Sad to say but, not all trainers are qualified to train and be called a professional personal trainers. Some are just individuals who like to work out and decided they could make money at it. They may know how to work out to make themselves look good, but do they know how to help you reach your goals?

When choosing a trainer you want a professional, and just like you would any other professional you should know that they are qualified to get you results. Of course, if they don’t get you results you will stop working with them, but many times you will not know that it wasn’t your fault for the lack of results.

I have hired and trained a multitude of trainers over the years. The bottom line is that my standard for trainers was so high that I offered a money back guarantee for my clients. My clients always get dramatic results. I have put together the following list of questions that you should ask before hiring a personal trainer in your area. All of our qualified trainers will ace these questions.

1. Ask the personal trainer about their education and certification.

A personal trainer should be certified through a reputable fitness organization such as NASM, ISSA, ACSM, ACE or NSCA). An exercise science or other related college degree isn’t necessary, but the more education your trainer has, the more tools he or she has in their tool box to help you.

Some personal training studios have their own certification program and these can be an excellent form of education for the novice trainer.

2. What kind of programs does the personal trainer offer?

Ask the trainer what specific programs they offer. These programs might include:
Fat Loss
Muscle Gain
Strength Gain
Increased Endurance
Increased Energy
Increased Metabolism
Stability and Balance
Nutritional Consulting
Increased Motivation
Goal Setting

3. Make sure the personal trainer asks you specific questions.

Your trainer should be asking you a lot of questions regarding such things as:
Your overall health condition
Your fitness goals
Your background or health history
If you have any medical issues

4. Do they offer a before assessment with periodical assessments?
You need to know where you are at when you start so you will know if you have made progress or not. A qualified trainer will take your measurement, your body fat, take your weight and they should take before pictures so you will be able to see your result up close and personal in the after picture. As a side note; the before and after pictures are a very valuable tool to keep you from ever slipping back into bad behavior.

5. How do you interact with the personal trainer?

Ask yourself if you are getting along nicely with the trainer as you sit there and chat with them. Remember, you will be spending some serious gut busting, sweaty and intense time with this person, so make sure you get along with them. The last thing you want is to walk out of a session because you simply can’t stand the trainer. You are not hiring a ‘friend’ but you need to like and respect them.

6. Ask the personal trainer for references from other clients.

Get references (phone numbers, names) of past and current clients. A great trainer will be excited to give you references of clients who will provide positive feedback about them. If the trainer has an issue providing these details, this is a red flag! If the trainer works for a club or studio, they should have lots of before and after pictures to show you.

7. What is their nutritional knowledge?
Our qualified trainers will tell you that more than half of your results are dependent upon your nutritional diet. They should ask some if not all of the following questions:
When do you eat your first meal? How often do you eat?
Which meals do you skip?
What do you eat?
How much do you eat?
What do you drink?
How much do you drink?
Do you diet?

8. Do they talk to you about the difference and benefit of WEIGHTS?

This is the number one question among women:
“Do I have to lift weights or can I just do the treadmill?”

Most women believe that lifting weights will make them look masculine. Used correctly, weight lifting can and will cause you to lose more weight, faster than any form of cardio. Your qualified trainer will explain why.

9. Do they teach the importance of cardio?

Many unqualified trainers see no value in cardio (since many of them are young and do not do it). They will put all the emphasis on weight training, because that is what they do and love.

10. Do they care?
This may be hard one to assess during the initial interview, but you will know soon enough as you start working with them. Do they remember your goals and your challenges? As you share with them are they listening or are they talking with their buddies? Are they on time for your appointment?

Bonus Question. Do they keep notes and a file of your work outs so they will know when to change your workout? If you do the same workout for too long you will plateau so a qualified trainer will have a planed work out program for you and it will progress.

If a trainer is in tune with his client and getting results, that will speak volumes. Who would you rather have train you, someone scraping for business or someone who is in high demand because they are a professional who gets results? I’ll take door number two!

