How To Select a Personal Trainer

For the past 16 years my workouts have been supervised by a personal trainer, even though I am a personal trainer. Just like everyone else, I need someone to "get me through the workout." Bottom line, you will work to your fullest potential and get great results with a good Chicago personal trainer. Why waste your effort and time going through the motions when your body needs to pushed with great intensity to truly get stronger.

When searching for a good personal trainer, along with someone who is professionally certified and knows the technical aspects, consider my top two priorities:

- Insist on someone who really knows how to push you. The body naturally wants to preserve its resources, working to your max is not natural, but necessary to get results. Your personal trainer doesn't have to be a drill sergeant to be effective, rather someone who 1) can match your weights perfectly to your ability with the right amount of intensity 2) knows how to motivate you through the last 2 reps when you think you've got nothing left, taking your muscles to complete exhaustion. Without this level of intensity, you won't get the results you should expect. He or she knows how to encourage you beyond what you and your body may think is possible. Each workout should be slightly more demanding than the last.

- Look for a trainer who knows that form and safety come first. Injuries in strength training are caused by improper form and momentum. You want your trainer to push you to your max but only with good form and always in control. Slow down your rep speed and you'll notice how much harder the muscles are worked while allowing you to better maintain your form and stay safe.