While exercise is essential to good health, it is well-known that not all exercises are created equal. Depending on many factors, such as age, body type and fitness goals, a person's preferred workout routine may be very different from another.

How can one make sense of all this and find the best solution for them?

A personal trainer is a good option if you have the budget. Problem? There are just so many personal coaches out there, and more joining the ranks every day.

The Bureau of Labor and Statistics predicted a 10 percent increase in the number of instructors and trainers in 2016-2026, while IBISWorld estimated a nearly three percent growth in industry revenue in 2018 for personal trainers.

We consulted fitness experts and fitness junkies in order to create a list of things to look out for when choosing a Personal Trainer San Diego.

Over Instagram hype, look for certifications

The age is social media. Anyone can claim to be an expert and then promote it without actually backing up their claims. It is important to ensure that your trainer has the proper certifications and qualifications to teach.

"You should make sure your trainer has the education necessary to support the exercises they're showing you," states Juliette Walle who is a personal trainer and education director at modelFIT. "Whether the trainer has a certification in athletic training, exercise science, or both, this will ensure that you, the client, are safe and have a plan for your workouts and a coaching style. Also, ensure that your trainer is certified in CPR-AED. This certification is vital for your safety during any exercise program.

Walle points out that this doesn't necessarily mean that they have lots of Instagram followers, or that they are very fit.

Establish clear expectations and ensure everyone is on the same page

"Before interviewing a personal coach, it is important to be clear about your expectations," states Darleen Barton, a NASM-certified personal training professional, ACE-certified coach, and owner of Fit4Health. You should let your trainer know if you need someone to hold you responsible between sessions. Also, ask them permission to contact you between sessions.

To find out if you are compatible, start with just one session

You want to have a good professional chemistry with your trainer. After just one session, you should be able tell if your chemistry is good.

"It's better to buy one session than a package at first, [to see if] the trainer works well with you," says Cary Williams. She is a boxing coach, and CEO of Boxing & Barbells. Some people like being pushed hard while others prefer to be handled gently. Make sure your trainer is a good fit for how you learn and react to training.

Keep a list of positives for future reference after each session

After you have had three sessions with a trainer that you like, Nicole Glor, NikkiFitness's author of "The Slimnastics Exercise: The Intense and No-Equipment Routine Combining Gym, Plymetrics and Advanced Yoga", recommends you answer the following questions:

• Did they recall what you did last Wednesday and how you didn't want do the triceps dips because it injured your wrist?
• Do you look forward or dread seeing them?
• Did they push enough?
• Did you feel at all a little sore.
• Have they asked about your goals?
• Could they have combined muscle, cardio, and flexibility?
• Did they stand on the ground with you, or did they sit on the top? (Trainers should lower themselves to the level of what is being done)
• Have they corrected your form?
• They made the exercise a little more fun.

These red flags should be spotted

Walle identifies the following red flags. These are signs that your personal trainer should be fired.

• They don't seem to listen or care if you are experiencing pain or discomfort.
• They won't be able to or will not explain how their workouts can help you achieve your goals.
• They rely on body-shaming to motivate themselves.
• They use the exact same workout format, repetitions/sets and exercises each session.
• They spend more time looking in the mirror at themselves than coaching you.
• They won't ask you questions, check in with you, or coach you through the exercises.

They know the difference between "pain" and "burn".

We all know the expression "no pain, no gain" but it is not always true. Your personal trainer should be sensitive and aware of your limitations.

"The 'no pain, no gain' mantra that everyone has heard is only partially true, and your trainer should not believe it to the extreme," states Vince Sant, an ISSA certified trainer behind the online fitness platform VShred. There is a big difference between feeling pain in your knees or hips while you do squats, and actually feeling it. Your trainer should be able to help you understand the difference between soreness and pain. Your body could be seriously damaged if you try to push through pain.