Don’t be fooled by looks.
Those trainers who greet you at the door the first time you show up at the gym—the spandex-clad guy with no neck, bulging upper arms and chest or the bouncy blond wearing a rather revealing outfit—look taught and fit, have high energy and talk a great game.
Just what you want in a trainer? Right? Not really. They may look like what you think you need but hold on there, Tiger. When it comes to selecting a trainer, there’s more than meets the eye.
If you were going on a journey through the rain forest, you would look for a guide who had been there before. How he looks would be secondary. Of primary importance would be whether you could trust him to guide you through the dangers and get you to your destination.
When people purchase the services of a trainer, they tend to be motivated by what the trainer looks like. But it’s more important to measure the trainer’s ability to help you develop—or further—your relationship with fitness and get you to your destination.
Finding the right trainer requires more effort than walking into a gym and seeing who is there:
- Ask for recommendations: As with anything else, personal recommendations are always a great place to start.
- Check the trainer’s credentials: At minimum the trainer should be certified and experienced; many trainers have college degrees in exercise science, sports training and related disciplines.
- Make sure you ask the trainer if he or she has dealt with someone who had the same concerns you have. You want to make sure they have enough experience to help you with your particular issues.
- Be wary of someone who promises too much too soon. Remember it is a journey. You want someone who will be realistic but motivational about what training can do for you, without specifying a timeframe. Don’t fall for someone who says they will get you in shape in a month or two, and don’t press the trainer to meet your timeline. There is no way to tell how quickly or slowly you will progress.
Once you find someone good you need to honor the relationship. You are empowering them with the task of handling a very intimate area of you life. What’s more, you will be asked to make changes that often won’t feel particularly comfortable.
You need to understand the underlying rules for the relationship in order for it to be successful:
- This is business relationship. You need to establish what you hope to accomplish and how you are going to get there.
- You must be willing to attempt and complete the things that the trainer asks you do. Fitness is a system not an al a carte lunch.
- Don’t confuse cordialness and high energy for friendship and affection. If you want to go get a cup of coffee with someone, choose a friend. If you feel like getting coffee with your trainer, fire him and ask him to lunch. You have such a limited time with that trainer, you have to stay focused on the task at hand.
- The trainer needs to push you out your comfort zone. He won’t be effective if he asks you to do only the things that you like to do. You may dislike him from time to time, but part of the job description is to challenge you to be better, and that causes discomfort.
- You need to trust your trainer -- like that guide in the rainforest – to get you where you’re going safely.
- The trainer is not your friend. He is an expert, consultant and guide. It can be a friendly relationship but it is first and foremost professional.
When it comes to trainers, all show and no go just doesn’t cut it.
Originally published in Grosse Pointe Today.
