7 Reasons To Hire A Personal Trainer

Feb 28, 2016

Hiring a personal trainer is an important step towards getting and staying fit and healthy, no matter what your age or income level. Personal trainers aren’t just for accomplished athletes with a lot of experience. In fact even if you’re a complete fitness newbie, a personal trainer can help you achieve the success you’re seeking. So check out these 7 reasons to hire a personal trainer.

1. To Help You Learn How to Do It Right

A personal trainer can help you avoid common mistakes.

Your first visit to a gym can be an intimidating experience: all those scary-looking machines, confusing cables and dumbbells that weigh more than you do! All those more experienced members in their fashionable fitness gear. It’s easy to forget that they were all new to the gym once, too.

Even one session with a sympathetic personal trainer can help you navigate the fitness centre with confidence. He or she will guide you to the right equipment, show you how to set it up, explain concepts like reps and sets, and coach you toward proper technique. Most importantly, a good trainer will steer you clear of a common newbie mistake — imitating others in the weight room and unwittingly picking up their bad habits!

2. To Make Fitness Fun!

Fitness can — and should — be fun!

Working out with a buddy can be so much more fun than going solo — even better when your buddy is a seasoned pro with only your best interest at heart! It’s important to find a trainer you connect with. If you want a drill sergeant to kick your butt, seek that individual out. But not all trainers want to yell at you! My personal style is one of encouragement and motivation through feedback and two-way communication. My clients and I share the exhilaration of success and talk through the inevitable setbacks without judgement. Best of all, we laugh — often! Because sometimes life’s just funny. (Laughing is great for your health, too!)

3. To Correct You If You Need It

A personal trainer will keep you on track.

Squats, deadlifts, push-ups: they’re amazing for the body — when they’re performed correctly. Done wrong and they could actually do damage. Lifting too heavy, using equipment incorrectly, not recognizing when equipment isn’t set up right — all of these can result in spectacular gym fails. Even walking needs to be done properly!

Pictures and videos may give you an overview of correct techniques, but they can’t give you personal feedback or suggest improvements. Is your Plank Pose leaving you with back pain? Do squats hurt your knees? A trainer will guide you to perfect your form, and you’ll reap the benefits without the risk of injury.

4. To Help You Stick With It

A personal trainer can keep you from jamming out!

Most people stick to a new workout for the first couple of weeks: they buy the new shoes, load up their iPhones with motivating music and feel great about themselves. And then, little by little, life gets in the way. You miss a workout, then another. Before you know it, you’re binge watching Narcos and wondering how long it’s been since your last gym visit.

Accountability is a huge factor in sticking to a routine. If you’re obligated to phone your trainer in order to jam out on your early morning session, you might just think twice about sleeping in — especially if there are cancellation fees involved!

Be honest with your trainer if you feel you’re losing motivation. It happens to everyone — even trainers — and we’ll how to help you get back on track without making you feel guilty.

5. To Accommodate Your Special Requirements

I’m pregnant. Do I need to change my workout?

There are times when the cookie-cutter gym circuit just won’t work. Injuries, joint pain, pregnancy, diabetes, osteoporosis, arthritis and high blood pressure are just a few of the conditions that can make some exercises inappropriate or even dangerous.

A thorough consultation is the first step to working out with a trainer. In that discovery process, it’s important to communicate any past or current health issues so your trainer can keep you safe. Some conditions may require your doctor’s approval prior to beginning a routine.

Chances are at some point in your life you will experience some kind of physical health issue. A trainer will work with you to ensure your mind and body are benefitting — in the safest way possible.

6. To Mix it Up

A trainer will suggest new equipment and techniques to mix up your routine.

Many people come to the gym regularly and do the same workout, with the same weights, in the same order, every single time. This approach may not require a lot of mental effort, but it comes with problems of its own. Simply put, it’s boring. And boredom is a huge motivation killer! Enlist a trainer to show you new exercises, and feel your excitement levels rise again.

I like to think of physical exercise as a “movement diet”. Our nutritional needs are wide and varied; so are our physical activity needs. For example, kale, chick peas and quinoa are fantastically healthful — but if you consume nothing but those foods every day, you’re likely missing out on a number of other important nutrients. Do the same exercises every day without variety and you’re sure to be lacking in some essential movement patterns.

Our movement diet should include things like jumping, pushing, pulling, bending, reaching, stepping and climbing. Trainers know this and can help you get the widest variety of movements in your routine.

7. To Look and Feel Your Personal Best

Enjoying being fit on a hike in the Swiss Alps!

Different goals require different training systems. The first-time marathon runner, the hopeful competitive bodybuilder and the sedentary office worker new to fitness all need unique approaches to their fitness routines.

Personal training should never be a one-size-fits-all experience, but rather a highly personalized and dynamic integration of all aspects of physical wellness.

Hiring a trainer doesn’t have to break the bank, either. I see some clients weekly, some monthly. Others follow their own routines regularly and book an occasional session with me as a check-in. As my client and friend Susan says, “People may view (having a personal trainer) as a luxury for rich people, but if you think about it, weekly training costs less than some people spend on a week’s worth of cigarettes or a night out on the town.” Couldn’t have said it better myself!

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