7 Reasons You Should Hire a Personal Trainer – and 2 Reasons Not To
7 Reasons You Should Hire a Personal Trainer & 2 Reasons You Shouldn't!
Did you know there are over 370,000 personal trainers working professionally in the US? That’s more than all restaurant managers combined! In fact, Personal Trainers nearly outnumber the number of plumbers in the US!
If you’re surprised by that number, don’t be. Personal training is one of the fastest growing professions in the US, projected to grow by 15% each year for the next ten years! Clearly, there is a reason there are this many gainfully-employed personal trainers out there. So, the question isn’t really if personal trainers make a difference, because they do. Good Personal Trainers make a BIG impact for most clients. The question really is, is hiring a personal trainer the right decision for you?
Ok. Let’s get into it. I’m going to list 7 reasons you should hire a personal trainer. If any of these reasons fit your situation well, you should strongly consider seeing a personal trainer. However, this article isn’t just about identifying those who need a personal trainer, I’m also going to point out who may NOT be a good fit for personal training. Starting off the list:
1. You’re Dealing With Pain or Injury
If pain or stiffness affects your mobility, hiring a personal trainer can offer many benefits. Perhaps you have experienced, a recent injury, surgery, or chronic pain. Corrective Exercise can take on many forms, depending on the type of pain or injury you are facing. Your personal trainer will focus on stimulating weak muscles and increasing mobility, allowing you to regain properly balanced musculature and body movement.
Tailoring your Program to find ways to enhance your fitness without aggravating your condition. A good personal trainer will help you develop a training regimen that fits your needs. Even if the underlying cause cannot be treated, your overall health and feeling can still be drastically improved through exercise. Proper Technique is always important, but if you’re dealing with an injury, it is absolutely paramount. You personal trainer will help ensure you have proper mechanics in your movements, reducing your risk for injury or re-injury.
It is important to remember, however, that you must receive clearance from your doctor before returning to exercise. With or without a personal trainer. Personal Trainers are Not Physical Therapists. Always follow the instructions of your physical therapist, as well as your doctor, with regards to exercise. While many personal trainers have a vast knowledge of body mechanics and exercise, they are not certified to treat patients in the way that physical therapists are. In fact, if you have been working with a physical therapist, it is a good idea to put your personal trainer in touch with your therapist, so that he/she may learn more about your specific progress and/or limitations. Lastly, it’s a good idea to ask your trainer about their experience in dealing with your particular condition. Look for trainers with certifications, classes, or former clients that relate to your specific injury or pain.
2. You Want to Workout at Home
Do you dislike going to the gym? Is your schedule too hectic to make it to the gym 3+ days every week? Do you simply like the convenience of working out in your own home? You’re not alone! After all, with all the other modern conveniences being brought to your home, why should fitness be any different?
Some personal trainers will travel to your home to perform your workout, but there are a few things you should inquire about before hiring a home personal trainer:
- 1) Are they insured? It is a good idea to make sure your trainer has liability insurance for an extra piece of mind, should something accidentally get damaged in your home.
- 2) Do they have the right equipment? Make sure you get an idea of what equipment they have and plan to transport to your home. After all, you’re not really looking for someone to help you exercise as much as you are someone to help you reach your goals!
- 3) Do they have experience in home personal training? Make no mistake, training clients at the gym and training them at your home are two very different thing. Not to say one is less effective than the other, just that a trainer used to working out at the gym may not have the necessary experience to maximize your home workout.
- 4) Will they get you results? Don’t be afraid to ask about progress stories or testimonials prior to hiring. A trainer with a proven track record of helping people achieve the goals and getting results you’re seeking is a huge plus.
3. You Don’t Enjoy Exercise and/or You Need Accountability
You’ve probably heard the saying “Follow your passion in life.” Well, if your passion is watching TV, you may need a personal trainer to help you reach your fitness goals. Fact is, like many things, exercise doesn’t start getting fun until you’re good at it. Even then, it’s still tough to muster up the energy for it some days. This is where a personal trainer can help. One of the biggest keys to success in any fitness journey is consistency. Your trainer will help you stay on track, motivating you to stay consistent with your workouts.
