Having over seven years of experience in Personal Training out of several gyms and studios in the Chicago area gives me the credibility to share a few tips as far as what to look for when hiring a Personal Trainer.

Obviously your new Trainer should be certified, but please understand that a certification is not everything. Just because you have a Driver’s License does not make you a great driver.
Yes, you do have to go through a tough program and a test to get certified, but the certification basically is a license for someone to legally call himself or herself a Personal Trainer. Your Trainer does not have to be a golf guru or expert, but should understand the basics fundamentals of the swing and the importance of balance, coordination, and flexibility in golf.

First of all, your Trainer should be fit and have many years of experience training people. If someone can keep himself or herself in great shape it increases the chances that he or she will help you because they themselves have a personal understanding of what it takes to stay fit. You should also look for a trainer with many years of experience and references to prove it. Someone who has been achieving great results with their clients won’t have a problem proving it: don’t hesitate to contact a previous client to find out their experience. Your trainer should be able to show you how working on core flexibility and specific shoulder strengthening exercises and stretches improved their previous client’s golf game.

Second, a great Fitness Professional will offer a free consultation or orientation session to take the time to get to know you. The first time you meet your potential Trainer he or she should sit you down with you and find out as much as they can about you. It is a promising sign when the Trainer asks questions about you, your lifestyle, and your goals rather than talking about how much they know about general fitness and trying to impress or overwhelm you with random information. For example many golfers suffer from lower back pain and your new instructor should find out if you are one of them. If that is the case, then your Trainer should share some examples of low back strengthening and stretching exercises that will help you. Also he or she should stress the importance of strengthening your abdominal muscles and explain how this will help take the pressure off your lower back and increase the range of motion in your golf swing.At this time, your Trainer should establish a plan to help you improve your fitness. Your Trainer should explain in simple terms how he or she will help you establish a healthy, effective approach to Golf Fitness through specific exercises that not only challenge your balance butwork on your coordination and increase your strength.

Finally, the orientation session will be the last chance to figure out if he or she is the right Trainer for you. If 15 minutes into your orientation session you are out of breath and really hating it, this Trainer may not be for you. This Trainer may simply lack of experience. A great Personal Trainer who is educated and experienced will not “beat you up” your first workout even if you are a very fit person. Considering you are a golf specific client, your first session should be very educational including a golf specific fitness screen with low to medium intensity exercises. Your instructor should make sure you understand the basics and why he or she is choosing this type of routine for your first workout.

At the end of the orientation session if you feel a little tired, but also feel like you have been educated, inspired, motivated, and even had fun then congratulations: you have found the person who will lead you to an amazing life change and improve your golf game in the process.