When it comes to finding the perfect personal trainer, coach or fitness membership for you - how do you know who is the right fit? What type of qualifications and experience should you be looking for?

As far as fitness professionals go - they are everywhere! But they are far from equal.

So you want to invest in a personal trainer, coach, gym or fitness membership, but where do you start with finding the right person or place?

Firstly - it is SO important that you find someone that can support your goals and that you aren’t just another number.

Secondly - they need to be appropriately qualified AND experienced in helping you reach these goals.

The fitness industry is flooded with trainers, gym instructors, coaches and cowboys. Yep I said it.

Unfortunately the fitness industry (much like the nutrition industry - but that’s a blog of it’s own) is not highly regulated. This means that people can do the various courses and certifications out there and then not invest in any ongoing professional development, register with industry bodies and sometimes not even hold valid insurance!

Often you’ll have passion minus the experience and suitable quals which can be detrimental to your journey.

Before I jump into the nitty gritty - here is an overview of my quals, Personally, I

Have 11 years experience in the health and fitness industry
Contributed over 60 articles for print and online publications and spoken at national & international health & fitness events
Completed tertiary education Bachelors Degree of Exercise and Sports Science
Post Graduate Diploma in Human Nutrition
Pre and Post Natal studies
Certificate III & IV in Group Fitness and Personal Training
Level 1 Running Coach
Les Mills International Instructor - Body Attack & CX Worx

What kind of Trainers and Coaches are out there, and what is the difference? Below I take you through the key qualifications you may see when looking for the right Fitness Professional for you.

OVERVIEW OF FITNESS PROFESSIONALS

Exercise Physiologists, Exercise and/or Sports Scientists - Have completed a three year university degree with a likely 4-5th year for post graduate studies.

Level: Advanced. High level of knowledge on physiology, anatomy, bio mechanics, nutrition, exercise prescription, resistance training. Good level knowledge injury development and rehab, sport psychology, lifespan development.

Personal Trainers

The first thing to check when looking for a PT is have they completed their Certificate III & IV in Fitness?

Qualified PT’s will have completed their course through various RTO’s either via face to face or online. Many of these courses require a practical component.

Level: What you want a PT to have. Then a good Trainer will invest in ongoing development to specialise in certain areas.

Australian Strength and Conditioning Coach - Level 1 & 2

Requires prerequisites and is aimed at fitness instructors, personal trainers, sport science students PE teachers and sports coaches and provides the fundamental level of knowledge and skill to program and improve the performance of Regional level athletes.

Good level of knowledge in strength and conditioning - sports specific.

Level: Sound level of S&C & exercise programming. Generally a PT in addition to this additional qualification.

Gym Instructor (GI)

Gym Instructors typically hold a Certificate III in Fitness. Gym Instructors can lead develop programs for and lead group exercise classes and conduct health screenings/fitness assessments. They also often man the gym floor during peak times to keep the gym looking schmick and answer any queries members may have.

This is also a prerequisite for many Les Mills Instructors. Not qualified to conduct PT sessions.

Les Mills Instructor

Les Mills Instructors have completed the 2 or 3 day course and submitted a video to become an instructor in their given program. These instructors may have a Certificate III in Fitness (pre requisite) OR have completed the Les Mills GEL training.

Level: Limited to the Les Mills program only. Do not specialise in prescribing appropriate alternatives for special needs i.e. pregnancy, post natal, injuries.

CrossFit Coach

To become a certified CrossFit coach you need to complete the two day CrossFit training course and successfully pass the assessment at the end.

No pre-requisites are required and this is where you need to be sure of your Coaches qualifications and experience.

Pre-requisites of coaches will be set by each affiliate. Some gyms may want all coaches to have a minimum Certificate III and IV in Fitness which is great, others may accept coaches that have the basic CrossFit Coach qualification.

Do you know what does your coach has?

F45 Trainer

This use to be a two day course similar to CrossFit with no prerequisites required (I couldn’t find current info on this).

Again, pre-requisites a Trainer will need to hold will be set by each gym. The F45 qualification may suffice, some may require a Certificate III and IV in Fitness as a minimum.