Get a free list of the best qualified personal trainers in your area at Free List of Qualified Trainers in Your Area! Plus, read additional article written by Babe Mooney, world famous personal fitness trainer, dedicated to helping women across the US find personal trainers in their area. Personal Trainers interested in joining my team should visit Join the Fitness Trainer ListArticle Source:http://www.articlesbase.com/health-articles/fitness-industry-insider-pulls-back-the-curtain-and-reveals-the-truth-on-personal-trainers-1695506.html

A recent study was done assessing whether clients got better results with or without professional supervision.

Reference: Supervised exercise versus non-supervised exercise for reducing weight in obese adults. J Sports Med Phys Fitness. 2009 Mar;49(1):85-90.

This research study looked at the effects of training with supervision/instruction (i.e. a qualified personal trainer) versus “advice” (i.e. “Can you just give me a program to follow?”). There were two groups:

1. Group one met a trainer twice a week for 4 months (as a group).

2. Group two received basic advice to increase physical activity and access to a fully equipped gym (any exercise they did was unsupervised).

Results: The group with supervision lost almost 10 pounds more over a 4-month period with a total fat loss of 13.4lbs in the coached group, and only 3.7lbs in the advice only group.

The bottom line here is pretty clear… if you are SERIOUS about getting rapid and lasting results then you NEED to hire a true fitness professional.

Of course, that comes with a BIG BUT doesn’t it? For many, hiring a personal trainer is just too expensive. And with that, let me share my 2010 Fitness Industry Predictions…

Prediction #1: Weight loss and fitness boot camps will be popping up all over the place.

A quality boot camp is far more cost effective than hiring a one-on-one personal trainer. In fact, that’s one of the major reasons I switched to running a boot camp business when I left my career as a health club personal training manager. In addition, more studies are showing that people get better results when working out in a group environment.

There is, however, a BIG concern that goes along with this prediction. My fear is there will be a flood of copycat boot camp programs run by unqualified “trainers” who are simply jumping on the bandwagon to make money. It’s simply the nature of the beast. When an opportunity comes up to make money, people will jump on it. There are multiple fitness business “gurus” on the Internet who sell their done-for-you boot camp systems. As unseasoned trainers fail in health clubs they will be relying on these “boot camp in a box” programs.

So, how do you know how to choose a good boot camp from a poorly run one or one run by an unqualified instructor? Make sure you check the credentials of the person running the program. Look for a fitness related degree and national certification like the National Academy of Sports Medicine.

My next 2 predictions are direct results of Prediction #1.

Prediction #2: More people will get injured while attempting to get fit.

Because of the increase in copycat boot camps run by unqualified “trainers” fitness related injuries will go through the roof. We’ll see out-of-shape and overweight people performing exercises that are way out of their league. The ever-increasing popularity of The Biggest Loser will also be a major contributor to fitness related injuries. Viewers don’t realize that Biggest Loser participants are very closely supervised and go through professional athlete level testing and rehabilitation on a regular basis. In addition, the workouts you see on TV are not what they do most of the week.

Please be smart and safe when choosing your weight loss & fitness program.

Prediction #3: People will lose more weight than ever before.

Here’s the positive effect of prediction #1. There will be great weight loss and fitness boot camps like Look Great at the Lake Boot Camp that open up in your town. You will be able to find qualified trainers running highly effective boot camp programs. I’m personally part of an association with over 150 boot camp owners around the world. We strive to provide the highest quality programs to our communities. We have regular conferences and constantly communicate in an online forum sharing ideas and success stories.

These boot camp owners will deliver incredible results to their members and change the way their communities view fitness.

Prediction #4: Online personal training will become more popular.

Let’s face it; the economy has taken its toll on a lot of people. I personally think it’s a mindset, but that’s for another post. Online programs can offer a very inexpensive alternative to gym memberships and even boot camp memberships. The key is, of course, finding the right one.

I’ve experimented with a few, and have been less than impressed. The biggest issue I’ve found is most of them are computer generated. You answer a few questions and supposedly it spits out a custom program. The truth is, programs don’t need to be as customized for most people as many “professionals” would try to lead you to believe. However, these computer generated and some so called personal trainer generated programs often provide exercise and routines that are very inappropriate; oftentimes leading to under-training, over-training and/or injuries.

