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Hiring a Personal Trainer: After the Interview or First Session
By Anne Keckler | February 24, 2008
The other day I gave you some thoughts on questions to ask a personal trainer. Today I want to give you some ideas of questions to ask yourself after that initial interview or first session.
- Was my trainer on time and prepared?
A professional trainer should call you to confirm the appointment, and tell you what to bring, how much time to allot, etc. I always ask my clients to bring water and a small towel, and let them know that the initial session will last about an hour.
- Did I get a comfortable feeling from this person, overall?
No matter what the person’s credentials, it’s still very important that you feel comfortable with your trainer. You need to feel like she has your best interests at heart, and that she will do her best job to help you. If you didn’t feel that kind of rapport, for whatever reason, ask to try another trainer. Everyone is different. Some people want the drill sergeant type of trainer, others want a more gentle approach. Everyone wants to feel like his trainer is working hard to help him reach his goals.
- Did the trainer make me feel comfortable at the gym, if that is where the session took place?
On that initial session, your trainer should show you the facility, especially if nobody has done this, yet. He might introduce you to staff, as well as other members. He should make sure you know how to use whatever equipment most interests you.
- Did the trainer ask for my medical history, to determine whether it is safe for me to begin an exercise program?
This is very, very important. A PAR-Q form is the minimum standard for determining whether someone can safely begin an exercise program. If you have any medical questions, a trainer should refer you to your doctor. A good personal trainer has a lot of knowledge about human musculature, skeletal structure, and exercise physiology, but she is not a doctor!
- Does the trainer keep accurate records of all sessions, so that I am never charged for sessions I didn’t actually use?
I once hired a personal trainer, and when I decided to end our sessions he tried to charge me for sessions I didn’t use. There is no excuse for a lack of record-keeping. Insist that you both sign or initial something that shows how many sessions you actually used. I don’t think my trainer was dishonest, I just think he was unorganized.
- Did the trainer ask me about my goals, and indicate that she could create a program that would help me to reach those goals?
There are trainers out there who seem to forget the word “personal” in their title. Your fitness program should be customized to your current level of ability, and continually modified to keep up with the changes you are making in your own fitness level.
- Did the trainer ask me about my lifestyle, so that he will know how to create a program that will fit into my life?
The very best program won’t do you any good if you can’t actually stick with it. Hollywood movie stars might be able to eat special diets and wake up in the middle of the night for protein shakes and exercise at precise intervals, but most of us have jobs, family, and other responsibilities. Be sure your trainer doesn’t take the attitude of, “You must not really want to change unless you are willing to do this,” where “this” is something that is truly outside of your ability to do. Examples might include “work out seven days a week” or “eat raw eggs for breakfast” or “run 50 miles a week.” For some people, those things might not be a big deal, but they are not absolutely necessary for fitness, and may even be harmful, depending on the circumstances. (Raw eggs, for example, may contain salmonella and make you sick, especially if they are not pasteurized.)
Part of creating a customized program includes customizing it to your lifestyle and abilities, as well as your goals.
So there you have it! I hope that you have learned something from these two articles on hiring a personal trainer, and that you will benefit from that knowledge.
I haven’t forgotten my promise to review New Rules of Lifting: Six Basic Moves for Maximum Muscle. I have finished reading the book, and I found very little to disagree with. That’s almost unheard of for me! 
I will pick at it just a little, and also tell you what I love about it sometime in the next day or two. Be sure to subscribe so you won’t miss it!
Related posts:
- How to Choose a Personal Trainer
- Benefits of Hiring a Personal Trainer
- Fitness for Older Adults
- My path to coaching
- How to Lose Those Last Stubborn Pounds
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