Qualities to look out for in your personal trainer

Finding a personal trainer who makes you feel comfortable enough to expose your biggest flaws can be challenging. But they're called "personal" trainers for a reason -- they're there to guide you to your personal fitness goals, and to do so, they need to fit with your personality.

Here are five qualities you should look for in a personal trainer:

1. Patience

Patience is the key to a good client-trainer relationship. Trainers should understand that what works for one client may not work for another. He or she should do an assessment of your body when you first meet to familiarize themselves with your needs.Trainers should also find a comfortable pace for their clients . Some clients may progress at a faster rate, while others may require more coaching and assistance.

2. Communication

Your trainer likely will not be with you at all times during your workouts. That said, they should be able to explain things to you on the phone and teach you how to do certain moves without physically being present through every workout. Communication should always be two way not the usual where the trainer gives lecture and the client listens to it.

3. Professionalism

While it's important to maintain a close relationship with a client, Borden says, there also needs to be a level of professionalism. The duration of your training session, the location and the experience level of your personal trainer will dictate the cost of your session.

Lastly, the clothes your trainer wears should be simple and plain. The attention should be on the client, not on what the trainer is wearing or not wearing.

4. Education

Trainers should have -- and be able to show you -- an appropriate fitness certification for their area of expertise. To become certified, personal trainers must pass an exam through accredited organizations such as The American Council on Exercise (ACE), the National Academy of Sports Medicine (NASM) or the National Strength and Conditioning Association (NSCA).

Most exams cover exercise physiology, training and exercise procedures, nutrition, functional anatomy of the body and weight management. Each organization's certification exam will ask different questions.

A high school diploma or GED is necessary to enroll in certification classes; however, not all employers require college degrees -- this will depend on whether your trainer practices privately or through an institution.Trainers should also stay up-to-date with the latest fitness trends and new research published in scientific journals.

5. Personality

As a client, you want to feel comfortable and trust that your trainer has your best interest in mind.Once you have established what kind of personal trainer you want, you can start looking for them. There are certain online tools that can help you locate the personal trainers available in your area and filter your results to cater to your activity of interest, price range and gender.