Shop wisely when selecting a personal trainer

By Santa Ynez Valley Star Staff · Tue Mar 17 2020

By James Riley Contributing Writer This column has often recommended that people hire a personal trainer if they need professional assistance. A personal trainer can provide assessment of your exercise needs, programming to develop an exercise routine that meets those needs, technique on how to perform the prescribed exercises, and reassessment of whether you have improved. As with many professions, especially those that don’t require a license or certification, there is a broad range of background and qualifications among those who call themselves personal trainers, and the cost of their expertise doesn’t seem to differ greatly. It’s a “buyer beware” market, so it pays health dividends if you shop wisely. Here are six characteristics to look for when selecting a personal trainer. They are listed in priority order, with the first one being the most important.