If you’ve found yourself at the point in your life where you’d like to be in better shape (to chase after your kids, complete basic daily tasks with ease, carry your groceries up the stairs without breaking a sweat, get stronger, have more energy, feel better in your clothes, etc etc) congratulations to you for acknowledging that first step.
You may be considering enlisting the help of a qualified personal trainer to help you safely and effectively help you to reach your goals. Recognize that this is long-term journey, that results do not happen overnight, and a good personal trainer won’t make promises they can’t fulfill.
As such, it’s important to find yourself the right “match” with a trainer who can motivate you to achieve your goals. A good personal trainer will role model proper technique so you can train safely and injury-free, design for you a program suited to your goals, and depending on their certifications, provide guidance on meal planning or direct you to a qualified nutritionist. Without knowledge of technique and appropriate program progression, you will not see results or could potentially injure yourself.
If you are already in a gym setting and are considering hiring a trainer, take a look around your gym and observe other trainers at work and how they handle clients (are they engaged or distracted?). Reach out to one of them, and break the ice by asking them how to work a machine, and see if they’d be willing to work with you.
Lots of trainers, including myself, work both at franchised gyms and independently, so if you aren’t comfortable with working in a gym setting and would rather do it at a home gym, never hesitate to ask! Their rates might often be cheaper than that in a franchised gym setting, where the franchise will typically take a cut of the hourly rate. If you don’t ask, you’ll never know if that person will be your best ally in your weight loss goals.
I’ve been a trainer for over a decade now, and in the past I have had specific goals in mind that have required a specialized trainer, so here are some tips I’ve learned over the years to see if I would want to work with them.
1) Take a look at their current clients in the gym. If you can, ask the client if they are happy with the results they are getting. A happy client will rave about the time, attention, and dedication we give to their program and goals. Does the trainer make adjustments based on the needs of the client? Word of mouth is one of the best ways we generate business, so all good trainers will work to earn their client’s respect.
2) Do they have a website where you could look into their training philosophy or view client testimonials? On my website, you can find both. Is there a place on the website where the trainer offers information up front about their services? There should be nothing to hide.
If they don’t have a website, do they have an Instagram or Facebook page where you can view the messaging of the trainer? If you can’t get an idea of how the trainer trains people in the gym, their website or social media page might have videos of them training, or training others. How they move and conduct themselves is important. If they’re not paying attention to their own form, they may not be to yours.
After doing this background research, ask yourself: does that trainer seem like the kind of person who would motivate you every step of the way?
3) If you are in a gym setting, look up the gym’s website to find your trainers qualifications. Some gyms have boards where you can see the trainer’s pictures and bios.
Talk to them and see if you click, and set up a time to meet with them to discuss your goals. As a personal trainer myself and a mother, the majority of people that I attract for personal training are busy moms themselves. I can speak intelligently to the challenges many women face (i.e., working a job, being a mom, fitting exercise in, cooking healthy for the family, daycare/school constraints, and so on). And there’s a match for you, too.
It’s my job to gradually build a ladder for my clients to convince them to take the steps in their fitness journey. A trainer isn’t going to be in your life forever, so it’s important they they empower you, educate you, and in a sense, “teach you how to fish.” I realize it’s hard to make that initial jump off the couch and into the weight room, but with a good trainer, I assure you that the leap is worth it. Good luck finding your match!
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