When it comes to getting in shape and taking charge of your fitness goals, a personal trainer can be an excellent tool for achieving success. These professionals are trained to assess their client and create a workout regimen that will work best for them and the goals that they have for their fitness journey. However, it pays to know what to look out for when on the hunt for a personal trainer. Consider these tips on how to choose a personal trainer that will work best for you.

1. Credentials and Experience

Would you trust someone to work on your vehicle if they did not have the proper credentials to do so? What about if your car was the first one that they had ever worked on? The same principle applies to your body and a personal trainer. Before settling on a professional to hire, be sure to view their credentials and ask about their years of experience as a trainer. The more experience a personal trainer has, the better he or she will be at tailoring a regimen to each client.

2. Philosophy

This is an important part of selecting a personal trainer. When meeting with a professional, it’s good to ask how they create their training programs and what they prefer to have their clients do for fitness. For example, do they prefer to work with clients in a gym setting or is it their preference to come to the home of their clients? Does the personal trainer prefer to have their clients use free weights, their own body as resistance, or machines? And, of course, you will want to learn what beliefs are the basis for the program that they endorse.

3. Personality

This may seem like a silly tip, but it’s one that could make or break your experience with a personal trainer. When you are shopping for a trainer, so-to-speak, you want to choose a professional person with whom you get along. It will be hard to stay motivated by an individual that clashes with you, personality-wise, or who cheers you on in a way that does not work for you. For example, some clients find motivation in positive reinforcement, while others want to be presented with corrective criticism so that they can make changes quickly. Speaking with a trainer before hiring him or her will help you to figure out whether or not their personality will work well with yours during training.

4. Cost

This is a key factor in selecting a personal trainer. Simply put, you must examine your finances and come to an amount of money that you can comfortably spend on a trainer. Spending more than you can afford will not be in your best interest.

5. Availability

Some trainers work with a variety of clients, and this can limit their availability with you. When you are shopping for a personal trainer be sure to ask when they will be able to work out with you and determine if their availability will match your schedule.

These tips will help you to choose a personal trainer that meets your needs and helps you reach your fitness goals.