You Should Find A New Personal Trainer If This Happens
Hiring a personal trainer can be a great way to improve your workouts and step up your personal fitness game. However, not all trainers are helpful or even qualified (via Insider). That's why it's important to be on the lookout for any red flags as you get to know your personal trainer. Not every trainer will be the right one for your specific goals and needs, but there's a big difference between someone who isn't a good fit for you and someone who is genuinely bad at their job.
For instance, if your personal trainer doesn't offer any modified exercise options based on your unique skill level and physical capability, you might want to find a new trainer. When you're working out, you should feel comfortable at all times, even when certain workouts are more difficult and challenging. If your personal trainer is making you push yourself beyond what your body is capable of, that's a huge sign that they're not a good trainer.
You should also avoid trainers that fixate on weight loss. It's a major red flag when personal trainers are overly concerned with losing weight, especially when that's not your goal. If your trainer makes comments about your weight and focuses more on burning calories than getting stronger, that's when you know it's time to find a trainer who will listen to you and support your unique fitness goals.
What to look for in a personal trainer
Now that you know what to avoid, you can look for a personal trainer who can safely and effectively improve your workout program — but how do you know what to look for in a good trainer? Above all else, a good personal trainer should be able to teach you workout techniques that you can't learn simply by watching YouTube tutorials (via NBC News). It's even more impressive if they can teach you workouts you can do from anywhere that don't necessarily require machines or equipment.
A good personal trainer also shouldn't instruct you to do lengthy cardio workouts during your session. Walking or running on the treadmill for 20 or 30 minutes is something you can do on your own time without a trainer. "The time you're spending with your trainer should be spent doing exercises that you need them for," Vince Sant, an ISSA-certified trainer and co-founder of the online fitness platform V Shred, told NBC News. "Spending half your time on a cardio machine is nonsense because that's not what you're paying for. You're paying to learn methods to build strength, lose fat and be and feel healthy."
Furthermore, your personal trainer should be knowledgeable about nutrition. While they don't have to be a registered dietician, they should be able to assess your diet and provide you with educated recommendations about which foods and beverages you should potentially add, reduce, or eliminate from your diet.