Justin Yule, B.S., CPT is a local Southwest Metro Minneapolis and Online weight loss & fitness boot camp instructor and personal trainer. . He is also the author of The Science of Getting Fit: 6 Proven Steps to Achieve Your Weight Loss & Fitness Goals. For a FREE Video Series on The Science of Getting Fit visit www.tinyurl.com/6StepsToWeightLoss For more great weight loss & fitness related articles and information visit www.JustinYule.com.

Article Source:http://www.articlesbase.com/health-articles/fitness-expert-shares-top-4-fitness-industry-predictions-for-2010-1684597.html

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And my answer is often it depends. It depends on the goal. Now, I know most people want to know what is the best ab exercise to get rid of fat on their stomach, but unfortunately ab exercises by themselves do very little to help you get rid of stomach fat.

This is known as the spot reduction myth. Because of the powerful marketing companies, consumers continually think that they can work a spot on their body as magically melt fat away from that spot, but that is not how the body works.

Ab Exercises are useful for supporting good posture, preventing lower back pain, and improving function and sports performance. Ab exercises are not good for spot reduction of belly fat.

Okay, back to the best ab exercise…

There was a study done called finding the safest abdominal challenge measuring work to compression ratio. This study looked at 9 ab exercises and compared the muscle work in the abs to the pressure in the lower back during each exercise.

According to this study, the exercise that worked the abdominal muscles the hardest while putting the least pressure on the lower back was crunches with the feet on a bench or ball. When the feet are lifted it takes away some of the arch in the lower back and takes some pressure off the joints.

In addition, the exercise that worked the abdominal muscles the hardest also put the most pressure on the lower back and that exercise was double hanging leg raises.

To determine which exercise is the best you must take into consideration the fitness goal. For example if someone has a slightly achy lower back, crunches with the feet up may be the best abdominal exercise because it works the abs really hard but doesn’t put a ton of pressure on the lower back.

However, if you are an athlete looking for serious core strength, double hanging leg raises might be the best ab exercise for you. Nearly all exercises have a benefit, so the most important thing is to be active and exercise. The best exercise for you may be the one that you like the most because you can consistently do it.

There are hundreds of variations of ab exercises that you can choose from. You can perform various forms of crunches, like regular crunches, oblique crunches or bicycle crunches. You can do leg raises and reverse crunches to emphasize the lower abdominal area. You can use a stability ball to do roll-ins or piques with your feet on the ball, or you can do your crunches on a stability ball for an added benefit.

And in regards to constructing your ab workouts, you will also find that there are hundreds of ways to create an effective ab workout. You can do straight sets and just focus on one exercise at a time. You can do super sets which pair two exercises together. Or you can do your ab workouts in circuit fashion by performing 3 or more exercises in a row with no rest in between. Each exercise and each workout gives you a slightly different fitness experience and result.

Whatever exercises and workouts you choose, keep good form and stay consistent!

Charles Inniss is a personal trainer and physical therapist. Visit his website to learn all the best ab exercises and learn all the best tummy toning exercises.Article Source:http://www.articlesbase.com/health-articles/how-to-determine-the-best-ab-exercises-for-your-workouts-1465246.html

Of course before you start any kind of Encinitas exercise program you have to make up your mind to succeed. A positive attitude will go a long way with motivating yourself to continually show up and exercise. Don’t be someone who joins a location and then fails to show up and use the facility. It’s one thing that will not allow you to succeed in an exercise program. Make sure you can show the dedication to show up at least three times per week and workout at least 20 minutes or more.

One thing that people who hate coed facilities will consider is staying at home and working out. Though you may need to get a bit of equipment to get a good program going. You can shop at second hand stores and find used equipment for a bit less money. Mix up the program and make sure you incorporate not only cardio, but weights and nutrition as well. Don’t let things around the home keep you from working out though.

There are gyms that offer services that are not coed that you can also consider. Many gyms are switching to this type of format to help out people who are intimidated easily. They even run specials for those people who want to join, so you can find a reasonable cost to join a gym. With the addition of a personal trainer you can step up a program and make the results you see even better. They will include a nutrition program as well.

Want a bit more as far as activities that you can enjoy, look at a fitness center for your Encinitas exercise program. They also have personal trainers on site that will be able to help you out in your exercise program. So see if they are included in the cost of membership. Look at camps that are offered from the fitness center as well to add more variety into your exercise program.

