How To Go About Finding a Personal Trainer
The other day, I had an interesting conversation with a personal training client of mine, who unfortunately for me, as I very much enjoy working with her, is moving out of state. It put the shoe on the other foot, so to speak, when she asked how she should go about finding a personal trainer in her soon to be new home state. Naturally, as a longtime Austin personal trainer, I don’t think about these things, just as other professionals in virtually every other field wouldn’t either.
So, how do you go about finding a personal trainer in Virginia when you’re a longtime Austin personal trainer? There needs to be a few basic questions answered by you before you can begin the search process. Firstly, do you prefer a male or female, or does it not matter? Second, how far are you willing to travel to meet this trainer? How much are you willing to pay for the best?
I would call big box as well as smaller gyms, and inquire about the rates to get an idea of what training goes for in the area. Secondly, I would stay away from big box gyms, because most of the trainers in those places tend to be inexperienced, and if they’re not, it would beg the question of why they would work there since they are making a lot less money than an independent trainer. There are definitely exceptional trainers working in big box gyms that circumnavigate this observation, but from my experience, it’s going to be easier to find a good fit in a smaller setting.
Pull up whatever search engine is your go to, and run a search for the entire city, and then one for your new zip code. Read the text carefully on the sites and don’t click on ads. There’s a reason they need to advertise, since word of mouth is the best way to get business in this field. Steering clear of sites such as Yelp is a good idea as well since they’ve been outed in several recent lawsuits as being biased and unscrupulous in their business practices.
Furthermore, I wouldn’t consider a trainer with less than 7 or 8 years of experience. The body is very complex, as is nutrition, physiology, kinesiology, etc, so therefore, someone who did a few classes or holds several online certifications, isn’t going to be the ideal candidate over one who has not only had an education, but years in the field as well, applying the knowledge they have gathered along the way.
The final step, would be to interview several trainers. Are they dressed like the stereotypical personal trainer as we see on TV or in comedies? Are they wearing super tight clothes to impress you with their physique? While it’s true to some degree that an obese, or overly thin trainer would raise an eyebrow, the only flexing a trainer should do for you, is the flexing of their knowledge, intuition, and intelligence.
I would, of course, like to get a feel for the depth of their knowledge and if they have the ability to perceive any tightness’s or imbalances I have as I sit across from them. Understanding a subject is one thing, while not only being able to recognize problems and issues, but also to convey those findings and verbalize a plan to solve them, is an entirely different thing.
I would ask anatomical questions as well. An incompetent personal trainer can very easily lead a client to serious injury if imbalances aren’t recognized and inappropriate exercises are being performed as a result. It’s of monumental importance that they understand not just how the body works, but how YOUR body works.
Lastly, I would ask pointed questions about nutrition, anatomy, physiology, etc. I would ask questions like “if my infraspinatus is tight, why do I feel a tingling sensation in my fingers”? The trainer should know that a tight infraspinatus can impinge the radial nerve, thus causing the aforementioned tingling sensation.
It’s an interesting proposition to think of how you would go about finding someone to take over the work you’ve done with a client for several years. With personal training, as in any field, there are plenty of very good, experienced, and well qualified people. Conversely, as in any field, there’s also a slew of professionals that might not be your best hope for achieving your goals. Do your research and ask the questions. Also ask yourself if this person is someone you wish to spend time with. No matter what service I’m shopping for, a person with a genuine passion for what they do and an equally genuine smile, is the one who gets my dollar every time. Finding a personal trainer is never easy and can take a while. Just don’t settle, and you’ll eventually find a good one.
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Andy
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