personal trainers at the gym...worth the money?

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  • Cr01502
    Cr01502 Posts: 3,614 Member
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    Most gyms will have a trainer that can show you how to use the equipment. But in 5 years of going to the gym I have not seen one single person appear to benefit from using a personal trainer - they are as fat and out of shape today as they were when they started. Getting in shape, building muscle and getting strong is something you have to be motivated to do on your own. The best advice I could give is find a buddy to work out with - someone who you respect and admire. IMHO.

    Judging a personal trainer based on his clients motivation isn't really the most effective way to find one.

    It is completely dependent on the personal trainer. There are alot that just did a six week program, took a test, got a certificate, and don't have a clue what they're doing.

    My advice would be to find someone who's been in business for a while, has a degree, and has the results to back up his claims.

    If you find a good one they're a great resource for new exercises, proper technique, and motivation.
  • GymBeast2
    GymBeast2 Posts: 81
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    I have a great one. Different gyms use different PT teams. I'm with Professional Fitness and I got lucky finding mine. He works with me on all levels. Check out gyms in your area and see what gym meets your needs and then see if they offer PT.

    I have a 20 a month membership at gold's and I pay 189 a month for my trainer. I can talk to him anytime and he showed me this site. He is worth every penny and I hate wasting money so I go to the gym 6 days out of the week..if I can.
  • Pepper2185
    Pepper2185 Posts: 994 Member
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    I say yes.

    Find one who matches your goals and they can show you the basics and good form, etc.

    After a few sessions you might have enough confidence in what you're doing to go at it alone, or you might even want to keep the PT around to motivate you/yell at you to push harder :)
  • jinjin8
    jinjin8 Posts: 220 Member
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    Yes. Yes. 1000 x Yes.

    I have been seeing one twice a week for 14 months, and a huge amount of credit must go to him for the 90+ pounds I have lost so far and huge gains in fitness I have achieved.

    A good one will keep you commited, motivated and challenged.
  • em9371
    em9371 Posts: 1,047 Member
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    If you can find a good one. There are alot of very useless PT's out there! :S

    ^^^^ this!
    Its important to find a trainer that understands what you want to achieve and doesnt just give you the 'one size fits all' standard program, I don't understand people that pay a PT to stand and chat to them on the treadmill / bike!!!! Training style makes a big difference, I've been a member of gyms on and off for the past 15 years and until recently have never met a trainer that I would have considered working with.

    I see my PT once a week and we do heavy free weights only, this is not the sort of thing I could do safely by myself, especially exercises like the chest press. I've had a knee injury for the last year and without him I would have just given up on lower body exercises because of my injury, he has taught me loads of exercises that are suitable and how perform them correctly.
    I use what I learn in my sessions for when I am training on my own to keep my workouts interesting. He has actually got several new clients who were so impressed with my progress they want to do the same, so I would say its definetely worth it for me :-)

    I'd consider a few sessions, see if they can help you out with learning the proper form for what you want to do, and go from there! Use what you have learned for your workouts, or keep the PT on for extra motivation!
  • LovePBandJ
    LovePBandJ Posts: 288 Member
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    If you have zero experience weight lifting at the gym, then absolutely! You can really hurt yourself, also you will not only gain strength, but you will also gain confidence, increasing the likelihood that you will continue with your program.

    Before you do, figure out what it is you ultimately want to do at the gym. Do you want to learn the basic heavy lifts (deadlifts, squats, bench press, overhead, etc.) or would you prefer to use the machines, or have someone put together a program that involves core stability. Knowing your own style will only help you to get better results from your time with a personal trainer. I wanted to learn how to execute the basic heavy lifts properly. There was one trainer at my gym, he goes by "Coach," who used to be a HS football coach and I often saw him working people in that section. So, of course I asked him to train me. There were other trainers: one who was an avid cyclist and really into core stability, another lady who seemed big into cardio and light weights. My point is, once you figure out your goals, try to pick the trainer you feel would best complement those goals. I see Coach at the gym all of the time. He spots me when I have increased my weight. Love him.

    My MO is that I like to have a pt put together a nice program designed for my goals, and then I follow it on my own. Every couple of months or so I will bring one back on to shake up my routine. Once you get comfortable with your lifts, you can branch out; either hiring a pt again or using online tools or books to develop your own program. A lot of people here like New Rules of Lifting for Women.

    Good Luck!

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