How much to pay for a Personal Trainer?

haroon_awan

So I met with my personal trainer yesterday. I think they set me up with him on purpose because he was super hot and he was around my age. We got down to the nitty gritty and it will be $140/month to meet with him once a week for an hour but I have to sign a year's contract. I think that is kind of steep. The trainers at my gym are required to get a degree and he's very professional and motivational. Am I getting a deal or should I pass on a fitness trainer???

$140*12 = $1680. You are about to throw away $1680. Any personal trainer who only meets with a client for an hour a week and charges $35/hour is a money hungry fraud and/or working for a gym whose owner is a money hungry fraud. I am doing my course in fitness instructing and personal training and I can put my hand on my heart and say that this is not a good deal. Training a client once a week is going to yield such slow results you might as well not hire any trainer whatsoever. This is the worst deal I've seen all week and I am genuinely baffled at how people are saying this is a good deal.

The smartest person in the room is the one who can get people to pay him/her for information that is freely available. This is what you are doing if you only see him once a week and you have to sign up for an entire year without so much as getting to know him for a while before you agree to the contract. The fundamentals of nutrition can be found is one or more of the below links

You can set your calories and macros on here so that part of his job is redundant.
http://www.bodyrecomposition.com/fat-loss/how-to-estimate-maintenance-caloric-intake.html
http://www.myfitnesspal.com/topics/show/819055-setting-your-calorie-and-macro-targets
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=GAvW6xBZjSk (this is part 1 of many)
http://www.bodyrecomposition.com/fat-loss/the-energy-balance-equation.html
http://www.bodyrecomposition.com/fat-loss/is-a-calorie-a-calorie.html
http://www.bodyrecomposition.com/fat-loss/setting-the-deficit-small-moderate-or-large.html
http://www.myfitnesspal.com/topics/show/1017045-a-very-interesting-and-informational-read-on-deficits

If you do want to waste $1680, you'd be better off seeing him twice a week for 6 months, than once a week for a year. Matter of fact you'd be much better off tearing up that contract and laughing at them.

ndj1979

just make sure he teaches you compound lifts and the correct form for them..

if he keeps you away from squats, deads, etc...don't use him..

MargaretSans

i didnt end up doing it. He wanted 50% upfront as well. They wouldnt let me pick a specific trainign bc "based on my questionnaire" results i was a match for this one guy

bellaa_x0

i live on Long Island, NY and i see my PT once a week for half an hour and pay $800 for 20 sessions, which ends up being $40 a session.. not terrible.

fishgutzy

My only issue is the binding 1 year contract. What if you get injured? What about vacations? You still have to pay even if you miss the time.
At my Y it is $40/hr. Save $5 if you pay for 4 sessions at a time. No contracts. Meeting times are very flexible. No lock in. I like it that way.

jaycbadass

Wow i really can not grab the aspect of a personal trainer! Id rather take all that money and invest in good supplements and great nutrition, like its said " Abs are made in the kitchen , not the gym". Youtube has AMAZING workouts,specific to your goals. Lookup a female bodybuilder or fitness model and follow that routine.
Read, research, and employ your findings..best of luck to you

ItsCasey

I would not hire a trainer to work out with me. Once you've learned proper form, the only reason to have a trainer with you while you're working out is for motivation, and I don't have a need for that.

But if you have certain goals, you may find that you've reached a point where your ability exceeds your knowledge. Sure, you could put in the time and do the research ... or you could pay someone to fill in the gaps for you. That's what I did. He wrote a program for me, based on my goals, and he reviews videos of each of my lifting sessions (3x per week) to make sure my form isn't breaking down. He also gave me some macro targets and keeps an eye on my food log here, and we chat on Skype every 2 weeks or so to talk about my progress and decide if any changes to my program or diet are necessary. The fee structure for that is going to be a little different than for someone who works out with you however many times per week.

