How to Hire a Personal Trainer

Why should you hire a personal trainer?

You should hire a personal trainer to help you set and reach your fitness goals. A personal trainer should be able to design a safe, time efficient and productive program as well as offer the motivation you need to work hard and get the job done! A personal trainer should also have the knowledge base to be a source of education and information to help you understand the basics of health and fitness.

How do you select a personal trainer?

Asking your friends and family if they know a personal trainer is a good way to start. Would they recommend you work with them as well? If you don't know anyone that has a personal trainer, you may want to try asking members at your local health club, medical professionals, or colleagues. Also, you may begin by looking up personal trainers, fitness programs, and/or exercise in your local phone book. The World Wide Web is another excellent resource for finding a professionally qualified trainer. If at all possible, you should try and assemble a list of several personal trainer candidates. Once you have compiled a decent list, you should take time to interview each trainer to see if you think they have the qualities necessary to help you achieve your goals. Experience, personality, education, etc. are all attributes you need to evaluate. Here are some other questions you may want to ask before you hire a personal trainer:

. Is the trainer you selected certified by a nationally recognized organization?
. Does the trainer hold a degree in the health or fitness field?
. Is the trainer CPR certified?
. Does the trainer carry liability insurance?
. How much "in the field" experience do they have as a personal trainer?
. What do they specialize in and what types of clients have they worked with?
. Can they provide a list of references?
. Does the trainer have a resource network of medical professionals like: cardiologist, physical therapist, chiropractor, registered dietician/nutritionist, and other fitness specialists?
. What are their personal training rates, costs, and fees?
. Approximately how long is each session and what does a "typical" session consist of?

Although there are several other questions you may want to ask each personal trainer you interview, these are a good start. Good luck in finding a trainer that is going to help you look better, feel better, and function better!

Jason Hadeed , BS, CCS