Is paying for a personal trainer worth it?

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.

redcat17

I have a trainer and she's the manager of all the PT's at my gym. She did my initial assessment and we hit it off from the start. I got four free sessions for joining the gym and I just started working with her last week. She's helping me learn my way around and helping me correct some bad lifting habits, She doesn't stand over me while I do cardio, but she told me to only do three interval sessions a week and to never leave the gym without stretching. I think it is totally a good thing, since she also makes me do some moves that I hate but need to do.

MelleyJ

I recommend it, but as everyone says, you should sit down and talk to someone or find a personal trainer at your gym that you have watched working with other clients that fits your style. I am committed to my trainer for 11 more months. He tortures me, but I always feel good when I leave the gym. I go 2x a week with him, and then 2x a week on my own. He logs all my workouts in a book, so I can go back and see how many reps/sets/weight I did and do weights on my own. Plus, he says it is a great way to see how far I have come by looking back at where I started.
I personally go to LA Fitness, and I have enjoyed my first 5 weeks. Being committed gets my butt in the gym on nights, like last night, when I was really exhausted and would have possibly tried a skip! I go Mon & Thurs and I am obviously noticing a difference. He also gives me tips on foods/diet, etc. If you find a good trainer, I think it's definitely worth it. Good luck!

pkfrankel

Finding the right trainer is the most important. Look for a trainer experienced in the sport you are interested most. If you are a runner that races half-marathons and marathons, find a trainer that does the same.

You will waste your time and money if you are a runner and find a trainer that is a body builder.

cclark1203

Ask about half hour strength training sessions and do the cardio yourself. That way your cost per session will be manageable and you will be able to stretch out your money.

NatsukoG

I've had two experiences of personal training. The first was with someone who didn't really understand my goals and wasn't really that fit herself. She worked out with me but I didn't feel particularly motivated or pushed. I eventually stopped going and lost out on sessions I'd paid for.

My second experience was with a trainer who took a lot of time to understand my goals and motivation. He is very fit himself and passionate about health. He pushes me harder than I could ever push myself, watches my form closely and encourages me every step of the way. There's just no comparison to my previous experience.

I'd say that any reputable gym would give you a free taster session of PT and help identify the right trainer for you. Assuming you find someone you have a rapport with and you can afford it (they don't come cheap) then go for it. Deciding to work with a trainer this year has been the best decision I've made in a long time. I've lost weight before but this time I feel like I have a new mind set and I'm losing inches faster than ever before. I can't believe what I'm physically capable of and would never have known if not for my PT.

Best of luck whatever you decide.

kris4chloe

I love my trainer, she pushes me every week. I keep up and workout on my own, but when I am with her she makes me go that much further and I walk out of the gym knowing I accomplished something. We talk about nutrition and what I need to do in between seeing her.

I have seen some bad trainers, but I lucked out and am very happy.