Quite honestly I am usually less than impressed by the trainers I see who have a bunch of initials after their name but are in worse condition than I am. Or I start asking questions on training form, cycles, nutrition etc and it turns out that I know more than they do and I've been out of the business for almost 15 yrs.
I was a certified Nautilus instructor, am a semi-retired 5th degree in Taekwondo, have low level training in Filipino, Indonesion, Thai and grappling arts. Have a lot of letters after my name (2 B.A.s. M.B.A)
I used to do a lot of personal advising on strength/nutrition programs for my students. Even back when most athletes were discouraged from touching weights (would slow you down, ruin your flexibility....)
I watch the trainers at the gym I work out at (one of the big chains) and am scared by what I sometimes see them doing or telling their clients.
If a client wants credentials then you're out of luck. But look into getting a few letters of referal from people you have trained.
Word of mouth is a very poweful tool and you can educate yourself via all the websites, videos & books if you need to fill in the gaps.
There are a lot of very professional trainers and fitness instructors out there that are self educated.
