How to Find the Best Personal Trainer for You


You hired a personal trainer — congrats! But will you get the results you want? Here’s what a good trainer should do.


Ask Questions

Beginning with your first session, your personal trainer should assess where you are, your injury history, and your goals — and how to safely and steadily reach them.

“To create a program that works, we need to know everything we can about your workout and medical history, eating habits, sleep rhythm, and stress levels,” says personal trainer Jennifer Fidder, MA.


Know Your Sweet Spot

“Your workouts should be challenging but not over the top. Starting off with a bunch of burpees is a red flag,” says Tony Maloney, an ACSM-certified exercise physiologist.

Too many trainers put clients through intense sessions that are way too advanced, says NASM-certified personal trainer Alex Robles, MD. They do it to make you feel like you’ve had a good workout, he says, but it’s the wrong move. “They should begin with a regimen that’s right for your skill level and gradually increase volume and intensity,” Robles says.


Make Adjustments

“Didn’t sleep well last night? Let’s take it a bit slower. Woke up with knee pain? Let’s skip high-intensity exercises,” Fidder says. A good trainer will adjust workouts on the fly to keep you motivated and injury-free.


Be Crystal Clear

Your trainer should clearly explain and demonstrate exercises, says Ali Greenman, NASM-certified personal trainer. If you don’t follow what she’s saying, does she explain it differently? Does she take time to clearly answer your questions or throw big words at you and move on?

A good trainer doesn’t send you off on your own. “The reason you’re paying a trainer is to take the guesswork out of the fitness process,” says ISSA-certified personal trainer Jamie Hickey. During warmups, for example, he should explain how to stretch, how long to hold, which muscles to focus on, and why.


Be Laser-Focused

Your trainer’s attention should always be on you. If you’re doing reps and she’s distracted by other people or her phone, it’s a red flag. “I hate when I see this,” Hickey says. “Any coach that texts, browses the web, or takes calls while working with you isn’t worth your time.”

Other signs of distraction are being late, disorganized, unprepared, or unfocused. If your trainer isn’t 100% present, it may be best to move on.


Continued

Questions You Should Ask a Personal Trainer

Ready to book? Start with these questions, says personal trainer Chris Cooper, NSCA-CPT.


Which certification(s) do you have?

You’ll see many types of certifications. Look for someone who’s been certified by a reliable organization like NSCA, ACE, ISSA, NASM, or ACSM, Cooper says.


Have you worked with people like me?

It’s a plus when a trainer has experience with clients who’ve had similar goals or a similar injury history to yours. He can apply that experience to you.


Are you up to date on fitness news?

Make sure she’s in the know. Ask which continuing education classes she’s taken recently or the last thing she read about fitness and training.


How will you create a plan that’s right for me?

Your trainer should design an individualized program tailored to your needs. It should include an assessment and a plan for slow but steady progress.

 


Find more articles, browse back issues, and read the current issue of
WebMD Magazine
.




Sources

SOURCES:

Chris Cooper, NSCA-CPT personal trainer, Active Movement and Performance.

Jennifer Fidder, MA, Jennifer Alice Training and Coaching.

Ali Greenman, NASM-certified personal trainer, Final Straw Fitness.

Jamie Hickey, ISSA-certified personal trainer.

Tony Maloney, ACSM-certified exercise physiologist, National Institute for Fitness and Sport.

Alex Robles, MD, NASM-certified personal trainer, The White Coat Trainer.



© 2020 WebMD, LLC. All rights reserved.





Source link

24 thoughts on “How to Find the Best Personal Trainer for You

  • November 22, 2023 at 9:25 pm
    Permalink

    I needed to compose you that bit of remark to be able to say thank you again on your spectacular tips you’ve featured on this page. This has been quite incredibly open-handed of people like you to supply extensively just what most people might have distributed as an e book to get some dough for themselves, specifically seeing that you might well have tried it if you ever decided. These good tips as well worked like a easy way to be certain that many people have the identical passion just like mine to know significantly more with regard to this condition. I know there are lots of more enjoyable instances ahead for people who look into your blog post.

  • December 8, 2023 at 6:45 pm
    Permalink

    My wife and i got quite cheerful when John could round up his survey with the precious recommendations he came across from your own web pages. It’s not at all simplistic to simply always be giving freely helpful tips which a number of people may have been selling. And we also do know we need the blog owner to be grateful to for this. All the explanations you made, the simple site navigation, the relationships you can aid to engender – it’s got mostly amazing, and it’s really making our son in addition to us understand this issue is brilliant, and that’s extraordinarily important. Thank you for the whole thing!

  • December 27, 2023 at 8:03 pm
    Permalink

    My spouse and i were now glad that Edward managed to deal with his preliminary research through the precious recommendations he received out of the blog. It’s not at all simplistic just to continually be giving freely guidelines some other people may have been trying to sell. And we discover we now have you to appreciate for that. Most of the illustrations you’ve made, the easy blog navigation, the relationships you will give support to foster – it’s got many great, and it’s making our son in addition to our family believe that that topic is cool, which is certainly wonderfully essential. Thank you for all!

