Thinking of hiring a trainer and don't know where to start....

palwithme

Good Morning!

I am thinking of hiring a trainer, but have no idea what I would say to this person. What are some of the questions he or she will ask me? I have no define goals other than "I want to look great." Should I save my money and continue down the same path I am on or should I invest the time and money into a trainer and just see how it goes? By the way, I work out a the local YMCA and it has a personal trainer program I can utilize. Is that a smart thing to do or should I research an independent trainer for a good fit?

Sorry to be so vague.

EvgeniZyntx

What does looking great to you mean? Weight loss, leaner? A little muscle?
How about performance, what kind of sports do you like to do?

A PT will ask you questions to evaluate your goals, health, lifestyle, current level, recent exercise history, eating habits and commitment. They'll normally ask you about major risk factor, personal med history, limitations, etc and direct you to see a physician if anything warrants that.

You can use yelp to review the Y or other local trainer programs. Word of mouth, friends or other gym clients are usually a good way to get someone with good feedback. Otherwise, just try it and go from there.

Try one, go from there. You can always move on.

(I am not selling PT services of any type.)

palwithme

Thanks so much for response.

I would like to continue with the weight loss and look leaner. Not sure about the muscle yet. Will have to see how I look when I get down to my goal weight. I am not into sports of any kind, so there are no issues there. Sounds like I should do a bit of research first before signing up.

Thanks again.

AllanMisner

A good personal trainer will ask you a lot of questions (in fact, they’ll probably give you a questionnaire to guide the conversation). They should know your goals, your history, and determine any limitations you may have.

After that, they should assess you for a few different things to include movement/mobility issues, body fat, weight, height, current eating habits.

Then they can start you on a program. This is where you should begin asking more questions. A good personal trainer should give you the information you need such that after you gain some experience, you don’t need him/her any more.

palwithme

Thanks @allanmisner. That is exactly what I want. I am just starting this. I go to the gym each day and work out on the machines. I love it, but I feel a bit lost. What should I do next? I am getting bored with my current routine and don't want to stop out of boredom. I need a plan.

gamesandgains

When you do end up working with a trainer, her your money's worth. Ask every question you can think of whether if you feel it's silly or not. Learn from them so that you can take that knowledge with you after your sessions are over.

Cherimoose

A good trainer is worth it, even for a few sessions. Some trainers are better than others. Here are some perspectives on what to look for in a good one:

http://body-improvements.com/articles/industry-articles/how-to-select-a-personal-trainer/
http://www.stumptuous.com/how-to-choose-a-personal-trainer
http://dailyburn.com/life/fitness/personal-trainer-break-up-signs/

earlnabby

My "Y" has a free program where you meet with a trainer a couple of times, then just touch base once every 2 weeks. If yours offers something similar, it might be a good way to get your feet wet and try out the idea of a trainer at no cost to you, then you can decide if you want more intensive PT.

palwithme

My Y has a program, but it is $60 an hour. Not horrible, but I don't want to make the most of the session.

AllanMisner

palwithme wrote: »

Thanks @allanmisner. That is exactly what I want. I am just starting this. I go to the gym each day and work out on the machines. I love it, but I feel a bit lost. What should I do next? I am getting bored with my current routine and don't want to stop out of boredom. I need a plan.

Next step, start interviewing trainers. When you find one you like, give them a shot. Negotiate a starting rate, and get busy.