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So if you have read the other posts, you may have come to realize that you are frustrated with your current exercise routine or just your overall appearance and state of health. Maybe you have realized you need or want a personal trainer Orange County; but how do you get a good one?
More and more people are beginning to regard an orange county personal trainer not as a luxury but as a necessity. They are realizing that, without proper guidance and support it is very difficult to initiate an exercise program. Unfortunately, virtually anyone can hang a sign on their door and call themselves a fitness professional. There now are more trainers than ever, substantially increasing your chances of making a bad choice. And there are no state laws requiring any kind of license. In fact you have to go through thousands of hours of cutting hair before you ever get a license but zero zip nada NO hours or license require to take someones health in your hands.
Honestly, any Joe blow on the street can say he is a personal trainer, and poof, he is one. I say this not to scare you, but to help you realize that you have a very important decision to make and will want all the facts. So how do you find the right trainer? There is not only a financial commitment on the line but also and more importantly your time, effort, and health. To make this decision easier, I have provided 5 steps to choosing the right personal trainer.
1. Check and assess the credentials
Although not mandatory, the majority of competent trainers decide to become certified as fitness professionals, which requires passing a detailed written examination and usually a practical exam. There are several organizations that certify personal trainers; they teach the same biological stuff because the human body is universal. However, many of them will have different training philosophies and program design. I highly reccomend NCEP, NASM, and ACE.
That being said, you must realize that simply because a person is certified does not mean he is an expert in the field of fitness. Any corporate gym will send a new trainer to a weekend course and have them working in the gym the next Monday. Certified implies that a trainer displays a basic knowledge of exercise, stretching and nutrition, but does not take into account many factors that ultimately determine a trainer’s competence. For example, would you rather take tennis lessons from Frank because he is certified and works at the local YMCA or from Andre Agassi who has proven results.
This is the difference between being certified and qualified. Check #4 to make sure your orange county personal trainer is qualified.
There are many trainers who possess book smarts and can pass a certification exam, but often are not able to communicate their knowledge to others in a clear, concise fashion. I have seen this all too many times. Certification is valuable as an initial screening tool but it has limited usage.
2. Find A Personal Trainer With A Physique That You Admire
A personal trainer should serve as a fitness role model. If you are inspired by the physique of your trainer, it can serve to motivate you to stay on a proper course. The ability to work with someone who has achieved an enviable physique through fitness can be a terrific source of inspiration and can keep you focused on your fitness goals. This is a true example of leadership by doing.
While it is true that someone with a great body is not always a capable trainer, one should look very skeptically at a trainer who is overweight or unfit. Some trainers are “Do as I say but not as I do”. It honestly blows my
mind how many fat personal trainers there are. This does not make
sense. A trainer who is out of shape dos not serve as a positive fitness role model. If the trainer is fat, you need to seriously question their knowledge of exercise and nutrition and their overall level of dedication that they will have for you. If they cannot achieve it on their own, then you can not expect to get results from them.
3. Find A Trainer With A Great Personality
A good Orange County personal trainer must possess more than just knowledge. This trainer has to relate to the needs of each individual trainee. Everyone is different and a good personal trainer must be like a chameleon. The trainer needs to be able to adapt to his client. He is not going to encourage Maxine the 85 year old grandma the same way he motivates Jack the 30 year guitarist for some crazy band.
While some people respond to a hard-driving, militaristic style of training(our buddy Jack), others need to be gently prodded and coaxed for maximum results(sweet and loving Maxine). Spend some time talking to the trainer and get a feel for his ability to communicate with you. If the encounter is anything but comfortable and encouraging, then choose someone else.
If you are not comfortable with the personal trainer’s persona, then next the 3 to 6 months are going to be pure hell and something you loathe doing. Your training sessions should be fun, exciting, and challenging; they should not be a chore and test of your ability to not snap and kill someone. Besides, you want to ultimately become friends with your personal trainer. If you could not see yourself hanging out with that person EVER, then why hang out with them 2 to 3 times a week.
4. Look For Several References and Success Stories
Any established and quality trainer will be able to provide you with references that you want. I think this is the most important aspect when looking for the right personal trainer. It is very easy to get these references and most orange county personal trainers will have a website with testimonials or success stories.
Check their website first and look for several testimonials. If someone only has a couple testimonials, they either are not getting results or are too lazy to track the progress of their clients; either way this is not the personal trainer for you.
Also check to see that their is a variety of success stories. Unless you are looking for someone that specializes in just one particular area, it is best to have a well rounded trainer. For example, you may want to lose weight right now but that does not mean you need a trainer that ONLY works with fat loss clients. This confuses many people.
Heres why…if the trainer is good (which if you follow these criteria he will be) then you will eventually hit your weight loss goal. Then what? Well then maybe you want to get better at tennis so you can smoke little miss whoever down at the club that seems to beat everyone. Well now you can stick with the same trainer IF he has experience training athletes. This will have several advantages but the biggest is that you will already have that working relationship. The trainer will already know where you came from and know all your weaknesses. And you have already had proven success with this trainer.
