Another article for the October issue.

Thinking about getting a personal trainer but don’t know where to start about going to get one? There are a few things you should know before jumping head-long in to a commitment.

First thing is that here in Colorado, one does not need to be licensed or certified to become a practicing personal trainer. It is, however, recommended that you do find someone who is licensed and certified as you do not want to work with someone who, improperly trained, could actually cause serious injury to your precious body.

The American College of Sports Medicine [ASCM] and the National Strength Conditioning Association [NSCA] are both institutions to look for when selecting potential trainers. Certification from these entities does not exactly define how good a trainer is, but it does inform you that they have passed the minimum requirements in order to be at least, certified. They should also know CPR and basic first aid techniques, and be able to furnish proof of such.

It is also not a bad idea to use personal references from friends and family. If a trainer is a practicing professional, they should have no problem giving you their own personal references, if it is a trainer that comes unsolicited.

Next up, you want to find out what kind of fee or rate you are going to pay. You can get a feel for what the average price of a trainer is by calling around to various gyms and getting information on what they charge. This will give you some sense of where to start off when negotiating a contract. Be advised though, that more experienced trainers, as well as such things as if the trainer will be coming to you, rather than you going to a gym or their facility, will also be a factor in determining cost. Some trainers charge by session, but others may charge by the program. Make sure you discuss what your goals are and how the trainer will attempt to attain those goals with you.

Probably the biggest factor when looking for a trainer is personal compatibility. You need to consider such things as personality, your comfort level with this person who is going to be touching you, and just that general sense of whether or not you and the trainer “mesh well”. Having a trainer that you don’t like will kill your motivation, which in the end will make the whole thing a waste of time and money.

Finally, if you really want to see if a trainer is worth their salt, they should have a very clear and defined exercise or training philosophy. If you have a hard time getting motivated, maybe a drill-instructor type is for you. But as mentioned before with the compatibility factor, you want to factor in their philosophy with what you actually think you can handle. Also, don’t judge a book by its cover. Just because that trainer has buns and abs of steel does not mean that their statuesque figure was not the result of plastic surgery, or exercise obsession.