Personal Trainer: Feature Article
A personal trainer assesses your current fitness situation and designs a fitness program that will help you reach your fitness goals. A personal trainer can work one on one with you in your home or a health club. The hardest part of a physical trainer's job is to keep you motivated. A personal trainer will make you work hard and push you past your "comfort zone". Usually a personal trainer will have a certification in order to begin working with clients. A personal trainer not only helps you with your fitness goals, but they can advise you on ways to improve your lifestyle outside of the gym.
When you are seeking a personal trainer, you should look for one that provides the following:
- Assessment of your current physical state
- Assessment of your fitness goals
- Guidance on how to reach your fitness goals
- Education about different cardiovascular exercises, weight training exercises, and nutrition techniques
- Motivation through a series of programs that track your goals and fitness level
A normal session with a personal trainer will last an hour. The first visit usually takes two hours as the trainer meets with you and assesses your current fitness state. They will take your body measurements, obtain information about your health history and exercise history. You will then spend some time discussing your fitness goals and set up a program that will help you achieve them. The next hour will entail the personal trainer walking you through a series of cardiovascular and weight training exercises.
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How to select a good personal trainer
Most personal trainers must attend courses to become certified. Look for a personal trainer that has their certification through a reputable fitness organization like the NSCA, ACSM, or ACE. The more education your personal trainer has in exercise science, the better chances you have of getting a better workout. Many health clubs require all of their employees to obtain CPR certification. For a personal trainer, being CPR certified is a must. Search for a personal trainer who has experience that are related to your goals. While a new personal trainer may have modern techniques, they lack the experience of a mature personal trainer. If you are a body builder, you will want a personal trainer who has experience and knowledge in your field.
Helpful Resources: Wikipedia: Personal Trainer Wikipedia.org provides a brief definition about what a personal trainer is. It talks about the average cost of a personal trainer and why celebrities hire personal trainers to help them. Selecting a Personal Trainer Becoming a Personal Trainer 10 Tips on Selecting a Personal Trainer Selecting a Personal Trainer Certified Personal Trainers Personal Trainer in Your Area Finding a Good Personal Trainer |
During their education, a personal trainer will understand how to work with clients who may have a medical condition that impacts their fitness goals. For example, a pregnant woman cannot lie on her right side as it constricts a vein that supplies blood to the embryo and the mother. When you are working with a personal trainer, one who is properly trained will recognize this and inform you to lie on your left side. Always tell your personal trainer if you have an injury or condition that requires different fitness needs.
Seek a personal trainer who understands your needs and listens to your concerns. While a personal trainer is there to push you past your comfort zone, you should have one that helps you if you cannot push hard enough. Your personal trainer should be a friend who wants to see you succeed. If you hire a personal trainer and do not think you are getting the one on one attention you deserve, seek out a new personal trainer. A good personal trainer will focus on you only during your session. Another important thing to look for with a personal trainer is one who tracks your process and changes your program as your body improves and adjusts. Your trainer should assess your fitness level at least once a month and tell you of the progress you are making on a weekly basis. Since you will be working with a personal trainer at least 3 times a week, you need to make sure you get along with this person. If you don't feel comfortable asking questions with your personal trainer, hire a new one that you feel comfortable with.
Where to find a personal trainer
Most health clubs offer personal training services for an additional fee. You should check with your local health club to see if they offer personal training or can recommend a good personal trainer. You can use the classified ads to seek a personal trainer, or you can use the American Council on Exercise to find a personal trainer. Friends and family members who use personal trainers can recommend a good personal trainer as well. Be prepared to pay around $50 or more per session. The cost to hire a personal trainer depends on where you live and the experience and education of the personal trainer.
If your health club offers personal training services, go to the health club and watch how the personal trainer interacts with their clients. You will notice if the clients get the attention they deserve from the personal trainer and if the personal trainer really cares about their client's success. If your gym assigns personal trainers, talk to the manager about your concerns. For example, you may be a man who is more comfortable taking advice and help from another man versus a woman. Be sure to convey your needs and concerns to the manager before you are "stuck" with a personal trainer you don't feel comfortable with.
What to watch out for with a personal trainer
Like every profession, there are some people who aren't as good at their job as others. When you hire a personal trainer, you should easily pick out a good personal trainer from a bad one. If you have a personal trainer who ignores your questions, or provides short answers to your questions, you should seek out a new trainer. A good personal trainer won't quickly dismiss your concerns; they are there to help you and should have extensive knowledge in their field.
A personal trainer is there to help, but they shouldn't force you to work so hard that you are in pain for 2 or 3 days. While you should experience some degree of soreness, you shouldn't be popping ibuprofen for days on end. Your fitness goals should be your priority and a good personal trainer should spend time with you discussing them. The goals should be achievable and your fitness program should include them. If you notice your personal trainer neglects to have you follow the fitness program with each workout, you need to ask them why they are neglecting certain portions of your fitness program.
A personal trainer should not only look out for your fitness needs, but they should recommend dietary goals as well. You can't expect to lose weight if you are consuming sugary drinks and eating poorly. If your personal trainer recommends herbs and other supplements, ask them what their benefits are and why you should be taking them. If you have a health condition, you should talk to your doctor before you take the supplements. For example, if you are a woman on birth control, taking St. John's Wart decreases the effectiveness of birth control and you could end up pregnant even though you don't want to.
If you obtain an injury during your workout, a personal trainer should refer you to a doctor immediately. A personal trainer should never diagnose an injury or illness. Since you are paying a personal trainer for one on one attention, they should give it to you during your sessions. A bad personal trainer will take phone calls or talk to their friends at the health club while you are exercising. The only time a personal trainer should take a phone call is if it is an emergency. If you call the health club and leave a message for your personal trainer, they should call you back as soon as possible. A bad personal trainer will neglect your phone calls or emails.
As you are performing the exercises, your personal trainer should watch you closely and make sure you are performing the exercise correctly. If your alignment is off, they should correct it and explain what they are doing and why they are doing it. If you are having problems, tell the personal trainer. If the personal trainer doesn't do anything to correct the problem, tell the manager immediately so you can terminate your sessions and get a personal trainer who is better for your fitness needs.
Rules to follow with a personal trainer
Since you are paying for their help, you expect to get what you pay for. You can help your personal trainer help you by doing some of the following:
You need to concentrate on your fitness program while you are working out and save the chit-chat for after your session. During times when you are walking on the treadmill or using an exercise bike, you can talk about your personal life with your personal trainer. Bring your own water bottle and towel to your personal training session. Some health clubs don't offer free water bottles and towels, so you will help yourself and your trainer by bringing your own. If you ever need to cancel your session, give your personal trainer at least 24 hours notice. Some personal trainers will still charge you for your session if you give less than 24 hours notice.
