What do you look for in a trainer?
surfbug808
Posts: 251 Member
Aside from gym group classes and many martial arts instructors in private dojos, I've only had two gym trainers. Being inexperienced, I didn't know what to look for. My first trainer, who I paid privately at a small gym, in retrospect, was excellent. He had me do progressive resistance with kettle bells, sand bags, barbells, body weight, balancing, TRX bands and a lot of variety, and mostly helped me to be independent of the gym in case I didn't always have access so I could always keep up my strength training anywhere I went. He didn't always explain the importance of each exercise, but I did feel the improvement and understood that it was functional. Unfortunately, he moved and the gym closed, and I had to look for someone else.
After that I went to a franchised gym, and paid the gym for one of their trainers. She didn't seem as planned or methodical, though did pay more attention to details in technique in a different way. Progress was much slower though. I didn't stick with her, the program she suggested or that gym.
I since talked to my wife about it, who actually managed a gym (when she was younger), for about 12 years. She told me it's generally better to hire a private trainer and pay them directly, then a salaried trainer at a franchise. The former tend to have more expertise, depending on their experience of course, than the latter, who may just be starting out and also not getting paid as much.
I don't always know what to look for, and as I get back to strength training, could use a refresher by hiring a good trainer. I know I prefer someone who details the purpose of what I'm doing and pays attention to detail, and takes a more encouraging and positive approach, verses a scolding/strict approach (I have enough of that voice in my head already)!
What do you look for in a trainer?
What questions do you ask or what do you look for when you "interview" them?
After that I went to a franchised gym, and paid the gym for one of their trainers. She didn't seem as planned or methodical, though did pay more attention to details in technique in a different way. Progress was much slower though. I didn't stick with her, the program she suggested or that gym.
I since talked to my wife about it, who actually managed a gym (when she was younger), for about 12 years. She told me it's generally better to hire a private trainer and pay them directly, then a salaried trainer at a franchise. The former tend to have more expertise, depending on their experience of course, than the latter, who may just be starting out and also not getting paid as much.
I don't always know what to look for, and as I get back to strength training, could use a refresher by hiring a good trainer. I know I prefer someone who details the purpose of what I'm doing and pays attention to detail, and takes a more encouraging and positive approach, verses a scolding/strict approach (I have enough of that voice in my head already)!
What do you look for in a trainer?
What questions do you ask or what do you look for when you "interview" them?
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Replies
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I always look at them and determine if they have what I want. I observe them training others to see if what they are training seems appropriate and with proper form. The bio’s of all our trainers are posted listing their credentials, you could always ask for them so you can compare.4
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I was incredibly lucky with my trainer, we gelled well and I find her style incredibly motivating. I already attended some of her classes and knew what that style was. It also helps that she runs and that's my main focus.
We workout outside no matter what the weather, using our surroundings as our gym, whether that's benches along the river or the beach.
We regularly talk about what my goals are.and work around any races I'm doing. She corrects my form, and doesn't just work on the physical side of my training,but also my attitude and any mental blocks I have.
She knows my weaknesses and knows that the softly softly approach doesn't work for me. (I've been to another PTs class and she asked me if I wanted to do a burpee, that approach may work for some but not for me)
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Personally I look for someone who is in it for the long term. I'm not after a refresher and I need someone to do boxing with, hence the long term requirement. I've not found trainers within a gym setting to be ideal, mostly because the gyms here tend to cream off too much of the money the client pays, so the staff turnover is high. That is annoying because it does take a while to gel with a new trainer, however good they are.
I want to know that they are very picky about form. I don't want to crank out loads of sets of substandard work simply to get out of breath.
I want a trainer who will listen to any concerns I have and accept that I have a valid point of view even if they disagree with it. I do a hell of a lot of research into new stuff. For instance my first ever trainer (who I am now back with) once tried to get me to do a crossfit style overhead kettlebell swing. I refused, gave him my rationale, and he was fine with that. Had he tried to force me to do it his way we would have parted company. Ultimately it's my body and the risks I am prepared to take with it are up to me. However when I trust a trainer I will push myself to my limits.
