Thread: Using a Personal Trainer

Has anyone had good luck with using a personal trainer? I have been reluctant because my brother looked into programs for becoming a PT, and it's almost a joke much of the time. There are actually weekend courses a person can take. I would love the one on one in my workout, but I am afraid of getting some schmuck with a Cracker Jack Box certification. Does anyone with experience have any advice for spotting the phonies or picking a good trainer?

You could always try your local gym. Most of them have trainers either who are employed by the gym or an outfit who are based there.

A lot depends on the relationship you forge with them. Best to ask people you know who have trainers themselves - word of mouth is always the best, people are very slow to recommend someone they are not happy with

I believe that most local authority run gyms have to have people with nationally recognised qualifications but I could be wrong

I do have a gym membership, but I don't really know any of the other members. I guess asking about trainers would be a good way to break the ice! We do have trainers at the gym (who cost extra, of course), so if I can muster up the courage to ask a stranger, I might find someone good. Have you found that having a trainer has been useful?

I had a personal trainer for about 6 months... until i found LL.... didnt have the stamina while on abstinence. He was attached to Total Fitness gym... and there credentials were on the wall by their office on little plaques... the four based their seemed to have very good experience and had world wide experience. they were all late twenties... one was young with a crackerjack style qualification( but you could see this on the little plaque in comparison to the others!!!!)

I loved the one to one training and the guy i had was gorgeous eye candy!!!! Made me blummin work hard though!!! felt like i was going to die some weeks!!!! cost 35.00 an hour each week though extra to the gym membership!!! ( i found though you could barter witht hm and pay anything between 20 to 40... depending how good u was at bartering!!!)

love nas x

I had a personal trainer at the Gym I go to- I had 10 X 1/2 sessions with her & it was great! Not cheap though, but the program was tailor made to my specific needs & targeted the areas that needed targeting! I'm in Australia though, so I suppose that isn't much use to you. Best of luck, -a good personal trainer works wonders!

You can ask any personal trainer up front about their credentials and they will be happy to show you their diploma and any other qualifications - we have to have our certificates readily available because we do get asked to produce them all the time.

Most exercise professionals worth their salt will also do a lot of study to keep their qualifications current (CPD aka Continuing Professional Development) - so ask them if they have any specialist training in any specific areas of fitness, nutrition, coaching etc., find out what year they qualified as a PT and what they've done since (experience, further education etc.). If they qualified in the 80s, no matter how great their diploma is, if they haven't used it since then and they haven't done any CPD, you might want to look for someone whose education is a bit more current.

Ask if they are a "personal trainer" or a "gym instructor" - "gym instructor" is not as involved a qualification as "personal trainer" so although they may be able to give you decent advice, you will get more involved and personalised advice from a personal trainer.

I could go on and on, but I have a feeling you're in the States and not all my advice may be relevant

Originally Posted by dietingqueen

I had a personal trainer for about 6 months... until i found LL.... didnt have the stamina while on abstinence. He was attached to Total Fitness gym... and there credentials were on the wall by their office on little plaques... the four based their seemed to have very good experience and had world wide experience. they were all late twenties... one was young with a crackerjack style qualification( but you could see this on the little plaque in comparison to the others!!!!)

I loved the one to one training and the guy i had was gorgeous eye candy!!!! Made me blummin work hard though!!! felt like i was going to die some weeks!!!! cost 35.00 an hour each week though extra to the gym membership!!! ( i found though you could barter witht hm and pay anything between 20 to 40... depending how good u was at bartering!!!)

love nas x

Hm...bartering, eh? I think for a first meeting, at least, one should be willing to make a deal with me! I will make sure to ask about credentials, and ask to see them. And if he's hot, too...well, no hard feelings!

Kate, thanks for your feedback AS a personal trainer. That's really helpful. I can just see me getting paired up with some guy in spandex sproting a mullet, fresh from 1985.

The "gym instructors" at my gym are also salespeople. They can be helpful in showing me how to properly use equipment and basic things like that, but you're right-they are NOT personal trainers. I do feel better having gotten feedback from you lovelies. I think I might give it a shot!

The only time I use my gym membership is when I meet my trainer!

Stupid I know but I actually have real issues about going to the gym - I absolutely love it when I work out but I only do it because my trainer is there telling me to do it.

When I go on my own I just feel so paranoid, fat and useless I could give you a million excuses not to go, so I don't go and waste a serious amount of money each month.

If you like going to the gym, you may not need a personal trainer - the staff will be able to give you a program to follow (probably at a small extra charge I don't know) but a personal trainer actually pushes you every time you see them and I have to say that if money was no object I would make an appointment with mine every other day of the week! How perverse is that

Good luck with whatever you decide to do

I have just started using a personal trainer, and I certainly burn off more calories in a session with him than working out on my own. It works out at about 40-50% more calories burned in a PT session than alone.

My PT has National Academy of Sports Medicine (NASM) qualifications. Don't know quite what that means - have been meaning to look into it in more detail, but it certainly does not sound like a Mickey Mouse qualification.

Originally Posted by HelenG

The only time I use my gym membership is when I meet my trainer!

Stupid I know but I actually have real issues about going to the gym - I absolutely love it when I work out but I only do it because my trainer is there telling me to do it.

When I go on my own I just feel so paranoid, fat and useless I could give you a million excuses not to go, so I don't go and waste a serious amount of money each month.

If you like going to the gym, you may not need a personal trainer - the staff will be able to give you a program to follow (probably at a small extra charge I don't know) but a personal trainer actually pushes you every time you see them and I have to say that if money was no object I would make an appointment with mine every other day of the week! How perverse is that

Good luck with whatever you decide to do

I don't think that's perverse at all! Whatever it takes to make you feel good about it for now, until you become comfortable on your own. And thanks, as well.

Originally Posted by SteveM

I have just started using a personal trainer, and I certainly burn off more calories in a session with him than working out on my own. It works out at about 40-50% more calories burned in a PT session than alone.

My PT has National Academy of Sports Medicine (NASM) qualifications. Don't know quite what that means - have been meaning to look into it in more detail, but it certainly does not sound like a Mickey Mouse qualification.

It sounds pretty legit to me! National Academy of Sports Medicine (NASM) | Fitness Certification, Personal Trainer Certification Programs, Become a Certified Personal Trainer

I think I am going to talk to some of the trainers tomorrow when I go in. It's time to just bite the bullet and talk to them. I am hoping that the first session is gratis, as a consultation. Maybe I'll get lucky!

Okay, I did it! I have an appointment Saturday morning with a trainer who works for the company that my gym subcontracts. This particular guy was recommended by one of the other moms that takes her kids to the childcare facility at our gym, and she is in GREAT shape. I know that's not necessarily a good indicator of the quality of her trainer-could be good genes-but I am taking it as a sign. Wish me luck!