A personal trainer can provide invaluable support for you when you’re working out. They can help you customize a workout plan and maybe even a diet plan. They provide instant feedback and real-time support when you’re working out, so you make sure that you have the right form for your exercises. And they can also provide proper motivation during those times when you’re tempted to quit in frustration.
This is why plenty of gyms these days offer a free consultation with a personal trainer to help you get started. And once you’re a member, lots of gyms offer the services of personal trainers to help you out on their workouts.
The thing is, such services can be rather expensive. Sure, there are gyms such as Anytime Fitness that might charge you as little as $35 for each session. But that can go up to $80 per session in gyms like 24-Hour Fitness. Some of the luxury gyms like Equinox might charge $110 to $160 per session!
And you can’t base the effectiveness of the personal trainer on how much you pay for their services. Just because you pay more doesn’t necessarily mean you’re getting better personal training. It’s unfortunate, but there are lots of personal trainers out there that might not be the best match for you.
Here are some signs that the prospective personal trainer might actually be a good fit in your case:
They Listen to Your Story
When you first meet your prospective personal trainer, you should be able to tell them about your fitness history and your fitness goals. That way, they can then devise a proper workout plan that works for you. The workout plan must along with your goals—it doesn’t make sense to go on a weight loss workout plan when you’re determined to build bigger muscles!
In addition, they should know about prior failed workouts that didn’t work for you, so they can try new ones. Obviously, they should also know about prior injuries so they can take those into account.
They Factor in Nutrition
When you’re getting a personal trainer, it’s always a good sign when they ask you about nutrition. After all, working out and eating healthy are both linked. And you might as well get an expert on both subjects than to have a workout expert and a separate nutritionist.
That means in addition to the workout plan, your personal trainer should also help with your current diet plan. That way, you can really maximize your chances of meeting your fitness goals.
The Personal Trainer Tells You About Their Expertise
This starts with their credentials, and any certifications they might have received. That way, there’s objective proof that they actually have the expertise they claim to have.
They should also have some nice stories about any successes they might have had along the way. These stories can help get you motivated as well. It’s great if their success stories match up with your own fitness goals. So, if you’re trying to become a better basketball player, then you might want a personal trainer who has trained other basketball player in the past.
With these stories, you might also get a sense of their expectations. No one likes a trainer that seems to promise overnight (or even over-month) success. That simply doesn’t happen, whether you’re trying to build bigger muscles, lose weight, or get better at a certain sport.
Of course, you have to check that their personalities match with yours as well. It’s very similar to finding a friend—sometimes you just get on with someone, and sometimes you just don’t!