Personal Trainers

Could you just do the personal trainer once a week?Thats what I do, then use that weight routine you do with your personal trainer the rest of the week till you meet with him or her the next week. I really like my personal trainer she hold me accountable and we have thought up some great goals for me to work toward.

I say that you could probably hire him for one or 2 sessions to get you started and on a routine and then maybe once or twice or the next few to maybe build up, add or change your routine.

Some of the good reasons to have a trainer are:

1. Accountability...if you've already paid for the month, you're less likely to blow off a workout, because we don't give credit unless you are a long term client.
2. Safety. If you are new to lifting, it's important to make sure you are doing the exercises correctly. This is a good reason to hire a trainer even just short term, until you become familiar with the way the moves are done and which muscles you should be engaging and how to protect your back and knees, etc.
3. They can help you tweak your diet if you are having problems losing. And they can do body fat measurements and that sort of thing.
4. They can provide some variety in your workouts so you don't get stuck in the same routine.

That said, if you pay attention and do some research, if finances are an issue, you can learn to put together your own workout routines. So a trainer is not an absolute necessity.

I'd hit a plateau and decided I needed to up my workouts. I hired a personal trainer who came to my house and we used my backyard as our gym. Let me tell you I started out doing this thinking I'd use him for 2-3 months twice a week for half a hour. Well 6 months later he said "robyn, you really don't need me anymore. you're ready to do this on your own". That was the best 6 months I learned so many things, I learned I didn't need a gym to get a excellent workout so I let my membership go. It's expensive and I sacrificed to maintain him but it was the best money I'd spent.

I have been working with a personal trainer for about 5 weeks, definitely worth the money. My guy has his own studio in town, I didn't want to do my learning in front of everyone at my gym! My trainer will do an hour with 2 clients for a great price, maybe you could grab a friend/husband/boyfriend to join you? It also seemed the trainers that work at my gym were not completely engaged with their clients and just didn't look like what I wanted.

I had been doing cardio and using the circuit weight machines at the gym and my PT has taught me to build strength in my core in addition to my arms, butt and legs. Lots of free weights, with instability added in to work the core. When I first started I was in agony but now my body is absorbing it, no more soreness. Which just showed me I wasn't getting a good weight workout on my own.

I find that I work harder with a trainer, than on my own. If money were no object I would use him forever.....but alas, it is pricey so I will have to see if I can swing some more sessions.

good luck!
susan

I highly recommend doing it, if you can swing it.

I used a trainer to get back into the weight room, and I use nrolfw to stay there, and a lifting partner to keep me motivated. Does your gym have a notice board that you could post that you're looking for a lifting partner?

Ask the trainer if he has any small group sessions you could join in! Sometimes a trainer will have 2-4 people that have similar goals and put then in a group to make finances a little easier.