How to choose your trainer

Not all Personal Trainers are created equal!

I've heard both horror stories and praising recommendations of fellow personal trainers.  Ranging from "I was injured during my sessions" to "They completely turned my life around!".  What the general public needs to know is that you need to do your own research before hiring a personal trainer.  Education and expertise vary from gym to gym.

Things you want to consider before selecting your trainer:

• The Industry is not well regulated 

A single regulatory body for personal trainers does not exist.  Therefore, there are no laws or regulations that they need to abide by.

• Weekend certification courses, Post secondary education or No certification! 

There are countless different personal training certifications available.  Some more reputable than others.  Some require only a weekend course followed by an exam.  Others require a bachelor's degree in a relevant field followed by both written and practical exams.  
Ongoing education requirements and CPR renewals to remain certified are important.

Although most gyms require proof of certification before they are hired, anyone could claim they are a Personal Trainer with no certification at all!  Who's going to stop you?  Technically you don't need to undergo any certification.  A hobby in fitness is much different than a career in fitness.

• How much experience do they have?

​How long have they been working with others?  What types of clientele do they work with? 
A good Personal Trainer uses a great deal of knowledge and applies it to a wide variety of individualized cases.  Everyone is so different, there is no one way to train and achieve results.  Knowing peoples quirks, personalities, motivators and bodies takes experience to be able to diagnose.

• Looking fit doesn't automatically qualify them to train you

An individual who has a personal success story may not be suitable to help you meet your needs.    What works for one individual may not be appropriate for the people they train.  There are many different ways to train and to diet to reach your goal.

• Get to know their personality

We all gravitate towards individuals with complimenting personalities.  A good personal trainer will recognize if you two are a good match.  You will not offend your trainer if you move on to another experienced trainer.  They may even recommend someone they know that you would work better with!  Getting along with and looking to your trainer as a role model will be important to your success.

So, remember ASK QUESTIONS!  There is a lot of value in having an experienced trainer by your side to guide you towards your new healthy life.  Make sure you're happy with your decision.

-Sarah Koeslag BHSc, CSEP