So, What's The Deal With Personal Trainers?

Brace yourselves, folks. Bikini season is coming. In my quest to get rid of the lb's I gained from my indulgence over the holidays (and, let's face it, probably a few 'happy wife' pounds in there as well!) I've been considering working with a personal trainer. The hook? Personal trainers are, well, personal. They work specifically with you at your fitness level and can design programs around where you are currently and where you want to be. Some even help with nutrition and meal planning. And all will give you that extra kick in the butt a few times a week, hold you accountable, and make you stick with the plan even when you're ready to give in and swing by McDonalds. I figure I could use a little "tough love" now a days. But how to even go about finding the right trainer?

That's where Will, Savannah and Richmond Hill based trainer at 24 Seven Fitness comes in. I met with him a few days ago to get the skinny (no pun intended!) on what to look for in the perfect personal trainer (yep, that's a tongue twister).


The most important thing? Certification! Will, who has been working in gyms since the age of 18 and has been certified for last 17 years tells me asking about your trainer's certifications are the best way to know if they actually know enough to help you. And how your trainer has achieved that certification may matter as well. While you can get most of the necessary credentials online; there is sometimes a difference between the online versions and multi-day seminars where you meet with other professionals and actually put what you're learning into practice. Some good ones to look out for? Any ACE (American Council on Exercise) or AFPA (American Fitness Professionals & Associates) certs are good. Will recommends a good CrossFit certification as well.


You'll also want to meet with your trainer for a trial interview before agreeing to work with him or her full time. You want to make sure your personalities will mesh well and your trainer will also want to get a feel for what you're hoping to get out of a specific session. It's also good to establish schedules, payment plans, etc. Will, for example, is a take-no-prisoners, hardcore trainer. He DOESN'T sugarcoat anything and will call out any client whom he feels is not pushing towards his or her true potential. He acknowledges, though, that some clients will require a softer touch, which is why he has several other trainers that work on his team each to meet a different set of needs and work with specific personalities. (I note that I, for one, have what the old folks call a 'thin skin' and would most certainly need someone to sugarcoat!)

So, I know what you're thinking. Just a few months ago, I was all excited about home training systems and free online workouts. And I still am. I love the flexibility of getting up in the mornings, throwing on a sports bra and going to town. Will isn't necessarily against using training videos at home as "homework". But let's be real, there isn't a whole lot of accountability when you're training by yourself. The beauty of working with a personal trainer is having someone to answer to at least a few times a week. Knowing I'll have to explain why I skipped yesterday's workout for an extra hour of sleep would certainly get me out of bed in the mornings! If you're reading this and you've been mulling over the idea of working with a trainer, I say take the plunge! And if you're already working with one or have worked with one in the past, tell me about it below!

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