What to look for when hiring a personal trainer

WASHINGTON – A personal trainer may be able to help people fit into the perfect bathing suit or find a better workout, but there are some traits that should be avoided in a personal trainer.

Eric Adams, senior editor of Men’s Health, says the right time to spot a bad trainer is before someone starts working out with one.

“What’s the first thing you usually do with a new client like me?” he says. “After taking your medical history, the trainer should assess your balance, mobility and ability to perform body weight moves with perfect form. Anything else and that’s just one clue (that) you should avoid that person.”

He says people should watch out for trainers with mantras such as “go big or go home,” meaning you should work out until you practically collapse.

People also should avoid hiring someone who could ruin their body by speaking with three or four of their current and past clients. This provides an opportunity to ask if the clients were ever injured during the training and how they rate their progress. Adams says consistent, incremental gains are the healthy way to develop a good body.

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