What to look for in a trainer
There are a lot of personal trainers out there, and finding the right one to help you get the results you want can be daunting. What are the most important qualities to look for? As a trainer for over 10 years, here are the top 5 qualities your trainer needs.
Do they correct my form when I exercise?
This is my first question. I find this to be such a critical part of keeping clients healthy enough to achieve their goals. I work with many older clients, and if exercises are done with bad form, that can easily lead to pain or injury. Odds are if you hired a trainer, you might not know how to do a lot of the exercises correctly. So a good trainer will pay great attention to how you perform each exercise.
Are they friendly yet focused on you?
Clients and trainers can develop a great friendship over the many hours of training together. In my professional experience, I have become close with several of my clients that I have trained for almost a decade. So I love hearing about their lives and providing a listening ear to their concerns. It is important that the training sessions remain focused on the client and their fitness needs and does not become a monologue from the trainer about their own personal lives. The relationship can be close, but it needs to remain professional.
Do they provide a well-rounded plan for your success?
If you hire a trainer to help you lose weight, gain strength or just help you begin a health journey. It is important that they guide you in all of the areas that will affect your success. Your trainer may be training you with weights to get stronger, but your nutrition, sleep and stress levels can greatly impact your success. If you are consistently sleep deprived and addicted to caffeine, then that can certainly affect your goals. Look for a trainer that wants to get the whole picture of your lifestyle.
Does your trainer give you advice on what exercises to do outside of your sessions?
Most clients meet with their trainers an average of two times a week in my experience. A good trainer will give a plan or advice on what to do the days they are not with you. How much cardio, flexibility and rest you will need outside of your time together. What you do on the days you don’t see your trainer are just as important to your success.
Lastly, do your sessions directly relate to the goals you told your trainer about when you signed up?
While you hire a trainer and trust them to be the professional that leads you to your goals, it is always a good idea to ask them how the journey is going to get you to success. Don’t be afraid to ask them the “why” behind the workouts and even a general time frame on how long it will take to get to your goals. If you have big goals that take longer, ask the trainer what smaller goals will be the stepping stones to the big goal? Understand the process they are taking you through.
Conclusion
In conclusion, there are so many benefits to hiring a trainer. From helping you meet your health goals, providing encouragement and accountability. Also being a source of knowledge for all of your fitness questions. Take the time to make sure your trainer has your best interest in mind and works hard for you. Your goals should matter to them as much as they do to you.
Apple Hat Fitness
