You will not find many activities that improve the quality of your life tenfold. Exercising is one of them. The confidence you gain is incomparable, the energy your body creates feels vibrant, and who can put a price tag on having a defined six pack? But there are two problems.
Finding the right fitness program for your goal can be very confusing, and integrating exercise into your lifestyle can be a challenge if you have no support. The solution is an educated, passionate, and experienced personal trainer. If you are thinking of improving your life dramatically, hire a reliable personal trainer.
Here are three things to consider before you hire a trainer.
1. Make sure the trainer holds a current NCCA accredited certification
The personal training industry is unregulated. That means anybody label themselves a personal trainer without any prior knowledge of fitness. The person may not know the correct form for an exercise, but if he can sound smart he can usually fool you. All he has to do is pick up a fitness magazine and swipe a program then pawn it off as his own. You would be surprised at how common this is.
As a bare minimum, your personal trainer should be certified through one of these NCCA approved certifying agencies:
NASM — National Academy of Sports Medicine
ACE — American Council in Exercise
ACSM — American College of Sports Medicine
NSCA — National Strength and Conditioning Association
NCSF — National Council on Strength & Fitness
NFPT — National Federation of Professional Trainers
NESTA — National Exercise & Sports Trainers Association
If a personal trainer has one of these certifications, usually he has devoted some time to learning the basic functions of the human body. These certifications are not a guarantee of quality, but they can definitely be a reliable filter.
If the trainer you call does not have one of these certifications, ditch him!
2. Make sure the trainer has experience with your goal
Once you find a personal trainer that is certified through the NCCA, ask if he has experience with your goal. You may talk to a personal trainer who specializes in marathons and has dozens of raving testimonials, but if you want to lose fat he may be only a novice. An expert will be able to help you the fastest and help you transform permanently.
If the trainer you call does not specialize in your goal, find someone who does!
3. Make sure the trainer has references
If you come across a personal trainer who is certified through the NCCA, and claims to have experience with your goals, the next step is to look for references. Just ask for a list of testimonials. If you find he has a list of people that have succeeded with the same goal as yourself, chances are you have found an educated, passionate, and experienced coach.
If the personal trainer you call is certified by through the NCCA, has experience with your goal and proof to back himself up, feel confident that you’ve found a reliable personal trainer
I can guarantee you exercising and living an active lifestyle is one of the most beneficial activities you could ever do. For three hours a week, less than 2% of your time, you can feel vibrant, look great, and feel more confident than ever.
Take the leap and find the right personal trainer. You will be happy you did.
David Johnson is a Chicago personal trainer [http://chicagofitnessmovement.com] and founder of the Chicago Fitness Movement. For the past 5 years he has helped hundreds of people improve their lives by providing an elite fat loss program in Chicago. Feel free to e-mail him with any questions you have.
