Is paying for a personal trainer worth it?

JenAiMarres

My trainer wasn't amazing but I got what I needed out of her...a feeling of comfort at the gym. I was terrified to go..so just having her with me broke the ice.

ilikepandasyay

I think that for someone just starting a fitness routine who needs motivation, guidance, and help getting good form, that it's great. Especially if they help you set out workouts you can do on your own. I just started with a trainer who was a really great match, that I found from zeel.com. She's a little pricey but she is exaclty suited to my personality, she's encouraging, but not a cheerleader, she makes me push myself but she doesn't make me run myself into the ground, she checks in after training sessions, gives me tips for what I should be doing through the week when we're not meeting up.

If you can afford it, go for it, but I wouldn't sign on for 6 sessions until you've had at least one consult session with them, even if you're not paying the discounted price, it's worth it to see if you are a good fit.

walkwithme1

I paid $340 for 10 sessions and LOVED my trainer. He never gave me the same routine twice, always kept me going, pushed me, never let me give up or say I can't do this. Best advice I can give, watch how they train other clients at the gym, make sure they are in shape and try them for a couple of sessions. It's worth every penny when you are committed!

ka97

Absolutely! Personally, it was one of the best decisions I've ever made. I've far exceeded all of the goals I had set for myself, and I truly believe that would not have happened had I not found the perfect trainer. Expensive yes, but money well spent in my book.
Just be sure to interview several trainers and pick somone that is going to be right for you.

BelleHeart

Well a good workout partner like a family member of friend can do the same thing and they are free!! I don't think its worth it!

pduckworth

I can't tell if that seems really expensive... or if my gym is just cheap.

For me, the pricing is as follows:
1 session: $34
4 sessions: $120
8 sessions: $195
12 sessions: $275

I was thinking about investing in one, but I can't decide if I want to or not as well!

JWmovin4ward

Personally... definately worth it.

However, I would buy 1 session to start with to make sure you like their style etc. Not all PT's are good & everyone has their own style... supportive & encouraging whilst pushing you further then you would push yourself or could be in your face...

Definately give at least 1 session ago to see what you think

ratellcm

Id suggest going to a smaller gym that has trainers available. Smaller places like that know their on staff trainers well.

I totally agree! I work at a small gym, and I know the six trainers personally and they are all fit and fantastic with their clients and they also specialize in different things, so we are able to recommend the perfect match for interested clients..

dad106

I think so.. I mean, had to go through three PT's before I found a perfect one, but now that I've found him, it's a night and day difference. He pushes me, understands me, and is all around a nice person... Plus he still has clients training with him from when he started 5 yrs ago.. which tells me, he must be good at what he does to have clients hang around that long!

Plus that is a really good price.. I'm buying 30 PT sessions on thursday, and the downpayment alone is close to 500 dollars... so redic, but really worth it!

jesusHchris

You guys have motivated me to start working a PT into my normal lifting schedule. Sounds like a good way to break out of this damn plateau.

Good luck to you!

Jersey_Devil

i work with a trainer 2-3 times a week. I love it because Im constantly learning different things, i always have tons of questions, and it ensure I learn proper form.

Fit_SailorsWife

I didn't need one

kelseyhere

Totally worth it. I was an athlete my entire life training anywhere form 2-4 hours everyday from age 9 on up. I competed in gymnastics and softball year-round. After high school I stayed fit going to the gym and lifting weights, but like you, didn't feel like I was really getting the results I wanted. The trainer gave me a new confidence, helped motivate me to get back in the gym when I was starting to lose interest, and taught me a great plan on which I got excellent results. A good trainer is hard to find though, and you should make sure you can talk to them and get to know them a bit before you pay for the sessions. Make sure that your personalities click, otherwise going to the gym will be just as grueling as going by yourself, and you don't want that. Also just ask for recommendations from co-workers, others at your gym, etc. In addition to their fitness credentials, enquire about their nutritional background. You can also ask the trainer for references- if they can't give you any, probably not a good trainer.

TeachTheGirl

YES.

I work out in a group setting and my trainer is amazing. She's inspiring, actually takes a vested interest in my goals and my achievements and always pushes me to work harder. I know if I had joined a gym without a trainer, I probably would have stuck to a treadmill and I wouldn't have found my love for kettle-bells and weights. They'll be able to better direct you and help you push yourself further than you might otherwise go if you were alone at the gym.

