What to look for in a Personal Trainer?

Having worked in the fitness industry for the previous 10 years and with my current role as Careers Advisor for Online Fitness, I often get asked by people – What should I look for in a Personal Trainer?  After doing a quick survey around the office, we have come up with the top 3 aspects to look for when thinking of working with a Personal Trainer.

1. Qualifications– always check to see that your trainer has the appropriate qualifications, registration and insurance to be training you.  This will give you the peace of mind you need to focus on your training and achieve your results.  Ask around at a few gyms/studios to find out which Training Providers are being recommended and which ones to avoid.  You will always find Online Fitness being recommended.
2. Experience– what sort of experience does your trainer have?  Ideally you should be looking for the experience that your trainer has had working with clients that have had similar goals to yourself as you are the one wanting to achieve the results.  What sort of life experience have they had? You’ll be spending a fair amount of time with them!  If you have any physical or medical issues that limit your training, make certain that your trainer has had experience working with these issues.
3. Personality– make certain that you are comfortable with your trainer.  You will be sharing personal and sensitive information with your trainer so the need for comfortability is paramount.  Also, you need to enjoy training with them and look forward to spending time with them.  It’s easier to do this with someone you like.

There are plenty of other aspects to look at when finding a Personal Trainer such as client results, nutrition advice, their ability to look the part, training specialisations and the list can go on.  Essentially what it comes down to is what is it that you are looking for?  Make sure you have this set in your mind before you start your Personal Training journey.  Begin with the end in mind.