Before you sign up for a personal training program, you need to be sure you are putting your money and trust in the right fitness coach.
There’s nothing more frustrating than wasting 6 months on a fitness coach that doesn’t help you meet your goals. Every personal trainer has their strengths and weaknesses.While some are better than others, not every fitness coach will be able to meet your needs.
And not every personal training program is created equal. What works for someone else, won’t necessarily work for you. The right fitness coach should be able to devise a workout plan that works for you, personally.
It’s very important to vet your fitness coach before hiring them. Here are the 4 most important things to look for to help you make your decision:
1. Professionalism
Personal training is a profession like any other, therefore you should expect a level of professionalism from your fitness coach.
How can you tell if your fitness coach is a professional?
They’re Organized
Your fitness coach should be well prepared and organized. They should be on time for appointments and be able to keep track of their clients.
If the fitness coach you’re considering hiring is late for meetings or shows up unprepared for your personal training sessions, they’re not very good at managing their business.
A good fitness coach will have a system in place for dealing with their clients in a timely and thorough manner. Of course, everyone has their bad days. But if your fitness coach has a habit of being unorganized, then they’re not very professional.
They Carry Themselves Well
We can’t all be Instagram models but looks do matter when it comes to being a professional fitness coach. As with any profession, you want to put your best foot forward when meeting with business clients. If your fitness coach shows up for your personal training sessions looking unkempt, it’s a sign they may not take their job seriously.
No, they don’t necessarily need to show up with a full face of makeup or wearing their best business suit attire. But your fitness coach should come across as clean and put together.
How they carry themselves displays how seriously they take their job.
2. How Knowledgeable Are They?
A professional fitness coach should be able to design your personal training program specifically for meeting your goals.
They should be knowledgeable about personal training both from their education and own personal experience. Basically, they should know what they’re doing.
A good personal trainer will have hands-on experience with training and know how to attain results for their clients. If your fitness coach does not train themselves, or has no verifiable hands-on experience in training, they’re likely inexperienced.
Your fitness coach should bring with them the knowledge that only years of hard work in the gym can give you. Their job is to help you achieve noticeable results.
If you train with them for months and don’t see any changes in your physique, you should consider hiring a new personal trainer.
Make Sure They’re Certified
Your fitness coach should be able to provide you with their training qualifications as well as their professional certifications.
Personal training certifications are necessary for training clients safely. Your fitness coach should understand how to both recognize and avoid training injuries when training you.
3. Passion
How passionate is your fitness coach about training you? Do they motivate you to work out? Are you excited to train with them every session?
Anyone can gain the knowledge to become a personal trainer, but not everybody can become a successful personal trainer. Someone who is passionate about personal training will love what they do. They will live and breathe fitness and be more than willing to share their knowledge with you.
A personal trainer’s job is to train you to get the results that you want. But for some fitness coaches, their clients are no more than numbers to them. They show up to do their job with no investment into their client’s success.
You want your fitness coach to be as passionate about your success as you are. If they aren’t excited to be training you, then you might just be another number to them.
4. Connection
Another important factor to finding the right fitness coach for you is how well you connect with them. Your trainer doesn’t have to be your best friend, but you should enjoy being in their company and vice versa.
If you and your fitness coach struggle to maintain a friendly rapport, then you might not be the best fit for each other.
Afterall, personal training is, well, personal. You will be revealing to your trainer your fitness goals, struggles, and insecurities about your body that you want to improve. You should never feel that your trainer is judging you for your body, questions, or concerns.
Your results will largely depend on how well you trust your fitness coach. If training with them feels awkward or unmotivating, there’s a strong likelihood you won’t stick with their training program.
Find the Right Personal Trainer for You
Finding the right personal trainer is imperative to your fitness success. Make sure you take your time shopping around for a fitness coach before hiring. Do your research and explore your options before you commit to a full-time personal training program.
Many in person or online personal trainers will offer you a free class before signing on with them. Take them up on their offer to get a feel for what their training style is.
Take note of how well they listened to your questions or concerns, how you felt during and after your workout, and whether you enjoyed your time overall. Don’t settle for a fitness coach who is just “okay” in either of these areas.
You deserve a fitness coach who is eager to work with you and help you get the results you desire.
