How to choose a personal trainer

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Gym personal trainer
Of varying levels of knowledge and expertise, the gym trainers are the bread and butter of the industry. Trained in all aspects of health-based fitness, these specialists can provide ongoing support to those seeking general health and fitness improvements.

Other specialisations:
Weight management, golf conditioning, rehabilitation, falls prevention, children's conditioning, older adults and many other areas are all currently available for certification.

Key questions
1. What are they doing to keep their skills up to date?
You may be impressed to find a trainer with 10 years of industry experience, but always ask how those 10 years have been spent. How many courses and seminars have they attended? On what subjects? Get them to tell you something about what they've recently learned. If they're as passionate about the industry as they claim to be, they'll constantly be learning something new. If not, they're just out for money.

2. Are they insured?
Don't be afraid to ask. Every trainer worth his or her salt should be insured to cover both you and them in case of an accident. Failure to produce insurance is often a sign that they don't have strong enough certifications to get covered. If you train with them and get injured as a result, you may find it impossible to make a claim.

3. Are they with REPS?
The Register Of Exercise Professionals (REPS) was set up to ensure the maintenance of high standards within the health and fitness industries. Trainers and instructors are required to update their knowledge annually to stay on the register. Currently, REPS is not a formal industry requirement and many PTs have yet to sign up.

4. What level of fee can they command?
Broadly speaking, there are many variables to take into account (for example qualifications, experience and areas of speciality), but you'll probably find in the London area that hourly rates start at around £40 for a gym personal trainer and rise to between £85 and £100 for a fully qualified kinetic chain specialist.

5. Are there ways to cut the cost?
Some trainers offer discounts when you buy a block booking of 10 sessions or more, some will allow you to split the cost by training with a friend, while others will help you budget by meeting with you monthly and providing you with new targets and new programmes to maintain your interest. The best trainers will provide all three and even allow you to split your time down into half-hour sessions to maximise the impact. Whichever method appeals, ask your trainer about ways to maximise your time with him/her. Just be very wary of anyone who tells you that you should be doing a minimum of three sessions a week, as this is rarely the case.

6. Do they have references or testimonials?
An obvious one, but rarely applied in reality. I can count on one hand the number of times I've been asked for references in the last eight years! This is a major thing you're contemplating here! Not just in terms of financial cost, but also in terms of your safety and well-being. Always ask for references and always make a call or two to check them out for yourself.

What about you?
You now know all the questions to ask, but let's not forget, this is really about you! If your trainer has spent the whole time talking about themselves, their certifications and their great achievements, but spent next to no time asking about you, then you may want to consider whether you'll get along. After all, this IS supposed to be personal training!

At the very least, they should ask a little about your goals, your medical history, your exercise history and your current lifestyle. They should ask why you want a trainer, what your expectations are and how you want to be treated during your sessions. Avoid like the plague anyone who tells you how the relationship is going to work - you're the one paying, so you're in control!

The questions laid out above are not the be-all and end-all of selecting a personal trainer, though they do serve as a guide that'll help you avoid the pitfalls of choosing the right one to suit your needs.

Ultimately, the final decision comes down to personal preference and the rapport you develop during your initial consultation. If you're unsure, shop around. With over 2,000 trainers entering the UK fitness industry every year, you've plenty of choice available.

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