The Benefits of Having a Personal Trainer
When it comes to physical wellness, having a personal trainer offers many benefits for everyone’s fitness needs and goals. It can be difficult figuring out where to start a fitness journey, and personal trainers help you assess your fitness levels and set realistic goals. Personal trainers also make sure you’re using equipment safely and with proper form. Their extensive knowledge about different types of exercises and how to properly perform them helps you work out efficiently and safely, reaching your goals in a healthy way.
Why get a personal trainer?
While working with a personal trainer is more expensive than exercising on your own, it’s worth it in seeing results more quickly and in a safe and efficient way thanks to the individualized attention and higher accountability. Additionally, having somebody else present during workouts can make them more enjoyable—not to mention safer if proper form needs correcting. Feeling discouraged or like you’re not making progress is common on a fitness journey, and having a personal trainer by your side during these moments helps greatly in recognizing and remembering your own abilities and potential.
What do personal trainers do?
Personal trainers help you to create a specific workout routine customized for you to help achieve your goals. They also help by keeping you accountable for staying on track with your fitness plan, while providing encouragement and support throughout your fitness journey.
The history of personal trainers in America dates back to the early 1900’s when health clubs first began popping up in major cities. Personal training took off in the 1980’s, due to the growing popularity of aerobics and other forms of exercise, as well as an increase in disposable income among Americans.
How do I get a personal trainer?
If you're thinking about hiring a personal trainer, there are some things that you should keep in mind in order to make sure that you pick the right one for you.
First of all, consider what exactly you are hoping to achieve by working with a personal trainer. Are you looking to lose weight? Build muscle? Improve your endurance? What is your own personal experience working out? Are you just starting out with working out? It’s important to hire a personal trainer who has experience with people who have similar fitness goals as you. Once you know what your goals are, you can start narrowing down your search for a trainer.
Next, take into account your budget. Personal trainers can be expensive, so it's important to find one who fits within your price range. There are plenty of great trainers out there who don't charge an arm and a leg—so don't feel like you have to break the bank in order to find someone who is best to help with your fitness goals.
While it is important to find a personal trainer that meets your budget, it is also really important to find a personal trainer who has experience and knowledge in the type of physical fitness you are looking to achieve. Ask about their approach to training and what type of results they have helped their clients achieve. A good personal trainer will be able to create a workout plan that’s specifically tailored to you. They’ll be able to give you tips and advice on how to best succeed, and a trainer that has experience working with others who have had a similar plan helps collaboration and motivation. If you have specific health concerns or injuries, be sure to find a personal trainer with experience working with clients who have similar issues.
It’s also important to find someone who is certified by a reputable organization such as the National Strength and Conditioning Association or American College of Sports Medicine.
These organizations have standards that trainers must meet in order to be certified, such as educational and experience requirements. Additionally, these organizations offer continuing education opportunities for their members, which helps to ensure that trainers stay up-to-date on the latest information and techniques.
Finding a trainer who is certified can provide some assurance that the trainer knows what they are doing! When meeting with potential trainers, ask about their qualifications and experience. Certification from one of these organizations indicates that the trainer has competency in exercise science and related areas, which can be helpful when trying to decide if a particular trainer will be able to help you reach your fitness goals safely and effectively.
Working with a certified personal trainer can also give you access to additional resources or services; some gyms or fitness facilities only allow clients to work with trainers who are employed by the facility (and often require them to be certified through an approved organization). If you have your heart set on working with a specific trainer but they do not work at an approved facility, certification could give you the ability to do so. And if you’re worried about cost, some insurance companies reimburse clients for training sessions if the trainer is certified through an accredited organization.
Finally, be sure to pick someone whose personality meshes well with your own—after all, you’ll be spending quite a bit of time together! Keep in mind both personality and compatibility. It's important that you click with your trainer on a personal level to maintain a positive and encouraging fitness environment. Hiring a personal trainer with a compatible personality will help in your fitness journey as they’ll better understand your motivation behind working out. They can help create workout plans and routines that are geared towards helping you reach your target goal. If your motivation for working out is simply improving your overall health or getting stronger, they can adjust their approach accordingly. Either way, having a shared understanding of each other’s motivations will help create a more effective training relationship between you and your trainer.
If you ever get stuck or start feeling unmotivated, they’ll be there to help push you and keep you on track. Perhaps most importantly, though, a personal trainer can provide accountability and motivation—two things that are essential for anyone trying to make positive changes in their health and fitness levels. When you have someone cheering you on and holding you accountable, it becomes much harder (and less tempting) to skip workouts or make unhealthy choices. Be sure to try out a few sessions with different trainers before settling on one so that you can find someone who is the right fit for you both personality-wise and skill-wise; if you’re serious about reaching your fitness goals, hiring a personal trainer is one of the best decisions you can make.
What are the different types of personal trainers?
There are three main types of personal trainers: independent contractors (who work for themselves), employees at gyms or health clubs, or those who are self-employed but rent space from another facility (such as a studio). Each has its own advantages and disadvantages—it just depends on what you’re looking for in terms of convenience and cost.
Independent contractors: An advantage of hiring an independent contractor as your personal trainer is that they typically charge less per session than those who are employed by a gym or health club. This can be a great option if you’re on a budget. Also, you can usually schedule sessions at times that are convenient for you, since independent contractors have more flexible schedules than those who work for a gym. However, you will need to provide your own equipment and space for workouts with an independent contractor, which may not be possible or convenient for everyone.
Self employed trainers: If you're looking for more of a one-on-one training experience, self-employed trainers who rent out space in a facility can be a great option. These trainers give undivided attention to their clients and design programs specifically tailored to each individual's needs and goals. As a result, these trainers can be more expensive, as they have overhead costs such as renting space in addition to their hourly rate, so they tend to charge more per session than other types of trainers.
Personal trainers employed by gyms or health clubs: The biggest benefit of working with a personal trainer who is employed by a gym or health club is convenience; since most people already belong to some type of fitness facility, it's easy to simply add on personal training sessions without having to go out of your way or make any additional arrangements. Also, these trainers often have access to state-of-the art equipment that might not be available elsewhere. However, one potential drawback is that you might feel like just another number among the many clients they train; if you're looking for personalized attention and focus on your unique goals, this type of environment might not be ideal.
Whether you are struggling with staying motivated or seeing results, or if you just want a gym buddy who knows what they’re doing, a personal trainer can make all the difference. Having a personal trainer is one of the best things you can do for your physical health and fitness levels. If you are serious about reaching your goals, then hiring a certified professional is definitely worth it.