I like a trainer who will push me with encouragement. I could (now) cope with someone a bit shouty, though I'd probably swear at them and they'd have to be able to cope with that. But at the beginning anyone trying army style "encouragement" would have had me running for the hills.2 -
- knowledgable in the area I want instruction
- decent personality, ie someone I can talk to and learn from, not just be directed by
- attractive and accomplished1 -
SnifterPug wrote: »
I like a trainer who will push me with encouragement. I could (now) cope with someone a bit shouty, though I'd probably swear at them and they'd have to be able to cope with that. But at the beginning anyone trying army style "encouragement" would have had me running for the hills.
My trainer shouts at me (a lot) and I swear back, especially when she's making me do something I hate
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I went to lots of different fitness classes and chose the trainer at my gym that was most engaging and motivating. He's also really pro-active with developing himself, taking courses, becoming really strong in certain key areas, and that's reassuring to show he's in it for the long haul. I got to know him first to make sure our personalities gelled as well as for me, first time training properly, I wanted someone I could be comfortable with. I went into training to help with my mental health and having a trusting relationship really helped keep me motivated to keep going.1
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I'll be going to check out a couple gyms this week, and some trainers. It doesn't matter to me whether or not the trainer is male or female (I'm female), but I see one trainer's bio saying she specializes in women's fitness, health and professional body building. I'm not interested in pro body building, but since I'm approaching peri-menopause, maybe she'd have some greater insights into how to train best as a woman in my 40s.
My first trainer and I developed a friendship, which made training really enjoyable. We stay in touch personally, though he now lives several thousand miles away!
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My trainer is phenomenal. He knows my strengths and weaknesses. In areas that I am weak he personalize exercises that helps me to be stronger. Where I am strong he challenges me to lift even heavier. He is extremely knowledgeable. He emphasizes and constantly pays attention to form. He is no nonsense but in a nice way. We cannot talk during our sessions. My body has transformed in a major way.
He tailors his workouts to what you want to accomplish mine was weight lifting for strength.
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Never used one but, if I did, I'd look for 1 that:
1) I liked personally
2) paid attn to MY goals, not what s/he thinks my goals should be
3) implemented a plan to achieve MY goals, and
4) Didn't chg too much to do it.1 -
I watched my powerlifting coach squat 325lbs for sets of 12 at 185lbs (40+ year old female) and bench 225 easy for sets of 10. That was enough to hire her.
She also didn't indulge any excuses. She explained enough about what we were doing and why we were doing it that I could continue progressing on my own after she moved. She didn't overcomplicated the program though.
She was pretty direct and straight forward, but was intuitive enough to be flexible on some issues...she let me listen to music for squats instead of only her commands (b/c she could tell I need that). She was also intuitive enough to recognize the moment I would shift from focusing on the physical lift and "go into my own head." She was keenly aware of my body language, b/c she had 20+ years of powerlifting and coaching experience.5 -
Watch them train others (discreetly) and see if they do the things you mentioned. Avoid ones who do the same workout with different clients. If you want to learn to workout independently, ask up front if you can have a written program eventually (If they don't give an enthusiastic yes, that's a red flag). Personally i'd prefer at least 2 years experience and a degree in exercise science, physical therapy, or similar field - or at least a good trainer cert like NASM, not just ACE or NESTA.- decent personality, ie someone I can talk to and learn from, not just be directed by
- attractive and accomplished
I'd actually prefer a trainer who looks average. It tells me they didn't rely on their looks to stay in business, so they probably have good skills.
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Ask for a trial session or even pay for a single session to see if their approach syncs with your needs. I think this would be especially useful since you’ve already worked with a couple of trainers and have an idea of the approach that works best for you.1
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Cherimoose wrote: »Watch them train others (discreetly) and see if they do the things you mentioned. Avoid ones who do the same workout with different clients. If you want to learn to workout independently, ask up front if you can have a written program eventually (If they don't give an enthusiastic yes, that's a red flag). Personally i'd prefer at least 2 years experience and a degree in exercise science, physical therapy, or similar field - or at least a good trainer cert like NASM, not just ACE or NESTA.
I didn't even consider looking at certifications and have no familiarity with any of them. I'll look into these too. Thanks!
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Ask for a trial session or even pay for a single session to see if their approach syncs with your needs. I think this would be especially useful since you’ve already worked with a couple of trainers and have an idea of the approach that works best for you.
Yep, that's what I'm gonna do this time!1 -
If possible watch them training other people. That's how I ended up with my first trainer.