  • December 28, 2023 at 11:35 pm
    Permalink

    A lot of thanks for each of your efforts on this blog. Gloria loves making time for investigations and it’s really simple to grasp why. A number of us know all about the powerful means you create functional tricks via your web site and as well as welcome response from others on this area and our favorite daughter has been studying a lot. Take advantage of the rest of the new year. You have been doing a remarkable job.

  • December 30, 2023 at 1:31 am
    Permalink

    I want to show some thanks to the writer just for rescuing me from this crisis. After checking throughout the search engines and meeting concepts that were not productive, I figured my life was over. Existing without the approaches to the issues you’ve fixed through this site is a crucial case, and the kind which could have badly affected my career if I hadn’t noticed your web page. That talents and kindness in controlling all the pieces was valuable. I’m not sure what I would have done if I hadn’t discovered such a point like this. I can also at this moment relish my future. Thanks so much for your reliable and effective help. I won’t be reluctant to endorse your blog to anybody who requires guidelines about this matter.

  • January 2, 2024 at 12:23 pm
    Permalink

    My wife and i ended up being thrilled when Raymond managed to do his web research through the ideas he got in your web page. It is now and again perplexing just to continually be releasing information which others could have been making money from. We really fully understand we have got the writer to give thanks to for this. All the explanations you made, the straightforward blog menu, the friendships you will help to engender – it is mostly sensational, and it is assisting our son in addition to our family believe that that article is excellent, which is rather vital. Many thanks for the whole thing!

  • January 3, 2024 at 8:52 pm
    Permalink

    I as well as my guys appeared to be checking out the great advice located on your web blog and so at once came up with a horrible suspicion I had not thanked the web blog owner for those strategies. All the people are already for this reason very interested to read through all of them and now have clearly been using these things. Many thanks for turning out to be indeed thoughtful and for obtaining some fine areas millions of individuals are really wanting to be aware of. My honest apologies for not expressing gratitude to you earlier.

  • January 5, 2024 at 2:51 am
    Permalink

    I must express some appreciation to this writer for bailing me out of this particular predicament. Because of surfing around through the internet and getting solutions which were not pleasant, I thought my entire life was gone. Living without the strategies to the difficulties you’ve sorted out through this short article is a crucial case, as well as the kind which might have negatively affected my entire career if I hadn’t come across your web page. Your own personal understanding and kindness in taking care of a lot of things was crucial. I don’t know what I would’ve done if I had not come across such a stuff like this. I can also at this time relish my future. Thanks very much for this high quality and sensible guide. I won’t be reluctant to propose your site to anyone who will need tips on this topic.

  • January 6, 2024 at 9:45 am
    Permalink

    I wanted to compose you one little note to finally thank you so much once again considering the nice opinions you’ve shown here. This has been certainly tremendously open-handed with you to make extensively all that many people could possibly have offered for sale for an e book in making some dough on their own, notably given that you could possibly have tried it if you decided. Those tricks likewise acted as the good way to be sure that other individuals have the same keenness much like my very own to understand whole lot more around this problem. I think there are millions of more enjoyable moments up front for individuals that check out your website.

  • January 7, 2024 at 6:11 pm
    Permalink

    Thanks a lot for giving everyone an exceptionally breathtaking possiblity to discover important secrets from this blog. It is usually so useful and also packed with a lot of fun for me and my office mates to search the blog on the least thrice per week to read the new guidance you have. And definitely, I’m so certainly fulfilled for the fantastic hints you serve. Some 2 ideas in this posting are in truth the finest we have all ever had.

  • January 9, 2024 at 12:53 am
    Permalink

    Thank you for all of your effort on this website. Ellie delights in carrying out investigations and it is easy to see why. Most of us hear all concerning the dynamic mode you offer very useful tricks via this web blog and even invigorate participation from people about this matter while our own simple princess is actually being taught a lot of things. Enjoy the remaining portion of the year. You have been carrying out a dazzling job.

  • January 10, 2024 at 4:41 am
    Permalink

    My wife and i ended up being joyful that Chris could round up his analysis using the precious recommendations he was given using your weblog. It is now and again perplexing to just happen to be freely giving hints which often men and women have been trying to sell. Therefore we already know we need the writer to thank for this. The specific illustrations you have made, the simple web site menu, the friendships you will aid to instill – it’s everything terrific, and it is facilitating our son and our family consider that this subject is interesting, and that is extremely serious. Thanks for all the pieces!