My advice is first to know exactly what you're looking for (i.e. what level of involvement and what kind of training) and then do some research online (in your area, if you want someone local) and call around and ask questions.

stroutman81

Wow i really can not grab the aspect of a personal trainer! Id rather take all that money and invest in good supplements and great nutrition, like its said " Abs are made in the kitchen , not the gym". Youtube has AMAZING workouts,specific to your goals. Lookup a female bodybuilder or fitness model and follow that routine.
Read, research, and employ your findings..best of luck to you

I've been a strength coach and trainer for over a decade now. Not everyone is like you. Not everyone has the time, inclination, and/or ability to filter out the nonsense and whittle it down to something that fits their needs. Also, some of my clients have get paid to perform and need to peak without injury at the right times. They don't want to leave anything to chance.

Point is, everyone's coming from different places and I would 100% agree... for some people it wouldn't be worth it. For others though, it's the best money they ever spent, assuming they get hooked up with a qualified professional.

jaycbadass

Wow i really can not grab the aspect of a personal trainer! Id rather take all that money and invest in good supplements and great nutrition, like its said " Abs are made in the kitchen , not the gym". Youtube has AMAZING workouts,specific to your goals. Lookup a female bodybuilder or fitness model and follow that routine.
Read, research, and employ your findings..best of luck to you

I've been a strength coach and trainer for over a decade now. Not everyone is like you. Not everyone has the time, inclination, and/or ability to filter out the nonsense and whittle it down to something that fits their needs. Also, some of my clients have get paid to perform and need to peak without injury at the right times. They don't want to leave anything to chance.

Point is, everyone's coming from different places and I would 100% agree... for some people it wouldn't be worth it. For others though, it's the best money they ever spent, assuming they get hooked up with a qualified professional.

You sir make a valid point.

kimdyj

I feel like I need a personal trainer to help me with my goals...to lose weight safely and tone my body and not be a floppy mess. He gave me some great insight and we seem to be compatible within the 30 mins. He sat down with me and asked me a whole lot of questions to get to know me better and from there he can assess what I need to work on. Thanks everyone...i still have to decide to either use that money on a personal trainer or shoes. ^_^ LOL

fishgutzy

Lots of good points being made.
I found that using the right personal trainer was necessary to kick start a more active fitness routine. I had stagnated for 6 months at ~30# lost.
I found MFP, started tracking and started working with a trainer. The trainer got me using more free weights and very few fixed pivot/arm machines.
I started enjoying my workouts more and saw results more quickly. I learned proper form as well.
I have built on what I learned from the trainer to further expand what I do.
A trainer may not be for everyone. But I have never heard anyone regret hiring a good trainer. Bad ones? yes. That's why long term contracts suck. You can get stuck paying for a trainer that doesn't work for you.
And never hire a trainer whose mantra is "No Pain, No Gain." He/she will do more harm than good.

CoffeeLush

I feel like I need a personal trainer to help me with my goals...to lose weight safely and tone my body and not be a floppy mess. He gave me some great insight and we seem to be compatible within the 30 mins. He sat down with me and asked me a whole lot of questions to get to know me better and from there he can assess what I need to work on. Thanks everyone...i still have to decide to either use that money on a personal trainer or shoes. ^_^ LOL

If the shoes are the determining factor, you can look at it this way: a one year hiatus on shoes will be so worth it when you are able to rock those heels like no other in a killer dress. :-D

kimdyj

Look at other offers in the area, tell them that you're looking at other offers in the area. Some personal trainers adjust their rates. What are the services offered to you for this amount? Just meeting once a week?

He is also offering unlimited group training for a variety of workout such as P90X, Tabata, Les Mills, and Max Burn (which is not included in my gym membership). I meet with him once a week but have the option to do the group training throughout the week.

kimdyj

Training rates vary drastically based on geographic location. My area, which is about 40 min outside of Philly, tends to be around 50-60 per session. So in that context, you're getting a deal. However, given the fact that most trainers in this industry are boobs, I'd be very hesitant to lock into one for a year without certainty of them being legit.

