Is it worth it to spend money for a personal trainer

ninav1980

$10k??? Are you an NFL player?? Thats sounds outrageous. I suppose it depends on how often you will be training. I pay $50/session, its a discounted rate since I buy 24 at a time but I think its completely worth it! I have been going twice a week since January. The important thing is to have a connection with your trainer. There are different types of trainers. The hard core boot camp type or the more supportive type who seem to suit me better. Thats what I would be worried about when paying alot of money up front.

rosebette

I can't believe that amount of money. I have used a trainer at the YMCA (they have several on staff), and with my membership it was around $150 for three sessions. When my daughter was a lifeguard there, I got 3 sessions for under $100. I also got two sessions at my workplace fitness center as part of weight loss program. If I wanted additional session, I think it was 3 for $175. Most reputable larger gyms have trainers that work for them and are quite reasonable because they are already subsidized by the gym. Also, places like the YMCA or my workplace gym (which is at a university, so they train athletes), make sure that the trainers are certified, etc.

I tend not to work with trainers for extended periods. The first time I was overweight and recovering from an injury, so I needed to get back into shape safely. The second time was with the workplace gym trainer, and she was part of my overall program which was already paid for. Since the workplace program already did the evaluation (weight, overall fitness, body fat %, etc.), she basically met with me and asked me what my goals were and worked out an exercise program for those areas I wanted to train. Again, she helped me find exercises that fit my own capabilities and physical condition. So usually I do 3 sessions and then maybe if I want to tweak my program, go back in 6 months to a year.

I like using the trainer so I can have a program that I can do on my own. I also like classes, but some of the instructors vary and can even push the class to do things that are unsafe to "keep up."

DavPul

For that kind of money? No way! I had a personal trainer when I began my weight loss. It was great way to introduce to different exercises and using weights and it kept me accountable, because I knew I would see him 2X a week, so I was motivated to continue exercising the days that I didn't see him. My trainer was $60 for two 30 minute sessions a week. Good luck!

you do realize that you're paying almost the same rate as the OP, right?

DavPul

one thing i always enjoy about these threads is how most people don't seem to get that "expensive" is a relative term.

sheddingmyfatsuit

There is no way in hell I would commit to a PT for a year.

I have used PT's. I think good ones are totally worth it. But I have never been asked to make that long of a commitment. It's shady.

shamrck44

That is very high and a long commitment. I pay $300 a month for 2X a week. I got a 3 month package, the longer a period you buy the more you should save. I have had some trainers that I didn't click with and I would be so upset if I were locked into a deal that long and not enjoy it.

Tanie98

Lol yea it does add up overtime:ohwell:

Jim_Barteck

I made an appointment with personal trainer at the gym since I also want to reduce body fat and be more fit. However after our first session when they test a physical level and show you to do everything properly and also challenge you to work out harder .However, he told me hat to sign up a training session with them for a year is $10 000(ten thousand)which I think is allot but you pay it by weekly and you have to pay 10% of down payment.I told him I will think about it but I think its too expensive. Is it worth to invest money into this

Speaking as a former trainer myself, I can tell you that hiring a personal trainer *can* be an excellent investment in yourself. However, the deal he put in front of you is only a good deal for *HIM* unless you really need somene holding your hand every time you decide to exercise.

Nobody needs *THAT* much personal training. What you need is a few initial sessions (3-5 should be fine as someone else suggested) to get you started with the basics, and then 1-2 sessions per month to make sure that you're staying on track and make whatever adjustments/additions/subtractions may be necessary.

VeryKatie

Honestly, it's would probably way cheaper to BECOME a personal trainer.

Seriously.

ValGogo

Yo! 10G's? That's crazy! I could buy that 2013 Honda CB 1100 with $9,500.00.



Ain't that purty!

Alidecker

Spending money on trainer for me was worth it, but I didn't pay that much. I went once a week, he wrote everything down and gave me a plan for a week. That was $55. I guess if I would have gone more than once a week, the fees would add up pretty quickly. The good points to the personal trainer were that he kept me accountable, I never got bored in the gym because he mixed my workouts up, he helped me with my diet, made sure my form was good and he was a great cheerleader. I lost 100+ pounds working with him and fell in love with being fit. The cost was the only downside, but was worth it to me. Then he up and moved to another city...he still writes up daily workouts for me and plays therapist when I get down on myself

dbmata

$10k a year, that's a lot of money to agree to up front.

With my trainer, I committed to him for a month and a half, if that didn't do me right, we'd part ways. No big deal. A year? Not happening with someone new.

Would I commit to my current guy for a year? Yeah, in fact a week ago I tried to talk him into it.

As far as cost? What is too much? 1/10th your pay? More? Less? I'd say, at my current fitness level, $10k would be too expensive.

Broken down, 3x per week, 52 weeks a year for $10k is only $64 an hour. My consulting rate is 2x that, and my mechanic is 11 dollars an hour more. Is it a lot? Yeah, is it unreasonable? I'd say no. Would you be able to find someone just as good for less? Probably.

martinel2099

You're new to the lifting scene so a PT might not be a bad idea for 4-5 sessions. The reason to get a PT is to make it easier to learn how to do the exercises you want to get the results you want. To keep a PT longer than that is for hand holding only, there's not much they can do for you other than that.

