by Thomas Incledon, PhD(c), RD, LD/LN, RPT, NSCA-CPT, CSCS
Mike is the professional bodybuilder and Scott has the physical therapist license. Larry isn’t certified yet, but he has over 10 years of experience. The list of personal trainers’ specific attributes could go on forever. No wonder clients have such a difficult time choosing a qualified personal trainer and often bounce around from one trainer to the next. This not only costs time and money for clients and trainers, but also often leads to dissatisfied experiences and client attrition. Personal training should be a positive experience and possibly a lifetime habit. The personal trainer must fit the client’s specific needs, goals, lifestyle, and limitations. If clients use the appropriate method for choosing a personal trainer, the relationship stands an excellent chance of being mutually beneficial.
Why is personal training important? From a club standpoint, The International Health, Racquet and Sportsclub Association (IHRSA) says that personal training is just one of the ways to maintain a high level of customer service, encourage retention, and increase profitability. For the client, hiring a personal trainer is a commitment to exercise. It is the beginning of a promise to themselves to attain a goal. Personal trainers provide individualized approaches, increase motivation, and educate.
Unfortunately, personal training has no governing body to maintain the standards of the profession by certification. However, many organizations exist that certify personal trainers based on their own tests and qualifications. Indeed, only one personal trainer certification test is accredited by the National Commission for Certifying Agencies. The great majority of certification programs require at a minimum a CPR certification. Some even require 2, 4, or Masters degrees in a health-related field from a regionally accredited college/university. Nonetheless, a certified personal trainer through a national certification organization should be thought of as at least having the minimum amount of knowledge necessary to perform the job with competency. Certification programs attempt to educate the personal trainer in all aspects of the profession. They typically require knowledge of anatomy and physiology, exercise physiology, kinesiology, screening and evaluation, exercise technique, nutrition, program administration, and injury prevention. The American Council on Exercise (ACE), a certifying organization, suggests that by passing their certification a personal trainer will have a minimum level of proficiency and theoretical knowledge essential to screen and evaluate prospective clients, design a safe and effective exercise program, instruct clients in the correct exercise techniques to avoid injury, and respond to the typical questions and problems that arise in a one-to-one setting. Most certification programs also review legal issues and professional guidelines. Additionally, most certifications require continuing education credits which ensures that the personal trainer keeps current with the available body of knowledge. The client who wants to research individual certification agencies can do so easily, and this may help educate them on the entire industry.
Juan Carlos Santana, MEd, CSCS, and Director of Optimum Performance Systems, Inc., believes that as far as credentialing is concerned, a 4 year degree and certifications by the ACSM and NSCA are the gold standard. “Of course, that doesn’t mean that if you don’t have a 4 year degree and those certifications you can’t be knowledgeable. On the other hand, those certifications don’t guarantee excellence. But clients should require the best as a consumer because, after all, they’re paying for it. They should demand the gold standard for credentials and continuing proficiency from their fitness professional.”
Some certification agencies have realized the need for specialized certifications. Additional certifications in Geriatrics or step-down programs from traditional hospital settings are becoming popular. For example, if a client is returning to the gym from an open-heart surgery and a hospital-based cardiac rehab program, they could choose a personal trainer with a specialized certification in treating post-op cardiovascular patients. The same search could be followed for the client with any other medically treated conditions.
What about the personal trainer whose qualifications come from accredited colleges and universities? There are many degree programs that focus on exercise physiology, exercise science, physical education, or sports management. The collegiate degree also infers that a certain standard was upheld during matriculation. Unless the client asks for a copy of transcripts, they have no way of knowing exactly what classes were taken or how well the personal trainer performed in those classes. If the degree is from another country, it makes a determination even more difficult.
Some certified and licensed health care professionals have started to branch out and add personal training to their repertoire or even change professions to personal training. Allied health care professionals, such as physical therapists and assistants and athletic trainers, have college degrees in related fields. This type of personal trainer is perfect for the client who is interested in rehabilitating old or existing injuries. A certified athletic trainer as a personal trainer can be particularly valuable for athletes who want to return to competition.
Lori Incledon, PTA, ATC, CSCS, prefers to work with clients who have had an orthopedic pathology and are looking for an extension to their physical therapy program. She says, “Often insurance runs out before patients have completed their therapy. Having a licensed healthcare professional finish therapy in a gym setting is preferable to having the person try to rehabilitate themselves, or worse yet, not do anything at all.”
Experience in a job is something employers always look for, and people who purchase personal training should think of themselves as the employer of that trainer. How important is experience to a client? Would that person prefer to have a trainer who is new and green, or a trainer who may have more practical knowledge and is a bit seasoned?
