John Hamilton isn’t someone most people would think needs help working out.
The 43-year-old owns a health club in Bothell and has exercised for years. He isn’t a body builder or a professional athlete. Yet Hamilton is one of a small but growing number of people paying $30 to $40 or more an hour for their own fitness guru — a personal trainer.
A personal trainer is like a cheerleader, counselor and coach rolled into one. A good one can tailor a program to meet your fitness goals and provide the inspiration to attain them, whether you want to shed a few pounds or finish a marathon. They also can provide nutrition advice and education on exercise techniques and injury prevention.
"I think more and more people are going to be seeking out personal trainers," said Walt Thompson, a professor of Kinesiology and Health at Georgia State University with more than 20 years experience training exercise science students. "I don’t see a slow down at all.
"Fifteen years ago I thought it was a fad. I thought people weren’t going to pay for individual instruction, but it’s still going strong."
More people are interested in personal training services at Hamilton’s club, the Bothell-Mill Creek Gold’s Gym. About 5 percent of the club’s 3,500 members use a personal trainer and Hamilton plans to increase the personal training staff from eight to 15 this winter to keep up with the demand.
The reasons people hire trainers include learning how to exercise properly, staying motivated, having a workout buddy "or just to get their rears to the door," said Jenny Hurley, 28, a personal trainer at Hamilton’s club.
Everyone can benefit from a personal trainer — even trainers, she said.
Hiring a trainer isn’t limited to hardcore gym rats.
Stephanie Cole, 38, a personal trainer and an owner of Well Being in Marysville, said her typical clients are women such as Jan Hollenbeck, a sales manager from Burlington.
Hollenbeck, 50, wanted to exercise more and felt intimidated by the machines at the gym. She couldn’t find someone to work out with the same time she wanted to.
Hiring Cole solved all of that. She has worked out steadily for more than a year and lost pounds and gained muscle.
"I found it was very motivating when someone was there waiting for me," she said.
When it comes to selecting a trainer, however, consumers should be wary. The industry isn’t regulated and there are large disparities in education, experience and skills among personal trainers, says Thompson, who certifies personal trainers for the American College of Sports Medicine.
There are thousands of bogus trainers nationwide, he says. A "personal trainer" could have completed a four-year fitness degree or a one-day course.
So how can you be sure to hire someone who knows the difference between a pull-up and a push-up?
Thompson says personal trainers should have at least an associate’s degree in a health or fitness related field and be certified by either the ACSM or the National Strength and Conditioning Association, the two certifying organizations that require a written and practical exam.
As for experience, he recommends looking for someone who has worked as a trainer for at least two years. There are other certifying bodies, such as the American Council on Exercise, but these require only a written exam.
Start searching for a trainer at these organizations’ Web sites. Both allow users to search by area for trainers that are certified (www.nsca-lift.org, www.acsm.org). Health clubs are another place to find a trainer, although hiring from a club doesn’t guarantee a qualified trainer.
Don’t stop with a check of trainers’ certifications. Meet potential trainers in person if possible and be prepared to ask about experience, education, fees, scheduling and cancellation policies.
Hiring a personal trainer isn’t cheap. The more experience and education a trainer has the more the service will cost. Expect to pay $20 to $100 an hour, according to the NSCA Web site. Cole estimates the cost to be $25 to $40 in Snohomish County — more in Seattle and other urban areas.
Some trainers will let clients buy a set of sessions at a discounted price. Others offer group sessions for two and even three or four clients at a time, which also cuts down on the cost.
Personality probably plays as important of a role as knowledge and skills when it comes to selecting a trainer, Cole says. Choose someone you feel comfortable working with.
"You want someone you can connect with," she says. "I work mostly with older, overweight women. If a 20-year-old male body builder walked through the door I would refer him to someone else."
Hollenbeck says her experience has been positive because of Cole’s ability to relate to her.
"We had an excellent first meeting — I was immediately at home with her personality and knowledge," Hollenbeck says. "She has a bedside manner that makes you feel as if she has all the time in the world for you. That’s really nice."
"What people really want more than anything else is someone to connect with them for that hour," Cole says. "The people skills are at least as important as the knowledge — sometimes more important."
Debra Smith is an Everett freelance writer. E-mail her at dssmithwork@hotmail.com or send comments to features@heraldnet.com.
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