The process where some of the community decides on a personal trainer is flawed. Just like any service that you are paying for, you should choose someone who has the proper recommendations and the proper experience to have you your goal. Because many people aren't sure what questions to ask (or are too intimidated to ask questions), they end up not seeing results and turn into hesitant of working with fitness professionals. The only way to match up dedicated clients with GOOD trainers is to educate individuals outside the fitness field as to what qualifies us to do what we do which is what I will attempt to do in this article.

Personal training Companies within a "gym": beware of training companies who chase you around at the gym or "require" you to meet with them when you sign up. Many of these companies have become the "fast food" of personal training. bay area personal trainers The "menu" of exercises never changes, the service is poor, and you're just a number in a brand of clients. Ask these questions:

Will you will have the same trainer (if you choose to)? If the answer is not "yes, absolutely" -- move along. If you have 10 different trainers over the next a few months, how are you supposed to make any progress?

Is it necessary to sign a contract? If you are unsure about whether or not you will like the trainer or the machine, ask if you can purchase some trial sessions before you commit. Never sign yourself into a contract without having a good understanding of what you're buying.

Ask to speak with the trainer you will be working with before you buy sessions (see below about questions to ask). If you're prohibited to do this, move along.

Lastly, if you feel like you're being pushed into buying training like a car salesman tries to have you buy a car, move along. A good trainer will never pressure you into anything because we understand you will ONLY see results when you are Ready to commit.

The good training companies are usually led by a very experienced fitness trainer who is selective about the trainers who work for him/her. This person is often more than happy to answer any questions you have and likely appreciative that you are doing research to make the best decision for you. You will usually find these companies set up as independent studios.

If you have found a trainer you might need to work with, here is what to look for:

Most importantly, do you Like the person? It sounds like a silly question but you will be spending a reasonable amount of time with this person and probably sharing some reasons for yourself that you might not tell other people. You want to make sure you can build a relationship based on trust with your trainer.

Does this person sound like he/she is willing to work with you? Does the trainer seem distracted or flighty? Is the trainer asking a lot of questions, listening to and understanding you... or is the trainer just talking AT you? You will not reach your goal by hiring a trainer it does not listen to you.

What are the trainer's recommendations? There are across the country accredited personal training certification... and then there are certification you can get in a cracker jack box. Some of the top certification are: ACSM, NSCA, EXPERT, NETA. There are other across the country accredited certification but these are the most reputable ones, in my personal opinion. I've also seen great trainers emerge from the SENSES program.

How long have they been training? Would you hire a auto mechanic who just started working on cars two months ago? I would hope not, but, we all have to start somewhere. If the trainer has been around the field for less than a couple of years and they are working within a good training company being mentored by an experienced trainer, you're in good hands.