Charles Kemp, IFBB Professional Bodybuilder and personal trainer for 12 years, states that experience is far more important than any certifications. “I have some concern with individuals who only have a certification and a limited amount of experience. Credentials look great on paper, but if they can’t translate them into practice, they have little value,” he says.
Which brings us to the most important aspect in choosing a personal trainer - goals. Clients must determine what they want out of personal training before it can become an effective aspect of their fitness program. For example, if the client is interested in improving sports performance, then a certified strength and conditioning specialist is the most appropriate person for the job. If the client wants to compete in a bodybuilding contest, perhaps having a bodybuilder as a personal trainer will provide them with insight. If weight loss is a goal, find a trainer who also has a background in nutrition, such as a registered or licensed dietitian. Likewise, if just staying healthy is most important, a client has to choose a personal trainer that can help them achieve that goal. A personal trainer’s skills should match the client’s needs. However, in order to determine the appropriate personal trainer, the client has to do some goal setting prior to starting a search. Additionally, the personal trainer should be able to assist the client in setting realistic long and short-term goals and know if the client’s expectations are suitable.
Interviewing personal trainers about their exercise philosophies after goal setting should be a client’s next step. Every personal trainer has a different philosophy on physical fitness and it should mesh with the client’s outlook. A client who only wants to stay active and exercise for two days and two hours each week is not going to be happy with a trainer who believes that the minimum amount of exercise required is two hours everyday. Similarly, a client seeking to be a fitness model will not be satisfied with a personal trainer who bases their exercise programs only on Eastern practices like yoga and tai chi.
During the interview session, the client will interact with the trainer and get a good idea if they like them or not. This may or may not be an important aspect to consider. Some people feel more comfortable with a trainer whose personality they like and some people will not mind the kind of personality the trainer has and place more importance on another attribute.
The client has to workout at 5 in the morning, but the personal trainer is a night person and prefers sleeping in. This relationship is preset for failure. A client should know before the interview process what time of the day, how long during that day, how many days, and which days they want to exercise. In addition, if the client knows they need to make appointments with little advance time, or cancel frequently because of business or family, the personal trainer should be consulted. Personal trainers have time constraints, too, from previous clients to their own family and friend commitments. Some will be equally as flexible with appointments. Schedules must match for the relationship to be solid.
Where and how does the client want to exercise? A variety of locations range from at home, at a gym, to outside biking or out on the tennis court. The client can choose a group exercise class, weight training, cardiovascular training, sports specific exercise, or a combination. The client must know what the personal trainer is willing to do and where they are willing to go. Some work solely inside a gym and will never venture outside. Some will only go house to house and never set foot in a gym. Still others wouldn’t consider an outside morning jog and others will insist upon biking at sunset. Whatever the client’s preference, they should find a personal trainer that is willing to comply.
The actual business of personal training requires that trainers have liability insurance, cancellation policies, and billing information in writing. Choosing a personal trainer with their business affairs in order will protect the client. Personal training sessions can cost as little as $30 an hour to over $150 an hour. Some will offer packages and discounts. A client should develop a budget for personal training and try to find someone who meets all of their criteria within that budget.
Overall, finding a qualified personal fitness trainer is almost as difficult as finding the perfect mate. Increasingly it is evident that qualifications are relative to each client. Just like there is a perfect person out there for everyone, there is the perfect personal trainer for a certain client. Some clients base more credence on educational background, some want a trainer they can be friends with, and some will base their decisions on how much the trainer costs. Whatever the end result, the process should still be the same. Clients need to have a clear-cut idea of their personal exercise goals and should interview trainers like any other job interview.
Side Bar
Guidelines for Choosing a Personal Trainer
Set your fitness/exercise goals before meeting with the trainer
Determine if certification, education, specialization, or experience is most important
Make a budget for personal training and know what your limit is
Decide where you want to exercise and how you want to exercise
Determine if you want to be alone or with a group
Make sure the trainer has liability insurance and written business policies
Interview the trainer to determine philosophy, personality, and flexibility
Rate the Trainer
To help the client determine which trainer is the best for them, they can use this checklist. Simply rate each attribute on a scale of 1-4, with 4 being the best, and total each column. At a quick glance, this chart can give the client a comparison of trainers.
Trainer’s name: _________ _________ _________ _________
Certifications: ____ ____ ____ ____
Education: ____ ____ ____ ____
Years of experience: ____ ____ ____ ____
Personality: ____ ____ ____ ____
Philosophy: ____ ____ ____ ____
Rate: ____ ____ ____ ____
Availability: ____ ____ ____ ____
Flexibility: ____ ____ ____ ____
Insured: ____ ____ ____ ____
Other: ____ ____ ____ ____
Total: ____ ____ ____ ____
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