Choosing the RIGHT personal trainer for you
You have finally made the choice to hire a personal trainer. Now, you need to figure out which trainer is best for you. You might ask me, where should you begin when picking a personal trainer? What should you look for in the trainer? Personal training is an unregulated industry. All it takes is for someone to say that they are a personal trainer and print off business cards to “claim” they can help you lose weight or live a healthier lifestyle.
I am going to give you some tips of things to look for when picking your personal trainer. 
- Education- Make sure that your trainer either has a bachelor or masters degree in health/exercise science or exercise physiology. If your trainer does not have the school background, make sure that they have a top certification which takes some studying and preparation and is more than just a weekend course. (example’ of acceptable certifications are: ACE, ACSM, NASM, NSCA) These top certifications require your trainer to have a little more knowledge about proper form and technique, individual’s health risks, and medical safety for situations with heat stroke, CPR, etc.
- Customization for YOU- Your trainer should customize your workouts based on your own personal goals and physical ability. No two people are alike, therefore, no two workouts should be the same.
- Picking the right personality- Are you comfortable around your trainer? You should be able to talk to your trainer about how you are feeling, feel comfortable around them when exercising, and feel like they are motivating you without making you feel bad about yourself.
- Reliability and Prompt- Your trainer should ALWAYS be on time! I cannot stress this enough. It is just part of being a professional.
- Money- So many people spend tons and tons of money and wasted time on terrible trainers. Most trainers should offer the first session for free so that you get a feel for how he/she operates. If you don’t like them after this first session, then you can move on to the next and no money is lost. You should always get fees in writing in some sort of contract. Most trainers have a 24 hour cancellation fee. Cancelled or missed sessions
- Safe & Goal Oriented- Make sure your trainer provides you with a safe environment and always teaches you proper technique. Your trainer should sit down with you during the first session and discuss your goals. Goals are very important to your success and should be reassessed every 4-5 weeks. From those goals, your trainer should write up a customized workout routine, which should change often.
- Nutrition- It is one thing if your trainer offers “basic” nutrition guidance by providing healthy recipes or healthy food options. BUT, if your trainer immediately puts you on a diet, guarantees you will lose weight, or they try to push their supplements on you…..DUMP them! Trainers should refer you to registered dietitians for dietary and nutritional information.
A trainer is hired to motivate and push you to a certain level. There is a fine line between a good, healthy motivating trainer and a trainer who yells and shoves you into doing something that might not be right for you. If this person pushes you too far, consider it a sign of a poor trainer. 
I hope that these tips have helped you out if you are “shopping” for a personal trainer. Don’t forget to check out www.totalpackagewellness.com , our affiliate company which provides In Home personal training in the Charleston, SC area.
If you aren’t able to hire a personal trainer, don’t forget to check back with https://barbellesathome.com with FULL video workouts and all of the fitness information you may need.
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A personal trainer can put the “personal” back into your workout. Not only will your trainer devise exercises that are best suited to your fitness goals, you can usually plan your sessions for a time that is convenient for you.