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How to hire a great personal trainer.

By Benjamin Cook

Republish: EasyPublish™ Published: 18Feb2010 Word count: 805 Viewed: 525 time(s) Get Free Content For Your Site

Have you thought about a hiring a personal trainer, but but been worried about how to know if they are a good choice, or if you’re making the right decision?

As a certified personal trainer in Glasgow, I often find my clients have considered hiring a personal trainer for up to 6 months before they finally make the call.

In fact, many of them say they actually worry about making that call and find it’s a very big step for them to take.

Question: how do you hire a great personal trainer?

Answer: that depends on you!

Everyone is different (and personal trainers are people too) so there’s a few questions you’ll need to ask yourself.

1. What kind of trainer do you want?

Do you want tough, or do you want supportive? Do you want someone kind and understanding or someone aggressive who really pushes you?

Most people think they want someone to push them hard, but in reality do better when they have someone who is sympathetic and supportive. A really great trainer will do both but it can be a tough balance unless a trainer has really first class emotional intelligence.

No one likes to feel burdened, and if your personal trainer doesn’t have absolutely excellent interpersonal skills they may put you under too much strain, causing you to skip out on training in order to escape the pressure.

2. What delivers success for you?

If you’re in business and you live by deadlines, acuity and efficiency - all under stressful circumstances - it is unlikely that someone who has never experienced your lifestyle will understand or appreciate it.

Ideally, a good trainer should have had similar experiences so that they can instinctively grasp what makes you tick and can recognise how best to help you achieve success.

I often find this with clients who are in business as my background in retail management means that we speak the same language and can clearly communicate - they can say what they want to achieve and I can explain how they can get it.

Meet your trainer before making a decision: if you can find common ground, or feel an immediate connection, then all is good. But if you feel that the trainer doesn't 'get' you it is best to keep looking. This is a professional relationship with which you need to feel comfortable - if you cannot relax or trust your trainer then you need to find someone more suitable.

The more all-round life experience a trainer has, the more likely they are to be aware and responsive to your wishes and needs. They will be more likely to 'get' you and recognise what you need from your fitness experience.

3. Where are you?

If a trainer is geographically close, the relationship will be easier and will probably go better than a relationship where travel times and arrangements are cut fine with little ability to absorb delays.

Travel is stressful, and really should be avoided if you want to stay calm, focused and getting fitness results.

If you can meet your trainer easily (preferably without fighting your way through traffic) you’ll be less agitated, more relaxed and much more focused when you start your session.

Making sure you have 5-10 minutes to focus yourself and prepare before your session begins will help you be focused, and be in the right state to allow you and your trainer to be in The Zone.

4. Do they get you into your Zone?

The Zone is a product of the mind and if you want someone to help you get into your Zone, they need to understand YOU. This means that they need to have the experience and emotional maturity to empathise and encourage and REALLY get you motivated and pumped up.

If, when you talk to a trainer, you feel encouraged and enthusiastic about starting your training, then it is a promising indication of a potentially beneficial relationship.

If all you can think about is how unfit you are or how much weight you want to loose and you feel worried rather than excited…keep looking.

But if you REALLY want to do the training, if you REALLY feel the urge to start moving, if they REALLY make you feel that you goals are all in reach, then you'll DEFINITELY get into the Zone with them!

In short? A great personal trainer:

1. Fits your personality and what you need emotionally

2. Speaks your language, and knows your world

3. Is geographically close, and meeting is flexible and easy

4. Makes you FEEL in the Zone when you speak to them

So if you've been looking for the right personal trainer, but were worried about how to go about it, I hope this gives you the inspiration to pick up that phone and discover your ZONE!

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