The increase in the number of coaches, personal trainers, and other fitness professionals has been going on strongly for the past several years. That just means there's a boom in the demand for personal trainers. If you are considering hiring a personal trainer, read on. Hiring a personal trainer is like any other hiring a maid, a bodyguard, caregiver, or any other person with whom you'll develop a one-on-one relationship of trust. Consequently research is very important. Ask around, ask the potential personal trainer. You'd want to a personal trainer who would be the best match for you. Which also means you also have to know yourself—your attitude, your penchants, your temperament—to successfully find the best personal trainer to partner with. Here's a quick list of what to do and what to look for when hiring a personal trainer:
Use your social network
Asking those you know if they have had a good experience with a personal trainer can shorten your search. Start with your family and friends. Then you can start scouting around at your local health club or gym. Personal trainers will be at those places for you to interview. And they're also on Twitter and Facebook.
Ask them about their qualifications
Their accreditation with national accrediting organizations must be current. Ask them about their length of experience in doing personal training. Ask about their success with clients that are like you. If you can, ask if you can talk with their clients so you'll get their client's opinions. You can also ask about their education and the degrees they acquired. These would affect their specializations, and whether they're perfect for training you in activities befitting your goals. Also take note of the facilities of the club or gym they're going to. These would give an indication of the quality of personal training you'll be getting. If you can observe them at work in these facilities, you would have a better idea of how they operate (and show you their habits). Observing them at work will also reveal their training style—whether they're very serious, have a sense of humor, encouraging, etc.
Money matters
Finding out how much personal trainers charge very important. Some trainers charge $50 to $70 per session (the lowest rate range for cities). Some charge by the hour. A trainer's popularity can also affect their going rates. Prices are also influenced by the city you're in. Less urban areas generally have lower rates than highly urbanized cities. Ask if your prospective personal trainer gives group training sessions. These are usually more affordable.
The bottomline
The point to all this exercise is to get the trainer who's most suited to handle you and one who you would really really like. It's not good training with someone you don't like. Making sure you and your trainer match well is the first step to a successful personal fitness training.