TRAINERS: Get the real deal

In the last several months, there have been several new fitness facilities open up in the area.  Some people go to a gym to build muscle, others to drop unwanted fat, while others are looking to improve their athletic performance.

Many gyms offer “personal training” to their clients, however not all “trainers” are the same.  In the state of Idaho, you do not have to be a licensed professional to call yourself a “personal fitness trainer.” Some gyms play fast and loose with this and claim their trainers are “certified fitness trainers,” but when you dig deeper, they are only certified by the gym itself, but not recognized by the National Board of Fitness Examiners.

If a “personal trainer” is not properly licensed, they cannot qualify for fitness professional’s liability insurance, which is a must when dealing with the health and safety of the public. Just because a person has “experience” in a particular sport, does not qualify that person to train others. An untrained person with little to no knowledge of how the human body works structurally and physiologically, will ultimately cause more harm than good.

So when you meet a “personal trainer” at any gym, find outwhat license(s) they hold, if they have liability insurance, where they did their training, and what experience they have with helping people meet goals like yours, and even ask for references. Don’t trust your body to just anybody — shop around and make an informed decision — you will not regret it!

ERIC PETERSEN

Coeur d’Alene