26 Questions to ask when hiring a personal trainer

Below I have laid out several questions I recieve frequently and some additional one that you should know to ask before hiring a personal trainer. I’ve had many people come to me after having previous bad experiences with trainers. Some of these questions will send up red flags so you can head it off at the pass and realize that you might not want to go through with a committment with that person. I’ll pose the questions and then I’ll answer them based on S.P.A.R.T.A.’s philosophy.

1.What makes you different?
S.P.A.R.T.A. trainers follow the company’s philosophy when it comes to designing programs and they do it with the end goal in mind. We provide routines that are safe, effective, and efficient. We guarantee your results and best of all, you get the effectiveness of an hour long workout in half the time.

2.What is your philosophy on training?
S.P.A.R.T.A. Training™ is a philosophy of exercise built around the principles of intensity, recovery, and progression. While there are certainly more elements to fitness, these few principles provide a useful framework for achieving your fitness goals. It is adapted from earlier forms of High-Intensity Training (HIT), and is actually one of the safest and most respected methodologies used today. Founded in the 1970’s by Arthur Jones, it has endured the test of time and dozens of peer-reviewed scientific studies. Today it is used by many professional and NCAA athletic teams, and is even used in the treatment of diseases such as Osteoporosis and Diabetes. The S.P.A.R.T.A. Training™ philosophy has proven safe and effective in nearly every demographic, proving successful for Osteoporosis patients in their 80’s, professional athletes in every major sport, and every one else in between.

3.What are the benefits of your service?
There are 13 specific and measurable benefits. Read “Benefits of Strength Training” on our Methodology page.

4.Who uses your training style?
S.P.A.R.T.A. Training™, adapted from earlier forms of High-Intensity Training (HIT), is used by a number of universities, professional sports teams, and the US Military. See specific teams in our blog post: High-Intensity Training (HIT) Used by Sports Teams.

5.How quickly will I notice results?
Each person is different, but generally speaking, some results are immediate. You can lose a couple of pounds by the end of the week if you control your calories at the level we set for you. Adding lean tissue may take a little longer. It may take 6-8 weeks although we’ve seen some gifted people pack it on in just a couple of weeks. We’ve even had clients report that they felt leaner even after just one workout. The idea is to get a little better in some way each workout.

6.I am a woman. Will I get bulky muscles?
No, women don’t have the same hormonal ability to put on a large amount of muscle tissue. Although some increase in lean muscle tissue is critical to increasing metabolism, improving shape, and improving bone density – all important benefits of resistance exercise specifically for women. Women may actually stand to gain more from resistance training than men. On average, I’ve seen women put on 4-5 lbs of lean tissue which can translate into a nice change of feminine body shape and a significant uptick in daily metabolism.

7.I am a man. Will I get bigger muscles?
Yes, if that is one of your goals. We can customize your routine to specifically target the maximum amount of muscle gain or angle the effort toward other adaptations. The S.P.A.R.T.A. Training™ philosophy is derived from multiple sources, one of the major ones is Nautilus. In recent history Nautilus produced large increases in muscular size and strength on many men including body builders like Dorian Yates, pro athletes like Dick Butkus, and many other average men using this philosophy.

8.Where do you train?
We train our clients in their homes, offices, or any Fitness First location in the D.C. Metropolitan area. We also offer online training and phone consulting for clients outside of our normal service area.

9.How often will I train?
Our workouts are often performed 2-3 days per week with an appropriate amount of recovery days in between workout days. It is a myth that you need to spend hours 5-6 days per week in the gym. At S.P.A.R.T.A., you’re trainer will strike a balance between the right amount of work for your personal maximum physical gain.

10.What are your refund, cancellation, and liability policies?
We will happily refund you for any unused sessions if you are not happy with the service.

11.Do you offer Area/Sport Specific Training?
Absolutely. Smiliar training methods are used by the un-defeated 1972 Miami Dolphins, World Champion Body-Builders, US Olympic Athletes, dozens of NCAA athletic programs, and even the industry’s leading researcher, Wayne Westcott, Ph.D. (a member of S.P.A.R.T.A.’s medical advisory board) Nearly 40 years of peer-reviewed research and anecdotal evidence have proven the merit of this protocol for improving sports performance and conditioning. S.P.A.R.T.A. specializes in Ice Hockey and Mixed Martial Arts strength and conditioning programs. We work with high school and professional athletes participating in a variety of sports. More about area specific training offerings.

