Should I get a personal trainer?
Exercising is a great way to stay in shape and eliminate extra body fat. With that in mind, it can be difficult to figure out what kind of exercises are good for you and which ones might not help achieve your goals. You always want to ensure that you pursue the right fitness goals. Plus, you want to be certain that all those steps you take will bring you closer to achieving those goals quickly.
And that’s why a lot of people think you should work with a personal trainer. Having someone that already has lots of knowledge about working out can be very useful. However, it also has unique challenges that can arise. And while it can be great to work with a personal trainer, you also need to be realistic. Because it might be possible, sometimes, to achieve similar results without paying the extra money.
Create a list with your personal goals.
Ideally, before you hire any personal trainer, you want to understand what fitness requirements you might have right now. As you can expect, every person has different requirements. Some of us want to lose weight, and quite a lot of it. Others are focused more on the idea of staying in shape and eliminating extra body fat. Plus, there will be people that want to achieve a certain weight or BMI. Every requirement is different, and it needs a certain exercising regimen.
The cons of getting a personal trainer
Before we delve into why getting a personal trainer can be a good idea, we also have to realize there are certain cons that we might be dealing with. The reality is that hiring someone to help you improve your fitness doesn’t necessarily equate with you achieving those fitness goals right away. It still comes down to you and having the right regimen, because stuff like that is what will set everything apart.
You are still not guaranteed results
Sure, having a trainer might help you achieve good results. But the reality is that you still must put in the effort and all the work yourself. If not, it’s very difficult to see the results. That’s what a lot of people think, that by hiring someone, they are guaranteed to achieve all those fitness goals. Unfortunately, that is not the case. Even if it might sound great at first, the reality is that results can be very problematic, and you might not achieve the outcome that you want.
Some trainers don’t have certification.
You might think that every trainer is fully certified to train clients. Some are, but not every trainer has a certification. And while it might not be a dealbreaker, certifications are definitely a great way to ensure you are working with a qualified professional.
As we said, not all trainers are certified, some might still be ok, but you are risking your money if you work with someone that doesn’t have any certification. While it doesn’t make or break the situation, certifications are always an upside and something that you will need to take into consideration with something like this.
Some trainers are very expensive
Hiring someone to specifically work with you is usually not that cheap. It will depend on where you live and how many people train with that person. However, you shouldn’t expect very low prices. Most of the time, personal trainers can be extremely expensive. And while it doesn’t seem like much, prices do add up. That’s why you have to narrow things down and see what delivers the utmost value.
Keep in mind that in some cases, it might cost you a huge amount of money per hour/week. You want to perform your due diligence and ask for a quote from multiple personal trainers. That way, you will have a very good understanding of the situation and where you are getting the best results. What matters, at the end of the day, is how much value you will receive for the money. But as we said, there’s no way to guarantee results, because it still comes down to you.
Not every trainer will dedicate to your requirements and needs.
That’s the thing, some trainers will just take regular exercises and slightly change them. Those are not fully adapted to your requirements; they are just a little different. And while it might not seem an issue, the truth is that you want a qualified expert that really knows what he is doing. Because if you’re just working with a random trainer that’s also expensive, your fitness goals will still end up a long way off.
If you hire a person that actively adapts the workout routine to your requirements, that will matter a lot. Yes, it’s not a simple process to achieve, but it’s totally worth it. At the end of the day, you always want to ensure that you have access to the utmost value and results. It’s one of those things that still help convey an exceptional value, and you will appreciate the way it all comes together.
There are trainers that lack dedication
It’s one thing to work with someone passionate about exercising, and then there’s another thing to work with a person that just sees personal training as a job. The latter person doesn’t have the drive and passion, they are just doing things for the money. And while that’s commendable, it’s definitely not going to be a very appealing option. That’s what matters the most, in the end, to focus on results and ensure that you are constantly pushing the boundaries in an efficient manner.
Some personal trainers use their platform to sell you supplements
While it’s unfortunately to see personal trainers as salesmen, some of them are like that. Instead of actively trying to help you pursue your goals with the right workouts, they will bring you all kinds of vitamin and supplement recommendations. The idea of having someone make a quick buck out of recommending supplements that might not be suitable for you anyway is not very appealing, and that’s definitely something to think about.
