Personal trainers are your guides and inspiration for living a healthier, fitter life. While you might find dozens or even hundreds of trainers in the business directory, they’re not all going to be right for you.
As fitness guru Eugenio Pallisco explains, it’s important to evaluate your prospective trainer from various angles to ensure they’re an ideal fit to help you achieve your fitness goals.
Qualifications
Unlike doctors, physical therapists, or other health professionals, there are no required qualifications or training programs for personal trainers (requirements may vary by state and facility).
However, a reputable professional trainer will voluntarily participate in a training program and obtain personal trainer certification. Finding a trainer with a college degree in sports medicine or a related field is also a plus. It’s common for personal trainers to seek accreditation from the American Council on Exercise, the American College of Sports Medicine, and the National Academy of Sports Medicine.
Other organizations also offer certification but may not be accredited — meaning the program standards may not be up to snuff. If your trainer candidate is certified by another agency, do your homework to get information about that agency’s standards so you know more about your trainer’s background.
Style/Goals
Plenty of trainers will have the training, but that doesn’t necessarily mean they’re going to be the right fit for you. When you meet with a trainer, ask about that trainer’s style and what workouts they enjoy when working out on their own. Also, ask about some typical workouts you might do with them. Your trainer should push you to new levels — but if you’re uncomfortable with the style of exercises they specialize in, they may not be suitable for you.
During your initial meeting, your trainer should also ask about your personal goals and the types of workouts you enjoy. If they don’t, it could be a sign that they’re not willing to work as a team to develop an exercise regimen that you will enjoy.
Personal Connection
Along those same lines, your trainer should be someone you enjoy spending time with. You’re not necessarily going to be friends, but you will be in each other’s company quite often — meaning you’ll need to have a good rapport. As Eugenio Pallisco explains, this can be a crucial factor for motivation and consistency with your fitness routine. Find someone else if you don’t think you can get along with a particular trainer candidate.
The Terms of the Relationship
The terms of your trainer relationship are also an important consideration. If your trainer offers a free initial consultation or session, it’s a good sign that they’re flexible and want you to be happy with your decision. On the other side are trainers who ask you to sign up for a costly training package upfront or who have such limited availability that it makes scheduling a session difficult. While it is common for trainers to ask you to sign up for a month-long or even a quarterly package, the good ones won’t ask you to do that before you have the chance to try out their offerings — and they’ll be ready and willing to work with your schedule.
In short, the ideal trainer should be knowledgeable, qualified, flexible, and have a good rapport with you. If you find all those things, chances are you’ll have a good working relationship that could last for years.
About Eugenio Pallisco
Eugenio Pallisco is an expert personal trainer based in the great state of Texas. Whether for sports performance or overall health and wellness, Pallisco’s services can help improve your energy, mobility, and posture using the latest training methods and technology, as well as individualized plans unique to your specific fitness needs and goals.