Hiring a personal trainer can be a challenge. Depending on where you live there may be quite a few to choose from. With varying degrees of education and experience it’s hard to know who is a legitimate professional. There are a lot of certifications out there and they are not created equal. That is why I am writing this blog post – Hiring a personal trainer? The 4 most important questions to ask will help you know what to look for.
The online world of social media has many people proclaiming themselves an expert simply because of how many followers they may have. Some put up workouts they do or post pictures of themselves doing exercises. Does this make them a personal trainer or fitness expert? 
First and foremost let’s define – What is an expert? Well, the definition of an expert is someone who has comprehensive or authoritative knowledge in a particular area. A better definition would be “somebody who obtains results that are superior to those obtained by the majority of the population.
Alternatively, an expert is someone widely recognized as a reliable source of technique or skill whose faculty for judging or deciding rightly, justly, or wisely is accorded authority and status by peers or the public in a specific well-distinguished domain.
An expert, more generally, is a person with extensive knowledge or ability based on research, experience, or occupation and in a particular area of study. Experts are called in for advice on their respective subject, but they do not always agree on the particulars of a field of study.
An expert can be believed, by virtue of credential, training, education, profession, publication or experience, to have special knowledge of a subject beyond that of the average person, sufficient that others may officially (and legally) rely upon the individual’s opinion. Historically, an expert was referred to as a sage (Sophos). The individual was usually a profound thinker distinguished for wisdom and sound judgment.
With the evolution of social media, YouTube, bloggers and Podcasts most of the online data really has only been created in the last decade or so. Think about that for a minute. Now let’s look at who you follow on Instagram, Twitter or Facebook, do they have credentials listed or simply good photos. They may have a ton of followers and get hundreds of likes but that doesn’t make a person an expert or professional. You have to ask the right questions to find out.
The same can be said for celebrities who decide to write a book on health and fitness yet they’ve never studied either. Just because you workout or eat healthy does not mean you know enough to write a book on it. There is science behind both that is always changing. Experts give countless hours to the study of each.
Personal trainers or coaches are educators of the body, the connection between mind/body/spirit for some. Working countless hours with clients to help them with their health/fitness goals, struggles and pain. Hands on experience is so important to any career or craft. At times, endless hours of study? Working on cadavers in school to learn more about anatomy and physiology? Countless hours of diverse clientele to learn from, gaining practical knowledge. These are a few of the expert qualities to seek out before hiring a personal trainer.
Looking online or on social media can be very confusing. There are so many articles, blogs and various experts out there with different advice. It is saturated. Not to mention, there are many untruths by people who want to make money from selling you something. It’s not possible to see the degrees hung on the walls anymore!
Not everyone has a 4 year degree and that’s okay too. Some may have 15-25 years of experience and other certifications, which is great too. You don’t always have to have formal college education.
1. EXPERIENCE – How many years have you been in your business? If a person has been in his/her field for over 10 years working with people then it is a safe bet they have something positive to offer.
2. EDUCATION – What degree or certifications do you have? It’s important to be informed when looking to hire a personal trainer or coach.
3. PASSION – Do you have a passion for what you do? I like to ask this question because I think it’s important to have passion for something you’ve spent years studying. Personal trainers with passion tend to spend more time studying, taking courses that interest them, and learning about new innovative things that come out in the industry.
4. REFERENCES/TESTIMONIALS – Before you hire your personal trainer ask about references or testimonials from previous clients you could contact, if needed.
Trust must be earned and making a well informed decision is important. There are so many falsehoods especially online and not all colleges are legitimate. When hiring a personal trainer the 4 most important questions to ask helps inspire trust and legitimacy.
Once you’ve made your decision to hire your personal trainer it is important to trust and adhere to the program for a few months to see results. It takes time, hard work, patience, consistency and trust in the process. Don’t waste your money or the personal trainer’s time by not following through with the commitment. Again, when you’re hiring a personal trainer the 4 questions to ask will help. So don’t be afraid to ask them or to interview a potential trainer or coach to see if you are a fit.