One thing that intimidates many people when they think about hiring a personal trainer, is knowing how to choose the right one. There are many questions you shoudl ask your prospective trainer, but how do you remember them all? When talking to a personal trainer one of the first questions to ask is what training and certification they have.
All personal trainers should be accredited by the REPs - Register of Exercise Professionals - and should hold at least an REPs Level 3 certificate. And while you are checking their qualifications, the other questions to ask are whether they have current first aid certification, and whether they are insured.
Experience is vital - not just how much experience they have, but also what kind - for example, if you want to train for an Ironman triathlon, you might not want a trainer whose primary experience is working with old ladies at a health spa. Another key is where they work, as this can vary - some are tied to a particular health club, while others will work in the client's home. It you are fortunate enough to have a corporate facility you can use, then that would also be an option.
Of course is also crucial to know when they are available. Do you want to work out during working hours, in the evening, at weekends? Also important is how much availability they have - are they so busy that they'll have trouble fitting you in? Conversely, if they are available at all times, it might make you wonder why they have no clients.
Finally you will want to ask them about references from satisfied clients - any good trainer will be happy to show you testimonials from those they have worked with previously.