She was awesome and worked with me on my goals. And taught me the how and the why - not just "do this". She was private and cost twice as much as the trainers from the gym. She used to cover some classes there that's how I got to see her train people and I took a couple of circuit classes that she subbed in for and I liked that she actually went around and corrected form, which the usual trainer never did.
After her, the only other trainer I had was also a private one that cost a packet but was worth every cent. Very specific bodybuilding trainer and I went to her with specific needs which she helped me with (lagging body parts).
So, I think that you should
1) observe them training others
2) talk to them about what you want/what your goals are and what they can provide you
3) get a trial lesson if you can
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Cherimoose wrote: »Watch them train others (discreetly) and see if they do the things you mentioned. Avoid ones who do the same workout with different clients. If you want to learn to workout independently, ask up front if you can have a written program eventually (If they don't give an enthusiastic yes, that's a red flag). Personally i'd prefer at least 2 years experience and a degree in exercise science, physical therapy, or similar field - or at least a good trainer cert like NASM, not just ACE or NESTA.- decent personality, ie someone I can talk to and learn from, not just be directed by
- attractive and accomplished
I'd actually prefer a trainer who looks average. It tells me they didn't rely on their looks to stay in business, so they probably have good skills.
For me personally...
One of the big reasons I'd go to a trainer is for motivation/accountability. I'm much more apt to hold myself accountable to someone I'd want to impress... and average isn't impressive/admirable. It's just one of those quirks I know about myself.
It's the same reason I prefer to have attractive, successful people on my FL. Not because I'm a collector, but because I want to impress people I admire.0 -
My biggest challenge doing individual work-outs at the gym is enthusiasm. I can go consistently and frequently, but I don't enjoy it much, at least not long-term. I also read an interesting article recently on exercises for personality types. Basically, since I'm more of an extrovert, it stated I would do better with groups. I prefer to surf alone (though I like to socialize on the beach and see others around me in the water), and can actually work-out at home by myself as well (with the help of videos so it feels like I'm in class), and I do find that having a community at the gym really helps me enjoy going there more. And definitely a friendly trainer. I booked an appointment this week for one, and will be checking out some other trainers in the next while.0
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I have a great trainer. With the exercises he teaches me about what we are doing and why. He has taught me a lot about physiology and kinesiology. I am interested some may not be.
He develops routines to fit me and my need, not cookie cutter. He watches when I do the exercises and corrects my form.
He keeps things interesting and we do variety.
I like him and we have a good rapport- he is intuitive and can gear things to my energy levels if needed.
I've tried 3 or 4 trainers he was the best. The others were bleh so it's hard to find.
ETA he is incredibly fit himself and has a degree I think in Kinesiology. He has some other certs as well.
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I have a great trainer. With the exercises he teaches me about what we are doing and why. He has taught me a lot about physiology and kinesiology. I am interested some may not be.
He develops routines to fit me and my need, not cookie cutter. He watches when I do the exercises and corrects my form.
He keeps things interesting and we do variety.
I like him and we have a good rapport- he is intuitive and can gear things to my energy levels if needed.
I've tried 3 or 4 trainers he was the best. The others were bleh so it's hard to find.
ETA he is incredibly fit himself and has a degree I think in Kinesiology. He has some other certs as well.
This person sounds like the kind I would want! I prefer to know the purpose of each exercise, and definitely not get cookie cutter workouts. Correcting form is important to me. I feel there's a bit more credibility with the sciences behind it too. That's great you found someone excellent for you. I hope to find a good one soon!
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Well, I met with a trainer today, picked by the gym as per availability... I didn't realize the first session (which I was charged for) would be almost all for an assessment... 1 hour. When I've worked with gym trainers before (only two others), they didn't charge for the assessment time, even if it was long, and made sure I got a full hour in for some kind of exercising/workout afterwards. I told my partner what happened and she said that at the gym she ran, assessments were not charged for prior to the actual "training" time... I felt a bit mislead with how today's gym sold me their personal training sessions. Anyway, not to complain, but just reporting back on my experience trying to find a trainer. This trainer doesn't have any certifications, but I found out is new. So I'm already looking elsewhere. Good news based on the assessment though, is that it turns out I'm much healthier (less fat mass) than I thought, and within a normal weight range.