Working out is also more enjoyable when you’re not doing it alone! Personal trainers keep your workouts more fun and interesting, and they also boost your confidence in your ability to perform the exercise. This is all helpful in making progress toward your goals and living a healthier lifestyle.
4. You Don’t Have a Lot of Workout Experience
If you wanted to build a house, would you really just pick up a hammer and some nails and start experimenting? Of course not. You probably even hire a professional to do your taxes. Why wouldn’t you hire a professional to help you with something as important as your fitness?
A personal trainer can help you get started the right way, which can help you:
- Properly set and achieve goals
- Avoid Injury by working out properly
- Teach you about exercises and equipment you’ve never heard of
- Design a program that will help you get faster results
- Answer questions that will inevitably arise once you start working out
- Even if you working out with a personal trainer isn’t a good fit for you in the long term, hiring someone to help you get started is well worth the money.
5. Your Workouts and Results Have Stagnated
Even experience fitness enthusiasts can hit plateaus. Hiring a trainer can help you overcome stagnation in your fitness journey. New approach, new exercises, things that don’t even occur to you – Did you know the average personal trainer knows over a thousand exercises?
Facets of your workout your trainer will consider when designing your new program:Simply put, a good trainer knows how to get results. Personal Trainers have both formal education and years of on-the-job training. Whether your goals involve weight loss, strength training, mobility, pain relief, cardio, or something else, odds are you can find a personal trainer that has a lot of experience with achieving those goals.
6. You Want to Learn More About Proper Nutrition
Nutrition is a critical component of any fitness journey, and it is often overlooked! Proper nutrition can help with: weight management, workout performance, workout recovery, and overall health! Some personal trainers have nutrition certifications, which give them a lot more insight into proper meal programming. However, don’t underestimate their on-the-job training, especially when it comes to goal-specific nutrition. Remember, if they’ve helped people reach the same goals before, they clearly have a “recipe for success”
Ideally, your personal trainer would have a trusted Registered Dietitian that they work with. Nutrition is a very complex subject, and a Registered Dietitian will have much more formal training than most personal trainers.
7. You’re Training for a Sport or Event
If you’re training for a specific purpose, it’s a good idea to hire an expert who has been there before, and/or has helped others find success in that area. Sports or event-based training can include:
- Youth sports
- Triathlon
- Ironman
It may take a little more research, but there are some excellent trainers out there that specialize in these different areas. Don’t underestimate the impact a good coach can have on your performance!
You May Not Want to Hire a Personal Trainer if…
1. You’re Looking for Immediate Results.
Don’t be fooled by all the marketing tactics out there, there is no way to completely transform your physique in 15 days. In fact, it often takes months of hard work and dedication to reach your fitness goals.
If you’re looking for a quick fix to fitness, there is nothing anyone (including a personal trainer) can do that will live up to your expectations. In a world where we have instant gratification in most areas of our lives, this can be very difficult for many people to accept!
2. You Want to do Powerlifting or Bodybuilding at Home
Similar to sport and event-specific trainers, there are excellent trainers out there in the areas of powerlifting and bodybuilding. However, unless you have an in-home gym, these trainers are going to need to meet you at a gym to accomplish your goals. It’s simply impractical to transport the amount of equipment necessary. So, if you’re looking for an in-home trainer to help you with bodybuilding or powerlifting, you may want to reconsider.
However, don’t underestimate the amount of muscle that can be built with in-home personal training! We have seen clients pack on 20 pounds of muscle in 6 months! Proper muscle stimulation and time under tension can do wonders for muscular development, without the need for using heavy weights.
Want to Learn More About In-Home Personal Training?
Mobile Trainers is a Home Personal Training. company. We are located in Scottsdale, AZ and travel up to 25 miles from our location to deliver our industry-leading fitness services. Learn more by scheduling a free evaluation session today!
