Well, the short answer is - by watching for desirable and professional behaviours, as well as undesirable and unprofessional ones.

For a long answer, read on.

I found a very interesting post on WP homepage that talks about “lazy trainers“. The post is written by a personal trainer, called Sam Page. I have no idea who he is, more than you do, but from experience of using trainers, I know that his points are spot-on. He provides a peer perspective on his profession.

1. Lazy trainers smile too much.

2. Lazy trainers take themselves too seriously.

3. Lazy trainers gaze at themselves in the mirror. (The mirrors in a gym are not vanity mirrors; they are there to help those exercising alone or without supervision to know if their technique is right.)

4. You’ll rarely see a lazy trainer in the gym, working out. (At the moment, even as Cole trains me despite his knee dislocated due to a bad tackle in rugby, I see more than a grain of truth in this. All my trainers have had regular training sessions with other trainers, and also have had other interests such as boxing in case of Lee and rugby in case of Cole. The proof however is visible. If the trainer does not have an aspirational body, don’t spend your money!)

5. Lazy trainers take their clients for granted. (More on this later.)

6. Lazy trainers sit all the time.

For balance, here is my view - a client perspective - on these points.

1. A good trainer does not diss a client’s previous trainers. It makes the client feels like an idiot and that is definitely not good for the trainer’s income. For my part, I have been told that I was taught well because my technique is good. Sounds much better and of course, boosts my confidence too!

2. A good trainer demonstrates techniques. So he does work out side-by-side with you, but not all the time. Sometimes the fact of seeing someone do an exercise can itself be oddly energising and motivating. At other times, you need someone to watch you and correct your posture and movement. A good trainer knows when to do what.

3. A good trainer gives active feedback. As I mentioned in 1. above, I have been told how I have been taught good technique and how with visible improvement, I could try something new.

4. A good trainer engages with the client at the client’s level. For instance, I like to understand things clearly and if that involves some Latin terms, so be it. I also ask for book recommendations sometimes so I can understand my problem areas better. A good trainer does not see questions as an evil but a necessity of his job, and answers them truthfully and clearly.

4b. Contrary to common perception, a good trainer is not a piece of muscle with no brains. Most good trainers are well-qualified and have had to do various certifications and pass examinations. They know their stuff and you will find fakes soon enough.

5. A good trainer is well-organised. Beware a trainer who reschedules sessions too much, or says that he cannot always ‘fit you in’! I have trained with trainers who have a load of celebrity clients and I have always trained on my own terms. Being well-organised is a sign of professionalism.

6. Last but not the least, a good trainer is discreet. He does not discuss other clients identifiably with you. So you can gain confidence in knowing that he will not discuss you with others.

This, to me, is the most important part of the relationship with a trainer. Most people have a good acquaintance bordering on friendship with their trainers.

A good trainer is familiar with his client’s body issues as well as privy to other issues related to work and life, which may trigger odd eating patterns, stress, sleep disruption etc. A good trainer works around these distractions by changing the motivating techniques, even the plan of exercise depending on the client’s particular situation, but without compromising the path to progress.

But above all, remember there is also such a thing as a ‘lazy’ or ‘bad’ clients. If that piece is missing, a good trainer cannot work miracles. It takes one’s own commitment to fitness, regularity of training and small sacrifices to reach and exceed health goals.