Finding a good online personal trainer is harder than it should be. Everyone has a certification. Everyone has transformation photos. Everyone is promising the same results in slightly different packaging. So how do you actually find someone who's going to help you, and not just hand you a generic plan with your name on it? Here's what I'd look for, based on my experience both as a certified trainer and as someone who spent years trying different approaches before figuring out what actually works.
They can explain the why, not just the what
Any trainer can hand you a list of exercises. A good online strength coach can tell you exactly why those exercises are in your program: what they're targeting, how they relate to your goals, what they're building toward. If you ask a trainer why they've programmed Romanian deadlifts in week one and they can't get past 'it's great for your glutes,' that's a sign. A good coach understands programming design. They know how movements fit together. They can explain how a warm-up connects to the working sets, and why the cool-down matters beyond just stretching.
Good coaching should make training feel clearer and more structured over time. You should understand why you're progressing, not just follow workouts without any real direction.
Their approach is specific to you, not generic
The most common problem with online coaching programs is that the plans aren't actually personalized. They're templates with your name swapped in. Most custom workout plans are the same PDF sold to hundreds of people with minor adjustments. Ask any trainer you're considering: how do you adjust programming for someone with a specific injury history? How do you modify for someone who only has access to dumbbells? What happens if I miss a week? The answers will tell you quickly whether they have a real process for individual programming or whether they're running the same plan for everyone.
They have real credentials and experience
A certification from a recognized organization (NASM, ACE, NSCA, ISSA, ACSM) matters. It tells you that someone has, at minimum, been tested on the fundamentals of anatomy, programming, and exercise science. Credentials alone aren't enough, but they're a reasonable baseline. Beyond the cert: look at their own training history. Do they practice what they teach? Have they dealt with real challenges in their own training: injury, plateaus, rebuilding? A trainer who has been through those things understands what their clients are going through in a way that someone who hasn't can't fully grasp.
Red flags to watch for
Before-and-after photos as the primary selling point: transformation photos are often cherry-picked, staged, or outright misleading. They don't tell you anything about programming quality or coaching depth.
Promises of fast results: any trainer promising significant body composition changes in 30 days or less is either not being honest with you or setting you up for a crash-and-burn.
No discovery call or intake process: a trainer who sells you an online coaching program without learning anything about your history, goals, limitations, or schedule isn't personalizing anything.
Vague about their methods: if they can't explain their approach clearly in plain language, they don't have one.
If you're wondering whether online personal training is worth it, these questions are a good place to start.
What I offer
I'm a certified personal trainer and the creator of Training Foundations, a structured strength program built for beginners, returners, and anyone who wants to rebuild their foundation the right way.
I created it because the programs I followed before getting injured taught me how to push harder, but not how to move properly.
I also offer 1:1 online coaching for people who want a more personalized approach. Custom programming, form feedback, progress tracking, and real communication throughout the process.
If you're tired of random workouts, feeling stuck, or constantly dealing with pain and setbacks, I'd love to help you build strength in a way that actually lasts.
Lisa McPherson
Certified Personal Trainer · Lisa Fit Method