As a personal trainer and Pilates instructor, I have some suggestions for those of us who are looking for one or both of those folks. These are not rules, but things to consider when choosing someone to work with.
Is the person I am considering qualified? What experience does that person have? It is worth asking what certifications and specializations the person has. A personal trainer who primarily works with youth sports teams might not be the right choice for me, as a fifty-four-year-old non-team-sport player, for example, even if that person is technically qualified to train me. I need to know that the person I am working with will keep me safe.
What do I need? Some clients need tons of encouragement. Some need a person who is flexible around chronic conditions. Some just want someone to do the thinking bit so they can just show up and move. It can be challenging to be honest with ourselves—maybe we don’t want to admit that we want someone who isn’t bothered by our complaining through the entire workout, or that we need someone willing to suggest that maybe eating an entire cake is not conducive to meeting our fitness goals.
Where does this person work? Some people love working with a trainer in a crowded gym. Some want a trainer who will come to them. Some are happy with a Zoom trainer. Some want to meet in the park. Both client and trainer have to be happy with the situation in order to have a long and fruitful relationship.
How responsible is this person? It pains me to say this, but some trainers are more reliable than others. It can be worth it to check in with other clients to see if the trainer cancels a lot, or shows up late, or, worse, ghosts out on sessions. We all need grace from time to time, but a pattern of flakiness is no good for anyone.
Do I like the workouts? Do I like working with this person? This can be a bit of a challenge to figure out. It is one reason why I always, always offer the first workout with a new client for free. During that first workout, I have a chance to demonstrate what kind of trainer I am. I am a professional, and it never bothers me if someone doesn’t enjoy my style of training. Even if the first workout goes well and the person buys a package of sessions from me, I usually know who is going to continue after the paid sessions are over and who is going to seek other options. Do not stay with a trainer who does not meet your needs. Do not.
After working with someone for a while, it is also useful to ask one more question: do I like the results I’m getting? If we find that we are stronger or leaner or happier, awesome! If not, we may need to find someone else to work with, even if we personally like the current trainer.
Go play.
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