WomanScope NewsMagazine : Health and Fitness

September 11, 2011
Filed under Uncategorized

Tips on How to Hire the
Perfect Personal Trainer

By: Jason Bosley-Smith,
CSCS, FDN

Years ago, hiring a
personal trainer would have been considered something done by only celebrities
or professional athletes ? not anymore. Now, as more and more individuals seek
guidance with their health and wellness, personal trainers are sought after to
deliver assistance, coaching and instruction. A recent industry-wide survey
conducted by the IDEA Health & Fitness Association, an organization for
fitness professionals, showed that personal trainers provide a wide variety of
clients with an extensive list of services, including nutritional guidance,
fitness assessment, lifestyle management advice, weight control programs and
many more.¹ In the quest to hire the perfect personal trainer,
consumers should consider a variety of factors and conduct an interview with
their prospective personal trainer to gain a sense of skills, personality and
overall philosophy before making their decision.

Education and
Certification

As with any
professional service, one of the primary considerations is to determine the
potential practitioner?s education and certification. In the fitness industry,
educational backgrounds may vary, but most reputable certification bodies
require at least a college-level degree. Personal trainers will often possess a
degree in Health & Fitness or Exercise Science/Physiology. In addition to
this college education, a qualified personal trainer will also hold an active
certification from one of the main certifying organizations that are nationally
recognized and accredited by the NCCA (National Commission for Certifying Agencies).
Certification programs that receive NCCA Accreditation
demonstrate compliance with the NCCA?s Standards for the
Accreditation of Certification Programs.² Some of
these personal training certifications include those from The National
Strength and Conditioning Association, American Council on Exercise, National
Academy of Sports Medicine, and The American College of Sports Medicine.
Maintenance of these certifications requires that the fitness professional
complete continuing education credits annually, helping them stay on the
forefront of new information and methods.

Experience

Even with a
certification, a personal trainer who is new to the field may lack the
practical experience you desire. While the education and certification ensure a
basic level of knowledge, newly certified trainers may not have had time yet to
develop hands-on skills. For generally healthy, beginner exercisers this may be
perfectly fine, but for those with special considerations such as a prior
injury or health condition, greater experience may be needed. Ask your
prospective trainer about their years of experience and particularly about the
success/results they have achieved with clients that held similar goals to your
own. Personal trainers will often have portfolios or client testimonials that
they are happy to share with you.

Personality &
Rapport

The final, and perhaps
the most crucial, element in hiring your perfect personal trainer lies in
establishing a solid rapport. The success of your personal training program
hinges upon the development of an interpersonal relationship with your trainer.
You don?t have to share the same hobbies and interests, but you do want to feel
comfortable with the trainer and feel confident that they will be a good
instructor, listener, and motivator.

Research, interview and
evaluate your options before making your final choice when hiring a personal
trainer. For additional resources and a comprehensive database, search IDEA
FitnessConnect (http://www.ideafit.com/fitnessconnect)
the largest directory of personal trainers and fitness instructors, with the
most verified profile information from the most trusted certifications in
fitness.

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References

IDEA Health & Fitness Inc. 2011.How to Choose The Personal Trainer Who?s
Right For You. http://www.ideafit.com/fitness-library/how-to-choose-a-personal-trainer.

Institute for Credentialing Excellence.
2011. http://www.credentialingexcellence.org/NCCAAccreditation/AccreditedCertificationPrograms/tabid/120/Default.aspx

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Source: http://www.womanscopenewsmagazine.com/uncategorized/2011/09/11/health-fitness-jason/

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