Do I need a personal trainer? I know that the many health benefits of regular physical exercise cannot be overstated. From weight loss to a reduced risk of health conditions like heart disease and high blood pressure, the benefits of physical activity and regular exercise are probably too many to count.
Not only can a healthier lifestyle that involves strength and conditioning, weight training, and aerobic exercise result in better blood cholesterol levels and a lower risk of type 2 diabetes, but it can also lead to becoming happier, more energetic, and relaxed. However, starting a new fitness regimen – particularly if you have an underlying health condition, or if you’re starting out after a prolonged period of inactivity – can sometimes be challenging.
It’s not uncommon for people to become disappointed and discouraged because they may not be seeing results as quickly as they’d hoped. Worse yet, they are all fired up when they start, only to lose their momentum and motivation (or even get injured) after just a few weeks. For this reason, more and more people have started seeking the expertise of personal trainers. A personal fitness trainer can offer numerous advantages by providing personalized and effective workouts, helping prevent injuries, ensuring you enjoy your workouts and that you reach your fitness goals, and by providing you with support and accountability throughout the entire process.
In a study by the Journal of Sports, Science and Medicine, it was revealed that the direct supervision and guidance of personal training have a hugely positive effect on the outcome. In fact, over 70% of the participants in the study have seen an increase in their overall success rate. A different study concluded that people under the guidance of a professional personal trainer had experienced a significant improvement in their lean body mass than those participants who were in charge of their own training.
Women’s experience with personal trainers showed that by making the workout more pleasant and enjoyable, the candidates stuck with their programs for longer and were able to reach their fitness goals.
So, do I need a personal trainer to reach my goal and help me maintain my health and fitness?
The answer to this question ultimately rests with you. But keep in mind that a professional and certified trainer should be able to help you achieve your fitness goals better than if you were to do it on your own at a commercial gym. Certified personal trainers can design a personalized workout plan for you that’s not only effective but also fun and safe, regardless of your body type or current fitness levels. Below are some of the key benefits of personal training that will ensure you maximize your potential over the long-term:
Personalized Training Session
One of the biggest advantages of working with certified personal trainers is that they can provide you with a custom-made workout routine that’s specifically tailored to your own preferences, schedule, current fitness levels, and past medical history. It’s quite common for newbies to have an idea about what they really want from their fitness program, but don’t know how to achieve it effectively. Most, if not all, self-trained gym-goers have their share of stories about doing the wrong exercises (or doing them with incorrect exercise form) and how much time they wasted in doing so. There are also plenty of accounts from people who’ve injured themselves precisely for this reason.
This is where a good personal trainer comes in. They will know precisely what to do to make your fitness goals a reality. Whether you want to lose weight, build muscle, tone certain areas of your body, or increase your overall stamina, a fitness professional will have the necessary experience to not only help you achieve those goals but also make it an enjoyable, affordable, and injury-free experience.
Maximize Your Time and Effort
Having to shuffle between your personal and professional life, you probably have very limited free time at your disposal. It’s hard to carve out some time for your health and fitness on a weekly basis. But because that time is so precious, you should definitely make the most of it! A fitness trainer will ensure that your training is optimized in such a way that you reach your goals in the fastest amount of time possible.
Be More Motivated and Accountable
If you are prone to procrastination or have a tendency to lose your motivation, workouts (at home or in a gym) with no assistance will likely not yield long-term results. Same goes for following random fitness trends on YouTube or Instagram. However, when you exercise with a trained fitness professional, they will be there to motivate and encourage you to stick to your program during those moments of temporary weakness. It’s fairly easy for people to skip workouts or become distracted by other demands. But in time, these will lead you to abandon your training routine altogether. But when you know that your trainer is waiting for you, you won’t be as tempted to make excuses or to put off your workout (the “tomorrow” trap!).
Avoid Injury
The common saying of “no pain, no gain” kind of applies to any effective workout routine (although ‘pain’ is not a great word to use – we prefer “out of your comfort zone”). Some sore muscles are the price you pay for progress. Yet, a good workout should never come at the expense of injury or to the point of developing chronic orthopedic problems. A professional fitness specialist will develop training plans that ensure that you do all of your exercises correctly and don’t get injured in the process. Many personal trainers may consult with physical therapists, particularly if your training is in conjunction with physical therapy, or it you’ve had a significant injury in the past.
Keep Better Track of Your Progress
When we train on our own, we tend to set unrealistic milestones (like lose a specific amount of body fat or lift a target weight) that cannot be accomplished in the amount of time we want them to happen. As a result, many of us become frustrated and discouraged, leading us to abandon our workouts altogether. A personal trainer, on the other hand, knows what’s achievable (and in what timeframe), and will help you set realistic and measurable goals. Such a carefully outlined program will show you exactly what progress you’re making, and it will be less likely for you to become discouraged and give up.
In fact, making progress actually has the opposite effect! As we see and experience our progress first hand, we become more confident and begin feeling much better about ourselves. This turns into a positive feedback cycle where the more milestones we achieve, the more motivated we become, and the easier it is to stay the course and progress further. In addition, we also start feeling the effects of serotonin, dopamine, and endorphins, known as the “happy hormones.” In short, working out on a regular basis will not only make you more physically fit and more resistant to infection, but it will also boost your mental wellbeing and make you happier.
Always Learn Something New
In time, every person undergoing a training regimen will hit a plateau. This means that they will stop losing weight and stop building muscle. This is the body’s natural way of adjusting to a workout routine. It doesn’t happen overnight, but it will happen, and when it does, many people no longer feel like working out anymore.
A fitness trainer is fully aware of this phenomenon and will probably recognize it even before you do. They are up-to-date on the latest fitness trends and can determine if they are right for you. They will adjust your drills and will give you tips on how to keep going to ensure you enjoy your workouts, while also minimizing or completely eliminating the effects of these plateaus. In addition, certified fitness professionals can also provide you with insights regarding your health, diet plans, and nutrition. Based on their qualifications and ongoing experience, they can share all sorts of fitness tips that will last you for your entire life.
Takeaway
The benefits of working out with a personal trainer with the right training certifications in sports medicine, personal training, strength training, or exercise programming will far outweigh the cost. They will create a customized workout plan for you, will keep you motivated and engaged every step of the way, and will help you avoid injury. With our team of certified fitness experts and nutritionists, you don’t have to commit to anything, be it multiple workouts, memberships, or various other packages. We start at $25 for a private half-hour session, and you can pay as you go.
If you want to transform your body with the advice and support of our experts, get your free no-obligation consultation so you can tell us more about what you want to achieve.