable and confident with his or her skill level and dependability.

Step9

Set a date and time to begin training.

Tips & Warnings

Some trainers are willing to train small groups, which can reduce your cost.
If you haven't exercised in a while, prepare to be sore after your first training session. Ask your trainer for suggestions on how to ease the soreness.
Alert your trainer to any orthopedic concerns you may have, such as shoulder, back or neck injuries.
Check with your physician or health care provider before beginning an exercise program.

Comments

dannys said

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on 12/5/2007 I believe you meant to say the National Strength and Conditioning Association (NSCA), not Council.

Danny Shell, M.S., ACSM/HFI, NSCA-CPT

Anonymous said

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on 1/25/2006 This is your main squeeze for development. Your teacher, taunter, critic, motivator, cheer leader, guru and mentor. Worth the gold. Pay and tip well. Best thing to do is to shut up and do what he says and all he says. So, be careful with whom you make a business pact. Try to avoid some trainer who is more interested in his or her reputation than the quality of professional practice. A good trainer does not want you to be proud of himself, he wants you to grow proud and pleased with your accomplishments and your continued progress.
Warning: Any trainer who, at any point, offers you massive vitamin supplements and dubious herbs and spices, stimulants, performance enhancing drugs, steroids, under-the-counter pharmaceuticals and trendy jive-turkey diets, regimes and machines, you may want to call the cops- after you've asked this piece of human garbage to leave. Seek more trustworthy assistance.

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