Looking for a Trainer and Searching for Deals?

During a past experience shopping for a travel package, my friend's comment stuck with me: "Alex, expensive doesn't always mean the best, but cheap generally isn't good." This resonates, particularly when it comes to our health and well-being.

When one of my clients recently told me about a bad experience he had with a personal trainer, I wasn't surprised. Many years working in the fitness industry, I know a bit about what goes on inside of the gyms, and there is much to be said. Only to illustrate, I am going to call your attention to three situations:

​1. "THE PERSONAL TRAINER HAS NO EXPERIENCE"

Even after passing a personal training exam, a certified trainer could have no experience in training individuals. Simply being certified, even from one of the best organizations, does not mean that your trainer will be a good one. Personal training requires a person to take a great deal of knowledge and apply it to a wide variety of individualized cases, which is no small feat. 

This doesn't even get into the other issues like personality fit, motivational style, how well the trainer designs workout plans to your individual needs, or how well the trainer cues you and pays attention to proper form during each exercise. Yes, every trainer once started as an inexperienced one, but if you want to ensure the best experience, ask about theirs, and for a list of references, too.

2 "THE PERSONAL TRAINER CAN PUT YOUR HEALTH, BODY, AND LIFE AT RISK!"

 I know that a lot of people hire trainers as motivation to push them harder than they would on their own, but a good trainer ALWAYS puts your safety and well-being first, using gradual progressions, not working you so hard that you throw up or pass out. No, those are NOT the signs of a good workout. While each organization that certifies trainers includes several safety standards that their trainers are supposed to abide by, including lists of exercises that they deem too risky and precise guidelines for how to progress a person through a fitness program, your trainer may go against these rules based on his or her own ideas and theories. I've seen countless trainers (especially those on TV) whose workouts are completely inappropriate and unsafe for the weight, health issues, and fitness level of their clientele. I've seen trainers in the gym who allow people to perform a highly advanced exercises in poor form and do nothing to correct them. And in my opinion, it's the goal of far too many trainers to push a person to their physical limits, though doing exactly that is counterproductive to that person's goals, and against the safety recommendations of exercise organizations. ​

Technically, such actions would (or should) result in that trainer's certification being revoked. But for that to even happen, the certifying body has to know about it and take the time to investigate and revoke the status. Despite seeing a lot of bad trainers in action, I've never heard of anyone's certification being revoked.  
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3 “JUST BECAUSE THE TRAINER HAS A GREAT BODY, IS MOTIVATING AND CREATIVE, IT DOESN'T MEAN HE IS QUALIFIED TO TRAIN YOU"

Many trainers got their jobs by word of mouth from friends or family members, simply because they look good, lost weight, or are really "into fitness" themselves. Some of these trainers are pursuing another career, but working as a trainer can help them to pay their bills. Remember that there are countless diet and fitness programs one could follow to get into great shape. Some are safe. Some are healthy. Others are extremely risky. What works for this one individual may not be appropriate for the people he or she trains. Would you trust a layperson who happened to figure out the trick to getting a good body themselves to do the same for you? I hope you answered no. While a lot of people may say yes to that, I would exercise a lot of caution, especially if you've never exercised, have been injured, are overweight, or have had any health or medical issues at all.

I hope this information will make you better equipped to hire your personal trainer.