The perfect example for a camp that will add some great variety into your Encinitas workout program is a boot camp. Short but very intense is what you can call a boot camp, they last from four to six weeks. Pushing your body to limits that will have results that amaze people who’ve attended them in the past.

Still want even more activities to choose from with your Encinitas exercise program? How about a health club, they will give you many options that will be included in the membership fees. Group fitness classes, personal trainers, nutrition help, pools, and tennis are just a few things you can find at a health club to use.

In closing, choose a Encinitas exercise program where you are sure to head to often enough to get your monies worth, and see results from your exercise.Article Source:http://www.articlesbase.com/health-articles/an-encinitas-exercise-program-for-you-1411584.html

It’s very important when you begin a Vista exercise program that you have the right attitude and commitment to the process. No matter what you pay for membership fees, if you don’t show up, you will never see any changes in your body. Motivation can be found in different ways so think of ways that you can provide yourself with the right amount so that you will go to the location you choose.

A home exercise program is a start and one that many people may try if they lack the funds for other choices. It will most likely be the hardest to succeed at though. With being at home the draw of sitting and watching television may be too strong. Finding that your unable to avoid these distractions to your exercise program you may need to consider a different way to complete your Vista exercise program.

Head out and check out a gym to join, they will run specials at different times of the year, making the cost less to join. You should see what your membership includes when you head into a gym. At times they may offer you the chance to use a personal trainer. It’s a great way to add in motivation to your Vista exercise program. These personal trainers will have you eating in the right manner and working out hard. Pushing you past where you thought you would be able to accomplish too.

Yet something else you may want to look into is a fitness center. Offering you personal trainers and machines to work out on, but also giving camps that you can join. Camps can be specialized for different things, and you should ask the staff to see what kind of things are included in the monthly fee you will be paying.

One camp you can look into at a fitness center, or other locations as well, is the boot camp. Boot camps can be a great way to start your Vista exercise program. Showing results in only four or six weeks, and having you in fantastic shape. They will also work with you on the right ways to eat, you can continue the exercise program after a boot camp in any way.

Still feel as if you don’t have enough activities that you can do at those other locations? Think about a health club when that is the case. Getting fitness rooms and personal trainers along with nutrition programs, but still more. Some health clubs will have courts you can play basketball on, social events, and tennis courts.

In closing, look at all the exercise choices before you make that final decision on which Vista exercise program you want to join.Article Source:http://www.articlesbase.com/health-articles/a-vista-exercise-program-that-works-1411618.html

In the fall many people begin to slow down with their exercise; frankly because they see the weather changing toward the cold winter months. We tend to start slowing or shutting down when the cold season starts; heading into hibernation (so-to-speak). The fall season is really a time when you should ‘Kick it up’ a notch and put a ’spring’ back into your step (no pun intended…. well, maybe a little). Right now is a beautiful time to be outside.

One excellent solution to keeping your exercise going through the fall months – heading into winter – is to go for brisk walks through the many wonderful parks. Across , and the surrounding area, we have well over 100 park areas to visit. You won’t even be able to see them all before it starts to snow.

Don’t Wait! The park colors won’t If you start now you can still enjoy some of the outdoor activities that are available at the parks. You may even want to keep a list of which parks you would like to make a return visit to later when the leaves begin to turn. Take your camera with you too. You will want to capture the amazing colors as they begin to appear. An example of a park that you may want to visit is the Finch Arboretum with its diverse foliage. Here is a list of a few more:

· Audubon – 3405 N. Milton Ave.

· Austin Ravine – Sky Prairie Park to Cedar St.

· Ben Burr Trail – Liberty Park to Underhill Park

· Friendship – 631 E. Greta (Greta Ave. & Standard St.)

· High Bridge – 136 S A St. (Riverside & A St.)

You can find many more parks around , so choose your favorites.

Try putting together a game plan for the winter months. One great place to start is with a personal trainer. Nobody just falls into good health at a Park; it takes a plan and action. With a Personal Trainer, you can setup a plan that can carry you through the winter months and on into spring. You need to get started right away!

Zach Hunt is a Spokane Personal Training expert and the owner of Physzique, a personal fitness coaching company in Spokane, WA helping people to look and feel great. Go here: Personal Trainer Spokane for more info on these services and more great fitness tips.

