Top 5 tips for finding the right Personal Trainer

By Duncan | Life is Movement Clinic, Hove

I’ve just seen another patient in the clinic today — injured by a poorly designed training program from an underqualified personal trainer. Sadly, this isn’t rare.

Now don’t get me wrong — many personal trainers are brilliant. They’re knowledgeable, passionate, and committed to helping people get stronger and healthier. But in a highly unregulated industry, you really do get the extremes. Some trainers are absolute gems. Others… you shouldn’t go near with a ten-foot barbell.

So how do you know who to trust with your health?

I’ve put together my Top 5 Tips for choosing the right personal trainer. But let me be clear from the outset:

None of these tips are absolutes.

For every point I mention, I can find you an exception — someone who ticks all the right boxes and is still terrible, or someone who breaks every rule and is fantastic. These tips are simply useful guides to help increase your chances of finding someone who’s a good fit.

Each tip is ranked from least to most important, with a score out of 10.

Tip #1: How They Look — 5/10

Let’s start with the most obvious — and most overrated — factor: appearance.

People often assume, “If they look fit, they must know what they’re doing.” But the truth is, the biggest determinant of how someone looks is genetics. And unless you’re planning to breed with your personal trainer and create a genetically gifted child together (not usually recommended), that won’t help you much.

Sure, if someone is clearly out of shape, that raises questions — just like you wouldn’t hire a broke financial advisor. But don’t fall into the trap of equating abs with expertise.

Looks are relevant, but massively overvalued. A good trainer doesn’t just show results in themselves — they help you get results.

Tip #2: Their Credentials — 6/10

In an unregulated industry, credentials can tell you a lot — but they can also be misleading.

Someone could be a personal trainer with a PhD in exercise physiology, or someone could be a personal trainer who did a weekend online course while watching YouTube. And without digging into the details, you’d have no way of telling them apart.

As a general rule, the more time, money, and effort someone has put into learning, the more likely they are to have something of value to offer. Even if the course wasn’t amazing, they’ve spent years thinking about this stuff — and that counts for something.

Tip #3: Their Cost — 7/10

Cost matters — but not in the way most people think.

I’ve seen underqualified trainers charge hundreds per session thanks to slick marketing, while more knowledgeable and experienced ones struggle to get clients through the door. High cost does not guarantee high quality.

What matters more is value and consistency. If your trainer is so expensive that you can’t afford to work with them regularly, you won’t see results — no matter how good they are. For most people, a great program isn’t about complexity. It’s about showing up again and again.

So find someone reasonably priced, who offers real value — not just abs and a slick Instagram page.

Tip #4: Their Track Record — 8/10

This is a big one.

Personal training is a young person’s game with a massive dropout rate. Lots of people dip their toe in, do a cheap course, train clients for a year or two, and then disappear. So if a trainer has been working successfully for 5, 10, 15+ years, that tells you something.

Experience doesn’t just build knowledge — it filters out the nonsense. A long track record with real, verifiable testimonials is a strong indicator that they’ve been getting people results and learning from their mistakes over time.

Tip #5: How Much You Click With Them — 10/10

This is the most important factor.

At the end of the day, fitness is about consistency — not complexity. Not six-week transformations. Not fancy programs. It’s about showing up, week after week, for months and years.

And if you actually enjoy your time with your trainer, if you vibe with their personality, their approach, and their sessions — you’re far more likely to keep coming back.

It doesn’t matter how hot they are or how many qualifications they’ve got. If you don’t enjoy working with them, it won’t last. But if you find someone you like, who makes training feel fun, safe, and sustainable — that’s where the magic happens.

Final Thoughts

There’s no perfect formula, and like anything in life, you might need to try a couple of trainers before you find the right fit. But use these five tips as a guide, and you’ll massively improve your chances of finding someone who helps you feel stronger, healthier, and more confident — without getting injured along the way.

Need more help?

If you’re tired of commerical gyms, generic programs, and inconsistent personal trainers, it might be time for something different…

At Life is Movement clinic in Hove, we offer clinical personal training that ticks every box on this list. We use evidence-based training backed by years of physiotherapy and rehabilitation experience, to help you move better, get stronger and stay pain-free.

We believe you deserve high-quality, intelligent coaching - and that’s what we deliver.

Book your first session today and see the difference that true expertise and personal attention can make.