The number of personal trainers in the U.S. is growing by leaps and bounds. The Bureau of Labor Statistics (BLS) reports that there were almost 357,000 personal trainers employed in 2018. They also predict that this profession will continue to rise by about 13% over the next 10 years. This type of growth is good for personal trainers, but it’s also a good thing for people searching for a trainer. However, the wealth of choices can make it harder to choose the best personal trainer for your needs. Here are three tips that can help you find a personal trainer who is the best fit for you:
- Check out their credentials
There are several national organizations that offer certification for personal trainers. The American Council on Exercise (ACE), National Academy of Sports Medicine (NASM) and National Strength and Conditioning Association (NSCA) are three of the top certifying organizations for personal trainers. If you’re trying to find a personal trainer, make sure to check out their credentials. These credentials can give you an idea of the trainer’s knowledge base. They can also help ensure a higher level of professionalism and competence.
- Make sure your personalities don’t clash
Another tip that can help you find the right personal trainer for you is to make sure your personalities mesh. People want different types of encouragement when they’re working out. For example, you might respond better to the drill sergeant type. Other people benefit from positive reinforcement or cheerleading. If you know what type of encouragement works best for you, then it’s vital to pick a trainer who uses that style. Otherwise, you could find yourself looking for a trainer again fairly quickly.
- Ask about their workout philosophy
Finding the best personal trainer for you should also be about finding one whose workout philosophy you agree with. In this case, philosophy means what their views are about working out and how they set up workouts for their clients. This varies from trainer to trainer. One trainer could be all about body weight workouts in the outdoors. Another might focus on traditional gym-based workouts, and others might believe that machines aren’t as good as free weights. The key here is to find a philosophy you can get behind. For example, don’t go with a trainer who has a body weight exercise philosophy if you can’t stand pushups. If you aren’t behind the trainer’s philosophy, you can easily become discouraged, and that can lead you to stop working out entirely.
SOL Physical Therapy can help you find a qualified personal trainer
At SOL Physical Therapy, our team wants to help you meet your health and fitness goals, and we have certified personal trainers who can design workouts to help you meet them. Our trainers are able to help you find ways to meet your fitness goals that don’t cause long-term damage to the body. We also offer other services that can help boost your workout, including:
Take the next step to get our help with your workouts. Contact our team today for more information or to schedule an appointment.
