5 Qualities to look for in YOUR personal trainer

Let's make this perfectly clear:

NOT ALL PERSONAL TRAINERS ARE CREATED EQUAL

Finding the best Fit in a Personal Trainer can be difficult (Total Understatement). It can be an easier process, if you know what to look for.

Here is what we know:

1. It is easy to walk into a gym and find Personal Trainers.

2. It is easy for a gym employee to put you in front of a Personal Trainer.

3. It is HARD to choose the RIGHT Personal Trainer for you. Especially when you have NO IDEA what you should be looking for.

After almost fifteen years in the fitness industry, here is my very-much-abridged list of qualities to look for in YOUR Personal Trainer.

1. Personal Training Certification & Education

2. CPR/First Aid Certification & Liability Insurance

3. They put your goals/needs first.

4. They keep their client safe during the workout.

5. Patience & Adaptation

Read on for Details

1. Professional Personal Training Certification & Education I know Personal Trainers that have a Degree from a University AND a Nationally Accredited PT Certification. I know Personal Trainers with only the Nationally Accredited PT Certification. I have met Trainers with ALL the degrees and certs annnnnnnnd, you guessed it, they still couldn't train their way out of a paper bag. You can have one solid Certification and do continuing education on your own while working to develop skill sets. So, while I would say that the best PT is the one with the most education, I can't. Because this is about giving YOU a guideline to finding your Swolemate. I can't believe I just said that. I hate that. Here is a list of Nationally Accredited Certs, Degrees, "Letters" to look for on your Personal Trainer's business card or Bio. SIDEBAR: I find that there are HUGE differences between each of these certifications. However, that is a whole other blog/can of worms/ramble/my ADHD rabbit-hole of research meant for another time. So for now, I am going Macro-Level with you. Certifications: NASM (National Academy of Sports Medicine) NCSF (National Council on Strength & Fitness) ACE (American Council on Exercise) ISSA (International Sports Sciences Association) Degrees in: Exercise Science Kinesiology Athletic Training Heath & Human Performance Anatomy & Physiology DPT (Doctor of Physical Therapy) PTA (Physical Therapy Assistant)

2. CPR/First Aid Certification & Liability Insurance

If something goes down, I want my Personal Trainer properly equipped to handle any medical emergency. Bare minimum, you want them to have a CPR certification and liability insurance. Luckily, most Nationally Accredited Personal Training Certifications require you to have your CPR Cert before you can sit for the exam. Liability Insurance is like signing those Obstacle Course Race Waivers. "If you die, it isn't our fault". Accidents happen. We purchase insurance (either on our own or through the fitness center we are employed by) to protect ourselves, but also to protect YOU. Make sure your Personal Trainer knows what to do in an emergency. If you are working out in a fitness facility, it is safe to ask if they have an automated external defibrillator and a standard first-aid kit. I tend to carry one on me or in my Jeep. My best friends will also tell you that I am ready for the apocalypse. And they aren't wrong.

3. They put your goals/needs first. Your Personal Trainer should be focused on your goals and your needs.

The best Personal Trainers will tailor programs around their client, and will be open to changing things up based on what state of mind/body our client is in that day. So:

STEP 1: Write down your primary goals. STEP 2: Determine if your goal is sport/aesthetic/mental health/etc specific.

STEP 3: Start a search for a Trainer that specializes in it.

STEP 4: Research. Research. Research. Start watching a few Personal Trainers over the course of a variety of sessions. This will help you understand how they approach their clients. Do you prefer homework? Do they give their clients homework?

Do you need positive feedback?

Do you need Educational Material? Do you need to know WHY you're doing the exercises they prescribed?

Do you need "Tough Love" Jillian Michael's Style or do you need your hand held and some 90's Slow Jams? Do you want a Trainer that turns-and-burns? Or, as a friend of mine has said in the past, is a "Cheeseburger Factory". They just bring the ingredients, make the burger, and send the burger on it's way. If you are someone that wants to get in, work out, and leave, you need a Trainer that can operate that way with you.

Did you just have surgery and need a Personal Trainer with an Anatomy & Physiology background?

Do you want to tackle Nutrition head on? Are you looking for the Trainer with the Nutrition background?

4. They keep their client safe during the workout.

Look for the following:

• They have you fill out a PARQ (Physical Activity Readiness Questionnaire). This shows them your medical history and anything that may prove to be a concern in your training program.
  

• They have you doing warm-ups and cool-downs.
  

• You are prescribed Foam Rolling, Stretching and Proper mobility work pertaining to your goals.
  

• Progression. They don't throw you to level 10 when you can't perform level 2 yet.

5. Patience & Adaptation

Your Personal Trainer should understand that change takes time. We must be able to adjust to your pace and remain calm and positive. If something in your program isn't working, we need to adapt the program, not change the goal.

I tend to weave "Personality" into this category. Adaptation and patience is a small piece of an ever-evolving puzzle that is You. This all depends on what you are looking for. If you want results, sometimes you need your Trainer to be your Trainer and NOT your Friend. You determine if they are a good fit. Hence why I start every client off with a free consultation. I want them to feel informed AND I need to know if we mesh well.

Everyone is different and their fitness programming should reflect that. The best Personal Trainers shouldn't react. We should respond, reflect, and re-vamp. Then Keep. Moving. Forward.

Conclusion

You are hiring a Personal Trainer based on your goals. I always schedule a free Initial Consultation with every new client. Yes, there is a method to the madness. We need to see if we are a good fit. Do not be worried about hurting our feelings. I want you to find what is best as you finally invest in yourself. So, go write down your priorities, and be an advocate for yourself.