Thinking about getting a personal trainer....any advice?

I have been doing my own thing at home for a while. I have a weight bench and dumbbells and a ball etc. Inh the beginning, I made some amazing progress. I still workout religiously and increase my weight as needed. I think throughout this process, however, my goals have changed. I am looking to seriously increase muscle mass. Losing some body fat would be nice but more importantly-muscle mass. I am 5'4" 130lbs 22%BF 31yrs old. I know I have to watch for certifications and the like but where do I look? I am hearing that the "trainers" at the gym aren't woth the dollars you pay for them. By that I mean that the gym itself takes most of the money that you pay for the trainer. I need someone who understands my goals. I do not want someone who just wants a job. Can anyone out there help??

I got my trainer through the gym and I agree, the gym takes most of the money I pay for him which drives me crazy. He does a great job making me look muscle-y and fit and I'd much rather pay him than the freakin' gym. That being said....you can still try to find a trainer at the gym. Just because they work there doesn't mean they suck as trainers but you definitely have to be picky. You should do workouts with any and all of them if you want and pick the best one. My friend interviewed one and he also watched several of them do work outs with their clients. But if you are really dead set against trainers at the gym, there are a couple websites where you can find trainers, although I can't vouch for how good they are. Some are:

www.fitfiend.com

www.smashfit.com

are a few to start with. You can look at craigslist, there are a ton of listing, some with websites where you can verify that they are actually okay people. Also, try Googling "personal trainer in [your area]. I bet you could find some links for that.

Good luck!

Leigh Peele just wrote a blog entry on Finding a Personal Trainer that I though offered a lot fo great advice.

Thank you I'm gonna get on it right now!

I have been working with a trainer at a small gym that is strictly for the trainers and their clients.  I am not sure how the pay is structured, but I feel that because the focus is on personal training, the trainers have a lot of experience, and personal training is their only job function, that I am getting the most for my money.  I can also use the gym when I am not with my trainer, it is never as crowded as the "big" gyms, and the staff really takes pride in the facilities and everything is always clean.  I have seen great results and am always challenged.  Do it!!