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Look for the Three "C's" of Personal Fitness
Training
Credentials
The most respected certifying bodies in the
industry are the
American
College of
Sports Medicine (ACSM), the
American Council on Exercise (ACE), the
National Strength and Conditioning
Association (NCSA) and the National Academy
of Sports
Medicine (NASM). A masters degree in
either Exercise Physiology or Kinesiology is
a great
academic foundation, but those who have an
advanced degree should also have plenty of
practical experience since the work is very
much hands-on and a good student doesn't
always make the best teacher.
My wife has an MS in Ex Phys and she's the
first to tell you that she just isn't cut
out for training. Credentials should also
include the ability to produce current
quality references from clients, peers and
medical professionals. And there's no
substitute for five or more years
experience. I also feel that as a general
rule, it's more difficult to cultivate a
strong business as an independent, rather
than in a gym setting, since your success is
completely dependent on repeat clients and
growth from referrals, rather than a
constantly overturning population of new gym
members.
Competence
Besides the endorsements mentioned above,
your trainer should be able to support the
rationale behind his or her training
approach with authoritative and unbiased
sources of exercise and nutrition science. I
provide all my clients with a comprehensive
list of websites that I use as a foundation
for my training philosophy including the
ACSM website and the American Dietetic
Association website, and I do my own regular
voluntary continuing ed (besides the 20
hours every two years my certifying
organization requires to re-certify) and
make darn sure the direction I provide my
clients is in accordance with the guidelines
of those resources.
Chemistry
Ultimately, it's in the best interest of
both the client and the trainer for the
partnership to be a good fit. That means
philosophical compatibility and clear,
comfortable communication. It also doesn't
hurt for there to be a good natural rapport,
since training and lifestyle changes can be
a sensitive, intimate issue. A free
no-obligation consultation is a terrific
opportunity to get a sense of that.
Of course location, rates and other
logistics are important, and all that can be
discussed either by phone in advance of a
consultation or at the consultation itself.
One last thing - if you feel like the
trainer is trying to "sell" you (interest
you in training that doesn't feel right to
you, persuade you to buy a big block of
sessions up front at a discount or pressure
you in any way at all) - run!! (Just make
sure you don't have any knee, hip or ankle
injuries before you break into your sprint!
In that case, maybe you just want to cough
loudly and wander away pretending you got an
important call on your cell phone!) |
