Looking to hire a personal trainer

corderdeb
corderdeb Posts: 57 Member
in Fitness and Exercise
I'm about to hit the 2yr mark on my quest to get healthy. AND overall, I think I'm doing really well! I've dropped 70+ lbs so far and still working on it; I've almost completely changed how I eat; dropped Diet Coke completely; I do yoga and have MUCH more flexibility; and I swim nearly 4 miles a week.

But I'm looking to kick it up a notch. I know I need to lift weights but I can't think of anything more boring. So, I'm thinking about hiring a personal trainer, but I don't know where to start.

1) What qualifications do I look for?
2) How much can I expect to pay?
3) How often should I see him/her?
4) Where do I look? (I'm not much interested in just picking one out of the phone book).

Thanks for your advise!

Replies

  • micheleb15
    micheleb15 Posts: 1,418 Member
    * Weights are awesome, cardio is boring (in my opinion)
    1. I wanted someone with a degree in Physiology and Kinesiology or the like, plus a cert like ACE, NCSM, ISSA, etc (I wanted someone who understands the body, not someone who just makes up workouts. And I am picky)
    2. Usually the more sessions you buy the less the cost. Depending on where you live I'd say $55-90 an hour
    3. I see my trainer 2-3 times a week. ( I bought 36 half hour sessions)
    4. Do you not attend a gym already? Where will you train?
  • corderdeb
    corderdeb Posts: 57 Member
    I belong to the local Y, which is where I swim. They do have a nice gym. I'm just not sure I trust those gym guys...like you said I think it's more about "making up a work out plan".
  • spicy618
    spicy618 Posts: 2,114 Member
    Last time a question like this was asked, someone responded with "try your local University". I looked into it and found out it was $35/hour. However, I'm a student. It was $55 for non-students and $25 each if you partner up. Hope this helps :flowerforyou:

    BTW, It was one of the best things i did for myself. I'm lifting lbs. I would have never attempted by myself. Good luck!
  • MightyDomo
    MightyDomo Posts: 1,265 Member
    In all honesty I would suggest reading up on lifting first before you go ahead and hire a personal trainer to see if you really would like to have one. Personal Trainers are a higher cost for something you can coordinate on your own but they do come with a lot of experience and education in the matter which is why they are a higher cost of course.

    http://www.thenewrulesoflifting.com/

    This book series has a book for everyone and would be a good place to start and if you do choose the trainer route I would ultimately suggest going with a trainer that has more than a couple years experience and has a degree in Kinesiololgy and has a certification to show they have increased knowledge beyond university/college. Interview your trainer, get one session and see if you like them and if you do then continue with them. What I paid per session, and I live in a somewhat expensive city for many things, was about $77 per hour and that was a rate based off of I think it was 36 sessions. Otherwise it would have been a lot more for sure.

    To start finding a trainer you should start at the gym you currently work out at, they should have some on staff. If none of them do suit you then it would be good to look through other gyms and check out their trainers otherwise you will have to search google or a phone book for listings. No way around that unless you have a friend that knows a guy kind of thing.
  • billsica
    billsica Posts: 4,741 Member
    I would look at what certifications they have. Honestly I contacted a manager at the gym and asked them who the best trainer they had on staff. I specifically mentioned my goals of wanting to lift heavy with a barbell.

    I did hours of youtube searching for lifts and what I wanted to do.

    My guy does group trainings, were he doesn't give me the full attention for the hour, but I'm with a group and its a lot more fun that way anyways. I have a few guys that are really good so they help me out too. I'm paying $15 a session. Lasts between 1 - 2 hours.

    I'm seeing him 2 times a week. I do other workouts on days I don't see him.

    I would go to the gym you are currently going to. They will be able to help you with picking one.
  • mrsgrimmer
    mrsgrimmer Posts: 4
    A personal trainer can be very expensive. I like you lost quite a bit of weight on my own then plateaued and did not know how to keep up the progress. I signed up for a gym under a contract (which I'm still paying on, btw). Then I discovered Insanity. I lost 10 pounds on 60 days, I went from size 10 to a size 6, and I started to see some muscle definition. And, that was a lot cheaper than paying a trainer. I highly suggest you look into it, just follow this link:
    https://www.teambeachbody.com/beachbody-challenge?referringRepId=267843
  • corderdeb
    corderdeb Posts: 57 Member
    I've looked at Insanity (and I know quite a few people that have done it with great results). But I think I need the discipline of commitment to see somebody. While I'm good at getting into the pool 3x a week, I need something more to get me into the gym to lift.

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