It’s almost that time of year again! The New Year - full of new-found discipline and packed gym floors! Before you sink your money into a “New Year, New You” transformation package, make sure you’re picking the right Personal Trainer for your needs, goals, lifestyle and budget.
Here are some red flags to watch for when considering hiring a Personal Trainer:
1. They’re not actually certified by any organization.
There’s no official standard certification in Canada, but there are some big organizations such CanFitPro. ISSA, YMCA, Pilates Method Alliance, etc. Aspiring personal trainers can choose what certification works for them in terms of cost, commitment, and area they wish to specialize in.
Most organizations have requirements for annual continuing education credits. This means Personal Trainers expand their knowledge each year in an area of interest or expertise. Many gyms and some fitness organizations also require regular renewal of CPR and First Aid.
Inquire with potential Personal Trainers about their certification, and area of expertise. It’s very common to find Kinesiology and Physiotherapy students working as Personal Trainers.
However, I’ve encountered a few gym rats turned “trainers”, and I suspect a good majority of fitness influencers are not actually trained in anything.
Just because someone has had glowing success with fitness, doesn't mean they can provide you with your desired results. Ensure they have relevant credentials to back it up.
Which brings me to…
2. “Train Like I Train” (Rigid Program Design)
Oftentimes, the more rigid or extreme the training program, the more confidence the client has in the Personal Trainer. Some clients believe health and well-being is earned through pain, sacrifice and self-control. Think of the popularity of challenges such as 75 Hard.
But watch for Trainers who give you strict algorithms for success. They may lack the education and skills to adapt a program to your unique needs.
I experienced Rigid Program Design as a new mom. After having a baby, I was desperate to lose weight and hired a Personal Trainer. He told me I was “deconditioned” from my pregnancy and needed to lift heavy. A 10-week post-partum woman. Lift. Heavy.
Here’s where the rigidity came in. He insisted I lift heavy on weight machines. When I had difficulty or pain, I was told it was because I was unfit.
He was a “gym bro” with experience in one thing: weightlifting. The program he had me on wasn’t for me. It was what he did. “Train like I train”.
Find a trainer that meets you where you are at. If you’re in pain or having a very difficult time with a program, a good Personal Trainer will ask questions about what you’re experiencing, and adjust your form, the specific exercise, or the program.
3. “Eat Like I Eat”. (Rigid and/or restrictive diet )
I had a conversation with someone who was put on a restrictive diet by their trainer. She was so proud of changing her habits in such an extreme way, and of course, she lost weight. But was it ethical of her trainer, and furthermore, did her trainer have the medical training to advise such an extreme change?
Personal Trainers are not allowed to provide dietary programs or specific food plans. The only exception to this is if they are also a Registered Dietician (RD). In Canada, a Registered Dietician is the ONLY recognized professional for dietary requirements. Trainers cannot recommend specific diet programs or supplements to clients.
If a Trainer is telling you must eat a very specific diet, they are:
· misinformed,
· out of scope of practice (see below)
· likely trying to sell you a product, such as protein shakes and supplements.
Of course, diet is an important part of a healthy lifestyle and aids in achieving fitness goals. Personal Trainers are permitted to recommend Canada’s Food Guide to clients (which is much improved!) I’ve completed a course on Healthy Eating, and the focus for trainers is to recommend “adding” to plates. Adding more greens, more protein, more whole food foods, more complex carbs, and more fibre. Additionally, I often suggest clients use tracking apps to log foods for feedback on how many calories they are consuming, and macronutrient percentage.
As a side note, rigid diets are often not very sustainable. Balanced eating is best, and if you have concerns, food allergies, or a medical condition, a Registered Dietician is your best (and most honest) option.
For more information, here’s the link to a fantastic article by John Berardi of Precision Nutrition on Scope of Practice Can personal trainers and health coaches give nutrition advice?
4. Acting Out of Scope of Practice
As I mentioned above, Personal Trainers who suggest diets, supplements or medications are out of their Scope of Practice. Personal Trainers are also not supposed to sell ingestible or topical products, such as supplements or pain creams.
Secondly, be wary of insurance fraud. Some fitness centres try to blur the lines between Personal Trainers and Physiotherapists. Physiotherapists have gone through 4+ years of university and rigorous testing. Physiotherapists will be able to provide you with a receipt with a unique ID number, showing they are a registered member of the College of Physiotherapists of Ontario (or your home province). Your insurer will be looking for this ID number to verify a claim for fees.
That said, some private insurers allow Personal Trainer fees to be billed to preset annual limit (mine does, actually). In the Province of Alberta , doctors can write prescriptions for Personal Training and fitness membership fees (which is amazing!). Ontario has a Motor Vehicle Accident Fund for para-medical fees. Check with your doctor and insurer about requirements for a claim.
Lastly, unless backed by other credentials, such as physiotherapy, or medical training, Personal Trainers cannot diagnose conditions such as hypertension, thyroid issues, arthritis, etc. Please seek out assistance from a medical professional.
5. Large Lump Sum Payment Upfront.
This one may get me in trouble with other Personal Trainers.
Making a large lump sum payment is a show of commitment from a new client. It’s a strategy that works. Personally, I have done more yoga in the past two years because of an annual fee on my yoga app.
However, life happens. Clients may get ill or injured; it is peak season at work; for whatever reason, attendance and adherence drops off.
“Big box” gyms know there’s inevitable drop-off. They’ll get a ton of new membership commitments in January. By March, a significant number of clients have stopped coming, or come less than they were. But the gym still has your money.
It’s a bit deceptive but I understand a Gym Owner’s perspective on upfront fees. The fitness industry is challenging to be successful in. Gyms, and Personal Trainers, need commitment from clients to have incoming income to pay their overhead bills and staff salaries. Having a Personal Trainer is a luxury; and when money (or time) gets tight, we’re usually the first service removed from the budget or schedule. I know this from experience. Cancellations and broken contracts are the norm, and this is why many gyms and trainers ask for money upfront.
Large lump sums are not all bad, and investing in your health is important. But be honest with yourself when making a commitment.
Am I going to make time in my weekly schedule for fitness?
Is this gym or studio an easy commute to get to (or better yet, virtual?)
What’s their cancellation policy? Are there fees?
Is this the right gym/studio or Personal Trainer for me and my goals?
Hoping you found this article helpful and that it encourages you to make an informed, sustainable investment in your health.
Miranda Montgomery
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