WHAT TO LOOK FOR IN A COACH/TRAINER/GYM:

What are their qualifications and experience?

This one is simple, find out which of the above qualifications they have, how long they have been active in the industry for and what do they specialise in?

Maybe they have a Cert III & IV in Fitness, have 6 years experience in the industry and specialise in pre and post natal exercise. If you’re a new or expecting Mum - this is the Trainer for you.

If you have a ongoing serious back or knee injury - does your Trainer or Coach have a good level of knowledge in exercise rehab, human anatomy and physiology?

Testimonials - What are others saying? What is the word on the street?

Do they regularly share testimonials from current or past clients? What is their street cred like? A great trainer and gym will have glowing reviews and proudly share these on their websites and social media platforms.

Are they legit or is there some cowboy status?

Do some background work - do they have social media platforms, a website? This should be where you can find all of this information either in their BIO or ABOUT ME pages of the socials and website. Testimonials should also be available.

If it is a gym - find out about their staff, code of ethics and what they require from staff as a minimum to join their coaching team. Lack of info, quals or experience may mean they are just starting out, or maybe not the Trainer/Coach/Gym for you.

Do they invest in their ongoing professional development?

The fitness industry is ever evolving and Trainers need to keep their level of knowledge current. Has your Trainer completed their certificate and that’s the only formal education they have in the industry OR do they continually invest in additional training and courses to further diversify and specialise their expertise?

Do they have insurance?

Every PT should have their own certificate of insurance. Unsure? Ask them.

Do they have a current CPR and First Aid certificate?

Every active Trainer or Coach should have current first aid and CPR certificates.

What do they specialise in?

Having a qualification is great but ideally you want your Trainer, Coach or Gym to specialise in what you are after - weight loss, pre and post natal exercise, sport specific goals etc.

Do they love it or is it a paycheck?

A fantastic trainer LOVES what they do, and it will be blatantly obvious if they love their profession or if they are just passing time.

Are they registered?

This is the SIMPLEST way to know if a Personal Trainer has a current certificate of insurance, CPR and first aid certificate and their level of qualifications and years experience in the industry.

Unfortunately registration with Fitness Australia is voluntary, it requires an annual fee AND all registered exercise professionals have to complete 20 Continuing Education Credit points every two years for their registration to remain current (great news if your trainer is = professional development). Therefore, not all Trainers are registered with this industry body.

You can head to this link and type in the name of a Trainer/Coach to see if they are registered + all of the above details here: https://fitness.org.au/directory/reps/1

My recommendations?

Every Trainer, Coach and gym has to start somewhere and experience comes with time. BUT as a client it is SO important to know what your personal goals and needs are and find a coach, trainer or gym that can meet that.

Just because someone doesn’t have a heap of quals of experience , they can still be an amazing Trainer. Similarly, a Trainer with all the quals and experience isn’t a recipe for an great one.

If you are pregnant or a Mum - Too often women have reached out to me that have been training under the supervision of those in the industry that don’t specialise and are unskilled in these areas, that are now showing symptoms - new or worsened of pelvic floor dysfunction and other.

If you are pregnant you REALLY do need a suitably trained exercise professional and the same for post partum - remembering the post natal period is FOREVER.

Do your research, ask the questions and make an informed choice.

For example, if you are a Mum of two with a grade 2 prolapse and not aware of appropriate options to take, F45 and Crossfit may not be for you - unless your coaches are specifically trained in pre and post natal exercise prescription.

If you are pregnant and working with a Personal Trainer who hasn’t conducted any training in pre natal exercise prescription - you need to find a new trainer or appropriate resource that will empower you to keep training safely AND effectively (see my Exercise During Pregnancy eBook for more info).

My Pre and Post Natal Exercise and Nutrition eBooks are perfect for Mums with kids of ANY age and for all women who are carrying a pregnancy. A resource well worth investing in!

Find a trainer that is invested in your journey, passionate, professional and will be able to train you both safely and effectively towards your goals.

I hope this has helped, I’ve love to know if it has!

Brooke x