The top 3 questions to ask your personal trainer
Considering getting a personal trainer, or sharing a group trainer with your friends? Make sure you ask them if their CPR and First Aid training are up-to-date.
The spotlight is on the personal training industry after a young woman on the Sunshine Coast had a seizure and went into cardiac arrest while working out at her local gym, and her life was saved by a trainer who knew how to use a defibrillator and CPR.
According to Fitness Australia, the peak fitness industry association, these are the top three questions you should ask your PT before signing a contract:
- When did you last do a training workshop?
- Is your first aid and CPR up to date?
- Are you registered with a governing body?
Putting your health and fitness in the hands of a complete stranger should be taken seriously. “People have the right to know if their fitness provider is up to date with the latest trends, research and education about exercise,” says Chantal Brodrick, a Fitness Australia spokesperson and registered exercise professional.
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“If it was me, I’d want to know my personal trainer isn’t training me on something they learned five or 10 years ago. The Australian fitness industry overall is still young, and for fitness providers it’s about constantly developing and learning new skills and techniques, so they know how to best train each client,” Brodrick says.
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Check that your trainer is on the official Australian Register of Exercise Professionals – which means they are: qualified, have current first aid and CPR certifications, and take up ongoing education. It also means you can review a trainer or instructor’s skill sets before committing to them.