So again, look for success stories and DEMAND to see them. I think this is the most important aspect to look for when searching for a qualified personal trainer.
5. Evaluate The Fee Structure Of The Personal Trainer
Fees can vary greatly when it comes to personal training, ranging from as little as about $20 per session and going as high as $200 per session or more. Don’t think that a low-priced trainer is a bargain or that a high-priced trainer has some magical formula for success.
There are many things that will determine the fee structure including competition, location, reputation, etc. Be sure to ask what the price includes and whether it is by the session or monthly. I think personal trainers with monthly rates are more organized and more inclined to get results. If you buy a package of sessions, the personal trainer can slack off for the entire package until there are a few left and then turn on the burners with charm, knowledge, care, and consistency in order to get you to resign with them. Most trainers that charge monthly are way more consistent in their level of service.
Also look for trainers with guarantees. Any trainer that will put a guarantee on his training service is fully confident in his ability and has no doubt that you will get results. Either way, be sure to find something that fits your budget. That being said, also remember that you will save tremendous amounts of money by being healthy: no sick days off work, no doctor visits, no medication or prescriptions, lower insurance, no emergency hospital visits, etc..
In Closing
As a personal trainer myself, I need to point out that a lot of personal trainers out there are incompetent. I have worked in homes, corporate gyms, and private gyms and they are everywhere. The worst are usually in corporate gyms because any trainer that is worth his salt and has LOYAL clients, will work for himself. However, realize that there are uneducated, lazy, fat, careless trainers working all over. There are very few that I would actually invest my time and money with and you should be just as picky.
When looking for a personal trainer Orange County, remember these 5 criteria: credentials and certifications, a physique to admire, great personality, testimonials and success stories, fees and charges. Be sure to call your potential trainer and set up a FREE appointment with them before agreeing to any commitments.
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Not too long ago, hiring a Personal Trainer Orange County was like putting a chauffeur, butler or masseuse on the payroll, an indulgence for the rich and spoiled. But the idea that fitness coaches are only for Hollywood stars and professional athletes is as outdated as Jane Fonda’s leg warmers.
Having a trainer makes sense for people who join gyms but are intimidated by the maze of machines and free weights. Or those who work out at home and need someone to rev up your routine. Think you can go to the gym, workout, and eat right with enough motivation? Sure you can! However, what makes you think that someone who specializes in exercise and weight loss/ weight gain can’t help increase your results and keep you motivated and consistent?
When people think of a personal trainer they picture some huge guy that looks like Hulk Hogan standing over them yelling out orders like a drill Sargent.
The reality of our occupation is just the opposite. We aren’t there to be little you, yell at you, and make you puke (because you’ve worked out so much). We are there to be a “professional tool” to guide you in the right direction so you can be successful throughout your journey to a better, healthier body.
Most gym members watch personal trainers throughout their training sessions and try to get a good idea of what a trainer “really” does. This is often a good question to ask when watching some trainers that work in corporate gyms, but more on that issue in a future blog. However, even the average client doesn’t really know what is fully going on. Much more thought and effort goes into planning workout routines then just marching out onto the workout floor and pointing to machines. Not only is the trainer tailoring your workout towards your overall goal, but they are also changing your routine on a consistent basis so you don’t hit plateaus and get discouraged. Sometimes this means changing the weight, reps, tempo, modality, rest, plane of motion, or even changing the whole routine all together! So I am going to give you some hints on “what a trainer really does” so that you can decide whether paying for personal training is really worth it…..
Here are the top ten reasons to hire a Personal Trainer in Orange County
1. You are not seeing results
If you’ve been exercising consistently for several weeks or months and aren’t seeing the changes you’d like, hiring a trainer may be a good choice. A trainer can look at your current program and eating habits and help you see where you could make changes to create more effective
workouts. A trainer can also help you determine if the goals you’ve set are realistic for you.
2. You Do not know where to start
Knowing how to set up a balanced schedule that includes all the activities you need to do can be confusing. The great thing about a trainer is that he can help you maximize your time while helping you stay within your own limits so you don’t overdo it. He can also help you set goals and map out a specific schedule so you know when, how and where you’ll fit in your workouts.
3. You are bored with your old workouts
If you’re an experienced exerciser, maybe you haven’t considered working with a trainer. But it can be a great choice if you need some variety in your workouts. A trainer can bring a fresh perspecitve and new ideas to challenge both your body and your mind. Even if you just do a few sessions or meet every few weeks, you’ll find it refreshing to have new workouts and new exercise toys to play with.
4. You need to be challenged and pushed to your limits
If you’re like me, you tend to slack off on your workouts sometimes, especially when things get tough. A trainer can motivate you to push past those self-imposed limits, encouraging you to lift heavier, go longer and challenge yourself more than you would on your own. You’ll find it’s very hard to slack off with a trainer standing over you, telling you to do just…one…more…rep!
