the best person who would know how best to choose a personal trainer is a personal trainer himself -

 
So I asked one of the most respected, successful and qualified personal trainer in the NW London, adrian ford to  help me help you choose a Personal Trainer.

Tips by Adrian Ford from Ford Fittness

Step one
 
First thing I would look for in a personal trainer is his qualifications, in order for one to call themselves a personal trainer they should have a level 3 personal training qualification. There are two main awarding bodies one is YMCA and the other is Premier, most UK based personal trainers will be qualified through one or the other.
You have to be aware that gyms like fitness first employ level 2 qualified fitness instructors and allow them to personal train on their premises and market
themselves as trainers. These fitness individuals are not personal trainers they are fitness instructors and there is a big difference between the two a fitness instructor has a level 2 qualification and a personal trainer has a level 3 personal training diploma which is a hundred times more deeper in terms of the knowledge and understanding one has on the human body it’s like comparing a Nisan micra to a BMW to completely different cars.
 
A lot of class instructors, ex-martial arts enthusiastic, individuals who might have done a course in massage or who has linked up with one of the many multi level marketing companies we see everywhere these days all seem to have a opinion on Nutrition, healthy eating, the human body and what’s right or wrong for us. No one is more qualified or experienced to give an impartial factual opinion based on what’s appropriate for the human being in every aspect of their life than a personal trainer. 

Step 2
Once you found a level 3 qualified personal trainer the next thing you should look at is his or hers appearance, a good personal trainer does not necessarily have to look like a steroid pumped up body builder bulging with muscles. But he or she should have a good athletic physique and should not under any circumstances appear to look out of shape and unconditioned, you will be surprised over the years how many overweight and out of shape fitness professionals I have come across. A good trainer’s knowledge and experience should reflect within his own appearance. How can you possibly tell me that you can help me lose weight when you have a belly? How can you possibly tell me that you can improve my fitness when you run out of breath yourself? A good trainer’s knowledge should be reflected in his own physical ability to perform any task he asks his clients to perform. A good trainer should be able to demonstrate and execute any task he asks his clients to perform better than his clients.

Step 3
Because health and fitness is such a wide area once qualified as a personal trainer you can specialise in as little or as many different areas of health and fitness as one likes. Many personal trainers choose to specialise in areas of fitness that they have  a keen interest or passion for, some have backgrounds in boxing and that becomes  their usp, some specialise in Pilates others rehabilitation. So the final consideration when choosing a personal trainer is to be sure that your trainer you choose has the experience and knowledge specifically in the area which you wish to improve. If he does not I would suggest you find a trainer who specialises in the particular area you wish to improve.