The benefits of hiring a personal trainer
While the downsides of hiring a personal trainer matter, you should also note there are plenty of positive things that arise when working with a personal trainer. Here are some of the main reasons why hiring a personal trainer is actually a good thing.
A personal trainer makes you more accountable
That’s the main reason why you want to hire a personal trainer. Having a PT does boost your accountability and it gives you a way to ensure you stay on track. Granted, you are still responsible when it comes to sticking to the dietary and workout plans. But the personal trainer will be there to ensure you stick with them and you are on track.
Having an accountability partner is always helpful. That’s the person that will keep you on track when you deviate. While it doesn’t seem like a problem at first, it most definitely becomes one if you are not sticking to the plan. Because once you deviate, it’s very difficult to achieve those much-needed results. That doesn’t mean it will be a simple thing to achieve. But having a personal trainer certainly helps pave the path towards success, while also saving time.
Boosting your motivation
A personal trainer is also going to motivate you to continue. It’s very easy to quit when you start anything. There are lots of things which feel stacked against you. Yet if you have a personal trainer, he/she will let you know that you are making progress and that will help you feel better. Is it going to be an easy thing to achieve? No, but having someone to motivate you is definitely going to come in handy.
A great source of fitness knowledge
If you work with a great personal trainer, he can bestow a lot of knowledge about the human body, what routines work for you and so on. Great PTs will always be there for you when you have any questions or inquiries. They will also ensure that you get rightful info and double check if they are not sure. It’s simple stuff like that which helps quite a bit, and in the end that’s what you want to pursue the most.
The ability to set goals and stick to them can be very hard. But that’s why a lot of people will appreciate this approach. It’s nice to have a personal trainer that helps deliver excellent results and value. But at the same time, you also want to focus on pushing the boundaries. A personal trainer can bring you the motivation and knowledge needed to pursue those goals. Is it a challenge? Of course, but it’s also going to be totally worth it.
Personalized plans
As we said earlier, there are personal trainers that will not provide a personalized workout plan. But the best personal trainers will always check your medical records and help you figure out what personalized plan might fit your requirements. They will even give you some ideas regarding the dietary changes that you need to make.
You still need to talk with a nutritionist when it comes to having a great diet. However, a reliable and professional personal trainer will be able to help you improve your workout routine and lifestyle as well. It’s very useful to do this, and in the end it can be a great idea to have a personal trainer assist you with all these guidelines.
Most personal trainers have a flexible schedule
That’s the great thing when you work with a personal trainer. They usually have a flexible format, and they tend to adapt it to your requirements. Of course, you can’t expect to have that person at any given time. But you can access their schedule and book your workout sessions. It’s very helpful and that alone is going to help deliver an exceptional result in the long run.
Plus, the good thing about personal trainers is they will promote exercise variety. For a lot of people, the main problem is they don’t vary their exercises. They see something that works and that encourages them to repeat stuff over and over. But if you want to achieve your fitness goals, the last thing you want is to be complacent. Instead, your focus has to be on exercising and pushing the boundaries as much as you can.
Varying exercises is obviously a part of the schedule. If you just stick with the same exercises over and over, that becomes a problem. Instead, the personal trainer will help you figure out what exercises are good, which ones you should change and what is the better value. That’s what matters the most in the end.
A good personal trainer will promote lifestyle changes
The best personal trainers will always care about your health and wellbeing. Aside from sharing exercise ideas that are great, they will also make sure that you shift towards a healthier lifestyle. Since the personal trainer has lots of knowledge when it comes to healthy living, they will bestow that knowledge upon you. It’s very helpful to talk with a personal trainer, since they can be the ideal person to help motivate you achieve great results and success in the long term.
Conclusion
Should you work with a personal trainer or not? It always comes down to your expectations and fitness goals. Realistically, you can study and perform your due diligence to create a very good workout routine and stick to it. You don’t need a personal trainer to lose weight or stay in shape. If you know what you are doing, then you can save money and still achieve your goals.
However, a personal trainer also has their benefits. With a PT, you have an accountability partner and a person that can share their knowledge and expertise in the world of fitness. The personal trainer is always there for you to help prevent any mistakes, and you can also learn ways to improve your lifestyle. As you can see, a personal trainer is great, but it’s not mandatory to work with one if you want to achieve great results!