Not all qualified trainers are good and not all unqualified trainers are bad. It gets bad when either unqualified or qualified trainers put the health of their clients at risk by not doing their research! It gets even worse when 'trainers' ask absurd amounts of money to get you in shape... on a cookie-cutter plan you share with every other client!
How to spot a bad personal trainer:
- They are unqualified but claims they completed their certification
- They don't have any qualification, certification or at least experience
- The don't value scientific research but rather follow conventional methods
- They only care about the cash
- They train more than one person at a time and don't pay enough attention to you personally. That is called group training, not personal 1:1 training!
- They don't work according to an exercise plan and make up exercises as they go
- They don't construct an individualised programme specifically for you
- They don't consider your health but rather just aim for the physique you are after
- They believe in extremes within exercise and nutrition: doing excessive amounts of training (resistance & cardiovascular) and following strict, restrictive meal plans
- They spend time on their cellphones while training you
- They never correct your form during or after exercise or give you feedback
- You've seen some or all of his/her other clients doing exactly the same exercises or diets
- They do not take your statistics before they take you on as a client (your age, weight, height, measurements, blood pressure, heart rate and so forth)
- They did not let you fill in a questionnaire about your medical history or past illnesses
- They don't let you do any fitness tests or assessments before they take you on as a client (depending on your goals)
- They don't keep track of your progress
- They lack communication during your session: they don't make comments or critiques and don't ask you for or give feedback
- They don't focus on your goals: they don't train you in a way that is conducive to your goals
- They withhold information: they don't share their knowledge regarding nutrition or exercise and act as if it's a secret when you ask them something
- They don't go the extra mile
- They are never on time
- They don't have client testimonies of previous successes
- They don't have a plan from the start and takes each session as it comes
- They never improve their skills: they don't do reading, go to workshops, do extra courses or widen their base of knowledge
- They aren't motivating or encouraging
- They don't make changes to your workout routine
- They don't re-assess you often
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