A good personal trainer can help you achieve your fitness and health goals, while exceeding your expectations along the way. A bad trainer can simply be a big waste of your time and money. The demand for Personal Trainer San Diego has steadily been on the rise over the past several years and with that so has supply.
With so many options available to you today it can be quite daunting to know which trainer is the best for you. Truth be told there are a lot of phony and incompetent trainers out there today who make a great living off of their clients’ ignorance. But there is a way to protect yourself from these types of trainers and we have provided it for you today.
So before you ever hire a personal trainer make sure that you have all the answers to these 10 very important questions:
1) Are you physically and mentally ready to start an exercise program with a personal trainer?
It can be quite easy to forget about the most important factor when hiring a personal trainer-YOU. Are you willing and ready to dedicate and commit yourself to a trainer and their program? The trainer will fully expect complete dedication from your part.
Readiness for change is a critical part of the equation when determining whether or not you will ultimately be successful or not. A few simple questions to ask yourself before going forward should include:
• On a scale of 1-10 how much are you committed to change?
• Why do you feel you need a personal trainer?
• Why do you feel a personal trainer will help you be successful?
Remember in the end it will be your attitude and effort that makes all of the difference. No matter how good the trainer or their program is if you do not bring your best on regular basis the outcome will be less than what you had hoped for. Don’t waste your time and money on something you are not ready for.
Take home point: Commit to change first, find out a trainer second.
2) Are your goals and expectations realistic?
We all want to transform our bodies into a better version of ourselves but you will frustrate yourself and the trainer alike if you expect to change overnight. Changing the body is a process which takes time and hard work. Whether your goal is to become stronger or to lose body fat your trainer should be able to outline a realistic timetable for you to reach your goals and expectations.
Be leery of trainers who make big promises, such as massive weight loss in a short period of time or super strength and speed gains in only a few weeks. If they truly understand the process of physical adaptation then they will be honest and open to you about what is realistic and obtainable.
Take home point: A good trainer will not tell you what you want to hear but what you need to hear.
3) Does the personal trainer have a college degree in a related field (exercise science, sports science, and kinesiology) or are they certified by a highly reputable certifying agency?
Preferably the trainer has a college degree as it shows they have a high level of knowledge in fitness and in human anatomy and physiology and how the body adapts to exercise.
If the trainer only has a certification it needs to be understood that not all certifications are created equal. There are certain certifications that can be obtained literally within a weekend’s time while others take months of preparation before taking on the certification exam.
Trainers are a dime a dozen these days as anyone with a few bucks, half a brain and weekend could obtain the title certified personal trainer. The title doesn’t ensure the ability. Don’t give away your trust just because someone tells you they have a certification or even a degree. These should be minimums and mandatory, but the selection process should never end there. Just because they know something does not mean they can apply it. Ask them about their education and certifications? What are they? How long did it take them to obtain them?
Take home point: Stick with trainers who can actually give you the honest scientific facts not hype and hot air.
4) Does the trainer actually have real world experience working with people like you?
There are basically two types of bad trainers out there. The first has very little education and knowledge and haphazardly puts workouts together. While the second has a lot of knowledge but very little experience applying that knowledge. You need to look for a trainer that has both the smarts and the looks. Sorry, I mean the smarts and the experience. And when we say experience we mean with people like you. Every client and client population is different. They have different needs and goals and their exercise programs should reflect that.
