Often people don’t contemplate hiring a personal trainer considering the expenses. Yes, we agree that hiring a personal trainer is an added expense, but the question is, “is it worth it?”
Personal trainers are experts in identifying fitness goals and designing apt fitness and exercise programs. They even educate and motivate their clients to help them achieve their goals safely and effectively.
In case, you have been wondering, “is a personal trainer worth it” and if so, then “how?” Then follow this article and you will surely get your answer!
What Does a Personal Trainer Do?
A personal trainer is someone whose job is to help you achieve your fitness goals, including weight loss, toning, strength training, or overall health management.
Personal trainers work one-to-one with clients and design personalized fitness programs for them. Their responsibilities include teaching the clients the right forms and workout techniques and making specific health plans keeping the client’s needs in mind.
A personal trainer holds more fitness qualifications than a fitness or gym instructor. Thus, a personal trainer can provide more valuable advice and motivation, as well as effective tailored exercise routines.
A personal trainer specializes in identifying and addressing a client’s fitness needs, be it a newbie, someone experienced who has hit a plateau, or a pro.
A personal trainer’s job responsibilities include:
- Designing tailored exercise programs
- Fitness assessment
- Ensuring safety
- Identifying clients’ health and fitness goals
- Monitoring progress
- Giving lifestyle and basic nutrition advice
- Adjusting fitness programs depending upon different fitness levels
5 Signs You Need A Personal Trainer
The simplest way to answer your question, “Should I get a personal trainer?” is by first finding out whether you need one or not. Here are five signs that will make it clear whether you need one or not. And if you fall under any of these below-mentioned categories, then you definitely need to hire one!
1. You are new and clueless about the right type of workout routine for your fitness goals.
If you are a beginner and have no idea about the types of exercises that will lead you to your fitness goals, then you are in need of a personal trainer.
For example, you may be looking to lose body weight, gain muscle mass, or want those shredded abs. No matter what your fitness goal is, achieving it requires a proper workout routine with specific exercises and the right diet plan. You might end up beating around the bushes, acquiring no results with the wrong workout regime.
Thus, teaming up with a personal trainer could turn out to be the best decision you make in your fitness journey. A personal trainer would customize a plan to acknowledge your health needs and give you personalized recommendations and advice. This can save you the time, effort, as well as money you would have spent on an ineffective fitness regime.
2. You have hit a plateau in your fitness or workout journey.
Hitting a plateau in your fitness or weight loss journey is the biggest frustration point for anyone. But it happens with almost everyone where they stop making progress towards their goals beyond a certain point. There are reasons, such as the same workout routine and burning equal amounts of calories as you eat, contributing to hitting a plateau.
A personal trainer can help you blast past the plateau and get out of this phase of feeling stuck. They will help you identify the reason for the plateau and develop the right custom-made fitness program to address the cause.
3. You need extra motivation or accountability to achieve your fitness goals.
There are people out there who don’t feel as motivated to hit the gym as others. If you too need that extra external push along with your internal will, then hiring a personal trainer is a good decision to make.
A personal trainer will provide you with the right kind of motivation to push you harder beyond your limits when required. He/she would also hold you accountable and ask questions if you don’t show up or skip your diet plans. This would give you that extrinsic motivation that you might just require to achieve your goals.
4. You are dealing with a health issue or recovering from an injury.
Say you have a health condition or an injury that’s limiting you from following a normal fitness routine. In that case, you need someone who can help you create a program that works for your special needs, eradicating even the slightest risk of injury.
A personal trainer is the only skilled professional who can do the same, as they hold special qualifications and experience for the job.
A personal trainer should be able to help you find a safe exercise routine with health complications such as: arthritis, heart disease, diabetes, back pain, pregnancy, or if you are recovering from an injury.
5. You are preparing for an event or sports competition.
If you are into a specific sport or training for an upcoming event, then hiring a personal trainer makes perfect sense.
A specialized sports trainer can greatly improve your game by helping you reach your fitness goals. A good trainer will come up with just the right workout routine that can improve your sports abilities, be it cycling, running, basketball, golf, etc.
Further, a personal trainer also ensures to avoid the risk of injury, or overuse injury which is common in sports persons. They make sure to plan the workout routine using strategies such as cross-training to help the muscles work in different ways. This eliminates the risk of overuse injury by allowing overused muscles to rest and heal.
