personal trainers

[cash78mere]

so i recently joined a gym and signed up for a personal trainer. my first appointment with her is tomorrow.

but i have a few questions...

i picked her blindly. she has her certifications and stuff but what should i be looking for when i'm with her? what is a good price? how long should the appointment be--half hour or full hour?

mind you i just want to tone and get into shape, not become a body builder.

how do i know she is right for me? is there anything she should or shouldn't be doing during my appointment?

anything you guys can tell me about trainers, including personal stories, would be great!!!!

i'm very excited to meet her and get started.

[KSigkid]

I'm not an expert by any means on this stuff, but...

I'd say an hour would be a good appointment time - that would be the length of a good workout anyways, and you might as well have the trainer advise you on all aspects of your workout.

As far as a price - I think that varies by location. I've seen many between $30-50 per hour, but I know there are others that are much more.

I'd say to make sure that she's advising you and you spend the time working out, not just talking - stay focused on your fitness goals, when you're being charged by the hour sometimes people will stretch out their advice, so they do the least work possible in that hour.

I've never gone the personal trainer route though...I could be wrong.

Collin

[James]

Most personal trainers aren't very good in a true sense. Meaning they really don't know that much about effective diet and excercise.

However, as long as she knows more than you do you are ahead of the ball game.

Certifications are mostly useless as a reference to who is good or not. Most certifications don't require a hell of a lot of real knowledge.

The best thing you can do. Is set up some measurable goals and establish a time fram to accomplish them. If the program she gives you achieves them, then she is good for you.

Also, she should be a teacher also. A good personal trainer will do themselves out of a job. And maybe only need to pop up once every 6 weeks or so to keep you on track.

So suck her dry of information.

[sigmagrrl]

It's too late now, but I would not have picked them blindly. I've been at my gym for a year now and have JUST decided on a personal trainer....She is the director of group fitness, has a very understanding personality, I've spoken to her in social settings and in/after class, and am a dedicated attendee of her class (which is my favorite). I've seen her work with other clients one-on-one, and she is PHENOMENAL. I asked her when her least busiest time is so that I can make sure I get her personal attention and not be rushed or interrupted. She pushes me in class and is also aware of all the surgery I've had...I've worked hard to develop a relationship with her and know this is a good choice.

You have to think of your personal trainer as an employee. You have to interview them to make sure they are a good fit.

[BirthaBlue4]

Well, my aunt and her fiance recently became trainers and they've started their own business. And TRUST, the certification is NOT easy. There are extensive tests on physiology, first aid, CPR, etc. So you do have to have knowledge. Now, whether or not you use it is a totally different question. There are lots of trainers that suck royally, and don't use the information they have to completely "train" their clients.

The role of the trainer, as Hootie said, is to train you on the equipment, etc. They should also tell you what types of exercise is best for your health and weight loss goals. What types of weight training and how much. They should take into account your diet, what you need to add and take away. They'll recommend supplements based upon your diet. If you eat a calcium and protein rich diet, you don't need those two as much as say Vitamin D or something. Most packages won't last the entire length of your "Road to Health/Weight Loss", but they will get you started and on an even road so that you will know exactly what to do for yourself. Now if you have the money, you can get one everyday, or beyond the package you bought.

Trainer are very good if you've never been in a gym before, at least for a few weeks. But you do have to find out what their personal philosophy is. Some are all about pills (supplements), some may be all about extreme diets, some may be anal and all around assholes (you'll find quite a few of those, especially those bodybuilder, I have myself together already and your a fat slob that needs ME ones). You have to make sure, just ask around to the CLIENTS at the gym, the other trianers will either lie so you'll come to them, or just sabotage the other trainers, because gyms have a very competitive commission program, and they can get very cutthroat.

One thing, see how they treat older people and really overweight people. I learned from my aunt that good trainers will train ANYONE, and that not so good trainers, at least as far as their personality and mentality, shun these two groups.

That's about all I know.