You have to trial trainers to figure out if a) they know what they're talking about and b) are you guys compatible. Good looks only go so far, lol.

I wrote a piece that was well-received by a lot of folks about how to assess a trainer. I can send it to you if you'd like.

Yes can you please send it to me? Thanks a bunch! He seems to know what he's talking about and if we're not compatible, he's giving me an option to find another trainer or buyout.

kimdyj

My only issue is the binding 1 year contract. What if you get injured? What about vacations? You still have to pay even if you miss the time.
At my Y it is $40/hr. Save $5 if you pay for 4 sessions at a time. No contracts. Meeting times are very flexible. No lock in. I like it that way.

He told me if I am not able to make it that week, it will carry over and I will not miss any session. His meeting times are very flexible and since it's a 24/7 gym, he is willing to meet me outside of his scheduled hours. He also said if we're not compatible I have an option to choose a different trainer or buyout.

stroutman81

Training rates vary drastically based on geographic location. My area, which is about 40 min outside of Philly, tends to be around 50-60 per session. So in that context, you're getting a deal. However, given the fact that most trainers in this industry are boobs, I'd be very hesitant to lock into one for a year without certainty of them being legit.

You have to trial trainers to figure out if a) they know what they're talking about and b) are you guys compatible. Good looks only go so far, lol.

I wrote a piece that was well-received by a lot of folks about how to assess a trainer. I can send it to you if you'd like.

Yes can you please send it to me? Thanks a bunch! He seems to know what he's talking about and if we're not compatible, he's giving me an option to find another trainer or buyout.

http://body-improvements.com/articles/industry-articles/

Part 3 most notably.

micheleb15

Training rates vary drastically based on geographic location. My area, which is about 40 min outside of Philly, tends to be around 50-60 per session. So in that context, you're getting a deal. However, given the fact that most trainers in this industry are boobs, I'd be very hesitant to lock into one for a year without certainty of them being legit.

You have to trial trainers to figure out if a) they know what they're talking about and b) are you guys compatible. Good looks only go so far, lol.

I wrote a piece that was well-received by a lot of folks about how to assess a trainer. I can send it to you if you'd like.

Yes can you please send it to me? Thanks a bunch! He seems to know what he's talking about and if we're not compatible, he's giving me an option to find another trainer or buyout.

Make sure that is written in the contract you sign. Always get it in writing.

212019156

Be very careful choosing your trainer. Just because they are certified does not mean jack. Find someone who has a kinesology degree and preferably has been a trainer for a sports team. A bad trainer can cause you lots of problems.

Alissakae

When I first decided to try a trainer last August, I started with 6 sessions spread out over 3 months. It went great so I then went for the cheaper-per-session and get-me-committed package of 50 sessions. For this I pay $129 per month (weekly hour-long sessions with the trainer, I then do the workout he gives me on my own two more times during the week between our sessions). I feel it has been worth every penny because he has pushed me to work harder than I would ever do on my own, has taught me to use the equipment and how to properly do lots of exercises, and in addition to losing weight I am stronger now (as a grandma) than I have ever been in my life).

kimdyj

Training rates vary drastically based on geographic location. My area, which is about 40 min outside of Philly, tends to be around 50-60 per session. So in that context, you're getting a deal. However, given the fact that most trainers in this industry are boobs, I'd be very hesitant to lock into one for a year without certainty of them being legit.

You have to trial trainers to figure out if a) they know what they're talking about and b) are you guys compatible. Good looks only go so far, lol.

I wrote a piece that was well-received by a lot of folks about how to assess a trainer. I can send it to you if you'd like.

Yes can you please send it to me? Thanks a bunch! He seems to know what he's talking about and if we're not compatible, he's giving me an option to find another trainer or buyout.

http://body-improvements.com/articles/industry-articles/

Part 3 most notably.

Great article!