I became a personal trainer and coach in 2002. Shows like Alias and 24 was all the rage, *NSYNC still had Justin Timberlake and The Two Towers it rocked my world. So much so that I went to the theater to see it like four times.1
Admittedly, it seems like ages ago. I mean social media didn’t exist back then. Or Warby Parker for that matter!
Needless to say, in my 20+ years in “the biz”, I’ve seen my share of good coaches that make me proud to be in the industry and bad coaches that sometimes make me want to light my face on fire.
I could sit here and write endlessly about the traits I believe every “good” trainer should include: a basic understanding of anatomy, movement and program design would be a good start. Do they look the part? However hard and cloudy he encounters – what’s the point of even looking at the place? – my friend Brian Cran hits the nail on the head:
“In the fitness industry, looks matter. Now, this doesn’t mean that six-pack abs or muscles the size of boulders should be a prerequisite for the job. But your coach should be healthy with a physique that suggests some level of mastery in his chosen field. If they talk the talk, they should walk the walk.”
Do they dress professionally or like they just got out of an MMA class? Are they accurate? Are they prepared and organized? Do they take the time to ask questions and do some ostensibly initial assessment? Unfortunately, I have seen some instructors in my time do little more than show how to insert the pins into various Cybex machines as part of their “thorough evaluation”.
Why not just make paper airplanes for an hour?
Are they friendly, kind, capable of some empathy, and perhaps most important of all, are they generally a person who isn’t gross? Because, let’s be honest, no one wants to train with a jerk, let alone pay for it.
All, I believe, in a slightly indescribable way, are relevant questions and observations to note when deciding who to hire as your personal trainer. I find it strange how some people are more diligent about who changes the oil in their car than who is in charge of telling them what to do with their bodies.
Some other things to consider
Finding the right personal trainer to fit your goals and needs can be just as frustrating as car shopping. It’s a given that few things are as annoying as car shopping – except for an uncontrollable eye twitch or even other Taylor Swift’s song about breaking up with a dude (all our fingers are crossed Travis) – and you (generally) don’t have to deal with the shady antics of salespeople when you’re looking quality coach.
However, that doesn’t mean you shouldn’t be on the lookout and go out of your way to be a more active consumer when hiring a personal trainer. Think many people pay upwards of $60-90 per session (sometimes more depending on one’s location), it only makes sense to try to maximize your personal training amount.
Two questions to ask a trainer
Skipping the obvious questions like “are you certified?(1)” or “do you have any references/testimonials to share?”(2)” or “what’s your favorite hip hop album of all time?(3)” some less common (if and no less important) questions to ask someone you’re considering hiring.
(1) = Certification is “required” when auditing an instructor. The gold standard certifications in the industry are NSCA, ACE, ISSA, NASM and ACSM. I also believe that every coach who has gone through the Show Up Fitness Courses are also more than qualifications.
(2) = Having a few letters next to their name doesn’t mean much. Do they prefer continuing education? When was the last time you participated in a national conference? What is the last book they read? Do they have a list of current clients you can contact about their own experience with this trainer? They are all relevant questions to ask and questions that any trainer should be able to answer without hesitation.
(3) = anything from Tribe Called Quest, Wu-Tang Clan, Gang Starr, or not anything else from 1996 are acceptable answers here.
“Do you work out alone?”
I understand that it’s a bit stilted or an oxymoron to ask a trainer/coach if they train. It’s like asking Jason Bourne whether or not he knows where all the exit routes are when he walks into a room, but it’s alarming how often this happens.
Before co-founding my own facility in 2007, I worked at several commercial gyms previously, and I was surprised how many colleagues never worked out.
I’m not referring to looking the part (ie, fit), which has already been covered above.
I am referring to personal trainers who literally don’t exercise yourself!
It’s a blunt question to ask, but if you’re going to spend good money hiring a trainer, do you really want someone in charge of your body who doesn’t practice what they preach?
“What is your coaching philosophy?
Likewise, it’s also smart to ask what a trainer’s general training philosophy is.
Is he someone who emphasizes strength training or relies more on endurance?
They include a thorough assessment – movement screens, review of injury and training history, etc. – as part of their approach? If not, I’d say “bye, Felicia” and shop elsewhere.
More importantly, if they are a competitive strength athlete, bodybuilder, figure athlete, or CrossFitter (to give a few examples), are they able to separate their training preferences from yours?
What good is it if you’re interested in improving your deadlift and squat numbers and your coach makes you do a “biceps day” because it was of biceps day?
Or maybe your goal is to add some strength training to help you prepare for a half marathon. If so, why are you doing all these crazy MetCon workouts and doing the pull-ups?
The issue is: Your trainer should tailor YOUR training to YOUR needs and goals. Not theirs
Bonus: A question a trainer should ask When Ask you.
I can’t begin to tell you how many times I heard this question while working at various commercial gyms.
A customer would walk in, greet their instructor, and the instructor would then ask….
“So what do you want to do today?”
Um, isn’t that what you pay them to understand? It’s like walking into my accountant’s office and he looks at me and says, “So, have you read all these new tax codes?”
This is because of my comment above about organization and preparedness. Whoever you hire should have a game plan.
They should write programs and not workouts!
That doesn’t mean they shouldn’t ask for your input or insight on any given day – maybe you were up the night before with a sick child or had a long day at work and came close to ending your boss’s life – which may require changes to that day’s session.
However, in the grand scheme of things, they should be prepared over time. With very few exceptions, they should not “wing” it.
