Fitness Motivation Tips
STAY MOTIVATED - 10 TIPS TO HIRE A PERSONAL FITNESS TRAINER
Lack of motivation is one of the biggest obstacles to staying with an exercise program and/or a fitness lifestyle. One of the biggest causes for lack of motivation is from boredom. Keeping exercise appealing, seeing results, and maintaining a good fitness perspective are keys to long-term success. If you have to watch the exact same episode of your favorite television show every day for the rest of your life, you would probably be banging your head against the wall by the end of the week. You would change the channel, pick up a book, or do anything you could to avoid something you once enjoyed. A persons time is considered valuable to them. It is a limited resource for all of us. If your going to do something that is supposed to be good for you and it takes time to do it, you want to see a return on your invested time and energy. And, you don't want to do the same thing over and over again. No matter how productive an exercise program is, you will get bored with it. Yet, many people starting on a fitness program feel compelled to follow the same routine, day after day after day, and consequently fall off the exercise wagon due to sheer boredom or lack of progress (which is boring). That is why, most people would want the services of a fitness trainer in order to provide them the different portions of the fitness program in a more livelier style.Fitness trainers are actually those who are experts in analyzing and creating a fitness program that is right for you. They are the ones who will calculate your appropriateness to a certain program with regards to your "fitness level," create the program according to your specific needs, and keep you stimulated and inspired by giving you activities that will produce results and not bore you.As with all professions in all industries, fitness trainers in the health and fitness industry are not all created equal. So, if a person doesn't know squat about achieving their own personal goals in fitness, how in the world do they go about selecting a personal fitness trainer that is right for them' Being an ISSA fitness trainer myself with 33 years of experience in the health and fitness industry, I decided to write a few tips on selecting a personal trainer. Hence, it is important to consider some factors that will determine if a certain fitness trainer is right for you. Here is how:1. Certification. Are they certified' And from which organization' How long have they been certified' Though being certified doesn't guarantee that the trainer can resolve your personal shortcomings in fitness and health, it does reflect that they spent some time and money to go an exta step in being recognized as being qualified. I recognize that most people don't really know which organization produces the best trainers in the industry. So, here is the best question you can ask a personal trainer .... How long did it take you to get your certification' If they say 3 days, then don't pay for their services. There are personal trainer certifications that can be obtained by basically paying for the paper. Remember that each organization has their own protocol for certifying people. Anyone who can pass a test in 3 days for a personal trainer certification doesn't know their stuff. If they say anything longer than 3 months, just ask them why it took so long. If their answers seem honest and logical then that person could be a legitimate good trainer. I personally completed mine in 5 weeks. But, I had been working out for 34 years and trained my first client 24 years ago before studying and taking my ISSA certification. 2. Get testimonies. Ask the trainer who they've trained. Don't interrupt them while they are working out (I hate that when that happens) or when they are training someone else. But wait for a good moment and just tell them that you heard that they are a personal trainer and you're looking for a trainer who can ..... Get some names and ask them if they mind pointing them out. Here is the key part - make sure that the person they trained had a similar goal or road block that you are having. Don't judge the trainer based on just good results. If a trainer helped someone lose 60 lbs and you want to be built like a bodybuilder, then the trainer may or may not know the correct theories to apply. 3. Don't genderize. The gender of a trainer has nothing to do with their ability to help someone achieve their goal. I can't spell this one out any easier. But, don't pick a trainer because you think their hot stuff either. Keep the pickings on a business level approach.4. Physique. A trainers physique can be a little misleading. A great physique can be a result of knowledge and dedication but it can also be a result of chemicals, surgery, great genetics, and knowing-thy-self training philosophy. I wouldn't base my decision for paying a trainer on their physical condition alone. For example (and this one is a little biased because I am 49): Who is more likely to be able to help a person achieve their fitness goals - a person who has been doing it for most of their life with successful clients or a person who is just starting out' I would say 9 out of 10 times the person with the most experience and success is going to bring a bigger bang for the buck to the table. 5. Personality. Make sure you and your trainer click. If you aren't sure at the beginning you will be by the time the first session is over. By click, I'm not talking about whether or not you liked what they did to your body. If you knew what was best, you wouldn't be paying for a trainer in the first place (unless you're filthy rich and you just want to have your very own personal trainer). I'm talking about personality conflicts. Do they bug you or do you feel you bug them' Do you get warm fuzzies when they ask you questions' Do they act like they are annoyed by your questions' Being in the personal training business is a people business. Good trainers have a deep desire to help people achieve their fitness and health goals. Therefore they should enjoy answering your questions and be polite enough to inform you when the best time is to ask and answer your questions. 6. Approach. You can tell if a trainer is a good trainer by whether or not they implement warmups, stretching, resistance training, and cool downs. They should also do some assessments on you. Training sessions should be individualized and progressive in nature. If your personal trainer has you doing the same workout for 30 days, then get a new trainer as soon as possible. And, every trainer should know your personal goals, limitations, and current physical condition. 7. 30 days. Don't pay a personal trainer who has never trained you before for anything that extends more than 30 days. To achieve noticeable results takes time and a good trainer should be able to create some type of fitness progress within 30 days. Don't expect huge results in 30 days, but expect something. It's like a snow ball rolling down a hill..... it's going to be the accumulation of small progresses that achieves your fitness and health goals. To initially pay for sessions that last more than 30 days for the first time is a little risky. Test your purchasing power first. If you like what the trainer does for you, then by all means pay for more sessions. Most trainers offer package deals by the sessions and discounts for more sessions purchased. But, don't let the discount price be an incentive to save money when doing the first purchase.8. Cost. The cost will vary depending on your location. But, I am warning everyone to beware of price gougers. If the standard price in an area is $50 an hour, don't find someone who is willing to accept $20 an hour. You will get what you pay for. But, if the going price in an area is $20 an hour then by all means that is the standard price in that location. If you can't afford a hands-on personal trainer, then seek personal training advice on the internet. 9. On-line. There are plenty of on-line trainers that are the real deal. This is becoming more and more of an extra income source for legitimate personal trainers. Make sure the on-line fitness trainer provides animated or video examples of exercises. And make sure they follow the first 8 tips that I have already mentioned. But, when it comes to on-line personal trainers don't buy into the quick fix, one fits all schemes. Make sure that they guarantee their services and the routines are progressive over time. How do you know if the on-line service is the real deal' Send them an email and cover all of the topics listed above. Do they devote any of their time to helping people in forums' If they do, get the name of that forum and read some of their responses to peoples problems. 10. Contact Me. If you need more assistance with your health and fitness goals, you can contact me. Send me an email to: twotigersfitness@cox.net and I will help you the best that I can. I hope this information was presented in an easy to understand way and that it helps anyone who reads this in their selection process for a personal trainer.To Your Health and FitnessRon GreenTwo Tigers Fitness