I honestly recommend that you look up a good 5x5 lifting program like ice cream fitness and watch youtube videos to learn how to do it. There's tons of good videos that will teach you how to dead lift, squat and much much more, all for free.

Also be careful with PTs, not all of them know what they are talking about when it comes to nutrition.

dbmata

To keep a PT longer than that is for hand holding only, there's not much they can do for you other than that.

That depends on those goals. If just working out is the goal, then yeah a couple tune up sessions a month are excellent. If the goal is to train for something in particular, you may get married to your trainer for a little bit. Then again, that person would be less a pt and more a coach.

jbrownnolan

10k a year??? Hells no, not unless I am personally training with Bob Harper or Dolvett Quince. For 10g that better be one hell of a trainer. Here's an idea, go to they gym of your choice, pick out the most fit person in there (the one you would like to look like), make a deal with them "If you let me train with you 3 days a week for the next year and let me pick your brain about what it is you do to make yourself look so fantastic and fit, I will pay your membership fee for the year", that person probably knows just as much as any 10k trainer, will be waaaaay less $, and you'd make a new friend

Jambalady

I'll answer your post in 2 parts.

1) Is it worth it to spend money for a personal trainer? It can be. It depends on your personality. Some people have the drive, commitment and ability to research and learn how to do things themselves and they do fabulous. For me, personally, I walk into a gym and I get bored/distracted/whatever and can't make myself do what I am supposed to do even if I know how. I take classes and I have a trainer. Classes force me to work out for an hour as hard as I can because I can't just walk out of a class and because I want to keep up and not look like a fool in front of everyone. I use a personal trainer for the same reason. It forces me to exercise and helps me to focus on the areas of my body I want to change. And I am committed because I plunked down a pretty penny.

2) Your specific trainer's package - NO WAY would I commit to a year with 10% down. That's $1,000 or 10-15 sessions that you have committed yourself to without knowing if he is effective and whether you work well together. I would find someone who will do a 3-5 session package with you and then take it from there if you like the results. I would never commit to a year. That's insanity.

caramelgyrlk

I'll answer your post in 2 parts.

1) Is it worth it to spend money for a personal trainer? It can be. It depends on your personality. Some people have the drive, commitment and ability to research and learn how to do things themselves and they do fabulous. For me, personally, I walk into a gym and I get bored/distracted/whatever and can't make myself do what I am supposed to do even if I know how. I take classes and I have a trainer. Classes force me to work out for an hour as hard as I can because I can't just walk out of a class and because I want to keep up and not look like a fool in front of everyone. I use a personal trainer for the same reason. It forces me to exercise and helps me to focus on the areas of my body I want to change. And I am committed because I plunked down a pretty penny.

2) Your specific trainer's package - NO WAY would I commit to a year with 10% down. That's $1,000 or 10-15 sessions that you have committed yourself to without knowing if he is effective and whether you work well together. I would find someone who will do a 3-5 session package with you and then take it from there if you like the results. I would never commit to a year. That's insanity.

THIS!!!!!!

dbmata

I think it should be said, that a good trainer is far more than.

Ok, pick things up and put them down.

A good trainer knows how to assess you and to keep you constantly on the edge of your performance capability, and know precisely when and how to safely push you past that.

DavPul

10k a year??? Hells no, not unless I am personally training with Bob Harper or Dolvett Quince. For 10g that better be one hell of a trainer. Here's an idea, go to they gym of your choice, pick out the most fit person in there (the one you would like to look like), make a deal with them "If you let me train with you 3 days a week for the next year and let me pick your brain about what it is you do to make yourself look so fantastic and fit, I will pay your membership fee for the year", that person probably knows just as much as any 10k trainer, will be waaaaay less $, and you'd make a new friend

You realize those people would charge you around $25k per year, right?

MKEgal

I made an appointment with personal trainer at the gym since I also want to reduce body fat and be more fit. However after our first session when they test a physical level and show you how to do everything properly and also challenge you to work out harder, he told me that to sign up for a training session with them for a year is $10,000 (ten thousand) which I think is a lot but you pay it biweekly and you have to pay 10% for a downpayment. I told him I will think about it but I think it's too expensive. Is it worthwhile to invest money into this

I wouldn't do it. That's too much money, too long of a commitment, and it doesn't sound like he was very clear about how you'd benefit, what he'd do for you that required so much one on one time.
Would that be every day for a year, one hour a day ($27.40 per hour)?
Two hours twice a week ($48.08 per hour)?
How often would be re-evaluate your progress & change your exercise prescription?

What education does he have? A degree in sports fitness, kineseology, what?
Is he certified by a reputable agency?
Here's where you can search for people in your area who are certified by the American College of Sports Medicine:
http://members.acsm.org/source/custom/Online_locator/OnlineLocator.cfm

It might be a good investment to hire a personal trainer for several sessions, to help you set up a program, realistic goals, and learn how to use machines at the gym. Then maybe a tuneup every month or so to tweak your program, if he hadn't already explained how to do it yourself.

I did a blog post about setting goals (both weight & calories):
http://www.myfitnesspal.com/blog/MKEgal/view/2014-06-08-setting-goals-667045

And about exercise:
http://www.myfitnesspal.com/blog/MKEgal/view/2014-06-08-exercise-667080