Q: How do I find a good gym trainer?

BR, Chinsurah

Some gyms will hire anybody off the street as long as he/she knows what a bicep curl is. Other places will require a training certification.

You should ask for someone who is going to be more intense than you, and who is willing to push you when you feel like you are exhausted, but knows when you’ve had enough.

Just remember, the responsibility to exercise lies not with the trainer, but with you. A trainer can help to create a desire in you to improve, but only you can motivate yourself to keep working out over a period of time.

When you join a gym, you should observe all the trainers around. You can usually tell which ones are good by observation. I don’t like to see them putting all their clients through the same workout because each individual has different requirements.

I also don’t like to see them prescribing meaningless cardio even when the client is very lean. I wonder, are they letting their clients’ knees go over their toes in a lunge?

A quality trainer observes a client closely to correct technique errors, maintain safety and watch out for signs of over-exertion. A quality personal trainer also keeps a close eye on the environment and is always on the lookout for dangers in the gym or outdoors.

Ask typical trainees in the gym why they do a particular exercise, and what part of the body that exercise is meant for, and they will look at you as though you have asked them for their wallets.

I think if you’re going to workout, then you should at least have a basic understanding of the exercises. A good trainer also feeds his/her clients with enough information.

Q: Please suggest how I can set up an effective gym at home?

JB, Calcutta

The goal is to find something you like. You can get a great home workout with dumbbells (it’s best to get a set with a variety of weights), an exercise mat, exercise bands and tubing, Swiss ball, an exercise bench and some equipment for walking or jogging.This would take care of your aerobic fitness.

If you’re not sure which piece of equipment you’d enjoy working out on, get a guest pass to a local health club and try a variety of machines before you buy any. Other things to consider when buying exercise equipment are space and cost.

Most importantly, also consider hiring a qualified personal trainer, to show you the exercise techniques when you start out initially.