Choosing a Personal Trainer

[Fox_girl]

Okay so tonight I thought about this alot while in my own little world at the gym....

I think Im going to need a little professional help. I can research and chat with you fine folks for advice and encouragement but I think Im gonna need someone a little closer to me to make this thing happen. And believe you me...Im so ready to make it happen.

So I looked on the staff board at my gym. There is a bunch of trainers on there. Beginer trainers all the way up to "master trainers" i narrowed it down to 3 guys that were all VERY buff. yes I judged a book by it's cover. i figure if the trainer is built like a brick $hit house hes gotta know a lot about everything involved. So i spoke to a 'sales rep" about how to go about getting hooked up with a trainer. I told her who my choices were and why. She pointed out the one thing I completely missed right under each of thier names and pictures on the board. Thier credentials! So she talked me into having a consultation with a guy I didn't even consider. She said he had the highest sucess rate in the gym of all the staff and he has more credentials and abbreviations next to his than anyone else in that gym. She highly reccomended that I speak to him based on what I told her I want to do.

Do you think this was the right choice? Or would it make more sense to go with a guy who looks like a bodybuilder?

[Stovebolt]

I'm no expert, but it seems to me that there are as many different body types out there in the world as there are people. I wouldn't think you'd necessarily need "Buff McHardBody" to train you in order to get the kind of results you want. In the same regard, you probably wouldn't want to pick someone who's thinner than a broomstick either. I agree that credentials are an important thing to look at, but just as you shouldn't base your decision solely on one's physique you also don't want to just pick the guy with the most letters next to his name.

My advice - Do some research on the possible trainers on the side, maybe ask around at the gym and see what the regulars seem to think, and definitely do a consult or two. And hell, if you don't end up liking the one you pick, it sounds like there's a pretty nice sized list that you can refer back to if you want to change later.

Good luck!

[Doug]

Originally Posted by Fox_girl

Okay so tonight I thought about this alot while in my own little world at the gym....

I think Im going to need a little professional help. I can research and chat with you fine folks for advice and encouragement but I think Im gonna need someone a little closer to me to make this thing happen. And believe you me...Im so ready to make it happen.

So I looked on the staff board at my gym. There is a bunch of trainers on there. Beginer trainers all the way up to "master trainers" i narrowed it down to 3 guys that were all VERY buff. yes I judged a book by it's cover. i figure if the trainer is built like a brick $hit house hes gotta know a lot about everything involved. So i spoke to a 'sales rep" about how to go about getting hooked up with a trainer. I told her who my choices were and why. She pointed out the one thing I completely missed right under each of thier names and pictures on the board. Thier credentials! So she talked me into having a consultation with a guy I didn't even consider. She said he had the highest sucess rate in the gym of all the staff and he has more credentials and abbreviations next to his than anyone else in that gym. She highly reccomended that I speak to him based on what I told her I want to do.

Do you think this was the right choice? Or would it make more sense to go with a guy who looks like a bodybuilder?

Never go with a trainer who is built like a house, (possibly built by other supplements) use someone who has a natural physique as they will know how to attain a goal naturally.....and make sure they have the right qualifications for what you want...including nutrition qualifications, plenty of trainers out there who can instruct, but not many qualified in sports nutrition.....I know a good one.. Good luck with your choice......

[Fox_girl]

Stovebolt wrote: "My advice - Do some research on the possible trainers on the side, maybe ask around at the gym and see what the regulars seem to think,"

According to the gal I was speaking to the reason she reccomended the guy that she did was because the regulars and his clients in the gym like him the most and apparently he gets the best results of all the trainers. I'm waiting for him to give me a call. he has all the nutrition education plus the fitness stuff and some other things to like a bachlor degree in Kinesiology. The guy is really educated.

The one i originally wanted (based on his Mr. Mcbuff appearance) only has the bare minimum in education beside his name and no nutrition education (on paper) but that doesn't mean he doesn't know a lot about it. Some people may not have something on paper but could be super smart about the subject anyway.

For example, chances are; I know way more than my vet about K9 nutrition. I know that his complete education only covers 2 weeks of nutrition funded by a commercial pet food company. I've researched K9 nutrition to death for over a year and it took that research to know that just because your educated on paper doesnt mean your the be all, end all for the answers. In fact, I wouldnt listen to my vet about K9 nutrition now that I educated myself on how it really works in that industry if my life depended on it.

Im going to meet with this guy only because that woman told me he has had great results with past clients and has the best rate of success with his clients out of all the rest of the trainers there. If I dont feel like he's going to help me get what i want, I may move over to a different one from the original three I had my eye on.

Actually there's one I may have to avoid only because he's REALLY cute and I may not be able to concentrate.

[Damien]

It's good to get one that has helped others achieve the same goals you want. For example, we have 1 guy in our gym who's brilliant at weight loss and has had results with dozens of women. Another guy, is an ex-bodybuilder who really knows about bulking up and a lot of the guys use him.

And generally, don't got for anyone too young. Trainers fresh out of personal trainer school often don't know **** about training. And it's getting easier to get qualified as a personal trainer these days

[Fox_girl]

I hear that! its getting easier to train to work in a lot of professions these days and the consumer loses large in that case.

[Doug]

I think the word is "experience"

Its like a doctor who comes out of university on the first day on a hospital ward...thats why they say never go into hospital in August in the UK as this is when they start on the wards...lol. But give them a couple of years and they will be experienced.......

Same in anything in life, always use the experienced ones..you wouldnt want the likes of someone new to brick laying building your house......

[Fox_girl]

well I go see my guy on monday night. His name is Brett and he is definately the most educated and experienced and sucessful at my gym. I finaly spoke to him after playing phone tag all week and we have a date. Yay! Im excited. I cant wait. Im tired of aimlessly working out. I dont wanna be one of those people I see in the gym going week after week after week with no changes happening. it's time to Git'R DONE!

[Doug]

Originally Posted by Bigkat

i figure if the trainer is built like a brick $hit house hes gotta know a lot about everything involved.


NOT true...he may just have great genetics....



Glad to hear that you have a PT now, best wishes with your goals

pmsl...why is it that they have great flexability to be able to get their hands around to their butt's, but cant wipe sweat off the back of their neck's..

[Fox_girl]

I know lots of internet & chat shorthand....but I dont know this one...what is "pmsl" .