Whether you are coming back from an injury, currently working through one, or just want to get into your best physical shape, the right personal trainer and training system can help achieve your goals. As personal trainers at Hospital for Special Surgery, we provide coaching to people of all fitness abilities and can help you choose a personal trainer and find a training system that works for you.
Choosing the Right Personal Trainer
Everyone has different fitness abilities, goals and personalities. You should be paired up with a personal trainer who meets your needs. When we meet with clients for the first time, we ask them the following questions:
- What are your short-term goals: What are you looking to achieve through exercise in the next three months?
- What are your long-term goals: What are you looking to achieve through exercise in the next year?
- What is your exercise background: What are some exercises you enjoy doing? What has been your experience with exercise/personal training/group fitness classes?
You should also look out for these three qualities in your personal trainer:
- Education: Always ask about your personal trainer’s education and certifications. Make sure that your personal trainer has a degree in exercise science or kinesiology and is certified through an accredited program that requires a 4-year degree.
- Personality: What are some personality traits that would match your personality? You will be spending countless hours with your personal trainer, so getting along with him/her is key! You have to look forward to seeing your personal trainer everyday!
- Motivating: You want to make sure that your trainer has a motivating personality, is concerned about your goals, and will challenge you to step “outside your box” in a safe environment.
Another option for making workouts more personal is a personal training system to optimize your workout.
Finding the Right Personal Training System
At the HSS Sports Rehabilitation and Performance Center, we partnered with Athletes Performance to use the cutting-edge Core Performance (CPro) training system to provide clients with a personalized evaluation and exercise program. CPro incorporates personal coaching, nutrition and advanced technology to guide clients each step of the way. Here are some things you should consider when looking for a training system:
- Evaluation of health for current fitness level, goals and nutrition regime: CPro identifies your musculoskeletal imbalances, cardiovascular health, body composition and current nutrition regime. Following the evaluation, the data is placed into a Prescription Engine to generate an individualized training plan for every time you workout.
- Cardio training: CPro allows you to select a cardio machine such as a treadmill, stationary bike or elliptical that provides exercise levels based on your heart rate zones.
- Strength training: CPro electronically tracks and records your strength training movements and repetitions.
- Nutrition evaluation: A nutritionist helps you choose the best food choices to properly fuel your body and provide energy for peak performance.
- Safe environment: CPro is located within HSS’s Sports Rehabilitation and Performance Center within the #1 orthopedic hospital in the country. Clients can feel safe when working out here. When picking a gym or personal trainer, it’s important that they have a focus on safety.
