Not all trainers know what they’re doing. This checklist of key points will ensure your coach isn’t wasting your time—or money.
Personal training is a huge business, and it’s only getting bigger. In 2016, the Bureau of Labor Statistics estimated that there were 300,000 “fitness trainers and instructors” and that the field was expected to grow by 10% between 2016 and 2026. Not to mention that Instagram and YouTube have given way to a slew of influencers, many of whom sell programs to their millionsof loyal followers.
With so many options, it can betough to know who is worth your hard-earned cheddar. So to help you find the ideal muscle guru, we’ve consulted a pair of experienced personal trainers, grilled them on what makes a good trainer (and a good client, more on that at right), and then came up with this five-point checklist. You’re welcome.
1. THEY DON’T HAVE ACERT
“Having a certification doesn’t mean you’re a great trainer—that’s not true—but if you take your career seriously, then you’ll have one,” says Brad Baldwin, C.S.C.S., M.S., an NYC-based personal trainer and owner of Brad Baldwin Fitness (bradbaldwinfitness.com). “It’s just one aspect of it.” As for which certifications to look for, Baldwin says the NSCA-C.P.T. (National Strength and Conditioning Association–Certified Personal Trainer) and C.S.C.S. (Certified Strength and Conditioning Coach) are solid, as well as either a bachelor’s or master’s degree in exercise science or physiology.
2. THEY’RE NOT LIKE YOU
That is, they don’t align with your goals. “If you’re a 50-year-old mom in Dubuque, IA, who just wants to get fit and do more squats, then going to a guy who trains only 200-plus-pound powerlifters probably isn’t a good fit,” says Jeb Stuart Johnston, an NYC-based personal trainer and nutrition coach specializing in body recomposition and lifestyle trans formation (jebstuartjohnston.com). “You want to find someone who has results in the population that you fit into.”
3. THEY DON’T DIG DEEP
More psychologist than diet coach, Johnston says that the bulk of his job revolves around helping people, “figuring out what their behaviors are that are leading to weight gain and figuring out how to change them.” That means working to make his clients self-aware and putting them in a position to take ownership over their transformation. “It all really comes down to them saying, ‘OK, this didn’t work because I didn’t do what I needed to do.’ There’s a lot of power in that.”
4. THEY’RE LACKING PROOF
According to Johnston, how a trainer looks says nothing about their knowledge, and they should have a portfolio of success stories to show you. Baldwin agrees, adding that when it comes to hiring an online trainer, you should look beyond just testimonials. There are two routes you can take when looking for a virtual coach. The first option is to hire an actual online trainer. This is generally more expensive (usually hundreds of dollars a month), but you get a lot of access to your coach. Baldwin himself offers exercise videos, Skype calls, meal plans, and weekly check-ins to his clients. A cheaper option is to buy premade training programs, which can cost between $30 and $100. Baldwin refers to these programs as “low-ticket items,” and they are popular among Instagram influencers. “Those can work for some people,” he says, “but you need to look at the ratio. If a trainer has 1 million followers but only 100 testimonials, then how many people bought the program and didn’t benefit—possibly tens of thousands.”
5. THEY PROGRAM BEYOND YOUR EXPERIENCE
“Your trainer should be providing a decent stimulus [or exercise] with a low risk of injury,” Johnston says. In other words, if you’ve never touched a barbell before and your coach has you performing back squats instead of doing body-weight squats or goblet squats—both easier regressions—then they may not have your best interests in mind. Baldwin, who works with a lot of beginners, says that he’ll have clients send videos of them performing an exercise to him through text. That way, he can correct their form within minutes.
CLIENT COMMANDMENTS: 4 TIPS TO KEEPYOUR TRAINER HAPPY
Baldwin and Johnston list their biggest pet peeves so that you can make sure you’re not causing your trainer any headaches
DON’T BE FASHIONABLY LATE
“Clients who show up 20 or 30 minutes late but still expect me to do the full hour are terrible,” Baldwin says. “I have other clients.” Johnston also can’t stand clients who “call out sick.” “We are all adults. Just tell the truth,” he says. “Remember, I probably follow you on Instagram, so unless you magically got a virus from the mechanical bull you were riding at 4 a.m., I’m guessing that the tequila might be why you’re out.”
DON’T CHEATON YOUR COACH
“Asking 20 people for their advice will just get you 20 answers,” Johnston says. “Listen to your coach or get a new one.”
DON’T BE A MOTORMOUTH
“Talking is OK, but don’t talk so much where nothing gets done,” Baldwin says. “And then they complain when it doesn’t work.” He adds that similar rules apply to text. “Seriously, don’t text yourtrainer at midnight and expect a response. That’s happened.”
DON’T BE IN DENIAL
“It’s no one else’s fault that you ate an entire pizza for dinner. Acting surprised that you’ve gained weight just kicks the can down the road,” Johnston says. “The sooner we can deal with the elephant in the room, the sooner you can start to see results.”
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