Every week someone tells me they paid a trainer for three months and got a printout. Choosing a coach is mostly a matter of asking better questions up front, so here are the ten I would ask if I were hiring someone to coach me.
1. Who do you actually coach?
A coach whose whole roster is competitive lifters may not be the right fit for your first year under a bar, and vice versa. Ask for the honest breakdown of their client list, not the highlight reel.
2. What happens in the first session?
You want to hear the words screen, baseline or assessment. If the first session is a workout designed to make you sore, the program that follows was not written for you.
3. How is the program written, and how often does it change?
Ask to see a redacted example. A real program has targets for every set and a reason each week exists. “We will see how you feel” is not programming.
4. How do you review technique?
In person it is eyes on every working set. Online it should be video review with a stated turnaround — mine is 48 hours. Vague answers here are the biggest red flag on this list.
5. What is your experience with my specific situation?
Old shoulder, night shift, three kids, first meet in eight weeks. Whatever your constraint is, ask directly whether they have coached it before.
6. What certifications do you hold — and what do they mean?
Certifications are a floor, not a ceiling. NSCA CSCS and USA Powerlifting Club Coach are meaningful. A weekend certificate is not. What matters more is what they do with it.
7. How do you handle a plateau?
The right answer involves diagnosing technique and recovery before adding volume. “We push harder” is how people get hurt.
8. What does communication look like between sessions?
Know exactly what you are buying: how you reach them, how fast they answer, and what is out of scope.
9. What are the terms?
Month to month, no auto-renew traps, clear cancellation. Long contracts protect the coach, not you.
10. Can I talk to a current client?
Any coach with a happy roster will say yes immediately.
If you are looking in the Salt Lake valley and want to run these questions past me, the consultation is free and I will tell you honestly if I am the wrong fit.