Top 6 tips when picking a personal trainer
The choice to work with a personal trainer isn’t always an easy one. It is not only a financial investment, but a commitment of time and energy. You are putting your trust into another person to help guide and motivate you to reach your goals. As a personal trainer in the industry, I personally find it difficult to differentiate between the truly experienced and educated trainers versus those who have developed their followings based on their looks and videos online. When it comes to working with a trainer, I have compiled a list of things to consider when making this decision.
Experience, education, certifications. This is not the be all end all, but your trainer must have some education in this field. There are a lot of ‘trainers’ out there who are self-proclaimed simply because they can create their own plans and look fit. Of course personality and the way they practically apply their skills is important too, but make sure they have the science and understanding of movement.
It’s about you, not them. Your trainer should tailor and create your program based on your needs. Often times trainers like to tell clients that they have put themselves through the same workout so they know what it should feel like. On one end it makes sense for the trainer to truly understand and feel the movements so they can relate to clients, but we are all different and have different needs. Depending on your body, goals, and previous injuries and experiences, you will require a more personalized program.
Knowledgeable in a variety of fitness modalities. Building on the previous point, we all have different experiences with movement. Your previous successes and failures in fitness may influence what you are interested in now. Having a trainer well versed in a variety of movement types ensures you have multiple options to get the best out of each workout.
How well do they move? Trainers do not have to be the biggest or strongest but they should be able to move well to help cue you to avoid injury and increase strength. If a trainer has difficulty in comprehending a movement chances are they will not be able to properly cue you to nail the movement pattern down and avoid injury.
The trainer you start with may not be who you stick with. Trainers excel in different things and the one that kick starts your fitness journey may not be the one you stay with. Think of it as a coach - athletes have various coaches in their careers who have the power to unleash different things within them.
Relatable and understanding. We are all humans and aren’t always ready to give our 100% effort every day. Stress, sleep, work, and home life can affect our energy levels and having a trainer who can get the most out of you despite your circumstances on that day is important. Sometimes trainers think they need to push you so far to receive a text the next day about how sore you are. Sore can be good but knowing how and when to push you is what differentiates the good trainers from the great ones.
Regardless of what you choose for exercise and movement make sure it is fun! You can still work hard and achieve your goals while being excited to do it. When it comes to picking the right trainer for you, use the tips above and ask questions so you can make the most educated decision to help reach all of your fitness and health goals!
Be fierce. Be strong. Be vibrant.
Rachel
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