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June, 2008:
Friends and Fitness Summer Camp at the Neighborhood Guild in Peace Dale.
How do I find a trainer that's right for me?
If you have decided to make a change to a healthier lifestyle, selecting the right person to help guide you through the process is a vital first step. In making your selection of a personal trainer, there are 2 main considerations:
1. The trainer you select should have the qualifications necessary to train you safely and effectively.
Typically, this can be evaluated by verifying that the trainer is "certified." Unfortunately, there are over 100 independent organizations that offer a personal trainer certification program, and all of these programs are not equally rigorous. This results in a wide disparity in the actual knowledge and ability levels of "certified" trainers. In 2003, the National Board of Fitness Examiners (NBFE) was created in an attempt to standardize the personal trainer certification process, and the first national board exam for personal trainers was given by the NBFE in October, 2005. In order for a person to be eligible to take this national exam, they must either be currently certified by an organization approved by the NBFE (a NBFE affiliate), or they must have completed a core of fitness related courses at an accredited college or university. Although this is not officially listed as one of the goals of the NBFE at this time, many people in the fitness industry believe that the creation of the national board exam will give state governments the tool needed to begin requiring personal trainers to be licensed in order to practice in their state, as is the case with most other health professionals, which would help to ensure the safety of those seeking the help of a personal trainer and minimize the spread of misinformation by poorly trained "certified" fitness professionals.
Listed below are links to the NBFE, along with just a few of the many organizations offering personal trainer certification (organized alphabetically). Starred links indicate NBFE affiliate organizations.
- National Board of Fitness Examiners (NBFE)
- Academy of Applied Personal Training Education (AAPTE) *
- American Aerobic Association International - International Sports Medicine Association (AAAI - ISMA) *
- American Council on Exercise (ACE)
- American Fitness Association of America (AFAA) *
- American Fitness Professionals and Associates (AFPA) *
- American Fitness Training of Athletes (AFTA)
- Health and Fitness Professionals Association (HFPA) *
- International Association of Resistance Trainers (IART) *
- International Fitness Professionals Association (IFPA)
- International Sports Sciences Association (ISSA) *
- National Association for Fitness Certification (NAFC) *
- National Council for Certified Personal Trainers (NCCPT) *
- National Endurance and Sports Trainers Association (NESTA) *
- National Exercise Trainer Association (NETA) *
- National Federation of Professional Trainers (NFPT)
- National Strength and Conditioning Association (NSCA)
- National Strength Professionals Association (NSPA) *
- Professional Fitness Instructor Training (PFIT) *
- World Instructor Training Schools (WITS) *
Just from this short list, I think that it's easy to see why some sort of standardization of personal training education is needed!
2. You should have a good rapport with your trainer
Let's face it. Whether you're making a complete lifestyle change or just trying to get to the gym more often, staying motivated to continue your workouts in the face of life's many distractions can be difficult enough. If you're not working with someone whose company you enjoy and who can adjust their style to your specific needs and goals, then you will have even less incentive to get off of the couch and stay active.