Benefits of Hiring a Personal Trainer
Most people often ask, “why hire a personal trainer” when they can workout on their own? The easiest way to find out the answer to this question is by weighing the advantages of having one over not having one.
Here are five benefits you will get from hiring a personal trainer:
1. They come up with customized programs.
The most common benefit of hiring a personal trainer is having a personalized program that works best for you.
As the name suggests, a personal trainer will personally get involved with you in your fitness journey to help you make the most of it. A personal trainer will come up with a specially designed individualized fitness program for you that addresses your special health needs.
Whether your goal is to lose weight, strengthen your core, get stronger arms or get bigger legs, a personal trainer would tailor a program with your goals in mind. They will also take your strengths and limitations into account.
A trainer knows well that every individual and their body needs are different even though they share the same end goal. Thus, hiring a personal trainer makes sense when you aren’t sure or are unaware of the process to reach your end goals.
2. They keep you motivated, encouraged and even hold you accountable.
Often, a lot of people give up on their fitness journey halfway simply because they aren’t encouraged enough or aren’t held accountable. Well, we know being encouraged is one great thing, but being held accountable… Who wants that? Yes, it isn’t a great feeling, but sometimes it is that one thing we require the most to put in that extra bit of effort.
Our tiring lifestyle, work pressure, or other external factors can sometimes make us fall short of our health goals. This is where a personal trainer comes into the picture as a great catalyst.
A personal trainer would keep you on track no matter what, which will lead to higher levels of commitment to your fitness goals. You will not only be entitled to give someone a proper explanation for skipping a workout, but you will also have to consider the money you have to pay for the same.
3. They will reduce the possibility of any injury.
Doing exercises on your own, especially when you are a beginner, increases the risk of injuries or damage to the muscles and tissues. Having a personal trainer ensures you are doing exercises properly (and safely) with the right form and technique. A personal trainer knows when to push you to your limits and when to give you a break for your body to rest and heal.
Personal trainers even employ cross-training strategies to ensure there is no overuse injury caused by the same body movements. They not only ensure you reach your fitness goals but also put safety first so that you don’t end up derailing your workout program by getting injured.
4. They can help you correct muscle imbalance.
There are high chances that every person has some sort of muscle imbalance, whether they are aware of it or not. Daily activities causing repetitive movements, lack of muscle use or poor posture are some of the many possible reasons behind muscle imbalance.
A personal trainer is professionally skilled at helping restore muscle balance. They can help the clients maintain a perfect balance between agonist and antagonist muscles, the imbalance between which is the root cause of the problem.
For example, when you perform a bicep curl, the biceps muscles that are contracting are agonists, and the triceps muscles that are relaxing are antagonists. Focusing on only one of these muscles creates an imbalance and can substantially weaken the other in the long run.
Thus, creating muscle balance while performing any exercise or weight lifting is very important. A personal trainer would assess your workout routine and movement patterns to suggest the right program for you. This will help you know how much time you should be spending on which muscle to create a perfect balance.
5. They can save you money in the long run.
We know you weren’t expecting to hear this! Yes, often everyone thinks that hiring a personal trainer does not come cheap, which is not even a lie though. Then how come you save money?
Well, the answer is because you are taking care of your body. A good fitness program by a trainer could substantially help you prevent or reverse several health issues. These health issues, if not taken care of properly, could even cost you thousands of dollars in the long run if they require an ER or hospital visit.
Just as “precaution is better than cure”, in the same way, taking proper care of your physical fitness ahead of time is better than paying for hospital visits later. Furthermore, if you were to train alone and cause an injury, the included cost of hospital visits, physical therapy, and medications would be much more than a personal trainer’s cost.
How to Find a Good Personal Trainer
When you are finally convinced that you would benefit from hiring a personal trainer, the next big question is how to find a good personal trainer.
Don’t worry, we are here to help you with the whole shebang.
Here are a few things to keep in mind:
- Check their expert qualifications: Make sure that the trainer you are hiring holds certification from a reputable licensing organization such as the American College of Sports Medicine or the American Council on Exercise.
- Take advantage of a free session: Most trainers will provide you with a free taster session, which you can take advantage of to figure out their personal styles. This will help you decide whether the trainer and his style of training are a good fit for you.
- Are you getting a customized workout program: If a personal trainer doesn’t come up with an individualized workout routine to best fit your needs, then he/she is not even worth hiring. Some trainers are better at customizing fitness programs for clients than others. You might have to find one who is good at addressing individual needs. Also, make sure that the trainer checks your health history before customizing your workout routine.
