Alright? How are things, a slight delay on Gym Sundays as I was at a wedding, a slight issue in the post coming up… Ah well, all sorted now!!
Today I am going to chat about personal trainers and the pros and the cons as to hiring someone at your gym, with some helpful tips on finding the ideal PT for you.
Shall we?
PRO
These people are trained professionals.
This is a given really, there is a reason why these people are hired to train and improve the fitness of others. They are trained! Many will have completed courses on a course enabling them to know the vital information needed to help others. Some of these fine folks will even have gone to university, completed sports science, nutrition and other types of courses to get to where they are now. They know their stuff and they will get you to your goal.
CON
Half of these ‘professionals’ completed a one-year course at a college or a short course at a big brand gym and 17.
Having seen first hand the number of 16/17-year-olds who have taken a short course at the local college and think they are God’s gift to fitness is a bit worrying. Especially when challenged on certain workouts and regimes, they would not have a clue what you are talking about. The fitness world has exploded these past few years and sadly that means younger people are getting in on the act and with no life or actual experience of assisting people. They are seeing it as an easy career with high profits for them. It is slightly disconcerting to see that big brand gyms are sweeping these children up as they know they will get the ‘rent’ fee from them, effectively taking advantage of them and the customer.
PRO
What is the price to being fit and healthy for the rest of your life?
Fitness is important, that is an undeniable fact. So having someone assist you in getting to your goal in a safe and structured manner is the healthiest possible option made available to you to do something positive about your body.
CON
What is the price to being fit and healthy for the rest of your life?
£30 per hour it seems.
PRO
The PT will know what workouts are best for you.
A personal trainer’s job is to create a regime that suits you and change it as you change and adapt, to even help with a nutrition plan, they are there to motivate, encourage and almost force you to complete every last rep. If they are not pushing you then they are not doing their job right. It is their job to get results from their clients, so if they are not pushing you to that limit then they will not be happy with themselves. A lot of trainers are there for you and want you to succeed.
Con
The PT will know what workouts are best for you.
So does Google. The amazing thing about living in this fast paced crazy techy world that we are in, is that there are a million and one apps dedicated to fitness and ones that can assist you in your goals and progress, log your information, show you graphs of your progress, even have computer voiced AI’s motivate you. It is crazy… So why would I need a PT when I can splash out £5.99 a month on an app?
Personal experience
I will through this out there, I have never had a personal trainer and I will likely never will (ready to change and acknowledge if I do though). I don’t really need someone to tell me what exercises to do. I have my plan, I know my workouts. I usually just need that little bit of motivation from myself or from someone to keep my head right. Not enough to fork out a certain amount of money for though.
When I first started trying to lose weight all those Moons ago, there was a guy in the gym, who may or may not have been a trainer, I just saw him as the supervisor of the gym as he never pushed to have clients, he would just assist people who needed the help and take group classes. He would motivate me, he would tell me to not stop, to keep going and I would. It helped me. I needed the boost he gave me and I welcomed that. If you can find that type of person in your gym, make sure he or she helps you. You will get better.
I have done okay on my own, but not everyone is the same and that should be remembered!
Final thoughts
I personally have not been enticed by a personal trainer, I have seen some train people poorly, with horrible form and think it is fine. I have seen some lie to people about their form to trick them into hiring them as clients. I have seen some not have a clue what certain exercises will do for that client. I have said I have seen some way too many times. But the point stands, if you go to the gym enough, you will see some nonsense go on in there from personal trainers.
But the majority of trainers are there for you and want you to succeed. Yes, there might be a slightly selfish reason for this too in that, if you are succeeding and looking amazing, other people will see this and want to hire that personal trainer themselves. You are almost their product. They have molded and formed you to look the way you are and without them, where would you be? They are good people who actively care about you and your improvement, many trainers become friends with their clients as they form a bond, they chat and banter and motivate. You are being charged for them helping you, but you wouldn’t expect to pay pennies for someone focusing solely on you and logging your progress and thinking of ways to improve you when you get in a rut. A lot of behind the scenes work happens with personal trainers trying to get you to where you want to be body wise. It isn’t all said and done from when you start your session to the finish.
Do your research, there are many different types of trainers with many different skill sets. Pick the one that most suits you and your goals, don’t be afraid to try different trainers. it will be rare that you will find a trainer right from the start who is perfect for you. Be picky, you are paying enough to get someone who is right for you.
Of course, some people do not need a trainer, they have done their research and know what they need to do and know how to do it and can and will do it themselves and succeed. But hey, if you are struggling and think you need the assistance, they can’t be too bad a backup, can they?
Honestly, I could have written an essay on personal trainers, but I am sure there are some more knowledgeable people out there who already have. So check out their stuff!
What are your experiences of personal trainers? Would you recommend them? If so, who? Give them a plug. If you want to discuss this further, chat in the comments or on my Twitter… I will respond!!
Scott H Gilliland 