See if there's the option to have a 'test' session so that you can see what kind of work you'll be doing before you hand over your hard earned money. See what other benefits might come with your enrollment (weekly updates? meal plan?) and seriously judge yourself about what you'd be able to achieve alone in comparison to working with someone who knows exactly what they're doing and exactly what will work for you.

Good luck!

mschf3

As a trainer, I say yes, but I'm going to qualify it with the caution to take your time to find the RIGHT trainer. My clients come to me mostly from the classes I teach. They see that I both live healthy and love BEING healthy, and that I am motivated to share what I know with my clients.

Make sure you meet with the trainer and that they take the time to get to know you. If they aren't asking you a TON of questions, you need to wonder why. They need to commit to you and your goals.

YOU, however, also need to commit. As a trainer, I put a lot of "off the clock" time preparing for my sessions with my clients. We work the "whole package", not just exercise. I help them track what they eat, help them find healthy options, cheer them on with an occasional text message or FB shoutout, and stay available to them even if we aren't at the gym. If I'm more motivated for a client than the client is, we meet and talk about it and try to find a solution. However, I've walked away from clients who think that a once a week session with me and 6 days of eating garbage and doing the bare minimum of activity is going to change their world. It's as frustrating to a good trainer as it is to a client if they aren't seeing results, and if the client isn't trying, it's impossible to really achieve anything.

Yes - it costs money. BUT the right trainer can make all the difference in the world if you really want change to happen. Decide what you want, go out and meet with some trainers, and when you find the one that makes you go "YES - I can do this", you know you've found the right one.

Good luck and I hope you find great success!

Melissa

cyberskirt

A personal trainer was one of the things I got with my gym membership because I know I needed that piece of motivation. She's great. It keeps me on track. Without her I was getting gym memberships and not going and not keeping track of myself.

Emv79

I've been working with a personal trainer since Dec 2011. The first one I had (2-3 sessions), I did not really like (our personalities and styles did not mix), so I switched. In early January, I hit the jackpot of personal trainers for me. I look forward to the sessions as he makes me work hard enough that sometimes I regret the day I was born...but he does it with energy, a smile and a wicked sense of humour. lol. I laugh, I sweat (a LOT), sometimes I b*i*tch(which he calls me out on) and the results I'm seeing in muscle definition are amazing.
I see him for 30min 3x a week (every other day) just for weight training (I do cardio on my own). Next week we're starting 2x 30min and 1x 1hour to see how I like it.

Is it expensive? yes. I see it as an investment (in me) and just cut back on other expenses (clothes, etc)

I agree with pretty much everybody here: it all depends on the trainer (his style, attitude, knowledge/experience/certifications).

marci423

I have a trainer, he is awesome............he knows my goal and pushes me to get there, but doesn't over-push............ He always asks me how I am feeling and where I "am" at when I first walk in the gym.

I didn't know him before I went to the gym and hadn't been in a gym since I was about 12 and that was at school........ I wasn't too sure I wanted to go back, but I did, and I have never regretted it. He has shown me how to use the weights and given me a lot of advice that I would have probably never known if it weren't for him.

I would say though..........meet your trainer first and maybe get a short workout with him/her to make sure you click.......if you don't click you will regret it.......if you do....you will wonder why it took you so long in the first place )

good luck!

Brittonloves

Today is exactly one month since I hired my personal trainer. Before hiring her, I had lost 35 pounds on my own by counting calories and a little cardio here and there. So it wasn't a question of whether or not I could lose weight, it was a question of whether or not this was all I wanted out of the weight loss process. For me, the answer was that I wanted MORE.

Four weeks into what is going to be a 3 month commitment, I can tell you that what I have LOST in BF%, inches, and lbs with her isn't even worth half of what I have GAINED from her knowledge, support, and encouragement. That being said, I've had a more significant loss with her than without her, so I'm not downplaying the effectiveness either-- simply saying that for me having the right trainer who I feel really cares about my progress and is willing to put the time in outside of the gym to help me succeed has made all the difference.

If you do decide to go the PT route, I would say to try looking for "personal training studios" in your area. They're like a gym but everyone there is working with a PT on a set program, so it's a little more personal. My trainer actually does in-home training (she doesn't have a studio or a gym) and runs boot camps on the beach, but I meet with her at the gym in my apartment complex just for space issues.

meeka472

I'd say that a PT is a good investment. I work out with my trainer 2 days a week on strength training and I workout on my own doing cardio the other three days. He's been great with helping me with the weights and has really helped my form. I can see the results when it comes to strength, overall fitness, and body fat loss.