As we begin to hit the tail end of Spring we can now feel that the Summer Season is on the horizon. Here in Vancouver, we’ve had absolutely fantastic weather as of late. I for one like many others love the warm sunny weather that comes along with this season and try to spend as much of my free time outdoors soaking up the Summer festivities as I possibly can. I always know that Summer is close when the atmosphere in the gym starts to change as well. All of a sudden there’s a line up to use the pec dec machine, every single treadmill in the gym is in use and you can forget about using the squat rack as most “seasonal lifters” like to claim the racks so that they can perform every single damn exercise in them except for squats!

Nevertheless most gyms are insanely busy at this time of year which is definitely not a bad thing, especially if you work in the fitness industry. So let’s say that you’re not a seasonal lifter however you are using the summer season as your own motivation to get yourself into the best shape of your life. Wouldn’t it make sense to hire a professional who can help take you there faster then you could do it on your own? I would like to think so. But what exactly should you look for when you are seeking to hire someone to help you lose body fat and build muscle? I mean if a trainer has his or her license, is fully certified and even has a few years of training along with hundreds of hours of on floor experience shouldn’t these attributes be credible enough to provide confidence to you the client that you are in good hands? Well, no, not necessarily…..

Okay, I’m going to be brutally honest here. I work in an extremely flaky industry. I’m actually embarrassed at times to tell people what I do for a living as the general views and stereotypes that society has when it comes to personal trainers are that most of us are self absorbed, non-stop selfie taking meat heads who are most definitely not the sharpest tools in the shed. And for the most part, I would have to agree that they’re right. Now don’t get me wrong, I’ve worked with and work alongside some pretty amazing and knowledgeable trainers. In fact, some of my good friends are personal trainers who take their job and their client’s health and fitness goals extremely seriously. But I would have to say that there is a very small percentage of trainers who are actually like this. So if you are thinking about hiring a trainer and are basing your choice solely on credentials and rates alone I believe there’s a chance you may be setting yourself up for failure and disappointment before you even begin. Therefore I have listed a few points below that I believe are important to consider when looking for the right trainer to hire.

When to Hire a Trainer

Training Rates
Everyone always likes to get a good deal on a product or service when and if possible. That doesn’t necessarily make us cheap however it does make us feel that we are getting top value at a lower price. I have to say though when it comes to Personal Training from what I’ve seen is that what you pay is what you get. Don’t think for one second that trainers don’t compare their rates on their services to their competition when trying to set and establish their own prices. Therefore when you see bootcamps or yoga classes being advertised for “50% off” until a certain date be very weary as to why theses classes are being priced so low. Perhaps these companies are desperate for new clients. Why are they desperate though? Has business slowed down? Do they have a high turnover rate with both clients and their own trainers? Is the gym clean? Is it even safe? Always check these things out before signing up on the dotted line.

Credentials
Just because someone has ten different certifications next to their name and has hundred of hours of on-floor experience does not necessarily mean that he or she knows everything and anything there is to know about weight loss and muscle building. Remember, there’s always going to be someone who graduates at the bottom of his or her class. The formula that we use to help our own clients get into shape is very simple. We find a training style that works for the individual and we use it. We learn a client’s body and figure out how it reacts to different training programs as well as different meal plans. We don’t follow some generic one size-fits-all program from a PT (personal training) text book to tell us how to train our clients. You are an individual therefore it’s important to be treated as one. Rather then seek out top credentials perhaps try asking friends or family members for a few referrals to find out if they know of anyone. Once you find a trainer you like, ask them if you can contact a few of their other clients for their own views and opinions on the trainer’s services.

Which brings me to my next point to look for when hiring a personal trainer…

Referrals & Testimonials
Whether I’m interested in purchasing a new product or enquiring for a service I always look for referrals and/or testimonials from other people who have experience with the product or service I’m considering to purchase. As a consumer I understand that there’s bound to be a mix of both positive and negative reviews for some things however I make my decision based on whether the majority of the feedback is constructive to what I expect or that I am looking to accomplish. I always feel more confident with my purchase knowing that other people have made the very same purchase and only have positive experiences to report.

Now that you have a few ideas as to what to look for when hiring a personal trainer let’s
look at a few quick points as to when you should fire your personal trainer.

When to Fire Your Personal Trainer

– If your trainer constantly shows up late for your sessions or has to reschedule your appointments – Fire Your Personal Trainer!

If you catch your trainer texting on his or her cell phone while they should be correcting your form and posture during a set – Fire Your Personal Trainer!

If your trainer gives you an exercise to do that looks more like an acrobatic stunt that you would see in Cirque du Soleil – Fire Your Personal Trainer!

If your trainer tries to teach your CrossFit – Run the hell away from that trainer and then… Fire Your Trainer!

Okay, I’m just kidding about the last point however just remember this – You are the client. You are paying for the service. You are not your trainer’s boss you are however a paying customer. Therefore it’s up to the trainer to provide you with a professional, intense, effective and safe workout that you will enjoy and find challenging.

And if your trainer does not provide you with this service then you guessed it – Fire Your Trainer!

That’s it. Yes it’s really that simple. I feel as a trainer myself it’s my duty to inform the general public about just how shady the fitness industry can really be at times. As I mentioned earlier there are plenty of fantastic trainers out there. When it comes to our own company we just provide the simple logic to treat all of our clients just as we would expect to be treated when paying for a professional service. We’ve built Forever Fit through hundred of referrals over the years and continue to do so to this day. We are proud of our work and feel honoured to have been able to assist and continue to assist so many people reach their target health and fitness goals.

As such, our company continues to grow and survives mostly through referrals. Therefore we can’t risk devaluing our services by offering cheesy sales promotions just to attract new clientele. We also make sure that loyalty does not go unnoticed and is actually rewarded by rarely increasing our rates on existing clientele, even when the cost of doing business rises and demands that we do so.

Remember to be the best you need to surround yourself with the best. Keep your expectations high when hiring a trainer and don’t be afraid to pull the trigger and leave if those expectations are not met.

Yours in Good Health,

Nick Cosgrove