Tips on Finding an Abs-olutely Fantastic Personal Trainer

Portland personal trainer Charles Bean promises me results. I’m skeptical; my Special K box made a lot of promises, too, but my bikini isn’t looking too much better than it did before shoving non-marshmallowed cereal into my mouth for two months. Walking into the gym, though, one thing is immediately apparent: Charles knows a little something about personal fitness.

While I should be asking questions about his education and credentials, which he has plenty of, as it turns out, I can’t tear my eyes away from the two Christmas hams hanging by his sides where most people have biceps. His torso would fit three of me, easily, inside. His pecs are massive, noticeably defined but not quite to the point where a ‘bro’ is necessary (remember that Seinfeld episode?). My eyes wander to a photograph resting against a shelf to my left, where Charles is harnessed up and pulling a semi truck.

I am a tiny human being, looking for a bit more muscle definition and maybe some improved cardiovascular health. In the presence of Strongy McMuscles, I become quickly convinced that I am in the wrong place, but decide to go ahead with my scheduled workout anyhow.

We start out with some core work, and Charles corrects my form, informs me why we’re doing each exercise, and tells me about the completely desirable results I might expect from holding my gluteal muscles clenched to the maximus (pun totally intended). To top it off, this giant rock of a man is a total people reader and isn’t afraid to share in my sense of humor. After core, we do some squats, and I’m having some problems on the ‘coming-back-up’ portion of the exercise. Ham Arms tells me this: “Just imagine doing a lil’ bunny hop!”

The idea of incorporating bunny hopping into working out thrills me, and makes the rest of the set much easier. Each time I’m ready to push the weight back up, he reminds me: “Bunny hop! Bunny hop!” Breathless though I am, I gasp a happy, “Okay!”, as I hop my way back up to the top of a successful squat.

Over the next hour, I am taken so far away from my original skepticism that I feel like my mind has been replaced with someone else’s - someone who thinks their fitness goals could actually, finally, be realized. The really great thing, though, is that , not only is Charles clearly great at what he does, he makes fitness fun.

After a couple months of working out with Charles, I’m hooked. In addition, if I may say so myself, my body is hard as a rock in all the right ways. I’m stoked for the sunshine to get here, so I can hang out at as many swimming pools as possible, in as small of a swimsuit as possible. Unfortunately, Charles hasn’t solved my inability to tan.

How do you find your very own Charles, a fitness professional who can take you from a skeptical Special K eater to a semi-too-confident-sunshine-seeking-hard body? Here are some general guidelines:

• Look for someone you look forward to seeing. Getting up the energy to go to the gym can be hard. If you have a good personality match with your trainer, actually making it off the couch and to your appointment becomes much easier.

• Make sure your trainer knows his/her stuff. A good personal trainer should be certified through an organization such as ACSM, NASM, or ACE. In addition to general fitness knowledge, if you have specific goals such as sports fitness, bodybuilding, or simple cardiovascular heath, make sure your trainer has some experience with the specialty you’re looking for.

• Find a flexible trainer. Look for someone who will track your progress and who is willing to make changes to your program if things aren’t working out for you. Sure, it’s important to stick to one regimen long enough to see if it’ll work for you, but if it’s just not right for you, make sure your trainer has a Plan B in mind.

• Seek someone with exceptional listening skills. You know your body better than anyone, and in order to create a fitness program that will be the best for you, your trainer needs to hear any feedback you and your body want to give. Also, if you have any sort of specific medical condition or injury, it is imperative that your trainer’s ears be wide open. He/she needs to have experience in the required area, and should be willing to work with your doctor to reach the goals that are best for you.

• Make sure to tell your trainer to hit the road if he/she ever tries to dismiss questions you have, takes personal phone calls or responds to texts during your scheduled sessions, or tries to diagnose injuries or illnesses instead of referring you to a doctor. These are all signs that your trainer is not as into your health as you are, and that someone else deserves your hard-earned money a lot more.

If all else fails in your quest to find that perfect personal trainer, you can always borrow mine. Charles Bean is an Apex Certified Personal Trainer, National Academy of Sports Medicine Certified Personal Trainer, NASM Performance Enhancement Specialist, and an International Sports Science Association Certified Personal Trainer . He has loads of experience, and is an all around wonderful person to be around. He owns Advanced Results Fitness, 5349 Baseline Road in Hillsboro (downtown Portland location coming soon!), and can be contacted at 503-648-4444.

Get in there, and I’ll see ya’ at the pool.