How to choose the best personal trainer for your fitness goals — and budget

By Stephen Wade

Irv Rubenstein holds a doctorate in exercise science and has run a personal fitness training studio for 35 years in Nashville, Tennessee. Obviously, he speaks positively about the benefits of using a personal trainer, and this goes for grizzled-gym goers as well as beginners.

“Most anybody can teach you how to do a bicep curl,” Rubenstein said in an interview with The Associated Press. “But only a few people can tell you how to do it if your shoulder’s hurting.”

It can be a maze finding the trainer who is best for you, Rubenstein acknowledged.

How much should credentials and education matter, or are personality and motivational skills more important? What about the cost? And how frequently should you use a personal trainer? These are just a few of the questions anyone who is searching for a trainer should ask.

“How do you discern who is best?” Rubenstein