How to Choose a Personal Trainer: 6 Things to Look For

Is age just a number?

A recent study observed 125 men and women between the ages of 55-79. The study participants had the same muscle mass, cholesterol levels, and immunity as someone in their 20’s would.

It turns out, all of the study participants were cyclists. By making regular exercise a part of their lifelong routine, they were able to defy the aging process.

Personal trainers are a great way to jumpstart a lifelong fitness journey. However, you have to know how to choose the right person for the job.

If you’re wondering how to choose a personal trainer that will help you reach all of your fitness goals, we can help! Read on to learn about 6 things to look for in a personal trainer.

1. Find a Professional Trainer

When it comes to learning how to choose a personal trainer, it’s all about paying attention to the details. Start by assessing how professional the trainer you’re considering using is. When you leave them a voicemail, do they return your call within a reasonable amount of time?

Next, do a little bit of research to determine how patient the personal trainer is. If possible, attend a group workout class that they’ll be leading. Notice whether or not the trainer is comfortable answering everyone’s questions.

Patience and professionalism go hand in hand, and you must have a trainer that can deliver both of those qualities. If you notice the personal trainer seems annoyed by people's questions or appears to rush through the workout, they’re not the right trainer for you.

2. Quality Online Interactions With Clients

What other ways can you assess the patience and professionalism of a personal trainer? Go to their website or social media page. If you’re on a website like Personal Trainers Dubai, look for customer testimonials.

If you’re checking out a personal trainer's social media, look for posts from their current customers. The way the trainer responds to questions and comments will help you get an inside look at the type of person they are.

For instance, if a client posts a complaint or question online, does the trainer answer it fully? Are customers posting rave reviews about how much the trainer helped them achieve their goals? If a personal trainer is being patient and professional with their current clients, they’ll likely treat you with the same respect!

3. Experience Specific to What You Want

Find a trainer that has experience with the type of fitness goals you’re aiming for. For instance, some trainers specialize in weight loss.

If your main goal is to shed a few pounds, a personal trainer who’s passionate about helping people lose weight would be a great choice! If you're training for a triathlon, look for a personal trainer who has firsthand experience competing in triathlons.

4. How to Choose a Personal Trainer That Cares

Once you find a personal trainer who has the right type of experience, reach out to them to determine how passionate they are about their work. After all, you don’t want someone who’s just showing up to take your money.

You want a personal trainer who will become personally invested in whether or not you succeed or fail. How can you tell if a personal trainer is passionate, or if they’re just going through the motions? During your first conversation with a potential trainer, ask them why they got into the fitness industry.

For instance, did your trainer used to be morbidly obese, and learning healthy habits was a way to save their life? Or did the trainer watch a loved one struggle with a health condition that a healthier lifestyle could’ve prevented? Trainers who have a personal connection to the fitness world will be more likely to go above and beyond to help their clients succeed.

5. Active Listening Skills

A good personal trainer understands there isn’t a 1 size fits all solution to everyone’s fitness desires. Instead, a quality trainer should actively listen to your needs and concerns.

By actively listening, your trainer will be able to identify slight distinctions that are particular to your situation. For instance, let’s say you have a hard time eating vegetables. A personal trainer that isn’t actively listening, will tell you why you should eat vegetables.

Whereas a personal trainer who's actively listening will offer alternatives. Perhaps they'll recommend a tasty vegetable fruit smoothie to help mask both the taste and texture of your veggies.

6. Assertive Communicator

Finally, you should be looking for a personal trainer that’s great at communicating.

There are 4 different styles of communication:

1. Passive
2. Aggressive
3. Passive-aggressive
4. Assertive

It's easy to make the mistake of trying to find a personal trainer that uses the aggressive style of communication. The truth is, assertive trainers, tend to work best in group settings, not 1 on 1 workout sessions.

Having a drill sergeant type of trainer put you through a boot camp workout routine can be motivating when you're with a group. When someone's yelling at you during a 1 on 1 training, it's can be scary and distracting.

Instead, we find that the best personal trainers are the ones who use the assertive style of communication. An assertive communicator tends to be better at connecting with the people they’re talking to, clearly and concisely.

An assertive personal trainer is like a guide, someone to show you the way, and help make sure you get there. While they’ll hold you accountable, they won’t use fear to motivate you as an aggressive trainer would.

Reach Your Fitness Goals

Now you know how to choose a personal trainer that will help you reach all of your fitness goals! Were you surprised to learn that the best personal trainers are the ones who have a personal connection to the fitness world? Or was it news to you that aggressive personal trainers aren’t as motivating as assertive ones?

We hope our article will inspire you to go out and find the right trainer today. For more ways to reach your goals, read another one of our articles.