Do I go it alone or get a PT??

kmaf2016

OK so firstly a bit of background, I started running in Sept 2014, joined a gym in Jan 2015, I love classes which have always consisted of bodycombat, spinning, GRIT, bodypump until the class stopped a few months ago, body attack and about 5-6 weeks ago i started a kettlebell class and i run home from work on a monday and friday night which is approx 5k so as u can see I do a lot of cardio and do a class everyday Mon - Fri. When I started kettlebells again a few weeks back I really liked the difference it was making to my arms, my arms looked more defined, muscles were more prominent, just nice :-) I also started counting calories on MFP at the end of May and lost 10lb by 9th August which was nice as I went away on the 11th August for two weeks to Lanzarote, Im 11st 10lb 5"3in so still have some weight to lose or FAT! But I want to start doing some weight training and easing off my classes, I know some basic weight knowledge but theres so many programmes out there and loads.of information that i dont know where to start....its £100 for 3 one hour sessions at my gym with a PT, some people are going to ask me what is it I want to achieve, a few months ago i was happy doing lots of classes and going with the flow but now I do want to get strong, fitter, leaner but still lose weight at the same time!! Am I best off just paying for the few sessions with a PT then building up my knowledge and plan from there?? I also know that being at a calorie deficit will help me lose weight which I have been doing successfully! Any help or advice would be greatfully appreciated :-) Is there anything specific I could be asking the PT or any specific main starter weights I could be focusing on....Thank you

Adc7225

It really depends on what you want/will to do. I have hired PT on 3 separate occasions and the 1st one was Great (he left to pursue is own thing and I could not afford to hire him) the second was good and the 3rd was a waste of money for the most part. My reasons for each session were different - 1st one I was new to the whole gym thing and he focused on whole body health - if that makes sense. Focusing on form, balance and being active long term. The 2nd one was a direct request for bodyweight workouts that did not require me to get on the floor (I was not ready to get on the floor at all). I guess gym policy required some machine workouts that I only did with him and knew I would rarely ever do on my own. 3rd was more to get me out of my comfort zone, picking up weights and really learning how much strength I actually have (it took a while for me to put this in action).

So for you, I would suggest thinking about what your goal is and how you plan to achieve it - realistically because a PT will walk you through things but if it is not something you are comfortable doing you more than likely won't and won't see any results. I tend to think we do what we are really ready for, we might try something new, but it won't stick unless we are ready for it.

For me I started doing bodyweight workouts at home and recently started adding weights and though I really want to see the #'s on the scale move I do see a difference in my body so that will also play a part in your goals - weight loss with muscle growth tends to see more inches lost than weight for some of us.

kmaf2016

Hey, thanks for your reply, I want to achieve weight loss first and foremost which i do currently at a calorie deficit so my next thing I'd want to achieve is like u said getting comfortable with weights, knowing my limits, gaining better knowledge of weight training but also looking and feeling better, I've seen so many amazing transformations over the last few months from people who do less cardio and more weights, they look fabulous!! With just cardio Im not really seeing a difference in my bodyshape but as mentioned in my original post when starting kb's i noticed a dramatic noticeable difference in my arms, maybe thats why im having a change of heart, i must admit weights do scare me a bit so maybe i could explain this to a pt...

cwolfman13

I personally like having a PT. I started out doing Starting Strength and then Wendler's 5/3/1...they were good, solid programs, but I like the personalization of the programming with my PT. That said, running a couple of established programs early on gave me a good base to start with...when I had my first consultation with my PT he didn't really have to do much to tweak with my form or anything like that...basically, we could just jump right into actually training rather than having him show me how to do stuff.

I ran those two programs for about two years when I really began to feel like I was missing out on some just general fitness/athletics type of things...IMO, most of those programs are really "specialized". When I met with my trainer I told him I wanted to improve my overall athletic prowess which included things like speed, endurance, agility, mobility, explosiveness, etc...I didn't just want to focus on mass building or squatting a gazillion pounds...to that end I'm a cycling enthusiast and he also happens to be a cycling coach as well as a PT so we fit well together.

I like having a PT because I'm doing a lot of things that are never even mentioned in many programs...the foundation of my programming is compound movements and Olympic movements...but I work in a variety of rep ranges and do numerous variations of those primary lifts...lots of plyo work, single leg stuff, speed stuff, etc...I'm not living in anyone rep range and doing the same movements day in and day out like I would be with most of those programs out there.

All that said, finding a good PT can be tough...I've had sessions with a few commercial gym guys that I was less than impressed with. I really lucked upon my PT as he had just bought a house from my buddy and they became friends and I met him that way and we hit it off. I don't work out with him regularly anymore but he and his wife own the gym so he's always there to give me pointers or tell me to switch this or that up.

leahkathleen13

I am going to try a pt for a few sessions. I need to learn proper form in the weight room with basic exercises. I have done mostly cardio, dance, and body weight and now I crave getting stronger. I don't want to hurt myself and its not much per session. I'm going twice a week for a month and then I'll be on my own.

lorrpb

PT can bring a lot of benefit, obviously it depends on the trainer & the client. From your description, I think you could get a lot out of a few PT sessions, then take it from there.

whencynstops

The greatest investment I ever made was hiring my PT. however I will say if it is something you want to do for more than just a few sessions be picky about who you select. It is a relationship and you will get more from it if you find someone who "fits" you. I completely lucked out with mine and I look forward to my workouts with him now. I just increased from 2 days a week to 3 with him. I use him as my accountability person and also let him do the work of planning my workouts. He even plans what I do when I'm not with him. He's fees are an investment in my body and worth every penny.

serapel

Watch the PTs in your gym to make sure you get a good one. Many of them are a waste of money. I hired a fantastic one last April. She is in her 50s with a ton of experience.

Lesley2603

Ive been working with a PT for 10 months, it's the best investment ever. I hit the jackpot with him and will continue working with him for as long as I can