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No two belly widths are the same.  No pairs of battleship hips are identical.  And no set of sores and post-workout aches are all eased by the same remedies.  In the pursuit of the ideal figure and weight, there are many paths to perfection.  Those who know this best are the armies of personal fitness trainers and their clients.  More and more people are turning to hired professionals for training and help in dieting, exercise, and motivation.  As the trend to have personalized service sets in, learn to stay on top of what is good service, where to look, and how much to pay.

What is good service

The most popular route of hiring a personal fitness trainer is through a local gym.  Many value the convenience of having their training in a facility where a diversity of machines, treadmills, weights and the galore are available to them.  This is all fine as long as you are clear about what kind of service you are receiving.  One-on-one training is expensive, costing anywhere between 45 to 75 dollars per one-hour session.  Your advantage is that you receive a personalized introduction if you’re a beginner and superior motivation and challenges if you’re intermediate or advanced.  Whatever your ability, you can expect an individualized workout schedule and program, suited to your personal goals.  Often for an extra fee, clients can receive a regimen of dieting instructions and protein and other nutrient supplements.  After this, the classical law of service applies: you get what you pay for.       

You can often in a gym spot the pairs of clients and their personal trainers.  Look for well-built, energetic studs—and studettes—accompanying their sweaty, panting, and sometimes chubby customers.  When choosing a personal trainer, don’t pick the largest of the bunch or the figure with the most brawn.  First, insist and rely on certifications.  Accredited organizations, such as the American Council on Exercise (ACE), National Academy of Sports Medicine (NASM), National Strength and Conditioning Association (NSCA), and American College of Sports Medicine (ACSM), assure that certified trainers are proficient in exercise safety, have attained standards of personal fitness themselves, and can clearly communicate instructions to others.  Relying on these credentials protects you from more aches and pains than necessary.

Where to look

We highly recommend that you shop around.  Comparison shop!  Because many personal trainers are affiliated with private and corporate gyms, there is no reliable, comprehensive network or marketplace of trainers to search.  Though, we were impressed by ustrainersearch.com (http://www.ustrainersearch.com/) because it generates a local list of trainers based upon your zip code and includes trainers’ profiles, services offered, achievements, history, and in-gym rate (dollars per session). 

How much to pay

Remember that rarely are rates fixed.  See if you can have your prospective trainer match a competing rate you might have found in a different gym.  You’ll fare best if you imagine yourself in a crowded flea market among many who are ready to offer you more-or-less the same service.

Insist on making a contract or having something in writing with your trainer.  He or she should be well acquainted with this need.  You want to assure yourself that you are getting all of the services due to you.  Generally, you’ll want to establish a set in-gym rate with your trainer.  But allow for flexibility if your training should take on advising about diet, weight and recovery after injury.