How To Find The Right Personal Trainer in New York City
Although this article is targeted to finding the right New York City Personal Trainer, it is also applicable to anyone looking to find the right personal trainer anywhere in the United States.
A) Certification
Make sure your personal trainer is properly certified. There are a great number of personal trainers who are excellent in their field due to their own experience in sports training or personal training in gyms, but certification shows a level of professionalism that you cannot do without.
The top personal training certifications in the US are the following: NASM (National Academy of Sports Medicine), ACSM (American College Sports Medicine), ISSA (International Sports Science Association), ACE (American Council on Exercise) and NSCA (National Strength and Conditioning Assoc).
Especially look for trainers who continue to expand their knowledge base through continued education courses and keep their certification updated. What good is an expired certification? It should be current. Ask the trainer for the name of the association(s) to which he or she has certification and look up its criteria online.
Additionally, a degree in an Exercise Science field shows an additional level of education and commitment. It’s a big plus.
B) Emergency Prepared
A good personal trainer should be CPR (Cardio Pulmonary resuscitation) and AED (Automated External Defibrillator) certified. In case anything should happen, your personal trainer should be prepared to assist you.
C) Liability Insurance
Make sure your trainer carries an appropriate amount of liability insurance. Proper insurance shows that the trainer has taken financial precaution and is running an ethical business.
D) PAR-Q: Physical Activity Readiness Questionnaire
A good trainer would never train a client without doing a detailed PAR-Q. This questionnaire evaluates a client’s health, fitness, and family history. Additionally, a good trainer would measure the client’s physical condition (heart rate, blood pressure, body fat, weight, height, flexibility, and V-O2 (Volume of Oxygen) intake. During this time, he or she would ask personal questions such as what the client’s goals are, what the client hopes to achieve, and how much time the client is willing to commit?
E) Goals
A good personal trainer will establish a base line of attainable goals with the client and inspire the client to reach those goals.
F) Personality
A client should not only feel comfortable with his/her personal trainer, but also feel inspired by and motivated by his or her personal trainer. The two should have a good rapport while maintaining a professional relationship. An initial (and discounted) consultation will allow the client to experience the trainer’s personality.
G) Professionalism
A good trainer maintains his behavior in a skillful, business-like manner. A good personal trainer is always on time, motivates the client, stays focused on the client, and keeps up with the latest exercise information. In a sense, a good trainer is a good role model for physical fitness.
Unprofessional behavior includes staring in the mirror at oneself, chatting up with other gym members, talking on a cell phone during the work out, daydreaming, checking out members of the opposite sex, and, generally, not paying attention to the client.
These are some of the most important attributes that makes a good personal trainer.
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