What to Look for Before Hiring a Personal Trainer

Regular exercising is good for health. But if not performed under an expert’s supervision, it can cause problems like muscle spasm, bone injury, nerve damage, or any serious problem. Studies show that a personal trainer can improve your fitness and strength and help you be persistent with your exercise schedule by showing you exactly how to pull-up, deadlift and plank and also through encouragement. But with so many of them, it’s really daunting to find just the right one to fit your requirements. So, before you hire a personal trainer, ask yourself some questions.

Is S/He Properly Certified?

Whether you wish to build strength, improve your speed in your forthcoming running race or shed some extra pounds, you definitely want to work with a personal trainer who is certified by a recognized organization. Just ask the personal trainers about their certificates and Google about them.

Is S/He Experienced Just As You Want?

In addition to asking how much experience the trainer has, you need to ask in what field of personal training s/he is experienced. Another important matter to look into is, if you have any medical condition, like injury, pregnancy, heart problem, etc it’s important to inquire whether the trainer is experienced in tackling such situations.

Other things you should look for in a personal trainer are:

• Fees and payment options: In addition to fees and payment options, you should also inquire whether s/he offers any discounts for larger packages.
• Trial Period: You can also inquire if the trainer offers any discounted trial period. The trial period will also be useful to check whether you both are comfortable with each other.
• Timing: You may want a particular time for exercise. Check if the trainer is available on that time and days of the week.
• Questionnaire: Check whether the trainer needs you to fill in a pre-exercise questionnaire and consult a healthcare professional before taking up her/his program. This is important especially if you have not exercised for a long time, are more than 45 years of age, have a chronic disease and/or are overweight.
• Your Tailored Program: Check how the personal trainer designs your tailored program and if that program is aimed at achieving your health goals of strength-building or weight loss.

Gerald Smith is a Putney personal training expert who strives to help you get in shape and enjoy while doing it. He holds a 3-year degree and highest fitness qualifications.