Deciding to improve your physical fitness is the first step of a long and rewarding journey toward better health. Everyone knows exercise is good for you, but they often don’t know where to start. Even if you have a current fitness regimen, you may not be achieving the results you were hoping for as quickly as you’d wanted. Furthermore, if you don’t have a background in physical education, anatomy, or kinesiology, you may not be aware of the steps you can take to improve results and avoid injuries.
A certified personal trainer can customize a fitness program for your ability, fitness level, and goals. A common misconception about personal trainers is that they get in your face and shout at you, belittle you, or push you too hard. However, qualified personal trainers care about their clients and want them to succeed. Consider getting professional help with your fitness program, because there are many benefits of having a personal trainer.
Accountability
A trainer may charge you full price even when you don’t show up. Even if no money is at stake, knowing someone is waiting for you will make you think twice about skipping your workout. Getting to the gym even when you don’t feel like it is something your trainer can help you work through—to the point where you may actually miss your workout if you miss your workout.
Personalization
A personal trainer is just that—personal. Rather than wedging you into a pre-set regimen, a personal trainer will work with your unique needs and requirements. Trainers understand that one size definitely does not fit all. When determining your fitness program, your trainer will consider your fitness level when you begin, the types of exercise you enjoy and the kinds you find challenging, and any past injuries or surgeries.
Education
A certified trainer can explain what each exercise is supposed to accomplish, which muscle groups are working, and how to perform the movement properly to avoid injury and maximize results. A trainer can also help you sort through all the conflicting information that pours through the news and the Internet on a daily basis. Your goals, your age, and your current condition will guide your trainer in helping you determine which information may actually be applicable to you.
Goal Setting
If you’re 55 years old and five feet tall, no amount of training is going to turn you into a 25-year-old, five-foot-eight person. Personal trainers can help you set and accept realistic goals. When you achieve them, you can revisit those goals and notch them up or create a maintenance plan that will keep you fit and prevent you from sliding back into a less active lifestyle.
Better Results in Less Time
Using a personal trainer makes your workout more efficient. A personal trainer will know which kinds of exercise match your body and your goals. They’ll also know how to move you from one exercise to the next and how the sequence of exercises works together to produce optimal results. If losing weight is a goal of yours but you’re not seeing your efforts pay off, your trainer can provide nutrition advice or refer you to a specialist such as a top endocrinologist in Manhattan, NY, who can determine if a previously undetected hormone imbalance could be hindering your progress.
Motivation and Coaching
The trainer in the exercise video you watch in your basement isn’t going to see your boredom or your flagging resolve. Etiquette at the gym seems to require earbuds in, no talking, eyes front. Nobody is there to cheer you on, encourage you, help you push through when you don’t think you can, or stop you from beating yourself up if you’re having an off day. Therefore, a top benefit of having a personal trainer is that a real person is there with you, focused on you and your success. Trainers know when to prod and when to back off to keep you moving toward your goals.
Variety
Keeping up a routine that bores you can be tough. A personal trainer can provide a variety of forms of exercise that will keep you engaged. They’ll know when to try new things you may not have heard of and when to surprise you with your own ability to do things you never thought you could do.
Your Personal Fitness Blender
Interval training, Tabata, high-intensity, low-impact, cardio, or strength—which kind of exercise and how much of it should you pursue? A personal trainer will identify the types of exercise that will move you toward your goals and help you see results that will keep you motivated. They’ll know when to change things up to break through plateaus and when to work to build more muscle in order to burn more fat.
Stress Relief
Stress can cause weight gain because of the way “fight or flight” hormones act in your body when you feel pressured or anxious. You have enough to worry about in the rest of your life—job, mortgage, kids. People may look to you to lead or guide them at work or in your volunteer activities. A major benefit of hiring a personal trainer, therefore, is that they take the responsibility of researching, planning, and mapping out a fitness regimen off your shoulders. Your trainer expects you to show up, listen, and give your best effort, but they don’t expect you to have their level of expertise. Having someone else guide you for a change can be a big relief—plus, lowering your stress levels can actually help you lose weight.
If you’re thinking about hiring a personal trainer, do your homework—confirm their qualifications and experience, and interview prospects about their approaches. Meet the top candidates in person to get a sense of compatibility. Remember, you’re hiring a trainer and a coach, not a drill sergeant. Congratulations on your determination to get fit. Be sure to consult your doctor before starting any diet or exercise program. With your physician’s okay, you can begin your exercise regimen. See your doctor for the go-ahead, and good luck with your fitness plan.
