A personal trainer can help you get fit for summer, provide motivation and essential exercise tips to help you lose weight. But are all fitness trainers created equally? A personal trainer in Australia must have a Certificate Four issued by Fitness Australia before they can practise as a trainer. We give you tips on finding your perfect match with a personal trainer so you can not only develop a long-lasting relationship but maintain your weight loss all year-round. Before hiring a personal trainer to get fit for summer ask them about their qualifications. Anyone can call themselves a personal trainer so make sure they have the relevant qualifications before you put your body in their hands. A personal trainer must have the following accreditation in Australia:
• A Certificate 4 or relevant tertiary qualification
• Registered to Fitness Australia
• First Aid certificate and
• Public liability insurance.
To double check that your personal trainer is qualified, you can always look them up on The Fitness Australia Register of Exercise Professionals (REPs) directory.
Recommendations and referrals
It is preferable to hire a personal trainer through recommendations and referrals. Most people find a personal trainer through their local gym. Most gyms have personal trainers on staff and offer attractive packages to members for personal training. Other ways to find a personal trainer is to ask friends, family or work colleagues, read fitness forums or look for a trainer via your local fitness association such as Fitness Australia.
Knowledge and experience
You want a personal trainer who is very knowledgeable about their industry and with knowledge, often comes experience. The years that a personal trainer has been in the industry and long-term clients the personal trainer they have must be considered. However, don’t take these numbers on face value. An instructor who has been in the industry for less than two years may be a better fit for you and you may enjoy their fitness workouts more than someone who has been in the industry for ten years.
Results
Results never lie with personal training. Not only should you look for a personal trainer who has achieved great outcomes for their clients, you also want a personal trainer who is in great shape and can walk the walk as well as talk the talk. A personal trainer is a walking advertisement for their business. Ask for case studies, testimonials or whether you can speak to their previous clients about what results they have received with the personal trainer.
Customer service
When choosing a personal trainer to get you fit for summer, a strong customer service ethic is essential. You may have to fit sessions in your lunch time, after hours or on the weekends and you want to find a personal trainer who can not only work around your schedule but also turn up on time every time. It’s also important to find a personal trainer who can give you one-on-one attention, understand your training motivation, is a good listener and someone that you feel comfortable with in order for you to get the most out of the sessions.