5 Questions to Ask Before Joining a Gym or Hiring a Personal Trainer

Original Post written by RightFit Personal Trainer Sarah Carusona

Let me start by saying something that is not very nice: There are a lot of really bad gyms and trainers in our society.

I know it’s not kind, but unfortunately it’s true. Fortunately, there are a lot of really good trainers and gyms in our society.

The hard part is differentiating between the two. I am going to give you 5 questions you should ask yourself before you get in bed with(hire/join) a gym or trainer. Hopefully this will help you make a well informed decision to reach your personal goals.

1. What is the professional’s background?

If you are hiring a personal trainer, check the bio. Make sure there is an actual certification or two. Plus any degree that has to do with fitness is an added bonus. For example, exercise science, kinesiology, nutrition, etc.

Just because they are a fitness enthusiast, or lost a bunch of weight on their own, does not necessarily mean that they know how to run a gym or train others.

However, just because you have a degree in anatomy does not mean that you know how to run a gym or train others.

Look for someone who is certified, but also attends workshops and hands-on learning events. Someone who has been mentored by others, rather than claiming to have learned it all “on their own.”

And don’t disregard the athletes and military professionals. One of the best coaches I know is a marine, and I have a degree in dance. Neither sound as good as a Kinesiology degree, but they require a pretty good firsthand knowledge of the body. For example, I may not be able name off every muscle, tendon, and ligament involved in an exercise, but I have the vocabulary and tools to teach you how to do it correctly.

If you are looking at a gym, the same rules apply. Check that the teachers have legitimate training. Ask questions, be sure that the person running the class knows what he or she is talking about.

2. Do you get along with the trainer or the people who work at the gym?

People have different likes and dislikes. The person doing suspension yoga is probably not the same person going to powerlifting competitions.

Some like a firm hand. Others need a gentler touch.

Do you click with the trainer you are looking to hire? Do you like the people at the gym you are thinking of joining? (Both the employees and the members.) Because if you don’t, your heart will not be in it and you are not going to succeed. There’s enough variety out there that you can find your right fit. Don’t try and put yourself somewhere that you don’t want to be. Life’s too short!

3. Do they offer a systematized program?

This is an important one.

Many gyms and trainers thrive on the idea of making you sweat till you drop so that you leave feeling like you’ve been through a military bootcamp. They claim that because they kick your butt, and because you always walk out limping and too sore to move the next day, you will somehow lose tons of weight, yet gain muscle, and get “shredded” in six weeks.

However, these gyms and trainers usually have no system to get you “shredded” in six weeks. There is no rhyme or reason to their programming. In fact, there is probably no program whatsoever. The workouts are random and often created on the fly. The only goal is to make you sweat, yell at you a lot, and keep you coming back for more.

Guess what? I can make you sweat pretty easily.

Go jump up and down for 5 minutes straight.

Did you sweat? Do you feel like you worked out? Maybe burned off that extra taco from the weekend?

Cool. I’m not going to charge you $300 a month for that.

And I’ll bet you $300 that even if you do that everyday for six weeks, you will not reach your fitness goals.

If you are going to spend money on a gym or trainer, look for one that offers a set of steps to get you from point A to point B; one that has logical progressions and regressions. Without this, you are simply grasping at air with the hope that something will work.

4. Do they begin with assessments and education?

Let me ask you this: Would you jump into a basketball game without ever having touched a basketball?

Probably not.

So why do we think we can simply jump into fitness classes or a workout without having education on how to use the equipment, what the proper form is, or the basic guidelines to the class or training program?

Now, don’t get me wrong, there are some classes that almost anyone can join in on. For example, restorative yoga or basic dance cardio classes. But many classes involve either heavy lifting, throwing large objects, punching bags, or suspending from ropes. And many trainers will simply start a workout without even explaining to their client what they are about to do, why they are doing it, or how to do it.

In addition, before you even begin a workout or class, a good trainer and a proper gym will assess your personal strengths and weaknesses. They will determine any severe flexibility and stability issues in order to cater their program to your needs.

Which brings me to my next point. . .

5. Do they offer different options based on your abilities?

The guy who walked into the gym for the first time yesterday should not be lifting the same amount as the guy who has been coming for 5 years.

And 60 year old Susan should not be lifting the same amount as 24 year old Carol.

Nuff said.

Make sure whichever gym or trainer you choose offers different progressions, regressions, and modifications based not only on your abilities, but also your past injuries or movement limitations.

There you have it! If you follow these guidelines and listen to your gut instinct, you’ll be sure to join the best gym or hire the most suitable trainer for you. And with that educated decision comes an increased probability that you will reach your goals that much quicker!

Contact Sarah Today for a complementary personal training consultation!

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