Article Source:http://www.articlesbase.com/health-articles/a-park-for-a-healthier-you-1406226.html

Fitness centers like to offer many specialized classes you may not see in a gym or even a health club. One example is a boot camp, which is a fantastic way to start a workout program. Short and sweet is what you could call a boot camp. Lasting from four to six weeks you will see some of the best results ever experience from a workout program.

Also another example is a boxing class that you could take at certain San Diego fitness clubs. These boxing classes can see you burning about 800 to 1, 000 calories in only one hour. A great way in which you will work on toning your body and building up endurance as well. Also a very fun and tough way in which you can challenge yourself.

Offering many specialized classes that can range from beginning step classes to Pilates. Or for certain age groups even, senior’s classes or other choices can be found at a fitness center. The choices that you have can be outstanding and help you in succeeding those goals you’ve always wanted to reach.

Some fitness centers will even have a spa in them. Which means you can also focus on relaxing and get a treatment or massage after working out. There are so many programs that can be found at a San Diego fitness center that you may not even know what to do for the day.

You can even find fitness centers that are not coed, so if you feel a bit nervous with guys around look for a girls only fitness center. Hire the use of a personal trainer or see if they are included in the monthly membership fee. Adding in a personal trainer will allow you to reach goals and become more motivated. A good personal trainer will set up a workout program that they can make just for you. It should include cardio, weights, and a nutritional program for you to follow.

The combination of following the program they set up with eating the right way may be the perfect way to lose the weight you’ve been hoping to get off. To find out specifics about those San Diego fitness centers near you visit the web sites first.

Ask what is all included in the monthly fees and see what kind of classes that fitness center offers to you. Find the one that will offer you the best benefits for the cost.

When you’ve picked a few choices that you think you would be interested in joining go and visit that fitness center. Make sure you don’t join the first one you visit, and ask to see if any of the ones you visit may have a special for signing up. See what is included with the membership fee that you pay, and if you will have to pay extra for any classes.

After you’ve narrowed down to a few San Diego Family Fitness Center choices, head into that location and visit it in person. Don’t sign up with the first Club Fitness Center you stop at though. Check to see if any of them have a special if you sign up for a membership too.Article Source:http://www.articlesbase.com/health-articles/always-make-sure-to-relax-after-you-exercise-1403218.html

It all starts around Halloween; even if you don’t have kids you will buy candy to hand out. Many people will even buy extra bags that they can keep for them to eat later on. It’s something that a lot of people do, but you can fight it. Or head into a Vista gym and workout harder to get all those pieces of candy off your body!

Thanksgiving is an excellent holiday, but you always have so much food around. A turkey or ham that will last for days, and pies, and everything else. It’s a time when people seem to stuff all the food they can into their mouths. Working out at that Vista gym is vital after this day as well.

After that holiday you have Christmas and New Year’s. Okay so the second is more about drinking than eating. But that will still add on the pounds if you drink too much! So it’s either you join a Vista gym and workout, or you gain weight. Instead you should start your time now in the gym, that way by the holidays you will be well into getting into shape.

Compare several gyms that are close by you when you begin your search. Look at the cost of a membership and if they have specials running to join. Many gyms will run specials around this time for people who want to get into shape for the holidays.

See if when you pay that monthly fee what you get with the membership. Some gyms may let you use the services of the personal trainer. This is an excellent idea, because they will help keep you motivated as time goes by. Plus they will figure out a workout program and nutritional program for you to use in order to get into shape.

If you want to sign up for a gym that isn’t coed, make sure you focus the search that way too. It’s easier at times to work out without the other sex around. Because most people don’t like to have a guy who they think is good looking seeing them after working out. Not until they’ve taken a shower and got all cleaned up anyway.

Consider many things beside the cost of membership when looking for a Vista gym. Also consider the distance of the gym from your home. The closer a gym is the easier it will be to head out to exercise when you need too. Look for a personal trainer to help set up a program to help you stay in shape through the holidays.

Look for extras that are offered at the Vista gym, a gym that isn’t coed, if you want too.Article Source:http://www.articlesbase.com/health-articles/vista-gym-and-exercise-programs-1352084.html