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Writer's pictureE Studio Personal Training

4 Qualities To Look For In A Personal Trainer

Updated: Sep 23

You did it! You’ve made the decision to get in shape and feel your best. You’ve even made specific goals you’d like to achieve. But you’re not sure where to start on this motivated journey of yours and you certainly don’t want to get injured along the way. Now is the time to find a qualified personal trainer to safely guide you to a stronger and healthier version of you. To ensure you find the right trainer for you, here are four important qualities to look for.

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Slow Movement High Intensity Squat Exercise

1. Experience


Although there are many personal training certifications available, most of them do not include hands-on training. Passing a written test online is much different than keeping an actual human being safe and injury-free during exercise. Which certification is on a personal trainer's wall isn’t as important as how much experience they have.


Having a mentor during the trainer-in-training process is the kind of experience you are looking for. Working with real clients in a controlled environment under the supervision of a seasoned professional is what separates newly certified trainers from experienced certified trainers.


Working alongside an experienced instructor with real clients is the time to observe, ask lots of questions, make supervised mistakes, practice on a variety of people in a safe and controlled environment. It is also their opportunity to build confidence by succeeding. So be sure to ask them about their hands-on training experience. And remember, even if they are newly certified, if mentor training was part of their certification process, they hold a level of experience that other trainers won't.


2. Communication skills


One of the most important skills for a personal trainer to have is quality communication. They must be able to instruct you with clear and concise details regarding the exercise and what is expected of you. The instruction should be organized and easy to understand. Clear communication skills also allows them to stay a step ahead of you in order to help you succeed on each exercise, while maintaining your safety.


The other important aspect of communication is listening. It is very important that you feel heard by your trainer. If at any point during an exercise you feel pain or that something isn’t right, speak up. A good trainer will be able to either modify the exercise or show you another option to better suit your needs.


Your trainer should also be keeping track of your last workout by making notes regarding any important details.You should feel they are paying attention and that they have your best interest in mind at all times. After-all, you have hired them as your fitness guide.

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3. Positive attitude


There are certain attributes that a personal trainer can be taught, such as what to look for regarding proper form, or which exercises target certain muscle groups, or appropriate exercises for particular individuals. A genuine positive attitude, a good personality and patience on the other hand, they either have or they don't.


Hopefully, the trainer you choose got into the field of personal training because they love helping people and it makes them happy seeing their clients succeed. Whether or not they love their job should be clear to see based on their attitude.


A personal trainer’s job is to motivate and safely guide you toward your goals. It is also important that they treat you as an individual, taking into account your specific fitness level and capabilities. This means they are aware of what is right for you and they have the patience to safely guide you appropriately.


Feeling comfortable with your trainer is also a good sign that their attitude and personality are a good fit for you. Ultimately, you should like your trainer as a person.


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4. Safety first


Most people who hire a personal trainer are likely aware that a scheduled appointment will hold them accountable for staying on track. They are also aware that they won’t push themselves as hard as a trainer will. These are both very good reasons to hire a personal trainer. However, this being said, any responsible trainer should follow the motto, safety first.


There is a time to push and a time to modify. If you arrive for your workout and explain to your trainer that you were pruning trees in your yard all weekend and your right shoulder is bothering you, they should listen. Your shoulder should be taken into consideration moving forward with your workout.


An experienced trainer will have the ability to make the necessary modifications that will allow you to still achieve an effective workout while keeping your shoulder safe. In fact, if handled correctly, your shoulder should actually feel better after the workout then when you arrived.


The right fit


When shopping for the right trainer for you, remember that no one knows your body as well as you do. It is important that you feel comfortable communicating your needs and that you feel safe and well cared for.


Trying an actual session with a trainer is a perfect way to see if they are the right one for you. This will give you the opportunity to decide if their personality fits well with what you’re looking for and whether or not they seem qualified.


Hiring a personal trainer is a great way to achieve your health and fitness goals safely and effectively. If you're looking for a personal trainer in Santa Rosa, CA, click here.


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