Really, I’m not toot-toot-tooting my own horn here, I swear! I just think that a little light shed on the rational behind hiring a trainer may be in order since some people are not getting as much as they could out of their aerobics, step, zumba, spin and any other class out there. Why do I say that? Because I’ve taken these classes, and I’ve seen the performances and I have to say, there is much to be desired there. No offense of course to anyone, I would never pick out anyone, snicker at them or embarrass them. It’s just, truth be told, there are a lot of bad forms out there.
I was a bad form myself when I first started working out. That’s why I knew I had to do something about it or I was going to end up wasting hours at the gym while obtaining zero results. And there is nothing more frustrating than that. If I have to sit there and listen to Vinny talk to his boys about the outfit his date wore in that oh so eloquent style that men have in the gym, I better be getting something out of my time spent there other than tips on what not to wear.
So this really is more of an effort to help you, the reader of fitness, instead of helping out or promoting my own business. (If an influx of clients come a’callin then it’s just a by-product of sincere advice I happily provide. Noooooo ulterior motive here 😉 )
Ok, so here we go. Why it’s a good idea to work with a personal trainer, even if it’s only for a few sessions:
1 – To learn proper form. I can describe to you till I’m blue in the face how you should be holding yourself, when to breathe and what muscles you should always have engaged, but unless I’m there with you, trust me, you’re not going to get it 100%. It’s not that you have to be a contortionist and spend hours perfecting your form, but in my experience people are visual, they like to see right in front of them how things should be performed and they like to be given exact feedback. Not all fitness instructors have the time to go to each individual and perfect their form for them. Many don’t even mention form at all, leaving the masses to gyrate and stumble their way to injury.
2 – To push you past your self-imposed limits. Everyone has ’em. When I say three more reps, I may get the evil eye but you know what? They give me three more even though they thought, in their minds, that it was impossible. Hello negative self-talk and limiting mind-sets, ruler of the body and its alleged limited ability to function on a higher level, meet my new friend, the personal trainer! Many clients of mine have mentioned how if I was not there, they would have given up 10 minutes ago due to either fatigue, lack of motivation, or mental inability to see themselves pushing any harder than they already have. But they stick with it when I’m there. They push themselves when I’m there and they get through it.
3 – To keep it interesting. Never will I have a client perform the same exact workout twice. One valuable lesson I’ve learned from my clients is that if you don’t keep it interesting, you’ve lost them. Anyone can pop in a DVD and perform the same exercises over and over and over again, only to perfect them and then plateau. (Plateau is an ugly word in fitness. You never want to plateau because then you’re just spinning your wheels.) A trainer should keep it interesting for you, keep challenging you and pushing you farther than you’ve imagined possible. Keeping it fresh and interesting is going to make exercise more enjoyable for you.
So there you have it… my top three reasons why personal trainers are a good investment. (Although not all trainers are created equally so keep shopping around until you find someone you’re comfortable with and who knows how the body functions and can properly train you without leaving you injured or unsatisfied!)
