Four Reasons to Hire a Personal Trainer

For some, the decision to hire a personal trainer is simple. They hire a trainer because they don’t know the first thing about proper technique, or because they find gym equipment confusing and intimidating. They hire a trainer because they’ve been working out for a while, and they’ve hit a plateau that they can’t seem to get past. They hire a trainer because they need guidance coming back to fitness after an injury or a pregnancy.

If you don’t have reasons like these, you may wonder if a personal trainer would add value to your fitness. Spoiler – the answer is very likely yes. Here are five reasons you should hire a personal trainer.

• Trainers hold you accountable – and that can be very motivating.

If you’ve ever had a workout buddy who dragged you to the gym instead of letting you blow off your workout, you understand accountability. Meeting with a professional to plan your fitness involves scheduling workouts and investing money – two big motivators.

It’s a small shift to prioritize your workouts just like you would other appointments on your calendar, but it can have a big impact. Your friend may insist you both get to the gym, but it’s a personal trainer who has a vested interest in making sure you get a good workout.

The transactional part of the client/trainer relationship is also key. You’re spending money for these sessions – don’t you want to get your money’s worth? That means showing up and working hard.

• You’ll benefit from their expertise and knowledge.

Certified personal trainers understand things like functional anatomy, effective exercises, proper technique, and how to maximize results. Even minor mistakes in form can be detrimental to your goals and even to your physical health, and a good personal trainer will make sure you’re doing things right.

You may be able to watch online videos and tutorials, but a trainer isn’t just there to correct your technique. A personal trainer will develop a customized workout program designed to fit your goals and your lifestyle, based on proven methodology.

• You’ll hit the right intensity – every time.

There’s a happy, efficient medium between pushing yourself so hard that you can’t walk properly a week after leg day and not even breaking a set with your one round of squats. A good personal trainer knows how to push you past your comfort zone, without causing injury. And, if you have physical limitations, they’ll be able to easily modify your workouts to work around them.

• You’ll be training efficiently and effectively.

When a trainer creates a fitness plan specifically for you, it’s based on your individual goals, strengths and weaknesses. We tend to focus on our strengths, and avoid the things that are difficult. A personal trainer will help you balance your strengths and weaknesses.

Working out without seeing results is an exercise in frustration. But when we see progress from all our hard work, it’s motivating and gratifying. Having a personal trainer guide you along a planned path is a smarter, faster way to making real progress than just wandering around the gym a few times a week, trying random machines, or going for a jog once a week.

Hiring a personal trainer is an investment in your health, no question. And while you could certainly research and compare different workout routines, review studies related to efficiency and efficacy for specific exercises, compile it all into a program designed to help you meet your fitness goals, and be responsible for prioritizing your own workouts consistently, not everyone does. That’s where the value of a personal trainer comes into play.

The first step? Knowing what makes a personal trainer worth your money.