Finding a Personal Trainer

Personal trainers are a GREAT investment.  They are paid to work just with you, they learn you strengths and weaknesses, they learn what drives you and they figure out how to motivate you to get you where you need to be.  Personal Trainers are not always easy to find, good ones that is.  There are a lot of people out there that call themselves a personal trainer but what does that even mean?  These people are in charge of helping you get healthy and fit while keeping you safe so they should be highly educated right, wrong!  A good personal trainer should be able to work with your weaknesses and help you improve to meet your goals but if they are not well educated they may not know how to effectively help you.  So what do you do?  Interview your trainer!  That is what I said, they are applying for a job working for you so why not? What do you ask, well same thing you would if you were hiring them (which you are) for a regular job!
1.  Who is your certification through and can you provide proof of an up to date, current Personal Training certification.
2.  Do you have a current CPR/FIRST AID certification?  This is required by ALL legal Fitness certification companies to remain certified or re-certify.  All certified trainers should have a current card but do not feel weird asking to see it, it is important!
3.  What experience do you have, like how many years have you been training, what kind of clients do you train, can you offer references?  Again do not be afraid to ask, YOU are providing the job, so you have the right to find out as much as you can about the person.  If they trainer has high end clients, or clients that wish
4.  Ask if they have earned a college degree in the Exercise Field.  Now while this is not required to become a personal trainer so realize that a simple 3 day certification process for some companies will provide a certification to a possibly very inexperienced person.  A more qualified person may be more expensive however remember this person is handling your body!  I would want a very qualified person to help me, but that is just me!
5.  Ask about liability insurance.  No one wants to admit that sometimes things happen so insurance is a good thing to have.  Hopefully a competent trainer will not injure you and even if that happens it will be really hard to prove however what if the trainer breaks something in your house by mistake.  You do not want to have to pay out of your pocket to fix it and the trainer will not want to either so having insurance will help you both in the end when filing a claim.  
6.  Ask for a sample workout, or a preview workout.  I would not ask the trainer to come out again as that is increased expense for the trainer.  I would also not ask for a full hour but for YOUR NEEDS ask what that trainer would work with you on to meet your goals.  I will give you a solid and really honest answer, an answer I give to my new clients!  I usually tell my clients I need to see them do some testing to see their range of motion and flexibility and strength before I completely answer that question.  I can and sometimes do preview exercises I may like to do with them but I would caution them and repeat my need for testing to assure I pick the proper and safe exercises to meet their individual needs.
7.  Last but certainly not least the trainer should have you sign a liability form and if so read it carefully or ask for a copy.  This will not completely hold up in court if there is a reason to test it but it is something a smart business/trainer should offer clients.

  There is nothing wrong with interviewing a potential trainer. I highly recommend it.  I know a trainer who has her certification but admitted to me out right that she is not a good trainer, she is better on the business end and my thought was then why are you a trainer training people?  I would prefer this person not train me or anyone I know since she has professed she is not a good trainer.  If fitness is what she loves then be a manager at a local gym, do not train people if you are not a good trainer or have no faith in yourself to be good.  So the long and short of this is know what you are getting yourself into, ask questions, require documents and references and do you homework!

  Fitting It In In home personal training and nutrition only contracts certified and insured personal trainers and other Fitness Professionals.  When you work with Fitting It In you are in safe hands because your body is our business!