I'm going to be checking out another gym and trainer next week!1 -
Referring to my previous post, I meant less PBF Percentage of Body Fat. I'm learning that it's a different reference than body fat mass. I'm new to weight-loss so still figuring out what everything means what!1
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Maybe you can ask at the gym up front what their process is and the education of their trainers. That could help to weed out pwople right away.
One thing I did not say was my gym and trainer are very expensive. Unfortunately I found gyms like Goodlife just had bad trainers. So I really splurge on it to have someone good. Unfortunately the cost can be a barrier.2 -
surfbug808 wrote: »This trainer doesn't have any certifications, but I found out is new.
I did warn you about those things. Gyms that select a trainer should be avoided. That's like a restaurant choosing your meal.surfbug808 wrote: »I meant less PBF Percentage of Body Fat. I'm learning that it's a different reference than body fat mass. I'm new to weight-loss so still figuring out what everything means what!
Total weight x bodyfat % = fat weight (fat mass)2 -
Cherimoose wrote: »surfbug808 wrote: »This trainer doesn't have any certifications, but I found out is new.
I did warn you about those things. Gyms that select a trainer should be avoided. That's like a restaurant choosing your meal.
The warning helped actually. It's the only reason I even thought to ask about certifications at all (though I asked too late AFTER getting booked and meeting the trainer the day of). I realize it seems obvious to experienced people to ask beforehand, but I'm figuring it out now. Lesson learned... Good analogy about choosing. They didn't have "menu" of trainers for me to look at... instead I talked to a manager afterwards. She suggested someone else and offered a discount. I'll keep looking.
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Maybe you can ask at the gym up front what their process is and the education of their trainers. That could help to weed out pwople right away.
One thing I did not say was my gym and trainer are very expensive. Unfortunately I found gyms like Goodlife just had bad trainers. So I really splurge on it to have someone good. Unfortunately the cost can be a barrier.
Good idea on asking what the gyms minimum standards are.
Cost is a factor, but I'm putting money aside to hire a good trainer. I find it's well worth it.
The gym I went to yesterday is exclusive, quite nice, and expensive as a result, but I got put off by the new and inexperienced trainer. I was recommended to another one who specializes in strength training and injury rehab (something I need) so we'll see.
There's quite a few smaller family owned specialized weight-lifting/body building gyms in my area. I'll be checking out those too.2 -
Update: Worked with a more experienced trainer today (has experience in competitive lifting championships, training athletes, working in physiotherapy/rehab). A much better fit and night and day difference from the new and less experienced trainer I initially worked with a week ago. The more experienced trainer asked more focused questions, helped establish clear goals, and worked on exercises based on what my specific interests were, in conjunction with my current activities. The less experienced trainer seemed to give me more of a random or what seemed more like a general template.
I also looked at another gym and saw a bio comparison to get a better idea of trainer standards there. The other gym seemed to have higher standards (nearly everyone had a university degree in kinesiology, physical education or something related), along with NASM, IFBB and/or something along those lines, and more years of experience. So, I'm learning a lot while shopping around. I realize that it may not be cost effective to jump from one trainer to the other, so I hope to find a right gym/trainer soon. I've booked another appointment with today's trainer for the time being and will see how it goes. I'm just happy to be strength training again and am working on getting a solid routine worked into the rest of my activities.3 -
Never used one but, if I did, I'd look for 1 that:
1) I liked personally
2) paid attn to MY goals, not what s/he thinks my goals should be
3) implemented a plan to achieve MY goals, and
4) Didn't chg too much to do it.
This. My trainer listened to what my goals were and created a program around it. Also around my time constraints. It's been a year, and I'm still lifting (which was one of my goals).
I had a trainer in my 20s who was a former high school football coach. He used to "yell" at me and frankly, as a 28 year old, chubby new mom, it was degrading. I finally yelled back that I wasn't one of his high school kids. Other than that, he was fantastic.
If you go with a trainer from your gym, look around at how they train people. I went with a man because the female trainers go really easy on the women because most of them are looking for basic strength and resistance, not a progressive plan.1 -
girlwithcurls2 wrote: »Never used one but, if I did, I'd look for 1 that:
1) I liked personally
2) paid attn to MY goals, not what s/he thinks my goals should be
3) implemented a plan to achieve MY goals, and
4) Didn't chg too much to do it.
