Skip to main content
Gennev is covered by insurance companies. Check if you're in network now.
How Gennev Works
Refer a Patient
For Patients
Symptoms & Treatments
Weight Management
How Gennev Works
Insurance & Pricing
Patient Resources
For Clinicians
Clinicians Overview
Refer a Patient
For Employers
Learn
Education
Webinars
About
Menopause-trained Doctors
Registered Dietitian Nutritionists
About Gennev
Shop
Login
Book Now
Menu
For Patients
Patients
Symptoms & Treatments
Weight Management
How Gennev Works
Insurance & Pricing
Patient Resources
Book Now
Login
For Clinicians
Clinicians
Clinicians Overview
Refer a Patient
Book Now
Login
For EmployersLearn
Learn
Education
Webinars
Book Now
Login
About
About
Menopause-trained doctors
Registered Dietitian Nutritionists
About Gennev
Book Now
Login
Shop
Book Now
Login
Podcast

from PRiME WOMEN: how to choose a personal trainer

Author
Shannon Perry
Director of Programming & Media
Medically reviewed by
Share:
Thank you! Your submission has been received!
Oops! Something went wrong while submitting the form.
Sign up for our newsletter

Get helpful articles about menopause and evidence-based treatments in your inbox.

Thank you! Your submission has been received!
Oops! Something went wrong while submitting the form.

Are you just not getting the results you want from your exercise program? Maybe it’s time to find a personal trainer who can help you understand your midlife body better so you can reach your fitness goals.

Debra Atkinson

Learn how to pick your perfect training partner from fitness expert, author, and professional speaker Debra Atkinson. Debra is the host of The Flipping 50 Show podcast and Flipping 50 TV show. With more than 30 years experience in the fitness industry, she is also America’s Boomer Babe Fitness Expert. This article by Debra is reposted here with permission from PRiME WOMEN. 

We are going to show you how to choose a personal trainer who’s right for you by asking the right questions. Whether you’ve got goals of a starting line or you need to exercise safely with arthritis or osteoporosis, there’s a trainer for you. When you first meet a trainer, remember you’re interviewing them as much as they may be interviewing you. Here are a few questions you should ask:

Are you certified as a personal trainer and by which agency?

Among the 500 different certifications and certificate programs, there are still only a handful of agencies I would preference even as the National Commission for Certifying Agencies (NCCA) accreditation attempts to create higher standards in fitness certification. Fitness is still a self-governed industry.

Top-tier certifications include American College of Sports Medicine (ACSM), American Council on Exercise (ACE), National Academy of Sports Medicine (NASM), and National Strength and Conditioning Association (NSCA). Within each of these agencies there are certification options. Someone may be certified as a group fitness instructor, for instance, not as a personal trainer, and therefore lack the knowledge to design a custom exercise prescription.

Certified as an NSCA Strength and Conditioning Specialist, a trainer has more specific expertise for sports conditioning. An ACE Medical Exercise Specialist is more focused on designing around the needs for special conditions.

Trainers might reference CPR, AED and First Aid certifications. While this is good, it’s actually mandatory to be currently certified by a national agency. This can tip you off to the fact that they are less experienced and/or are searching for anything to use as a credential.

Is your certification current?

Confirm it. I’ve had mature employees not see value in achieving industry standards by taking an exam once they’ve gone through a training course. Her attitude was “What’s it going to change?” when she was already earning the highest percentage paid and was as full as she wanted to be.

That attitude is poison in the personal training industry. It implies a trainer’s willingness to train a client although they lack the confidence to feel they could pass an exam. That, reader, is backwards. Trainers and clients alike can be guilty of assessing trainer skills by popularity. They must be “the best” if they are the most full.

To remain current with a credible certification, a trainer must take a minimum of Continuing Education credits annually or every two years, depending on the certification. Ask about the most recent continuing education course taken and the content. I would favor a trainer updating their knowledge in a topic area I would benefit from if I were shopping them.

Do you have a degree in Exercise Science?

A unique combination of academics, certifications, years of experience and testimonials will determine whether a trainer is qualified. There may be no degree in exercise science, but a combination of other components might be so great that someone becomes your trainer of choice. Fewer people made the decision to become trainers 20 and 30 years ago when they were in college.

