8 Benefits You Can Get From a Personal Trainer
Updated: Sep 16, 2020
There are a few things that are known to put people off the idea of employing a personal trainer like the cost and the haunting images of redfaced muscleheads screaming 'DROP AND GIVE ME 100!'. So it's no surprise that the prospect of hiring a personal trainer is often met with resistance and the question, "Can I really benefit from a personal trainer?" The answer is yes. Everyone can.
The benefits really are vast and no matter what your circumstance, fitness level, personality, and body type are there's something in it for everyone. Whether you need 'tough love' or a more nurturing approach, a good personal trainer will pick up on this and deploy the best strategy for helping you to achieve your fitness goals effectively and without injury. I've compiled this short list of the top 8 benefits you're missing out on each time you think.. 'naahhhh, i'll be alright on my own'.
1. You Will Learn Alot
Part of becoming a personal trainer is being qualified to teach others how to exercise correctly. A good instructor will give you more than just barking orders at you. They will teach you about the how's and why's of the exercises you are doing. The reasons for this are two-fold. 1) doing an exercise correctly is essential for injury prevention 2) to help you achieve your goals
If a client does not know which exercises are best to achieve their goals then their progress will be impacted. It's like the old proverb...
"Give a man a fish, you feed him for a day. Teach a man to fish, you feed him for a lifetime".
2) They help to Perfect Form
Having a personal trainer demonstrate the correct posture and technique is hugely valuable. Doing and exercise correctly will maximise efficiency and get you progressing further and faster. This could save you years and plenty of cash that might otherwise be wasted on corrective physical therapy!
3) They Get More Out of 1 Hour Than You Will Alone
If you're someone who walks into the gym, does 10 sleepy minutes on the treadmill, a bit 'o this, bit 'o that, and scrolls through your insta feed for 20 minutes then you need to get professional help ASAP! You're wasting valuable time and effort! Even if you're not one of those people, can you honestly say you feel like you get the most you can out of every single session? If the answer is 'yes'... then that's awesome! I'd love to meet you to shake your hand because you have accomplished something that even top athletes struggle with. If the answer is 'no' then a personal trainer can, and will, make sure every single minute is accounted for, wasting no time and maximizing your results.
4) They're Flexible
Personal trainers understand that people have busy schedules and their clients need to fit sessions within and around that. Whether you want to work out at 6am before work, in you're lunch break, after work or on weekends, personal trainers are incredibly versatile in their hours. Not only are they flexible in terms of when they work but they can also be flexible with regards to where. Some personal trainers work specifically from a gym, however, others are flexible in their location and will often come to wherever is convenient to you such as your local park.
5) They're Great for Your Mental Health
It is well known that exercise can help improve mental health conditions such as depression and anxiety as well as act as a preventative measure. Exercise makes you feel great when done right and a personal trainer can help you with motivation, releasing endorphins, stress management, and nurturing a positive relationship with your body. Not to mention that additional benefits of workout out with a personal trainer in the great outdoors. Vitamin D...
need I say more?
They're also often fantastic (unofficial) therapists. Whilst personal trainers are here to help you with your fitness goals, they also care about your overall wellness. They want to hear how stressed you are or if you are feeling low this week. The more information they have, the more they can help. A good personal trainer understands that fitness, health, and well-being are intertwined concepts and will incorporate this into their practice. Some personal trainers even have a degree in psychology *ahem*!
6) They Give the Gift of Accountability
Sometimes doing something for ourselves just isn't motivating enough... especially when our motivations get mixed up. Sure, you want to get your sweat on for an hour... but you also want to just chill out, watch Blue Planet (again) and eat an entire packet of chocolate digestives... This is where being held accountable to your personal trainer is critical. You're far less likely to bail on an appointment with a personal trainer than you are to bail on an gym date with yourself. It's that simple. Accountability. It's a beautiful thing.
7) They Can Help With Diet and Nutrition Too
Fuelling your body appropriately is essential to achieving the goals you're after, whatever they are. Level 3 and Level 4 personal trainers have to pass exams to ensure they know about nutrition and it's relation to fitness. They have spent time learning and collating the knowledge they use to structure your exercise routines and nutrition plans. They (usually) know what they're talking about. So let them pass that knowledge onto you and you will certainly reap the rewards!
8) They Help with Goal Setting and Attainment
Setting goals is an art form. Setting a useless, poorly structured goal can doom you from the start. For example...
"This year I want to get fitter"
This is not a goal, it is a desire. There is no clarity. How will you know when you have achieved it? When does it need to be accomplished? How are you going to do it? And exactly what do you mean by fitter? Stronger? Faster? More co-ordinated? Personal trainers can help you set strategic goals that are achievable and realistic. But that's not enough. Anyone who has ever fallen at the first hurdle and thrown in the towel will know that just setting a goal isn't enough. You need a game plan, a strategy. And personal trainers are the right tool for the job. They can help you achieve the specific goal you have set for yourself. They can also help to keep you on track to hit those goals and encourage you to keep going even after a setback which brings me on to my final point...
9) I know I said 8 but this one is only short... They're in your Corner!
Personal trainers want you to succeed. they are your personal trainer, here for you every step of the way. For as long as you are a client of theirs they will be motivating you, encouraging you, challenging you, and, hopefully inspiring you!
Your personal trainer is your nutritionist, fitness guru, and life coach all in one package. Everyone, and yes, I mean everyone, even personal trainers themselves have something to gain from hiring a personal trainer. So go for it. You'll only wish you had done it sooner.
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