Many people today feel like they need to loose a few pounds. The reasons may be different - to fit into clothes more comfortably or to have more energy throughout the day – but the desire is the same. For some of these people finding the discipline and motivation to achieve long-term results becomes a frustrating pursuit. That is when the search for a professional trainer often begins.
As a fitness professional, working with dozens of different trainers over the years, I can tell you that the trainer you decide to invest in will directly affect your ability to achieve your desired results.
There are credentials and certifications to look for when searching for a trainer; however, there is no regulation on the quality of service you will be provided. Throughout my years in the fitness industry, I have been exposed to many different styles of training. What has become most interesting to me is the trainers that coast through their commitment to clients and let the lack of progress in their clients go unaddressed. From my observations, I can attribute these oversights to a few specific factors:
- The trainer falls into a comfort zone with their client and neglects the opportunity to create new challenges in the workout.
- The trainer lacks the focus to stay in the workout with their client; often socializing with their client or others that may be nearby.
- The trainer is not incorporating a multi-pronged approach that will drive the client’s results.
- The client is not expecting or asking for more from their trainer.
The Right Trainer
When you make an investment in a professional trainer, it is an investment in your overall health and approach to life. A professional trainer should be a partner to you in the achievement of your fitness goals, and should work just as hard as you to deliver results.
The first thing your trainer should do is work with you to develop a “Game Plan” and a corresponding timeline to work against. This will also be the point that you will discuss nutrition with your trainer and how to ensure you are eating right to support your efforts in the gym. This is the easy part. Once you’ve developed a strategy that you both agree to, you go to work – together – in and out of the gym. Making a lifestyle change requires a true commitment and the right support systems until your new program becomes second nature. The right trainer will show equal commitment to getting you on the right path no matter how difficult it may seem to you.
Inside the gym there should be little down time. It’s the trainer’s job to limit any distractions that take your mind away from the task at hand and to create an environment that allows you to get the most from your workout. This also teaches you to create the right environment for yourself on days that you have to work without your trainer.
Most importantly, there should be an ongoing dialogue between you and your trainer. The right trainer will have an insatiable curiosity about your evolving habits and how they measure against your progress. There are many different stages in your goal timeline and the right trainer will be able to foresee potential obstacles and provide you with the support you need to champion forward.
These are just preliminary guidelines to consider when choosing a trainer. As with any investment or lifestyle change, it should be a long-term commitment that enables you to live your best life. For more information please write to fitnessintl@earthlink.net.
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