Monday, October 26, 2015

What to look for in a good trainer

What to Look for in a Good Trainer

Anyone thats ever been in real estate knows the expression "location, location, location." Well, when it comes to finding a good trainer the expression should be "education, education, education." Lets be honest, there is a metric $#!* ton of bad trainers out there. As someone who owns a gym, teaches a nationally accredited personal trainer course and writes continuing education courses, I can say I've seen the worst of them.


It largely comes down to ego. The "if it works for me it will work for them" mentality is the root cause of this in my opinion. The industry is now flooded with so much information that becoming educated in this field isn't as difficult as it used to be. The science of training has been thoroughly researched and although we don't have all the answers, an educated trainer can make all the difference in the world.

SO WHAT SHOULD YOU LOOK FOR?

1. Education. Every trainer at my gym has a college degree in a related field, at least one nationally accredited certification and has gone through our in house education. Despite the stigma, there are very intelligent trainers out there. Take the time to find one.

2. Experience. Ask your trainer how long they have been training and what clients they typically work with. For example, I don't coach Olympic weightlifters. Despite owning Olympic platforms, spending several thousand dollars in Olympic equipment and being USAW certified, I know that Olympic lifting is its own sport that takes years to learn. So when I have someone that wants to learn the lifts, I give them to one of my trainers with the expertise to train them properly. We call it practicing within our scope.

3. Professionalism. Nobody wants the loud obnoxious trainer thats always late to sessions. They will screw up your timeline and ultimately your workout. Chances are if they can't show up on time or carry themselves in a professional manner, theres a lot more that is falling by the way side that you're not seeing.

4. Cost. Money is obviously a big issue. Trainers can get expensive throughout the long haul. With that being said, if you're working with a trainer that's charging you $30 an hour you're probably getting what you pay for. No trainer worth their salt would train someone at that price unless they are doing groups. Don't break the bank but don't go for rock bottom either.

5. Relationships. Ask yourself what kind of trainer do you want. A friend? A mentor? A Drill sergeant? There are a lot of different personalities in the training business. Find someone who will remember your birthday but also keep pushing you. Having a good rapport with your trainer is extremely important. They can tell when you're injured or healthy, up or down, strong or weak, and should be able to adjust accordingly.

Interested in finding a gym or a personal trainer? Contact us and take your training to the next Level.