Maybe you didn't meet your fitness goals this summer, or getting to the gym didn't fit into your job- or family-driven life. Hiring a personal trainer may be the way to fitness this fall and, in Montclair, there are loads of options.

Some personal trainers can offer guidance on everything from fitness to nutrition. What every good trainer should do is to ask about your fitness goals and your history of injuries, while also evaluating your strength and movement before setting up a workout plan, said Gordon Wadell, a personal trainer in Montclair.

Don't fall into the trap of picking a trainer based on looks either. According to Wadell, there are some people who are "genetically gifted" and even if you follow the same workout and eating regimen they do, you won't look like them. "You want a trainer with the greatest knowledge and skill," he said. "The way to chose a trainer is with the same scrutiny you would use to chose a surgeon for your child."

Good trainers are constantly learning about their field and bringing energy and enthusiasm to their clients,he said. "If you're both on the same page and it goes smoothly,  it's almost a friendship," according to a trainer at Aspen East in Watchung Plaza.

That includes a trainer who can work with your body. "I work with people based on certain limitations, like back issues or knee problems," said trainer Jennifer Friedin of Montclair.

She will go to clients' homes or they can come to her house to come up with a balance of cardio, strength, and flexibility work. "You don't have to lift dumbbells if you don't like them as there are many ways to create strength without hand weights," she said.

Here are a sample of prices charged by local private trainers and trainers associated with local gyms and fitness centers.

Private Trainers:

Jennifer Friedin — $75/per hour jfriedin@verizon.net

Gordon Waddell  —$900/per package of once-a-week sessions for three months www.advanced-fitness-concepts.com

Local Gyms:

Apsen East — $85/per hour for non-members and $64 per hour for members www.aspeneastfitness.net

YMCA  Montclair $60/per hour for members www.ymcamontclair.org

Younique Fitness call for rates 973-746-1181