  • January 10, 2024 at 8:13 pm
    Permalink

    Oh my goodness! an amazing article dude. Thank you Nonetheless I’m experiencing difficulty with ur rss . Don抰 know why Unable to subscribe to it. Is there anyone getting similar rss downside? Anyone who knows kindly respond. Thnkx

  • January 11, 2024 at 11:54 am
    Permalink

    Thanks for each of your labor on this website. Kim take interest in working on internet research and it’s really obvious why. We all know all about the lively tactic you offer good guides on this blog and therefore inspire participation from other individuals about this content and our own child is truly learning a great deal. Take advantage of the remaining portion of the new year. You have been carrying out a dazzling job.

  • January 12, 2024 at 6:23 pm
    Permalink

    I simply wanted to type a simple message to say thanks to you for all the fabulous guidelines you are posting on this website. My time intensive internet investigation has at the end been compensated with reasonable suggestions to exchange with my friends. I would say that we visitors actually are quite endowed to be in a fine community with very many special individuals with good things. I feel extremely lucky to have seen the webpage and look forward to plenty of more amazing minutes reading here. Thanks a lot once more for everything.

  • January 13, 2024 at 11:23 pm
    Permalink

    I needed to create you that little bit of word in order to say thanks yet again for your personal amazing principles you’ve contributed on this page. It was shockingly generous of people like you to allow unhampered precisely what a lot of people would’ve supplied for an ebook to end up making some money for their own end, specifically since you might well have tried it in case you considered necessary. Those things as well worked to provide a easy way to fully grasp that some people have the identical dreams just like mine to understand many more in terms of this problem. I am sure there are millions of more pleasurable periods in the future for people who examine your site.

  • January 15, 2024 at 4:30 am
    Permalink

    I simply wanted to make a brief remark so as to appreciate you for the unique suggestions you are showing at this site. My prolonged internet research has at the end been honored with extremely good details to write about with my great friends. I ‘d claim that many of us site visitors actually are undoubtedly blessed to dwell in a superb community with many outstanding professionals with valuable strategies. I feel extremely blessed to have used your website page and look forward to so many more cool minutes reading here. Thanks a lot once again for a lot of things.

  • January 16, 2024 at 6:46 am
    Permalink

    I enjoy you because of all of the labor on this site. My niece really likes doing investigation and it is easy to understand why. Most people know all about the lively way you give both useful and interesting tips on the website and foster contribution from visitors about this point plus my princess is truly discovering a lot of things. Take pleasure in the remaining portion of the new year. You are always doing a brilliant job.

  • January 18, 2024 at 7:31 am
    Permalink

    Thank you a lot for providing individuals with an exceptionally memorable opportunity to discover important secrets from this website. It really is very useful and also jam-packed with a great time for me and my office fellow workers to search the blog at a minimum 3 times in a week to study the newest things you will have. And definitely, I’m so certainly contented concerning the cool solutions you serve. Selected 2 tips in this article are completely the most impressive we have all ever had.

  • January 19, 2024 at 9:33 am
    Permalink

    I want to get across my affection for your kind-heartedness in support of those individuals that require guidance on that idea. Your very own commitment to getting the solution all-around appears to be remarkably interesting and have all the time allowed regular people just like me to achieve their desired goals. The useful information entails so much to me and especially to my peers. With thanks; from everyone of us.

  • January 20, 2024 at 10:31 am
    Permalink

    Thank you a lot for providing individuals with such a splendid possiblity to read from here. It’s usually so cool and as well , stuffed with a great time for me personally and my office colleagues to visit your web site at least thrice every week to see the latest stuff you have got. And lastly, I’m so usually happy considering the powerful tricks you give. Some 3 points in this posting are honestly the most efficient I have had.

  • January 21, 2024 at 1:05 pm
    Permalink

    I intended to send you one very small remark just to say thanks a lot over again for these extraordinary thoughts you’ve discussed at this time. It was so tremendously open-handed with you to allow unreservedly precisely what a few people might have advertised as an e-book to generate some dough for themselves, notably considering the fact that you might have done it in the event you decided. Those techniques as well acted to become fantastic way to know that most people have the same interest like my personal own to know the truth whole lot more in respect of this condition. I know there are thousands of more enjoyable instances in the future for people who go through your website.

  • January 21, 2024 at 4:07 pm
    Permalink

    I抦 impressed, I have to say. Really hardly ever do I encounter a weblog that抯 both educative and entertaining, and let me inform you, you could have hit the nail on the head. Your thought is excellent; the problem is something that not enough persons are talking intelligently about. I’m very happy that I stumbled across this in my search for one thing referring to this.

  • January 23, 2024 at 6:49 pm
    Permalink

    I would like to express my appreciation for your kindness in support of those people that really need help on this situation. Your real dedication to getting the message across came to be extremely important and has constantly permitted guys just like me to reach their targets. Your personal useful publication entails much to me and extremely more to my fellow workers. Thank you; from all of us.

Leave a Reply

Your email address will not be published.