Diamonds In The Ruff - Finding A Good Personal Trainer

[Guest guest]

Please consider this free-reprint article written by:

Potts

-----------

IMPORTANT - Publication/Reprint Terms

- You have permission to publish this article electronically in

free-only publications such as a website or an ezine as long as

the bylines are included.

- You are not allowed to use this article for commercial

purposes.

- You are not allowed to use this article in UCE (Unsolicited

Commercial Email) or SPAM. This article MUST be distributed in

an opt-in email list only.

- If you distribute this article in an ezine or newsletter, we

ask that you send a copy of the newsletter or ezine that

contains the article to info@...

- If you post this article in a website/forum/blog, ALL links

MUST be set to hyperlinks and we ask that you send a copy of

the URL where the article is posted to

info@...

- We request that you ask permission from the author if you

want to publish this article in print.

The role of iSnare.com is only to distribute this article as

part of its Article Distribution feature (

http://www.isnare.com/distribution.php ). iSnare.com does NOT

own this article, please respect the author's copyright and

this publication/reprint terms. If you do not agree to any of

these terms, please do not reprint or publish this article.

-----------

Article Title: Diamonds In The Ruff - Finding A Good Personal

Trainer

Author: Potts

Category: Wellness, Fitness and Diet

Word Count: 1008

Article URL:

http://www.isnare.com/?id=1834 & ca=Wellness%2C+Fitness+and+Diet

Format: 64cpl

Author's Email Address: info@...

Article Source: http://www.isnare.com

Online Publisher Tool: http://www.isnare.com/html.php?id=1834

------------------ ARTICLE START ------------------

The question of how to find a good personal trainer is as old

as the industry itself. In fact, it usually gets transformed

into an even bigger question - should you even HIRE a personal

trainer? Conveniently enough, the answer to one of those

questions will dictate the answer to the other one - every

time!

The short and simple truth of the matter is that you should

only hire a personal trainer if you can find an effective one

that is right for you. Here are several things to consider

before you decide!

Professionalism

The term professionalism should cover our prospective trainer's

skills, as well as his/her ability to act in a professional

manner. Both are critical to the training process, and if a

trainer is lacking in either department, it will spell doom for

your program eventually, either in the short term, or later on

down the road.

The days of personal trainers just being jocks with a

certification are (thankfully!) coming to a close. Today's

personal trainer needs to be a consummate professional with

regard to his/her actual skills, as well as ability to treat

their clients in a professional and business-like manner.

For now let's just agree that if your trainer doesn't have a

clue about how to get you in shape, you probably don't want to

hire that trainer!

What about their level of professionalism? A good personal

trainer will always maintain their professional bearing. They

don't need to be some stick in the mud with no personality, but

there are several things that a trainer should NOT be doing

during a training session. These include things like staring at

themselves in the mirror, daydreaming, excessively talking to

other people, talking on their cell phone, checking out members

of the opposite sex, and just generally not focusing on you

during the workout.

Your trainer should look professional as well. Although the

actual clothing standards vary widely, some things that you

should not see are excessive body jewelry, the latest fashions

such as arm bands, beanie caps, combat boots, etc., or any

clothing or accessories that are worn simply as decoration or

because the style is in. The latest styles have absolutely

nothing to do with your training program!

Credentials

Which level of personal training certification is the best has

been and continues to be a matter of extreme debate. This

article will not propagate that debate with further discussion

of the details. However, what you should take home is the fact

that regardless of your fitness goals, your trainer should be

qualified to train YOU.

For general health and fitness, any of the top 10 nationwide

certification agencies offer acceptable programs. A brief list

includes - but is not limited to - the International Sports

Sciences Association, the American Council on Exercise, and the

National Academy of Sports Medicine. There are others, and your

trainer should be more than happy to point you to the website

that governs his or certification, so that you can learn more

on your own.

For more specific considerations like training for a sport or

athletic competition, your trainer will need a higher degree of

expertise. The American College of Sports Medicine has a great

program and is one of the most recognized certifications for

sport specific training.

You should ask very specific questions about how a potential

trainer is going to tackle the particular issues that you want

covered during your training program.

Facility

Regardless of your potential trainer's credentials and

professionalism, you need to know where you are going to train.

The industry standard of only working out at a gym is being

challenged more and more these days. It is possible now to find

a trainer who will come right to your house and train you, or

possibly meet you outside, or in your housing area community

fitness center. Don't fall into the trap of thinking that you

have to go to the gym if you want a personal trainer!

Schedule

One of the biggest issues for trainers and clients alike is

scheduling. After all, you both have to be in the same place at

the same time for a minimum of 30 minutes, and possibly as long

as 90 minutes. A good trainer will try to find a way to fit you

into their schedule. It won't always be possible, especially

with a highly sought after trainer, but if the trainer truly

wants to help you, they will do their best to fit you in.

Rapport

Having a good rapport with your personal trainer is crucial! If

you and your trainer don't get along, it's a waste of time for

both of you. You will likely end up more frustrated than ever,

thinking that even a professional couldn't help you!

Working with a personal trainer that you like is necessary, and

on the flip side, the trainer should like you as well. You don't

necessarily need to pick out curtains together, but you should

at least be able to carry on a comfortable dialogue while you

exercise. Most good trainers are good communicators as well,

but if the two of you aren't very comfortable with each other,

then it will cause tension and increase the risk of your

program meeting with failure.

A good personal trainer will agree to meet with you face to

face before you actually sign up for a training program. Some

trainers offer a free or low-cost initial consultation, and

that is the perfect time to size up your trainer to make sure

they fit your needs!

You should take home the fact that the definition of a good

personal trainer is someone who is not only a professional, but

is also appropriate for your specific personality, needs, goals,

and desires. You may be working with this person for awhile, so

choose wisely!

About The Author: Potts is the owner and creator of

Fitness Destinations. 's experience in the health and

fitness industry includes one on one personal training in many

different environments, maintenance of several health-related

websites, and authoring of many fitness-related products for

consumers and fitness professionals.

http://www.fitnessdestinations.com/journal.html

------------------ ARTICLE END ------------------

For more free-reprint articles by Potts please visit:

http://www.isnare.com/?s=author & a=+Potts