By Deborah Jeanne Sergeant
Choosing a personal trainer can represent an important step in achieving your fitness goals. After all, the trainer is your coach, mentor and guide.
Kerri Howell, certified personal trainer, nutrition coach and owner of The Hourglass Mom in the Rochester area, recommends looking for certification.
“Make sure they lay everything out for you in writing,” she said. “You should be asked to participate in a fitness assessment before your first training session, or as your first session. It’s also important to feel comfortable around him or her. Often fitness coaches will do a free consultation or introductory meet and greet. Take advantage of that. Ask them about their coaching style and make sure it jives with how you want to be coached.”
Knowing your goals can help you know what type of trainer or coach you need — and if the potential trainers you consider can help you meet those goals. The trainer should have an education and experience in the type of training you need.
“If it’s an injury, there are some individuals or companies that you should look for or align yourself with,” said Conner Lorenzo, director of operations of Fitness Science and CHAMPP at URMC Department of Orthopaedics and Physical Performance. “If you’re looking from the sports performance side, there are other credentials.”
Like Howell, he indicated that certification from a well-known organization is important, such as the National Strength and Conditioning Association. Certified trainers should have a bachelor’s degree and a board exam.
“In the private sector, you’ll find people with a weekend course where everyone who pays can get the credential of ‘personal trainer,’” Lorenzo said. “Make sure they know what they’re doing from a physiological standpoint, not that they’re just in shape. In this day and age, that’s what people look for.”
Lorenzo also looks for personability, since it’s tough doing something challenging alongside someone you can’t stand. He calls the trainer-client relationship a personal one because of the deeply emotional reasons many people have for wanting to get healthier, such as sensitivity about their weight, a dire health warning from their doctor or an urge to improve their physical appearance.
“No matter what the goals or reason for getting into it, it’s pretty personal,” Lorenzo said.
The location and availability of the trainer can make a difference as to how faithfully you adhere to the program. Driving too long or meeting a trainer at oddball times can make it easier to slough off and skip sessions. Lorenzo said that asking about the location and availability early on is important.
In addition to asking about certification credentials, Jean Sica, certified tai chi instructor, ACE certified personal trainer and owner of Kokoro Fitness in Rochester, recommended asking friends about their personal trainer as well as meeting with trainers to discuss your fitness.
“Ask to sit down with them to get a sense of who they are and if you connect with them,” she said. “I’d never sign up with someone for more than one class with them in the beginning. You may not like what they do. See how it feels.”