5. You need accountability and motivation
Trainers come with built-in motivation. Not only are you investing money into your exercise program…you’re investing time as well. There’s nothing like a standing appointment to get your butt in gear for a workout. Not only that, a trainer provides some accountability so, even when you don’t have a session, you know your trainer will be asking if you did your planned workouts. Just knowing that may make it harder to skip your workouts. This is also a great reason for all those people who know how to exercise and do it correctly but still just don’t.
6. You have a specific illness, injury or condition
If you have any specific issues like arthritis, heart disease, old injuries, diabetes etc., working with an experienced trainer (who works with your doctor, of course) can help you find a program to help heal injuries and avoid any further problems. It’s also a great idea to work with a trainer if you’re pregnant and want a safe, effective workout to keep you healthy and fit. Just make sure your trainer has experience with your issues!
7. You are training for a sport or event
If you’re training for a marathon, a golf tournament or some other type of sport or event, an experienced trainer can help you figure out what you need to do to stay strong without taking away from your other training. She can also help create a training program and map out a plan for the coming event. Just make sure she’s experienced in the sport you’re training for since not all trainers do sport-specific training.
8. You want to target specific parts of your body
Trainers have a vast supply of exercises so they can help target areas of your body that you don’t know how to work. Different exercises helps you to challenge parts of your body in so many different ways that you are assured to get results. So whether you want big guns for the beach or hot sexy legs for that new skirt, a trainer will be able to get you specific results directly related to your own personal goal.
9. You need advice on the right, safe supplements for you and your goal
The supplement industry spends billions of dollars each year on advertising their products, but just because they spent so much on promotion doesn’t mean that they spent it on research! In fact this industry is not even regulated by the FDA and do not have to practice good manufacturing practices. That’s where the trainer comes in, they study supplements and tell you which ones are worth buying.
10. They keep you on track with your meal plans(MOST IMPORTANT)
No one likes to be restricted, but somehow when someone is watching over you, it’s much easier to eat the right foods then just doing it on your own. Just knowing that you have to tell your trainer what you ate will help you make better decision let alone if you are writing it down and showing him. Every GOOD trainer will be very well educated in nutrition because that will determine 80% of your results. Make sure you know if you are eating to “lose weight” or for “optimal health”. There is a huge difference and it is a leading factor why 90% of our food budget is spent on processed “diet food” like lean cuisines and the cancer rates are growing like crazy.
A logical choice…
Look over this list of things that trainers do…… now think about your busy life, your family, your job, your social life. Now, tell me if you think you have time to change your workouts, follow your meal plan, keep yourself motivated, and spend long nights researching new workout routines and supplements. Not many of us do…. but we know we can make money and save money. Most sick days at work can be attributed to being overweight and eating junk. All the money spent at the doctors office and on prescriptions is unnecessary. This money can be invested in your well being with preventative medicine by choosing a personal trainer Orange County that’s well educated who can help you on your way to a better you!
Almost everyone, at some point, has wanted a personal trainer or at least wondered what they do. Since Orange County is the mecca for sports, organic nutrition, looking good, and movie stars, you would think that the best you could get is a Personal Trainer Orange County.
Why the best in OC?
This is somewhat true. Obviously there are personal trainers everywhere, but they get a lot of attention here in Orange County and LA because of the heightened awareness of health and a demanding urge to always look your best on the beach. The weather year round allows short skirts and no shirts.
Orange county has also become very popular in the past decade with all the reality shows and tv sitcoms dedicated directly to the lavish and sexy “oc life”: The OC, Laguna Beach, The Hills,
What about Hollywood?
Also, hollywood has brought a lot of attention to personal trainers because of their demand to get actors into top peak physical shape for certain roles: everyone in Gladiator, Brad Pitt in Troy and several other movies like fight club. These actors are a true testament that some personal trainers know what they are doing and can get serious results.
Here is Brad all ripped up in Fight Club.
Brad Pitt prepared for his role in Troy as Achilles by hiring a personal trainer for six months at the cost of $5,000 a week. That totals about 400% of the average income in America! These guys know that if they want results they will pay for it. Most people I know freak out about paying $500 a month for someone to completely change their lifestyle and possibly save their life.
Mark Twight, owner of Gym Jones, trained all of the men for the movie 300. Here is what he had to say about the training:
“Hard dieting. High reps. Heavy loads. Intense total body training. Great results. Train for performance and appearance follows. Nothing “magical” or “Hollywood” about it. And it’s the type of training anyone looking to improve their physique should be aiming towards – total body metabolic work.”
So did his training styles work…
W/ TRAINING
AMAZING RESULTS!!!
Truly the best…
Bottom line is that Orange County is the absolute mecca for health and good looks. If you are a local resident then you have the best options for finding an exceptional guide to help you hit your goals. When it comes to looking you beach body best, look no further than a Personal Trainer Orange County.
