25 Questions to Ask your Personal Trainer Before You Start Workouts
When I first talk to new clients, I have a lot of questions for them during the intake process, but I often find they don’t know what to ask a personal trainer. Here are some questions you should ask your personal fitness trainer to ensure that your workouts are effective and to ensure that you are getting the most out of your training.
Read through the questions and then scroll down to see what kind of answer to look for when interviewing your trainer!
How long have you been a trainer?
What’s your personal training style?
What are your qualifications and certifications?
What was your most recent continuing education about?
What types of workouts will I be doing for my goal?
What made you want to become a personal trainer?
What are common injuries you see in your clients?
How do you prevent injuries during your workouts?
What is your cancellation policy?
What is your nutrition philosophy?
What can I expect from you as my trainer?
What is your approach to goal setting?
What are your success stories?
What should I wear to our workouts?
How can I make the workouts more enjoyable?
How can I keep track of my progress?
How often should I workout?
How long will the workout last?
How should I prepare for the workout?
Am I allowed to eat anything before the workout?
Do you have any suggestions on how to modify a routine if a client is struggling?
What happens if I get injured before a session?
How will I know if I’m doing the exercises right?
What’s the best way for us to communicate outside of sessions?
What are your rates and how do you prefer to be paid?
Image by Michelle Kenyon Photography
How long have you been a trainer? Typically, the longer the better. A trainer who’s been in their career for 5 years or more has figured out what works, and has worked with a wider range of clients. The only thing that’s a red flag is if your prospective trainer is not continuing their education, as it’s both required of us, and really important to keep up with industry trends and research. I’ve been a certified personal trainer since 2011, and worked for a big gym for 2 years before starting my own business. I love what I do and I’m constantly learning new fitness information!
What’s your personal training style? You may want a cheerleader, a drill sergeant, or someone who explains all the science to you, so there are a lot of good answers here depending on what you’re motivated by. I like to give my clients positive reinforcement, chat during the sessions if they like that, and I’m not a yeller.
What are your qualifications and certifications? We’re required to maintain our certifications every 2 years, as well as our CPR/AED certification. My original personal training certification is through National Academy of Sports Medicine, and I also have a specialization in Corrective Exercise through NASM, as well as my L-1 and Pre/Post Natal Certification through Girls Gone Strong. I’m also a Certified Functional Strength Coach.
What was your most recent continuing education about? At the minimum, each trainer is required to complete new education every 2 years, so they should be able to list something they’ve done in the last 24 months. In the last year, I’ve completed my Certified Functional Strength Coach course, have studied Dr. Stacy Sims’ course on the menstrual cycle and female athletes, and passed my Pre-Post Natal Certification with Girls Gone Strong.
What types of workouts will I be doing for my goal? Most trainers have styles of workouts that they prefer, and can provide you with an outline of what a typical workout might look like. I generally start with a warmup, spend most of our time strength training, and then depending on your individual goals, we’ll finish with core, cardio, or stretching. I tailor all of my workouts to be unique for my clients so no two client’s programs are ever the same.
What made you want to become a personal trainer? You might end up getting a really long story for this one, because personal trainers love to talk! If you’re interested in the answer though, you can get a good idea of the person you’ll be working with. I originally started lifting weights in my living room to P90X dvd’s when I was living in Japan. I fell in love with it and decided I wanted to do it full time. I have always loved movement, and I enjoy making exercise enjoyable for anyone who wants to join!
What are common injuries you see in your clients? Some trainers are very comfortable working with injuries and others are not. Many of my new clients come to me with back and knee pain, so I feel very experienced in helping them to workout. While I can’t diagnose specific injuries, I’m happy to work with your physical therapy team to take great care of you!
How do you prevent injuries during workouts? Unfortunately, injuries happen, and a big part of personal training is to make sure our clients are as safe as possible during a risky activity. I perform a movement consultation with every client before we start working together, which helps me to create workouts that are safe for their bodies and fitness levels. Think of this as “pre-hab” instead of rehab.
What is your cancellation policy? Make sure you know how this works, especially if you’re hiring an independent personal trainer! I require 24 hour notice to cancel a session, but I also provide that same courtesy to my clients or I give them a session for free.
What is your nutrition philosophy? This is important to know, especially if you’re someone looking to either have nutritional guidance, or to avoid it completely. Many of my clients come to me with a history of eating disorders, so I generally avoid giving nutritional advice. However, if you’re looking for a trainer who gives you meal plans, you’ll want a trainer who’s comfortable and skilled at that!
