Shopping for a personal trainer: following these six steps can mean the difference between failure and a great-looking body

Men's Fitness, Oct, 2001 by Derrick Nowlin, Dave Ferguson

You buy this magazine. You clock in at the gym, eat the right foods, take the right supplements, get plenty of rest. And it works. In the back of your mind, though, you've probably wondered how much better you might do with the help of a personal trainer. Yet you're reluctant to take that step. We understand. After all, we don't ask for directions when we're lost, we can't admit when we're wrong, and we never tell our wives we're clueless when it comes time to hook up the surround-sound audio system.

But if you believe you haven't tapped into your potential or that you may need special attention after a recent injury, consider obtaining the support of a certified professional, even for just a short while. The facts are, it helps. According to a recent study by the National Strength and Conditioning Association, men who used trainers became 30 percent to 45 percent stronger three times faster than those who exercised on their own.

Be wary, however, of making an ill-informed decision. Fail to do your homework and you'll likely end up with the wrong person for the job. That slipshod approach is roughly akin to asking a urologist to do your dental work or a powerlifting coach to prepare you for a triathlon. You're courting, at the least, dissatisfaction or loss of funds--and at worst, an injury that will keep you sidelined for the foreseeable future. Getting the right person for the job means knowing what you want before you start looking.

1 DO I NEED A TRAINER? If you're a first-timer at the gym--and you feel as comfortable in the weight room as John Wayne Bobbit does around a pair of scissors--chances are you need some help. But being a gym neophyte isn't the only reason to enlist the services of a certified instructor. Michael Jordan uses one. So does Sylvester Stallone. Competitive bodybuilders use trainers. Shoot, personal trainers sometimes use personal trainers.

So now it's time to assess your goals:

* Do you want to lose some fat and gain a little muscle?

* Do you want to pack on much more muscle, perhaps five to 10 pounds' worth?

* Do you want to improve your all-around strength and conditioning levels?

* Do you want to continue strengthening your overall musculature after rehabbing an injury?

"Most people I work with have come to me with injuries from preexisting conditions," says John Richling, a personal trainer for the past 22 years and the owner of Atomic Systems Training in Venice, Calif. "Or they're not seeing results in the manner they would expect from training. They don't necessarily have to be beginners."

Ironically, the steep cost of a personal trainer may be just the reason to use one. Forking over $120 for three sessions should be enough motivation to get anybody into the gym.

2 FIND SOMEONE WHO SUITS YOUR NEEDS. Don't just hire the big guy at the gym or the leggy brunette in the tight spandex. There are approximately 55,000 certified personal trainers across the country, so finding one shouldn't be too hard. If you belong to a gym, it's usually as easy as walking up to the front desk. But finding one that suits your specific needs takes a little more work.

Make sure to pick a trainer with appropriate credentials. A number of certifying bodies are out there, most of which provide specialized instruction to their trainers. After outlining your goals, determine which organization most closely matches your needs, then verify that the person you are considering is credentialed through that organization. Do this by calling the organization and checking if the trainer is in its database. Find out when your prospective trainer received his certification; you don't want someone who hasn't taken a follow-up course since the first Bush administration.

3 SET UP AN INTERVIEW. Once you pinpoint your needs, make an appointment with the trainer. Remember, you re doing the hiring, so don't be afraid to ask such questions as:

* "How long have you been training people with my needs?" Mention any special medical considerations he should be aware of.

* "How long have you been certified?"

* "How often do you take refresher courses?"

* "Do you mind if I talk to a few people you train?" A good trainer should be more than willing to get you in touch with a few of his most loyal clients.

* "What type of liability insurance do you carry as part of your training business?" If he's in the employ of the gym, get this information from the gym manager. Otherwise, he should carry his own.

* Also ask whether it's his style to explain why he uses certain exercises or routines or to merely direct you through a workout. His goal should be to impart information that will serve you for a long time, and your goal is to learn that information, not to become dependent on him for every aspect of your conditioning.

4 DISCUSS HIS PRETRAINING ASSESSMENTS OF YOUR CONDITION. Because he needs to establish your baseline fitness levels, medical condition and nutritional habits, an experienced instructor will almost always have a slew of tests and paperwork ready for you to fill out before you begin any type of regimen.