Personal trainers either work in health and fitness centers or they work privately, visiting their clients at home or the office. As you can see, it's not hard to find a personal trainer, but knowing what to look for in a personal trainer can be a bit more challenging. Before you hire one to help you reach your fitness goals, make sure the personal trainer you're interested in can pass the test before they try to push you to your limits. Here are some tips to help you know what to look for in a personal trainer:

Certification & continuing education Do not assume that because your personal trainer is working at a gym that they are certified. If you find that they are certified, that certification should come from a legit certification body. This is one of the most important aspects to know when learning what to look for in a personal trainer. The American College of Sports Medicine, National Academy of Sports Medicine and the American Council on Exercise are some of the most recognized and sought after certifications for personal trainers. When you find a personal trainer that you might hire, visit the website of the certification body that they claim to belong to and check your trainer's certification. However, some personal trainers may also be certified athletic trainers (National Athletic Trainer's Association), strength and conditioning coaches (CSCS) or exercise physiologists.

When your wondering what to look for in a personal trainer, you want to see that the personal trainer is also keeping his certification current. You want to make sure that when you find a personal trainer that they continue to attend classes, seminars or successfully complete continuing education courses for credit. Your personal trainer should also be currently certified in first aid, CPR and automated external defibrillator. There may be moments when a gym-goer (either you or someone else) will need medical attention. Any number of things can happen: dropping a weight on a body part, sprains and strains, fainting spells or even cardiac arrest. Your personal trainer should be able to react quickly and efficiently until further professional help arrives.

Medical history and fitness evaluation Before a personal trainer puts you through your first workout, they should take your medical history and have you perform a fitness evaluation -- if they don't, you should tell them what to look for in a personal trainer. A fitness evaluation may come in the form of a Physical Activity Readiness Questionnaire (PAR-Q), which will ensure that your personal trainer is aware of any conditions that may affect your performance (such as asthma, diabetes, fibromyalgia, and scoliosis). Also, musculoskeletal or orthopedic injuries have to be considered when choosing exercises and any exercise modifications that have to be made. The fitness evaluation includes your fitness goals, your target heart rate, blood pressure, starting weight, and body composition. Don't forget to sign the informed consent form.

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