The problem is not lack of opportunity to train, but commitment and quality. There are hundreds of gyms out there all packed with trainers, PTs and EPs (Personal Trainers and Exercise Physiologists) Then there are sports clubs, sports trainers, parks and outdoor recreation leaders. So the choices are huge, the question is, who do you go with and why?

The problem with many gyms and many PT studios is they are full of PTs with minimal experience and training because Personal Training is an unregulated profession. You can become a PT after a short course that takes only a matter of weeks! The result is 100s of young school leavers who enjoy training going straight into the industry to happily help you with your health and fitness goals. Unfortunately these young school leavers know nothing about your old back injury, or your diabetes or your high blood pressure or the fact that you work 10 hours a day at a desk and as a result have a bad back and sore neck.

What invariably happens is the new PT starts off fine, giving you some simple exercises that you seem to get along fine with. So the PT enthused with success, starts to throw in some other exercises that he/she thinks you should be able to do easily, or starts to rapidly increase the intensity to get you results..fast. This is where the problems start and they don’t stop because the PT doesn’t have the depth of knowledge to understand or correct the problems you are having with your neck, back, shoulder or energy levels.

The other scenario is you simply don’t seem to be getting any results, how can this be, you work so hard? In many people exercise and achieving goals is a simple equation - doing more equals in getting results. But in just as many people this is not the case - doing more equals getting tired, stressed  and with little progress. Again this is where an in depth understanding of the human body comes into play. The human body and its systems are highly complex and they do not work independently of each other. Anyone who works with health needs to have an appreciation of the complexity of the human body….and we haven’t even considered the human mind..!

It takes study, commitment and experience to learn how to get the best from people, how to motivate them and again, to have an appreciation for how complex the mind can be and how it interacts with the body on every level. So in many cases, in my experience, PTs have no idea and why would they have?

Not all PTs are bad and many will be very successful for people who have few complications. In reality however most people have at least one complication otherwise they would probably be fit and healthy, without the services of a Personal Trainer.

So in summary here are some bullet points on what I would consider to be must have qualities:

• Experience - look for a trainer who has a few years under their belt. 2 years plus, many trainers don’t last in the industry for more then 2 years, so if you find one that has, chances are they will be good.
• Education -make sure your trainer has some significant qualifications that they are willing to share with you. A degree in exercise science is ideal, a diploma is good and plenty of extra courses and accreditations since. The extras will let you know if you have someone who is committed to the profession and who understand its complexity.
• Appearance - whilst they don’t have to be the fittest person in the world, make sure your trainer looks like they do practice what they preach. If they don’t, the question is … why? In addition find someone who presents well, in clean, smart sports gear. To me this is one aspect of professionalism.
• Communication skills - Look for the ability to communicate. You need someone who can explain to you the purpose of your efforts, you need someone who can communicate with you on a number of levels to provide you with that added impetus when you need it most.
• Understanding - make sure your trainer understands you. One of the key qualities that has made me a successful exercise physiologist over the years is my ability to understand people. How they are feeling, what they want, what they need, what they are saying without really saying it. You are going to let this person drive your energy and your efforts, you need this person to inspire you and keep you going when its tough. If they don’t understand you, then there is no chance.
• Focus - Finally, there is not point in seeing a trainer who is focused on everything other then your needs. When you are with your trainer you need them to give you 100% attention. You need them to be with you every step of the way and support your efforts and your focus at every step. If they aren’t focused, then you won’t be either.

This is by no means an exclusive list, but definitely some important qualities that has helped me an my team become successful with our clients. Make sure you don’t settle for anything less, its only exercise but its also your body!

This entry was posted on Thursday, May 29th, 2008 at 6:35 am and is filed under Home. You can follow any responses to this entry through the RSS 2.0 feed. You can leave a response, or trackback from your own site.