12.What special populations/areas do you work with?
Our trainers are experienced in the following areas:
•Osteoporosis
•Rheumatoid/Osteoarthritis
•Post-rehabilitation
•Orthopedic problems
•Paralysis
•Lower back pain
•Neck pain
•Hypertension
•Obesity
•Cardiovascular/heart disease
•COPD
•Parkinson’s
•Fibromyalgia
•Thyroid and other Metabolic conditions
•Pre/post natal women
•Seniors
•Military, law, fire, and EMS personnel
•Adolescents (6 years and older)
•Athletes of all ages
•Diabetes/Pre-diabetic
•Orthopedic problems

13.Do I also have to do separate cardiovascular conditioning?
No, not unless you want to. Because S.P.A.R.T.A. Training™ is a form of circuit weight training, your cardiovascular system and muscular systems are working simultaneously. This is the reason the workouts can be maximally effective, but performed in half the time. Your trainer will carefully prescribe your appropriate amount of exercise based on your initial consultation. Should you choose to do additional activity, you certainly can, and we will help you to incorporate it so as not to delve into overtraining.

14.Don’t I need to stretch to maintain or improve my flexibility?
Stretching is sometimes part of a client’s routine, but generally enhanced flexibility can be obtained through strength training alone. In fact, many women are hyper mobile in which case, more flexibility is not desirable. Building integrity around the joints should be of prime concern. Your trainer can perform 2 simple tests to determine if you are hyper mobile.

15.Is there a difference between exercise and other activities?
Yes, exercise is something that is planned and structured to obtain a desired adaptation or result. Activity is nothing more than movement. Some activity is exercise, some is not. Exercise should be helpful and productive, never harmful or counterproductive. One of the major reasons we perform exercise is so that you can continue to do, or go back to doing, the active things that you love. We don’t try to combine the two because an effort to do so will never reap the full benefits of either.

16.What do I need to bring to each training session?
Be sure to dress in a cool, comfortable fashion. Usually sneakers, shorts, and a t-shirt will do. We must be sure to mitigate heat production appropriately during exercise. Although some clients enjoy the feeling of working up a good sweat, it is not always desirable. Hot, humid, or rainy days may produce high heat production during exercise sometimes leading to light headedness or nausea. Be sure to dress cool!

17.What kind of equipment is used during a typical workout?
S.P.A.R.T.A. Training™ involves circuit training using all tools available. A routine may be predominantly machine based with other exercises being incorporated through other modes such as cables, barbells, dumbbells, body weight, and manual resistance. All modes have pros and cons and each has it’s place dependent upon what the client prefers, their proficiency, and availability.

18.What is a typical Personal Training session like?
See the Personal Training page for a description and short video.

19.What is a typical In Home Training session like?
See the In Home Training page for more information.

20.What is a typical Online Training session like?
See the Online Training page for a FREE tour.

21. What is a typical Boot Camp training session like?
See the Boot Camp page for more information.

22. Is there a nutritional component to your program?
Yes, you will get ongoing basic support from your trainer and we have registered dietician services available as well. Use our FREE calorie tracker for accurately tracking calorie consumption to stimulate fat loss.

23. What education, instruction, and experience do the trainers on staff have?
We have a Master Trainer and all staff trainers are Certified Personal Trainers (CPT) that have undergone advanced training beyond the normal certification with a Master Trainer.

24. Is this something the trainers like to do and are passionate about or is it just something they are doing in the meantime?
Our Master Trainer and founder, Chris Lutz is in his 11th year of professional instruction. He personally teaches the philosophy to all of the staff trainers. At S.P.A.R.T.A. we are looking for trainers that would like to make training a long term committment or career choice.

25. Are records kept of your progress and body measurements?
Yes, we keep accurate records of your daily progress and any other pertinent information. We will be able to look back and see where you have come from and we do regular assessments in the form of metabolism, body fat %, circumfrence measurements, and body weight.

26. Lastly, can they GUARANTEE YOUR RESULTS?
Yes, because our philosophy has stood the test of time, been through the rigors of the scientific process, and is currently used by many high level organizations world wide, we can happily say that if you follow our program, we can GUARANTEE your good results.

How can I get more information?
Ask us a question through the “Ask a Trainer” form or contact us though any traditional method or major social media outlet.