By Billy Polson
Published Jun 10, 2008

Your body is a machine—it needs consistent maintenance to perform at its best. So when your car is not running well, you take it to an expert mechanic to tune it up, right? Likewise, when your body is not at its peak, you should consider taking it to an expert personal trainer.

Yes, money is tight these days, but even hiring a trainer once or twice a month can give you huge long-term benefits. This isn't just about burning calories on the spot—a good trainer will give you a host of new ideas that you can then use on your own for the rest of your life. It's money in the fitness bank.

The problem, of course, is finding the right personal trainer. The search for a great personal trainer can be a long one; you need that special mixture of expertise and trust. To help you find the right trainer in the least amount of time possible, follow these tried-and-true guidelines:

1. Internet Searches: Use the Internet as a good resource to find trainer options in your area. Of course, do Google searches for "personal trainer" in your city to get some names—but then search for those trainers on sites like Yelp and CitySearch, where people post reviews. You may be able to get tips on which trainers people have liked—and who they've learned to avoid. Let the community do some of the trial-and-error for you.
2. Education and Certifications: It's crucial that your new trainer have the right background. If you can, try to find a trainer with a college degree in Exercise Physiology or a similar subject. But there are nonetheless lots of great trainers who do not have a degree, but hold a national certification instead. The top personal training certifications in the US are the following: NASM (National Academy of Sports Medicine), ACSM (American College of Sports Medicine), NATA (National Athletic Trainers Assoc), and NSCA (National Strength and Conditioning Assoc). Any of these certifications have rigorous standards, so you can trust that your trainer has done his or her homework. Also look for trainers who have taken some specialized areas of training (for example, Paul Chek coursework, postural analysis, knee/back issues, and so on). This doesn't just make them experts in that area—it also shows commitment beyond the minimum expectations.
3. Years of Experience: No education can beat being in the trenches and working with all types and levels of clients day after day. Look for a trainer who has been certified and training clients for a minimum of three years. You want a problem-solver who has seen a lot of different kinds of people in many different situations.
4. Personality: All the years of education and experience in the world do not necessarily make someone a good teacher. Make sure you find a trainer that you will enjoy being around and learning from. You need to be comfortable opening up all your weaknesses and issues to this person and trust that he or she will always have your benefit in mind.
5. Staff Trainers in Public Gyms vs. Independent Trainers: When trainers first begin training, they tend to work on staff at training facilities in order to help build their clientele. That doesn't make them bad trainers—but they don't necessarily have a lot of experience. Often these trainers will graduate to training independently in these gyms or in trainer-only facilities. Either way, ask for a list of current clients as references so that you can ask them more about the trainer's style and dependability (for example, are they generally on time, do they regularly use new material, are they safety focused, and so on).
6. Assessments: Good and experienced trainers will always carry every client through a very detailed assessment of their bodies—including strengths, weaknesses, posture issues, body measurements, and so on. And all of that is before starting any type of workout program. Always ask a potential trainer about the details of his or her assessment before starting to work with together. If your trainer does not appear willing and able to do an upfront assessment of your entire body, this should be a big red flag.
7. Documentation of Workouts/Progress: Good and experienced trainers will always document every client's workouts in terms of the exercises and weights they are lifting in order to accurately track their progress and results from week to week. If your trainer does not show up to your workouts with a written plan of what he or she wants to accomplish on that day, then this is another red flag. Your trainer should also be prepared to give you copies of your workouts so that you can do them on your own—the documentation of these workouts should be exact and accurate and easy for you to understand.

About Billy Polson: Billy Polson is the founder and co-owner of DIAKADI Body training gym, which was voted the best personal training gym in San Francisco by CitySearch in 2006 and 2007. He also developed the RealJock Strong and Lean 12-Week Workout and leads RealJock's weeklong Atlantis Bootcamp Training program. A competitive swimmer and triathlete in his own right, Polson has over 15 years of experience working as a coach and trainer, and was recently named by Men's Journal Magazine (December 2005) as one of the Top 100 Trainers in America.

diva wrote:

The Huge issue I have is that I speak to many P/T's and they all tell you different things and have different opinions on what is best.
I had a PT for over a year (4 sessions a week). Additionally, I played tennis twice a week, did a morning run 3 days a week, watched my diet, gave up the vino, had supplements (legal) and still no bulk.
The trainer had just qualified and I was his guinea-pig. (I lived in a small town and the pool of PT's was very limited - like him only)
In all of this, the PT was only focused on one thing - $$ - and really did not care about his client/s
Seriously shop around... ask friends or other Bods in the gym for their opinion.

Good Luck at securing a PT - there are some great ones out there

cheers
Diva

Jun 16 11:12 PM

mmgmia wrote:

Please does anyone know a really great trainer in Miami..zip 33137..
I have had the same trainer for 1 year and really need a change..
Looking to train 5 times a week.
Thanks for any help.

Jun 16 3:01 PM

SFTraveler wrote:

I found a wonderful personal trainer in San Francisco. He's Geoffrey Wood at BodyMechanix , ISSA-certified, studied kinesiology and specializes in training people who are coming back from an illness or are dealing with illness. He adjusted his training to compensate for my illness and my doctors approve of his approach.
Check him out at http://www.simpleburn.com/geoffsbetterbody/

Jun 15 9:06 PM

Frank_AZ wrote:

Another way to "test drive" a trainer is to watch them train other clients. See how they behave - are they paying attention to form or the 'cutie' on the machine next to them, are they counting along, are they interacting with the client, etc.

It's also a great oppotunity to see the routines they put together and if they challenge their clients.

Another option is to go ask them a question and see if they recognize that you may be a potential client. It's amazing how many don't see an innocent interaction as a way to sell themselves.

Jun 11 1:35 PM

biqurios wrote:

I wish I had the money for one! My gym trainer is the worst, no dependability, no progress tracking and he only cares about selling supplements, imagine having him as a personal trainer!!!! Personality in a trainer comes a looong way, specially for beginners. I think a good personal trainer has to be there to motivate and keep the quitting thoughts away. I am a beginner in the gym, I feel lost, I have hurt myself, and guidance is extremely important. Thank God I have an online friend, he is a personal trainer and he has helped me so much by only chatting and counseling me on what is best for me. My friend, miles away from where I live has done much more than the trainer at my gym. Is amazing how the staff in my gym just sit there talking to the front desk lady and dont even walk around watching and taking care of the people of the gym, specially beginners like me that are unaware of a lot of details on how to do stuff correctly. Thanks for this article!

Jun 11 1:52 AM

BostonMuscleDave wrote:

If anyone is looking for a trainer or nutritional counselor in the Boston/Worcester area, please see my profile. I have a certification with NASM and Certified Nutrition Manager.

Thanks,
Dave

Jun 11 12:27 AM

ElevenCity wrote:

Great article!

If you're looking for a personal trainer in Los Angeles (or a free DJ mix for your ipod), check out my website: www.ElevenCity.com.

Josh :)
josh@elevencity.com

Jun 10 10:05 PM

ablair05 wrote:

YES! Trainers rock! Anyone in Chicago need one? Call my gym and set up some sessions with me!

(see my profile for the number)

Jun 10 9:44 PM