What can I expect from you as my trainer? This is to find out what services your personal trainer will include with their workout package. I not only create a customized workout program, but I also offer homework clients can do outside of our session with instructional videos and a tracking system, goal setting sessions, continuous communication outside of our workouts, regular progress reports, and a lot of “client appreciation” moments.
What is your approach to goal setting? If you love goals or struggle with motivation, this one might be a good one for you! I offer a complimentary Goal Setting phone call for all my clients so we can figure out a game plan to achieve what they REALLY want.
What are your success stories? I’d recommend just looking up someone’s Yelp or Google Reviews, but you can ask too. My favorite success stories are my clients who went from hating fitness and never working out to consistently working out every week for a year and actually enjoying themselves. I love it! What I DO NOT recommend, despite the multiple websites recommending you to ask this: do not ask to speak with past or current clients as references. Don’t do this, please. Personal trainers respect the privacy and time of our current clients, and know that they’re not interested in being interviewed by a stranger about their private health journey. You can look up our reviews on our websites, Yelp, or Google from clients who are comfortable sharing.
What should I wear to our workouts? When starting a fitness program, it's important to be comfortable and to feel supported in your clothes. That's why it's important to wear clothing that allows you to move and breathe easily. If you're working out with weights, it's important to wear clothing that will protect you from injury like closed toe shoes.
How can I make the workouts more enjoyable? Your personal fitness trainer can provide suggestions, such as adding music, using different types of equipment, or working with a partner. I also like to ask my clients what exercises they liked or disliked so that I can make sure they don’t dread our workouts. There’s also a great book on this if you want to deep dive on your own, called The Joy Choice.
How can I keep track of my progress? It’s great to use some kind of workout journal to track your progress. I am constantly making notes during my training sessions with clients to record our reps, weights lifted, and any notes that help me track their progress. It’s important to know how to track your goal, which you can do with my free Fitness Trackers Worksheet.
How often should I workout? It's important to listen to your body and adjust your workouts accordingly. Most people think that the more, the better. But the truth is that overtraining can actually lead to injury, and I usually start new clients with a “less is more” approach. If you’re not currently working out at all, I may recommend you start with 1-2 workouts a week as a realistic goal.
How long will the workout last? Workouts usually run between 45-60 minutes depending on your coach. I’ve been doing 50 minute workouts since 2011 and it works well for me. We get everything done, and there’s a buffer of time so that I don’t have to race to my next client and leave you hanging.
How should I prepare for the workout? I like to prepare my clients before our first session so we can get a lot out of our time together. I send my clients all their paperwork and instructions in advance, and I expect them to fill out all the forms I send them for their safety and mine. Make sure you read any instructions sent to you so that your first session goes smoothly!
Am I allowed to eat anything before the workout? This will depend on the individual! I generally recommend eating a snack 1-2 hours before your workout. Many people find that eating a heavy meal beforehand, or even eating close to their workout time can leave them feeling nauseous or bloated once we start moving. If you want more details, check out my video on What to Eat Before Your Workout.
Do you have any suggestions on how to modify a routine if a client is struggling? Just like with injuries, some trainers are really comfortable with this and others aren’t. I’m happy to change any exercise to something easier, harder, or to meet your needs, and I’ll be doing this automatically based on observing you during our sessions.
What happens if I get injured before a session? A lot of clients think if something goes wrong outside a session, they should just not show up. I encourage my clients to always show up (unless they are ill) and let me adjust the workout to them. So whether you’ve broken your foot (Seated Workout!) or are really tired from being up with a kid all night (Lots of Stretches!), I’ve got you.
How will I know if I’m doing the exercises right? Your trainer should provide you some demonstration of each exercise, at least the first time you do it. I’ll also tell you where you should be “feeling” the exercise, and I’ll check in during your exercise to make sure you are using the correct muscles. I’ll also make corrections on your form to prevent injury.
What’s the best way for us to communicate outside of sessions? Email, text, calls, or a messaging system are all good ways to keep in touch outside of workouts. I use the platform Trainerize so I can message my clients in one place and keep track of their workouts.
What are your rates and how do you prefer to be paid? While some personal trainers accept cash only to keep expenses low, I typically charge for my services through Trainerize, so you can use a credit card if you like.
You should feel comfortable asking your personal trainer any other questions you have! Working with a coach can be a bit of an intimate experience; you’re sharing things about your body with another person and they’re noticing everything about how you move and your health, so don’t be shy!
Any other questions come to mind? Share them below in the comments!
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