You obviously want the best training possible from the personal trainer you choose, so it’s critical that you ask these 10 questions of any Personal Trainer before becoming a client:
What’s your background and qualifications?
Degrees and certifications don’t necessarily guarantee you are getting the best trainer, but when a trainer is passionate about their career and determined to provide the very best service to their clients, they place value on the quality of the information and education they invest their time in learning. Some certifications are better than others, and in this industry, quality continued education is imperative! Look for trainers that have certifications that are recognized by the National Commission for Certifying Agencies (NCCA), like NSCA, ACE and/or NASM; or hold a degree in the field of Exercise Science and/or Kinesiology. Also, make sure your trainer is keeping up with their continuing education credits!
Why did you become a Personal Trainer?
This question will give you a lot of insight into how passionate and motivated your trainer is about helping you to achieve your goals and improve your quality of life. It’s good to find a trainer that has personal experience and a story of overcoming obstacles, setting and achieving goals. No classroom can teach you the wisdom that comes from personal experience.
What is your personal training and exercise philosophy?
Your workouts should make you look and FEEL amazing!! Contrary to popular belief, you don’t have to get “crushed” every workout to get great results from your fitness program! We understand that training hard is important, but all that hard work is pointless if you don’t TRAIN SMART! You see, each person is different; each person moves different, has a different health history, body fat percentage, goals and more. Sadly however, almost ALL fitness trainers want to take the easy way out by lumping you into a one sized fits all program, and even worse are not educated enough to know the difference between good movement and bad movement in the first place! We customize a personal training program based around your goals. Lose fat, tone up, increase performance, decrease pain, or just get healthy! You will be assessed and screened to make sure that your workouts are exactly what your body needs to get results. Nothing less, and nothing more.
Do you track progress?
Tracking your progress is key to goal setting and goal getting. Your primary goal should be to become the very best version of you! You should be in constant competition with no one but yourself. Life is about progress, not perfection…and it’s not about where you are, and it is all about how far you have come to get to exactly where you are right this very moment. There is no better motivation and sense of satisfaction than being able to look back and see how far you have come.
What is your strategy for preventing and dealing with injuries?
At Complete Fitness Results we assess, not guess. We implement the Functional Movement Screen to hone in on any areas of dysfunctional so we can correct them and prevent unnecessary injuries. You don’t want a trainer who will simply turn a blind eye and pretend everything is OK so they can keep taking your money with no regard to how an injury can affect you in the long run. At Complete Fitness Results we are the masters at assessing and correcting dysfunctional movement patterns and we also have a trusted panel of chiropractors, physical therapists and the like to refer our clients to when they are in need of more specialized care.
Do you have personalized training?
It’s as easy to get lost in a typical group fitness class as it is to get injured! No 2 people have the same needs and no matter if you are doing one-on-one personal training, working with a partner or a group of 20; your workouts should ALWAYS be designed specifically for you and you alone. At Complete Fitness Results we have personalized training even in a group setting. Because we tailor our training this way, it enables people of varying fitness levels to SAFELY workout together!
Do you stay on top of fitness trends and related research?
The fitness industry is ever-changing and new research and breakthroughs are discovered constantly. It is important to work with a trainer who is at the top of their game and on the pulse of what is current and effective, but doesn’t jump on the bandwagon of every new fitness trend that comes along. Our trainers are incredibly passionate about all aspects of fitness, health and wellness. We are constantly learning researching, challenging and only when we see proven results and efficacy do we implement new things.
What criteria will you use to determine my exercise program?
There is a huge difference between a “workout” and a well designed, personalized fitness program tailored specifically to your individual needs at the present moment. At Complete Fitness Results we work with our clients to assist them in goal setting and we perform a Functional Movement Screen on everyone BEFORE we design a program specifically for them. But we don’t stop there. We continue to work with our clients to help them achieve their goals and we perform screens every 1-3 months and design a new program based on your progression, goals and current needs.
Who is your support network or sounding board when you have a question regarding a client?
All good trainers should have resources such as chiropractors, physical therapists, physicians and mentors in the industry they can turn to with questions and assistance. It takes wisdom, integrity and humility to ask for help and when appropriate, refer a client to someone who is better qualified to address a need. This shows a genuine interest in the health and wellbeing of the client and it says a LOT about the trainer who is willing to do that
What kind of results can I expect?
With shows like “The Biggest Loser” on, it can be a challenge knowing what to expect in regards to results. As you can see by the name of our studio, we are ALL about results! Any trainer can smash you into the ground, push you till you “puke, faint or die” and even blast some fat off in the process. But those tactics are detrimental to you health, short lived and almost always result in some pretty predictable injuries in the process and rebound weight-gain. We are about results that are challenging, achievable, sustainable and life long and we have numerous success stories and testimonials to prove just that
Jen T. – Complete Fitness Results Success Story
If you live in the St. Louis area, you NEED to be training at Complete Fitness Results! Complete Fitness Results has ALL the top trainers in Saint Louis under one roof to bring you the most innovative, effective and personalized training around!