Child Health Care Blog

Author: R. Adam Shore

Choosing the right Personal Trainer will determine the difference between a sustainable workout program that yields long lasting results and feeling frustrated to the point of reverting to old, bad habits. Our selection suggestions will help you along the way. You have made an important decision to get off the couch and get into the gym. With the right choice of Trainer you will develop repeatable habits that will guide your exercise routine for the future.

Just in the same way you would hire a plumber, a roofer, an accountant, or a mechanic, hiring a Personal Trainer means getting quotes from 3-5 different Trainers. By quotes we do not mean simply price. We mean:

How many years of experience in the profession and area of expertise does your prospective Trainer have. Is your Trainer a specialist in weight training, flexibility, core conditioning, a generalist? How do these skills measure up against your goals?

What certifications does your prospective Trainer have? The American Council on Exercise is an excellent resource to learn more about Trainer expectations and qualifications. Their recommended criteria can be found on the web. Search American Council on Exercise through your favorite search engine.

Is the Personal Trainer schedule conducive to your expectations? Sounds basic, right? Not necessarily. Some Trainers are more regimented than others, meaning that they feel an obligation to put the schedule of the client first vs. their own outside interests. Also check to see if your trainer will accommodate weekend schedules, generally a most popular time to workout.

Will a prospective Personal Trainer offer you a complementary session before you commit to a series? Some may not but the question is certainly worth asking. This would afford you the opportunity to get a feel for the Trainer without a commitment. If they do require payment for this introductory session we feel it is well worth the money to make a proper evaluation.

On the subject of price, ask if there is a discount available for the purchase of a multiple session package? If so be sure to understand how long you have to use the sessions. For example you may be able to get a 20 session package for $1000 and the sessions must be used within 12 weeks or the money is forfeited.

Bonus recommendation: Whether your first session is free or not take note of the Trainers ability to pay attention to you, their client. Unfortunately at busy gyms across America Trainers are not paying close attention to proper client form, posture, facial expressions, weight capacity, or level of fatigue. In the worst instances the Trainer is busy chatting with a colleague. This lack of attentiveness will result in, at a minimum, a less than effective workout and the formation of bad habits and technique. At its extreme inattentive Trainer behavior will lead to injury. If during your evaluation of your new Trainer you experience a professional that is laser focused on your form, your technique, your breathing, to name a few, they should be in consideration to be hired on a more frequent basis assuming the other shopping points above meet your expectations and needs.

We trust these suggestions will get you on the road to a successful relationship with a Personal Trainer. They are committed to your health and fitness so you need to be committed to choosing your Trainer wisely. By choosing wisely you will be able to form a connection with a Trainer that can provide guidance, motivation and results. So remember, just as you would make informed choices about mechanics, plumbers, roofers, and accountant, so too should you make informed decisions about Personal Trainers.

Author: Chris Robertson

You don’t have to wait until New Year’s Day to implement resolutions to improve your health and fitness. Regardless of the month or day, you can take action now to achieve your health and fitness goals. Here are some tips to get you started:

* Select one area to work on: Many people make the mistake of trying to make himself or herself into a new person overnight. It’s unreasonable to expect yourself to, at the snap of a finger, change habits that you have spent years cultivating. Instead, select one health and fitness area to work on.
* Select a specific goal: Saying that you “want to lose weight” or “get in shape” is too vague. You need to come up with a concrete goal in order to measure your progress and celebrate your success.
* Select a realistic goal: If you’ve been a sugar junkie for 20 years, you can’t expect to go cold turkey overnight. You may be able to cut sugar out for a few days or even a few weeks, but you won’t be able to keep it up for the rest of your life.
* Opt for incremental change: In the sugar scenario, outline a series of steps you can take over time to achieve your goal. The first step might be to switch from regular soda to sugar-free soda. After successfully doing that for a month, tackle the next step - maybe a switch from regular to sugar-free ice cream, or restricting desserts to weekends only. Incorporating small changes over time dramatically increases the chance that you’ll make it a permanent lifestyle change.
* Get some support: In a society that supersizes everything, it’s never easy to stick with your health and fitness goals. Enlist the help of a friend, family member, or co-worker - someone who will help you stay with the program. If your goal is to go to the gym three times a week, for example, knowing that your friend is waiting there for you might be just the incentive you need to make sure you follow through. For extra motivation, put a dollar in a jar every time you go to the gym, then treat yourself to something special at the end of each month.
* Celebrate your success: We’re quick to beat ourselves up when we don’t reach our health and fitness goals, but we rarely celebrate our successes. When you’ve achieved one of your goals, give yourself a pat on the back. Treat yourself to a massage, a new pair of shoes, or a night out with your friends.