This. My trainer listened to what my goals were and created a program around it. Also around my time constraints. It's been a year, and I'm still lifting (which was one of my goals).
I had a trainer in my 20s who was a former high school football coach. He used to "yell" at me and frankly, as a 28 year old, chubby new mom, it was degrading. I finally yelled back that I wasn't one of his high school kids. Other than that, he was fantastic.
If you go with a trainer from your gym, look around at how they train people. I went with a man because the female trainers go really easy on the women because most of them are looking for basic strength and resistance, not a progressive plan.
I'm clear that I'm not into the "yelling" types. Having trained in sports since I was a teenager, now that you mention gender, I seem to do better with male instructors too (I'm a female). I didn't really think of much of gender in terms of trainers, and I don't know about "the female trainers go really easy on the women because most of them are looking for basic strength and resistance, not a progressive plan". The most impressive bios at the other gym were actually from the women trainers. I could be assuming things but if they are professionally body building etc. they may be able to put together a good progressive plan for me. I don't know.
The guy I worked with yesterday was great tho, and yeah, with my schedule, already outlined a possible plan that would likely work well for me. I hate to say it and I don't know if this is just anecdotal evidence to your argument and also my experience, but if it's gender based, he was no nonsense. After the assessment, we went straight to lifting and form etc. The woman I saw earlier, had me do some kind of breathing meditation (which is fine, I've meditated for years), gentle stretching and warm-up, but none of this was what I was looking for (and I said as much) to begin my strength training. When we got to finally training in the next session, I felt like my abilities were being underestimated, because the exercises we did were not as challenging as I needed them to be... It did cross my mind that maybe I should deliberately pick a male trainer given my experiences in the past...0 -
surfbug808 wrote: »I could be assuming things but if they are professionally body building etc. they may be able to put together a good progressive plan for me
If you want to be a bodybuilder, definitely. For general fitness, i've found that many trainers with a bodybuilding background prefer a more limited range of exercises than other trainers, who may include more diversity, like sandbags, battling ropes, kettlebells, boxing, plyometrics, etc. Obviously there are exceptions to this, but that's the trend i've noticed. Something to keep in mind, if you like a lot of diversity.
Btw, it's not necessarily bad for a 1st session to not be super challenging, since the trainer should be assessing you and correcting form. But if an exercise is downright easy, ask to increase the resistance. 2 -
As a former trainer, I hope I can offer some insight as well! Full disclosure: I did not have a degree and had an ACE certification.
I think picking a trainer is an incredibly personal experience. I worked at a large gym and conducted my own sessions (one on one and group fitness). I was a great trainer for some people based on their goals and what they needed out of a trainer. I wasn't a good fit for others based on those same reasons.
Being a trainer at a large corporate gym was awful. It was a good place to get started, and some of my fellow trainers were excellent, but many of us were new. We didn't get paid except when actually training, so any time spent on developing a training program for our clients was off the clock (which is a lot of time when you have 20 clients a week). No dedicated areas for PT clients also meant we constantly had to change up the desired workouts. I had to have at least 8 different ideas for each muscle group all the time! Which in itself is manageable, but when you want to stick to the program you developed, it sucks. Managers pushed the "yelling" style because they thought it would draw attention to personal training in a positive way (which I refused to do). I ultimately got fired because I sat on the mat with my clients during ab work so I could observe their form better and keep them encouraged (without yelling!). Not every gym is like this, but beware. Many trainers truly do want to help you and encourage you, but often struggle with policies like these.
I think it's important to try a few different trainers and see who you work best with. A good trainer will at least somewhat alter their training style according to what their client needs, so just observing them with other people isn't always the best bet. I had some clients LOVE tough love, some clients would hate it. IMO (probably biased) a trainer should be interested in more than your fitness goals. Not in an overly personal way, and again everyone is different (going back to a trainer should be able to read their clients and gauge what is helpful). I noticed that as I took the time to understand their eating habits, stress triggers, etc., I could really help people make a difference in their overall health. But, I also mostly worked with women who wanted to lose weight, so that could just be based on the group I worked with most!
I also think a trainer having personal experience with your goal is helpful. It isn't a requirement, but honestly, who better to help you achieve something than a person who has gone through it themselves?
I hope this was somewhat helpful and not just a ramble about my experience
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