Washington, DC is a competitive town, and you should be aware of this when you are looking for a personal trainer. Many folks in Washington, DC end up getting duped out of their precious time and money simply because they go with the first Washington, DC personal trainer they find – the first one may not be nearly as good as you need them to be. Considering that you can literally get your dog certified as a personal trainer, you should be intent on doing your homework before selecting a Washington, DC personal trainer.

1. Do your homework

Before you start looking on any Washington, DC personal trainer websites for info decide what you want – what are your goals? What’s your budget per month? You shouldn’t hire the first personal trainer that you talk to anymore than you should buy the first car you see on a lot. The first and most important thing to look for is a proven track record of results. The second thing you want is empowerment – you want them to help you get results on your own and not be dependent on them to workout.

2. Interview them

Think of this like a job interview to see if they’ll be a good fit for you. Any personal trainer in Washington, DC should be fine with this. This will save you a lot of trouble over the long run. Ask them about where they trained, and their philosophy (this should be in writing – if not, they’re winging it and probably can’t help).

3. Have your own goals

Too many people walk into a personal trainer’s office with vague goals of what they want to happen. If you do this, you are just handing them a blank check to do as they please! Do you want to lose weight, build muscle, increase your flexibility, lower your blood pressure, or all of the above? If you can go in and present this clearly, you are going to be in a good place to get the service that you need.

4. Do they have similar experience?

You want someone with experience that is relevant to you and your special needs – if you have any. If you are very overweight, or very busy, or anything else. Make sure that they actually listen to you and have experience.

5. Demand results

Set a clear deadline by which you expect to start seeing progress towards your goals. If you do as instructed by your Washington, DC personal trainer, and you don’t see anything, then its time to move on. Don’t let 2 weeks without progress turn into a year of wasted time and money.