Qualities of a Good Personal Trainer

Mary is looking for a person to help her get into better shape. She has tried doing it on her own only to fail miserably. She just can’t get motivate and her friends are more enablers than anything else. Mary befriends Sharon who is one of the personal trainers at the club and she hires her for 20 sessions. Now Mary knows nothing about Sharon but that Sharon is well liked. So Mary starts working out with Sharon and at first things are going ok but after a few weeks she finds that the workouts are all the same and the results she was getting at first she is no longer getting. She questions Sharon and the answer she receives is quit confusing and really did not answer Mary’s concerns. What is Mary to do? After the sessions were all complete Mary finds Sally who seems to have a good reputation but everyone that she speaks to about Sally says that she is a slave driver and very tough. Mary is desperate at this time so she speaks to Mary and at first Mary rejects her offer to help her. Her reasoning was… no clear cut goals. Mary, very perplexed, goes home and sits down and thinks about the talk she had with Sally and as per Sally, she writes down everything and being the “never say never” person Mary is, approaches Sally again. This time Sally accepts her as a client and begins the process. At first it starts out very slow. All she does was assessments and talks about diet and positive thinking. Mary goes home most nights not even breaking a sweat. Mary begins to wonder what Sally is doing with her but she stays patient. Then after one month the workouts begin to get more difficult and after the first 10 sessions, the workouts are raised to a whole new level. Now Mary is doing things that she thought she was never going to be able to do. Her weight has dropped substantially after four months and her cardio strength is 100 percent improved. Along with that Sally has talked to her about diets and just plain everyday stuff. Sally is a complete trainer. Two years later Sally and Mary are just not good friend, but Sally still trains Mary three times a week. There are many types of trainers out there. I can tell you that there is not one trainer that fits all. Just as every person has a different personality, every trainer has a different personality and finding the right fit can be a chore. But there are certain fundamental basics that all really good Personal Trainers have in common. Here is that list. • Knowledgeable about the human body • Well experienced • They have working knowledge • Methodical in their approach to helping you • Knows their strengths and weaknesses and doesn’t cross the lines • Understands your strengths and weakness and works within those parameters • Always thinks of you first and never themselves • Able to remove themselves from the solution and give you appropriate workouts so that you can achieve the goals you set for yourself • Knowledgeable about nutrition • Believes in a natural approach and doesn’t automatically go to supplements as the ultimate means to an end • Very reasonable in pricing • Puts their clients before themselves • Passionate about what they are doing • Understands the business of Personal Training but does not emphasize it • Looks the part both in and out • Walks the Walk and Talks the Talk • Visibly respected by others whether they like them or not • Has a history of getting results • Conveys a positive attitude to all • Truthful, even when it might hurt • Your biggest cheerleader • Holds you accountable at ALL times Now for a Personal Trainer to be good they must have ALL of these traits, baring none. In my next blog I will be discussing how to find good Personal Trainers.