If you discover proof that other forms of preparation allow him or her to make decisions commensurate with those who do have a degree, then you may still feel confident in your choice.

How much experience do you have?

Don’t discount a new trainer, but ideally, age-friendly trainers have at least two years of experience in the industry according to the International Council on Active Aging. I would suggest based on industry standard that a trainer is still a rookie if they’ve worked three or less years.

Remember that they’ve worked with all ages and abilities and probably have not specialized in midlife and older adults. It’s important to ask how many hours a week they’ve worked. Trainers who say they have 4 years of experience of training 10 hours a week don’t have any more experience than a trainer who trained 40 hours a week for a year.

Have you worked with someone with my needs before?

Have you worked with someone my age before? Do you have two or three references I may contact? Age alone shouldn’t be your question. Two 50-year-olds can have very different needs, histories and goals and likewise, with two 80- or 90-year-olds. If your hormones have changed everything, be sure to ask if the trainer is experienced with that.

The response will tell you whether the trainer will relate to you well or not, and you’ll gain insight about the trainer as you talk. When you contact the reference ask open-ended questions and those that pertain to your greatest concerns. “Is there anything else you’d like to add?”

Why are you interested in working with me?

What do you have in mind for me?

Make sure you get an enthusiastic response! Get his or her recommendations. You want to know he or she is confident and hear that he or she has the beginnings of a plan that makes sense to you before you hire.

Which professional organizations do you belong to?

Most certification agencies have a corresponding professional membership group. Similar to other professions, participation in industry associations means your trainer is serious about networking, improvements in the industry, access to recent research and legal aspects of their business.

IDEA Fitness Connect is the largest fitness professional directory, connecting 200,000 fitness professionals verified by 160 certifying and training bodies with consumers. Whether or not your trainer is a member of IDEA, he or she could be listed in this directory.

Together, these questions and your observations of trainer responses can help you determine if a trainer is right for you. Does the trainer listen completely and convey an understanding of what you said? Did you enjoy the trainer’s personality and sense of humor? Can you see yourself spending one to three hours a week with this trainer?

Do you need to choose a personal trainer to watch your repetitions? The internet provides you access to a world of trainers and coaches. You can “meet” via Skype or phone and get weekly plans that meet your needs.

Knowing how to choose a personal trainer is important to the ultimate success of your health and fitness routine. Take the time to find the right one for you.

This post is an excerpt from Navigating Fitness After 50: Your GPS for Choosing Programs and Professionals You Can Trust.

Do you have a personal trainer you adore and can’t live without? How did you find him or her, and what makes your trainer all that and a bag of low-calorie, sustainably sourced, high-protein soy chips? Please feel free to share with the community by leaving us a comment below, or talking to us on our Facebook page or in Midlife & Menopause Solutions, our closed Facebook group.

 

Resources

All about menopause

+ Read More
Article

Heart-Healthy Nutrition Myths

+ Read More
Article

3 Ways Sleep Affects Metabolism

+ Read More
Article

The Emotional Toll of Sleep Issues

Get started

Schedule your appointment

Book Now

Reach out

Contact our patient care team

Contact Us
Email directly:
support@gennev.com
Gennev Logo
Logo for Unified Women's Healthcare.

Looking for an in-person OBGYN?

Check out Unified's network of providers

Gennev Logo
Treatments & SymptomsHow Gennev WorksResources for EmployersResources for Care ProvidersInsurance & PricingShop
LearnWebinarsAbout GennevOur CliniciansRegistered Dietitian NutritionistsContactTestimonials From Real PatientsCareers
Facebook social network IconLinkedin social network IconInstagram social network IconTiktok social network Icon
Copyright © 2020. Gennev. All Rights Reserved.
Terms of UseYour Privacy RightsPrivacy PolicyNotice of Privacy PracticesDiscrimination is Against the Law
Close

You Deserve Better Than Mediocre Menopause Advice

Say goodbye to outdated, generic advice. Get exclusive insights and expert strategies to thrive during menopause.

Get everything you’ve ever wanted to know about menopause, perimenopause, and midlife.

Sign up successful! Check your inbox for updates.
We encounter an error, please try again.

By clicking Sign Up you're confirming that you agree with our Terms and Conditions and that you agree to receive emails from us. Unsubscribe at any time.

Your newsletter submission was sent successfully, thanks! 🎉