Looking for a Personal Trainer?

Read These Tips First
By Sofia Gaskins, UVA Fitness Coordinator

Imagine walking into a doctor’s office and discovering the physician has never gone to medical school and doesn’t have a license to practice medicine. You’d be hesitant to seek medical advice or treatment from this individual. Fortunately, professionals such as doctors but also nurses, hairdressers, lawyers and real-estate agents are required to be licensed in order to provide services. This isn’t the case with personal trainers.

Although there are various certifications available, there is no nationwide requirement for trainers to obtain a license in their state. Some health and fitness facilities do not even require their staff to have prior training or experience upon hiring them.

However, most fitness facilities do require at least a CPR certification, and prefer a trainer with nationally accredited certifications, a degree and experience. All of this is important as a trainer can put you in a possibly dangerous state by increasing your blood pressure, heart rate and joint pressure through exercise.

A good trainer can help you stay motivated and help you meet your fitness goals.

Here’s how to ensure a trainer is qualified and right for you:

Seek out referrals Talk to other people in your gym. Ask which trainers they would recommend and why they like them.

Check on certifications Make sure they are CPR-certified and have some type of nationally accredited certification such as AFAA, ACSM, NASM, etc. 

Ask about education If the trainer has a four-year degree in a science- or exercise-related field, this is good news. They have a more specific and in depth background of the human body, healthy lifestyle and fitness in general.

Look for experience How long a trainer has been training is key. If this individual is new to the game, they might not have adequate skills to tend to your needs.

Know their personality Make sure the trainer’s personality matches the kind of person you feel comfortable with. If you prefer someone who is outgoing and upbeat, pair yourself with this kind of trainer.

Specify your preferences Most gyms assign clients to trainers, so let them know if you prefer a male or female trainer; what days and times are best for you; and what goals you wish to attain.

Take special considerations If you are pregnant, have diabetes, cancer, asthma, cardiovascular disease or joint problems, it is very important the trainer is knowledgeable about these conditions. Your exercise program should be unique to you. On the other hand, a trainer should never diagnose you; this is out of their scope of practice. Make sure this individual knows to refer you to other professionals for issues beyond their expertise. 

One size does not fit all

Fitness professionals are not all alike, so it’s important the trainer is a good fit for you. Screen the trainer before you meet with them for the first session. Get a feel for their philosophy on training. If they have a mentality of “no pain, no gain,” it’s probably not a good idea to proceed with that individual. You want a trainer who informs you on what to expect to get out of every session, and one who values your opinion and goals. Make sure this trainer makes you feel comfortable, communicates well, and is motivating.

After a couple of sessions, evaluate the progress made. If your personal criteria have not been met, or there is some other issue, ask to be re-paired with another trainer. Picking a trainer should not be neurosurgery. However, it is important to find a qualified trainer who can lead a safe, yet challenging, exercise program to ensure success.