- Focus and prioritize your fitness needs: A personal trainer is your personal fitness assistant thus his/her focus should not be dispersed during your workout routine. Someone who isn’t focused on you and something else clearly doesn’t fall under the category of a good personal trainer.
How Much Does a Personal Trainer Cost?
People often ask or Google questions such as “why are personal trainers so expensive?” and “how much do they cost?”
Well, why are they expensive? Are they worth it? Are they beneficial? We have answered pretty much everything above. Now let’s talk about how much they cost.
The cost of a personal trainer widely varies depending upon their expertise, the duration of sessions, and your fitness needs. On average, a personal trainer could charge you an hourly fee of $40-$80. This can further go higher or lower depending upon different criteria, like your location.
When looking for a personal trainer, you should start by calling your local gym or fitness studio. You can inquire about their trainers’ expertise, and rates. If you already have a membership with a gym, you are most likely to find a better deal if you workout with a trainer there.
Why Do I Need a Personal Trainer?
Above in this blog, we have mentioned the five signs that show why you need a personal trainer. However, the most common reason for needing a personal trainer is the tools, support, and motivation they provide to achieve your fitness goals.
A personal trainer would come up with a personalized workout plan for you. He/she would help you set realistic goals and achieve them safely. A trainer would further encourage you and even hold you responsible if required. They would also provide valuable nutritional advice to aid your fitness journey and get better results.
How Often Should a Beginner See a Personal Trainer?
As a beginner, it is important for you to establish a consistent routine. Thus, it is recommended to see a personal trainer two to three times a week for a couple of months.
As you are a newbie and have never worked out on your own, it becomes important to make sure you don’t train without the trainer. This will eliminate the risk of causing injury by exercising incorrectly.
Scheduling these regular sessions will help you develop proper form when exercising and make progress. Furthermore, two to three months of regular workout sessions should be enough. After this, you can reduce the number of sessions or shift to a different goal.
What Should You Not Tell Your Personal Trainer?
There isn’t any specific thing that you are required to hide from your personal trainer. Despite your personal life, just in case you have taken the work too personally (pun intended). In fact, you should feel free to tell your personal trainer your health history, including any injuries or health issues.
In contrast to hiding, you should not feel afraid of asking any questions or telling them if something doesn’t feel right.
Will a Personal Trainer Really Help?
Yes, a personal trainer can help you in a lot of ways, most importantly by boosting the success rate of your fitness goals. A personal trainer will create a customized workout routine to best fit your needs. He/she will also help you stay encouraged, motivated, and will also hold you accountable when required.
All-in-all having a personal trainer would ensure you reach your personal goals in less time, safely and effectively.
You can also check how to lose weight with waist trainer.
Why Personal Trainers Are a Waste of Money?
Hiring a good personal trainer isn’t truly a waste of money for everyone out there. For beginners and people with health conditions, having a personal trainer is a great decision to make. However, hiring an unskilled or unqualified personal trainer could definitely be a waste of money.
Additionally, for those who have been trained by a professional for a while and understand their body’s needs, having a personal trainer isn’t of much use. They can easily train on their own as they have learned the right forms and techniques.
How Long Should I Stay With a Personal Trainer?
If you are a beginner who is just getting started with his/her fitness journey, then you would require a minimum of three to six months. This is the minimum time frame required for you to learn the right form and workout techniques.
Three months is the least you would require to start witnessing some substantial results. Further, the more time you spend with the personal trainer, focusing on different goals, the greater the benefits.
How Long Does It Take To See Results With a Personal Trainer?
A minimum of three months to a maximum of six months is often required before you start seeing any significant results. Working out with your personal trainer at least twice or thrice a week is a must to make good progress towards your goals.
Conclusion
Overall, we would say hiring a personal trainer can help you achieve your fitness goals in more ways than one. It can effectively transform your body and can prove to be life-changing.
A personal trainer would give you a plan of action, valuable nutritional advice, and the required push to achieve your health goals. He/she would also help you keep on track by also holding you responsible when required. Furthermore, you can rest assured that you have eradicated any risk of injury that you might have caused by training on your own.
Thus, our final word is that it is definitely worth hiring a personal trainer if you are serious about your fitness goals and want to achieve results effectively.
I’m a triathlete and life coach, with a focus on holistic health, fitness & women’s issues.
I also write about my gastronomic adventures and my love for the outdoors.