Last Updated on March 11, 2021 by Filip Poutintsev
A personal trainer is a professional individual possessing the knowledge and skills of general fitness and involved in instructing people to reach their personal health and fitness goals. They decide exercises and meal plans for their clients and also motivate them by setting realistic goals with respect to their strengths and weaknesses.
Hiring a Personal Fitness Trainer
The idea of hiring a personal trainer does sound appalling but is it worth paying the expensive fee? Why not workout at home with the help of internet tutorials and save a large amount of money?
Although it’s really a matter of personal preference, here are some pros and cons of hiring a personal trainer which you might consider before taking the final decision.
Advantages of hiring a personal trainer
There are some real benefits of having a personal trainer and some of them are as follows:
1. Personalized Workout Plan
A personal fitness trainer will create a workout sheet that’s tailored to your own specific needs while considering various factors such as your ability, flexibility and the result you want to see. This helps us to set a clear goal. These training sessions selected specifically for you won’t make you feel too tired to continue the next day resulting in daily physical interaction.
2. Learning the Right Way
A personal trainer will observe you when you exercise and will make sure that you are using the correct form. We all think that we are using the correct form while in reality, we might be doing it the wrong way. We cannot watch ourselves exercise the way someone else can and if when a professional is watching you, they’ll know where you’re doing it wrong and correct you as incorrect form can sometimes cause very serious injuries.
3. Accountability
The modern lifestyle is full of different activities that we might sometimes forget about fitness or health. By hiring a personal trainer, you’ll have someone who will be concerned about your physical wellbeing. They will make your workout every day and help you meet your goal. There will be days when we feel too lazy to work out or might get distracted by the surroundings but with a personal trainer, it’s rare to see such things.
4. Extra Motivation
Losing your motivation happens a lot more than people think. With a personal trainer, though, you have access to an active source of motivation. A trainer’s job is not only to guide you through exercises but to encourage you to work hard and achieve your goal. Even when you’re not feeling into it, your trainer can help you grind through those last few reps. An energetic trainer passionate about what they do is the best motivator.
5. Targeted, Faster Results
One of the reasons people hire a trainer is for special sporting events. A personal trainer will help you prepare for the event, according to your body capabilities which gyms will never be able to fulfil. With proper guidance and technique, it is possible to get results in a really short time. It’s not a quick-fix, but it’s probably faster than what you can do alone.
Disadvantages of hiring a personal trainer
While personal trainers are gaining more popularity, there are indeed some downsides to it. Here are some of them.
1. Cost
Hiring a personal trainer is not something that you can get away with cheaply. A highly experienced and qualified personal trainer will cost you anywhere from $60-$300 per hour. But don’t forget that these guys are experts and deserve to be paid as such. So the question is, are you willing to pay someone a hefty amount of money to help you exercise?
2. Not Every Personal Trainer are Professionals
Even if you hire a personal trainer, there’s no guarantee that the one you hire has proper qualifications. Many gyms have their own trainer certifications which might not be equivalent to the standard ones. Many who have standard qualifications may not have enough experience or are not good enough. So either you have to be really lucky choosing your trainer or have someone who can refer you a good trainer.
3. Online Alternatives
If you are self-motivated and can commit to working out, you could save a huge amount of money using thousands of online free workout plans. YouTube tutorials, Free workout apps, and some really inexpensive courses can save you quite some money. Also, you won’t have to feel judged about someone watching you do exercises.
4. Personality Clashes
Most of the personal trainers are forceful or headstrong people partially due to the nature of their job. This might be a problem if you cannot work under pressure or if you’re someone who cannot withstand other’s command. Obviously, you can find yourself another trainer but this might take you a while.
5. Location and Time management Issues
Even if you decide on hiring a personal trainer, location and time management are some things that you’ll need to consider. The time of the day when you’re free to workout might be someone else’s appointment with the trainer. This will be a serious issue if you have a tight schedule. Also, some rural locations might have a limited number of trainers and you might have to travel to find someone suitable.
Conclusion
Hiring a personal fitness trainer is definitely a win if you have the time and money for it. However, it is important to choose a fitness trainer wisely as it may affect the results significantly. It’s all about the preference and the type of trainer you want.
Personal trainers boost your motivation and help you reach your goals. But if you’re someone who’s saving up for something or just have a tight budget, you’re probably best looking for other alternatives online or even join a gym. However, gyms also have their own pros and cons. Lucky for you, you can find all of them here.
