Personal trainers are no longer the exclusive domain of celebrities and sports stars. Today most fitness facilities have certified trainers either on staff or independently contracted who can work with people regardless of age, ability or disability.
People hire trainers for many reasons. They might want to be motivated, learn new ways to accommodate a healthy lifestyle or train for a race or get in shape to play a specific sport. Certified trainers are keyed into the newest information to facilitate your encumbrances, strengths and weaknesses. They can create efficient workout plans, help you understand food and nutrition, and be very creative in helping organize your time to get it done.
If you are going to spend the money — typically $40-$100 an hour — to take advantage of a trainer’s skills, here’s how to maximize the investment.
“First you’ll want to find someone who is trained and competent,” says Cedric Bryant, the chief science officer for the American Council on Exercise. There are several main certifying agencies (see list, Page 3C). It’s also important to be clear on the trainer and gym’s policies and practices, so make sure you’ve carefully reviewed agreements and have everything in writing.
As for selecting a trainer, “they call it personal training for a reason — this is an individual you’ll work with in some degree of intimacy,” Bryant says. “Do you want someone of the same sex or opposite sex? Is age a factor? Also consider communication style: Is the person an encourager as opposed to someone who motivates by challenging you, like a drill sergeant? You need to understand what style works best for you.”
When thinking about starting an exercise plan, a good first step is to get a complete medical examination. Your trainer will want to know your blood pressure, cholesterol, degenerative problems, medications and so forth. Do not sign up for sessions until you know what your health situation might be.
“Many clients are surprised to find at least one health risk, usually revealed with a simple blood test or a stress test,” says Lee Cherry, a personal trainer (inhome-personaltrainer.com). “It is important that trainers are aware of any underlying conditions.”
The second task is to start keeping a log of your food. Maintain a food diary for a minimum of a week where you record all of your liquids, snacks, meals and supplements. It is important to be as accurate as possible. Weights and measurements of each food and liquid consumed should also be recorded. This can help your trainer get an idea of dietary habits, strengths and weaknesses and can make for productive conversation with your trainer during recovery breaks. While trainers are not necessarily dietitians, most know basic dietary principles. You may want to consider continuing with the food log for your own benefit.
As for food, keep in mind that unless the trainer is also a registered dietitian, they should not be expected to design or revamp your diet. Someone who refers to himself or herself as a nutritionist is not necessarily a registered dietitian, who is medically certified on the national level to work on your health. (Look for a registered dietitian at )
Finally, purchase an exercise logbook and keep track of the workouts (exercise, weights used, cues on proper form, etc.) so that you will have some workout ideas for the future. This is especially useful if you travel, are interested in working out at home, or use other fitness facilities. Having your own record, in your own handwriting, with your own personal cues and reminders is a priceless resource and gives you much more “bang for the buck.”
Unless you are Oprah, you will not have a trainer following you around to see if you are eating properly and doing your exercising outside of scheduled sessions. Carrying the knowledge and motivation forward into the rest of your life is perhaps the biggest challenge of all.
Mary Reed Wolff, a retired business owner, watches her budget carefully but knew she needed to get into a consistent exercise routine. “I hired a trainer to teach me how to exercise at home. Since it would be a waste of resources to work with a trainer and then not work out at home, I got into a daily routine of lifting and walking,” Wolff says. “My golf game has improved, I can hike and walk the dog without losing my breath, and most important, I feel strong.”
As Wolff’s experience shows, a trainer can put you on the right path, but it’s up to you to do the work.
“They should be looking to graduate you toward independence,” says Bryant of the American Council on Exercise. “You can come back for periodic tune-ups but ideally they’ll be teaching you to perform on your own.”
Linda J. Buch is a certified fitness trainer in Denver; linda@ljbalance.com
