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Personal Trainer Know-how
Top Tips for Picking a Personal Trainer
By Sue Marquette Poremba
Kate Wilkinson and her husband decided to join a gym close to their Glendale, Calif., home. The membership included 10 sessions with a personal trainer. At first, Wilkinson wasn't sure she wanted a trainer. "I thought it was a 'hoity-toity' thing," she says. "I thought it wasn't for the average person." But she and her husband decided to take advantage of the club's offering. The sales person who handled the membership handed them information about the trainers available within the club and said to pick one. "We didn't know what the certifications meant," says Wilkinson, admitting that she wasn't quite sure what kind of trainer she'd end up.
How did Wilkinson finally decide on a trainer? "I liked her hobbies," she says with a laugh. Personal trainers should be just that – someone who fits you personally. The trainer should be someone with whom you feel comfortable and who respects your workout needs.
Tony Swain, director of fitness at East Bank Club in Chicago, provides the following tips for selecting a trainer that is right for you.
- Get personal. Remember it is called a personal trainer because the sessions are intended to be personalized. You're the client. Only hire a trainer who will work with your needs and goals.
- Ask questions. Ask questions that relate to you. "If you've had knee injuries in the past, ask the trainer if they have experience working with clients with knee injuries," Swain says. Look for someone with experience within your fitness level, age and needs.
- Don't feel obligated
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