Motivational Speaker

How to Find a Good Personal Trainer

Off the back of yesterday's post, I thought we might keep the fitness ball rolling for another day or so and answer a question that I have been asked many, many time over the years. Although this is not a Personal Development post (as such), the information will be relevant and meaningful for many, and hopefully of some interest to the rest of you. Knowing that many of my readers have trained with PT's, are PT's, or are interested in exploring the notion of working out with a PT at some stage, I think that many of you will find the following thoughts quite valuable. So today's question is...

"How do I find a good PT?"

This is a subject I should know something about - unlike the rest of the stuff that I just make up here at me-dot-com. Before I share my thoughts about the above question, here's a brief snapshot of my PT history:

* I began working as a PT (for myself) in 1987, having worked for five years as a gym instructor before that.

* I have personally completed over 40,000 PT sessions since '87. Between 1987 and 2000 I completed an average of 50-70 PT sessions per week. I began to taper my hands-on PT work after that but still completed fifteen to twenty sessions per week up until 2006. These days I train very few people due to my other commitments, but I'm still in the gym daily to do my own workout.

* In 1990 I established Australia's first commercial PT facility - Harper's Personal Training.

* Each week at Harper's, my team completes around 1,200 - 1,500 PT sessions. To the best of my knowledge, Harper's is still the largest facility of it's kind in the Southern Hemisphere.

* Since 1990 I have employed over 300 PT's. These days most of my PT's are sub-contractors.

* I lectured in PT courses for thirteen years and hung up my teachers cardigan a couple of years ago. I was also a University lecturer for two years, teaching Exercise Science students.

What to look for?

1. Referrals. If enough people tell you that a PT is good, they are probably worth considering and having a chat with. Unless of course the person doing the referring is the mother of the PT!

2. Qualifications, registration, insurance. There are a surprising number of people working as PT's who are unqualified, uninsured and unregistered. Crazy but true. And of course there are qualifications and qualifications. If your trainer qualified in two days over the Internet, you may wanna keep looking. In Australia you should look for a minimum of a Certificate 4 in Fitness, or a relevant tertiary qualification (Human Movement, Exercise Science). Ask for proof of qualification, accreditation, registration and insurance. Yep, people tell fibs. The only qualification some PT's have is a PhD. in bullshitting.

3. Experience. It's important to know not only how long your trainer has worked in the industry, but also how many appointments they have done in that time. I spoke with a guy recently who informed me that he has been working as a PT for eight years. I was mildly impressed until he told me that he averages between two and five appointments per week. If someone has been doing lots of PT (day in, day out) for an extended period of time, they must be doing something right. Avoid the guy who qualified last Thursday. He might be nice but you don't wanna put your body in his hands. So to speak. Let him learn on someone else!

4. Knowledge. It's always nice to have a PT who actually knows what they're talking about, especially when you're entrusting them with your health and you're handing over your hard-earned. Ask your would-be PT a few questions and see how she responds. Perhaps something like, "what kind of training would you suggest for me, based on my goals, my body type, my age and my current fitness level and why?" If her eyes glaze over, keep looking.

5. Results. You can't argue with results. Plenty of PT's talk a good game but fail to deliver. Find yourself a PT who consistently produces quality outcomes and you could be on a winner. In the very early days of my PT career I helped one of my clients lose fifty five kilos. That result grew my business much faster than any marketing strategy ever could. This guy was a walking, talking advertisement for my business and within a short period of time I had to put wanna-be clients on to a waiting list. Good problem to have. I always say to up and coming PT's "get a fat bloke in shape, and you'll have ten of his fat mates at your door in no time". And to all you people who are about to get offended by that last sentence, don't bother. I'm not interested in your hyper-sensitivity.

6. Big picture mentality. Remember that this whole changing your body thing is about the rest of your life, not the wedding or reunion you've got coming up in three weeks. Find a PT who understands that getting in shape (and staying that way) is a multi-dimensional process. You don't need someone to teach you how to do Dumbbell Curls, you need someone to help you change your body, your mindset, your habits, your behaviours and your life... forever!

7. Someone who treats you like a person, not a body. Your body is not who you are; it's where you live. For now. Some PT's talk to people as though they are dealing with nothing more than a bunch of muscles, ligaments, tendons and joints. The PT who understands that the physical, the emotional and the psychological are inseparable, has a distinct advantage over his less enlightened colleagues.

8. A role model. It's hard to respect a PT who is out of shape. Yes, the fat PT does exist. If they can't get themselves in shape, they ain't gonna be much value to you. If they haven't made the theory a reality in their own life, then they don't deserve your respect. Or money. And no, I'm not suggesting that all PT's need to be ripped and rock hard but rather that they should have an ability to manage and maximise their own genetic potential before they take you by the hand.

9. A busy PT. Busy PT's are busy for a reason. If they have trouble finding a training time for you, that's a good sign.

10. Talk to them. As simple as this sounds, this is one of the most effective strategies for finding a good PT. And don't chat for two minutes, try ten or fifteen. Your body is worth it. Are they interesting and interested? Do they communicate well? Do they ask meaningful questions? Do they seem genuine or money-focused? Do you feel comfortable with them (it's important)? Do they seem competent and confident? Do you think you will enjoy spending regular one on one time with them? Are they likable? Irrespective of their skills, knowledge or experience, if there's absolutely no connection between the two of you, the relationship is doomed.

11. Try before you buy. I always suggest that people 'take a PT for a spin' (or two or three) before they commit to some longer-term relationship or business arrangement. I know many people who have done one-off workouts with seven or eight PT's before they finally found the right person for them. If the business or the individual PT insists that you sign up for multiple sessions from the start, tell them you're not interested. One session is usually enough to tell you what you need to know.

12. Policies, Fees, Payment Options, Conditions. Know exactly what you're getting yourself in for. What's their cancellation policy? How much notice are you required to give? What (exactly) do you get for your investment? Ask questions and don't assume.

13. Assessments. Make sure that your training involves regular and on-going assessments. This will help keep your PT honest. In order to determine the efficacy of your PT program, you should be tested every four to six weeks. Results don't lie. Depending on your goals, your PT can evaluate things such as girth measurements, body composition, biological age, strength, muscular endurance, power, aerobic endurance, flexibility, speed, reaction time and balance.

14. Professionalism. This is where many PT's fall down. It's also my pet hate. An unprofessional PT is a bad PT. Do they present themselves professionally? Do they look, sound and behave like a quality fitness professional? Or like a dumb, disorganised jock? What is your first impression of them - positive or negative? Does everything about them wreak of organisation, competence and excellence. Or the opposite? You'll know.

15. Resources, facilities and venue. While it's not necessary to work out in the multi-million dollar mega-gym, it is desirable for your PT to have access to ample quality resources to get you where you want to go. Training in the park with two dumbbells and a skipping rope for eighty bucks an hour will wear thin after a while. Working with limited resources also doesn't give you the best chance of creating your best possible results.

Okay Groovers, I'm sure that many of you will have thoughts, ideas and possibly a story or two on this topic. Feel free to share or even offer some advice, but make sure you don't slander anyone in the process. If you're a PT, we'd love to hear from you too. If you're not sure how to leave a comment, click here.

Labels: fitness, harpers, health, personal training

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