There are plenty of reasons why you should and shouldn't get personal trainers. Being a beginner at the gym can be very confusing. All the machines probably look the same and you don't know what to workout out today, tomorrow and the day after that.
A personal trainer can help you get started with the basic knowledge you need to get into shape. They can show you how to do different exercises and they can also set you up with a routine that will help every muscle in your body. Personal trainers are also there to be your motivation. If you are someone that likes to make excuses and never show up to the gym, paying for a personal trainer can be what gets you there.
Many personal trainers only have a certification which is given out after a two or three day coarse. These certifications almost never require a college degree so they might not know more than your neighbor. Always ask them for their certification and research what it actually means. You might be surprised.
If you are leaning on hiring a personal trainer, first try and do it yourself. There is plenty of information available for free wherever you look; on the internet, in the library and even at your gym. There are always people you can ask that will be more than glad to help you and won't charge you a penny. If you are having a lot of trouble finding that help or getting motivated a personal trainer might be for you.
Please visit our website for more information on personal trainer education.
Tuesday, December 2, 2008
Monday, December 1, 2008
Evaluate Your Personal Fitness Trainer
When seeking a personal trainer, it is necessary for the public to educate themselves on how to interview the right person for the job. While there are many certified personal trainers out there, only a select few of them are truly competent. You should always ask and verify where their certification is from and what their credentials are. There are different types and levels of training certifications, only a handful of them are good. Most tests are multiple choice questions that are moderately difficult and some others require some essay or program design but are usually easy. What you need to look for is the continuing education courses the trainers have taken. It is the seminars and practical workshops that make a trainer better.
It is difficult for the public to decipher a good trainer from a bad one. In many cases, even the worst trainer knows more about physical fitness than the average person. Below are some fundamental questions that should be asked before making your choice. They are designed to save you from choosing a bad apple.
Questions you should ask:
* What certifications do they hold?
* Do they attend workshops and seminars? Which ones?
* How long have they been a trainer?
* How thorough was your evaluation? Did they do a medical history and test flexibility, balance, core strength, proprioception, muscle strength and endurance?
* Are they familiar with functional training (training according to daily activities or a specific goal) ?
* Have they explained the importance of flexibility?
* Do they stress how important it is to properly brace the core and preserve the lumbar spine?
* Do they know what P.N.F (Proprioceptive Neuromuscular Facilitation) stretching is ?
* Have they explained that function is more important than vanity?
* Can they explain what they are going to do in the routine and how it benefits you?
* Did they explain that cardio alone is an inefficient workout?
* Do they have a basic understanding of nutrition?
If you already have a trainer you can evaluate them:
* Does your trainer understand that a core routine is not a series of floor exercises?
* Do they understand current research that proves traditional sit ups, leg raises and many of the common exercises that flex the spine can actually be harmful even for healthy people?
* Are you doing more free weights and medicine balls than machines?
* Do they ever take notes?
* Are you being properly warmed up at the beginning and being stretched at the end?
* Does your trainer change the routine periodically?
* Does you trainer incorporate balance boards, swiss balls, single leg exercises and other challenged environments?
* When training the core (midsection) does your trainer explain how important it is to do dynamic multiplantar movements as well as isometric exercises and the importance of low back exercises?
* Does your trainer target weak areas?
* If you feel pain in places that you should not like your knees, low back and neck does your trainer change or modify the exercise to a pain free range?
* Do you truly understand what you are doing while you train?
* Are you really getting results?
* Do you do more back exercises than chest and abs?
* Are you setting goals?
* Are you talking about you and your needs?
* Are you getting undivided attention?
If you answered no to any of these questions, then your trainer may be lacking key knowledge that is necessary for you to reach your fitness goals. More importantly, your trainer may be doing you more harm than good. It is simple for a trainer to deceive an unsuspecting client into believing they are knowledgeable. This is due to the general public not being educated about the fitness industry and trusting a gym will provide them with a competent trainer. In most cases, gyms are not always concerned with the quality of the people they are hiring. If a gym thinks a trainer possesses strong sales skills, they will hire them as long as they have some type of certification. A qualified fitness professional will understand at the very least everything listed above. Remember when hiring a trainer to make sure they are a full time professional. Part time does not cut it when it comes to your health. Would you go to a part time Medical Doctor?
It is important to understand that certifications and degrees certainly help but do not mean everything. You want to know about their clinical experience and the workshops they attend. Ask who they work with and get at least three references to call from current clients. See if they work with any local doctors, all the good trainers work with at least one doctor.
Please visit our website for more information on Personal Trainer Education.
It is difficult for the public to decipher a good trainer from a bad one. In many cases, even the worst trainer knows more about physical fitness than the average person. Below are some fundamental questions that should be asked before making your choice. They are designed to save you from choosing a bad apple.
Questions you should ask:
* What certifications do they hold?
* Do they attend workshops and seminars? Which ones?
* How long have they been a trainer?
* How thorough was your evaluation? Did they do a medical history and test flexibility, balance, core strength, proprioception, muscle strength and endurance?
* Are they familiar with functional training (training according to daily activities or a specific goal) ?
* Have they explained the importance of flexibility?
* Do they stress how important it is to properly brace the core and preserve the lumbar spine?
* Do they know what P.N.F (Proprioceptive Neuromuscular Facilitation) stretching is ?
* Have they explained that function is more important than vanity?
* Can they explain what they are going to do in the routine and how it benefits you?
* Did they explain that cardio alone is an inefficient workout?
* Do they have a basic understanding of nutrition?
If you already have a trainer you can evaluate them:
* Does your trainer understand that a core routine is not a series of floor exercises?
* Do they understand current research that proves traditional sit ups, leg raises and many of the common exercises that flex the spine can actually be harmful even for healthy people?
* Are you doing more free weights and medicine balls than machines?
* Do they ever take notes?
* Are you being properly warmed up at the beginning and being stretched at the end?
* Does your trainer change the routine periodically?
* Does you trainer incorporate balance boards, swiss balls, single leg exercises and other challenged environments?
* When training the core (midsection) does your trainer explain how important it is to do dynamic multiplantar movements as well as isometric exercises and the importance of low back exercises?
* Does your trainer target weak areas?
* If you feel pain in places that you should not like your knees, low back and neck does your trainer change or modify the exercise to a pain free range?
* Do you truly understand what you are doing while you train?
* Are you really getting results?
* Do you do more back exercises than chest and abs?
* Are you setting goals?
* Are you talking about you and your needs?
* Are you getting undivided attention?
If you answered no to any of these questions, then your trainer may be lacking key knowledge that is necessary for you to reach your fitness goals. More importantly, your trainer may be doing you more harm than good. It is simple for a trainer to deceive an unsuspecting client into believing they are knowledgeable. This is due to the general public not being educated about the fitness industry and trusting a gym will provide them with a competent trainer. In most cases, gyms are not always concerned with the quality of the people they are hiring. If a gym thinks a trainer possesses strong sales skills, they will hire them as long as they have some type of certification. A qualified fitness professional will understand at the very least everything listed above. Remember when hiring a trainer to make sure they are a full time professional. Part time does not cut it when it comes to your health. Would you go to a part time Medical Doctor?
It is important to understand that certifications and degrees certainly help but do not mean everything. You want to know about their clinical experience and the workshops they attend. Ask who they work with and get at least three references to call from current clients. See if they work with any local doctors, all the good trainers work with at least one doctor.
Please visit our website for more information on Personal Trainer Education.
Subscribe to:
Posts (Atom)