10 Benefits to Having a Personal Trainer
Are you thinking about hiring a personal trainer?
A personal trainer can feel like a bit of a splurge, sometimes it even may seem daunting. I’ve had clients who have said (before they started training with me) that it feels indulgent, it seems like something reserved for movie stars or that they feel like they’d only embarrass themselves in front of me because of how unfit they thought they were!
Personal training is actually a lot more common nowadays than you might think. People from all walks of life are recognising the value in prioritising health, well being and exercise. With more and more research that shows us how big of a difference a regular exercise routine makes in everyday life for mental and physical well being, it’s great that so many people are now wanting to get themselves into the gym.
However, even with such good intentions, it’s usually once people walk in through the gym door to encounter a packed floor of gym-grunters and complicated looking machines that the motivation quickly fizzles. It’s very difficult to know what to do when you first join a gym, especially when the regulars there don’t care about helping you find your way around.
Joining the group classes is a great first step if you’re new to working out. There is usually a variety of options and the instructors will help you with your technique. Also, working out with a group of people can make you feel a lot more comfortable than trying to figure out what to do on your own.
But if group classes don’t really sound very appealing to you, or you want to exercise in a way that is specific to YOUR body and YOUR goals, then coming up with your own exercise routine can be very difficult and require a lot of trial and error, as well as doing your own research.
That’s where having a personal trainer could come in really handy.
Whilst certainly not all personal trainers are created equal, here are some benefits that personal trainers are expected to provide:
1. Learning correct exercise technique
Even though exercise helps to reduce your risk of injury and joint pain, doing exercises the wrong way can certainly lead to serious injuries as well as concerns with your joints. It’s common to have exercise-related back pain, knee pain, shoulder pain, wrist pain or shin splints. A personal trainer can help adjust your technique so that you can exercise safely and effectively.
2. Accountability
Your personal trainer should routinely be asking you about what your goals are, and be checking in with you regularly to make sure you’re on track. Often knowing that somebody is aware of what it is that you’re working towards will prevent you from sliding back into old habits and keep you focused on building new ones.
3. Commitment to yourself
When you’ve made a significant financial and time commitment to the process, you are far less likely to look for excuses. Having that appointment locked in with somebody waiting for you reminds you to take the sessions seriously, and see it a true investment towards your health.
4. Confidant
Your personal trainer will get to know you probably better than some of your closest friends. During the sessions, it’s pretty common to have open, heartfelt conversations about whatever is going on in your life at the time - because all of that also plays into what goals you’re setting as well as how motivated you are at that moment.
5. Push yourself
It’s human nature to look for the easy way out. That also means that most of us never really reach our true potential. When it comes to working out, having somebody encourage you to push just a little harder can give you the edge to achieve results you never thought possible, both in and out of the gym.
6. Overcome gym anxiety
The gym can be a scary place, especially when you’re new. After a few months of personal training, you will feel a lot more confident going in there and owning your workout, now that you know how to do the exercises that suit your goals best and also feeling a lot more reassured that everybody else in there also started in the same place you once were, and less eyes are probably on you than you might think. Eventually, you’ll be able to graduate from personal training to doing your own thing on the gym floor without giving it a second thought!
7. Support person
Your personal trainer should be your number one cheerleader. Any time you get a PB, or reach your goal, nobody will hype you up quite as much as your PT will. Having a positive, uplifting space to come to each week for your sessions can be an escape from a stressful life otherwise.
8. Get out of your comfort zone
Chances are, your personal trainer is going to get you to try things that you don’t really want to do. Whether it’s exercises that seem scary or difficult, or simply making you do more than what you’re used to doing, you can expect to be challenged in ways that feel a little uncomfortable at times. But don’t worry, this is where the growth usually happens the most.
9. Show up more fully yourself in the other areas of your life
Once you start feeling stronger, more confident, more energised and more empowered - that energy is going to have a roll on effect into your relationships, your work life, your family, your hobbies - you name it. It’s amazing how much positivity you can attract into your life once you start feeling good about yourself.
10. Consistency
Most people don’t struggle with getting started, they struggle with staying consistent to the plan. With the combination of all of the things above, not only will you find it easier to stay consistent, but you will actually want to stay consistent. Getting amazing results can become addictive, and make you want to make sure you stay on track as well. I can assure you that if consistency is your biggest challenge, working with a trainer for a period of time will completely change that.
I am based on Campbell Road, Greenlane, Auckland 1061- which is also close to Royal Oak, Ellerslie, One Tree Hill and Epsom.
Alternatively, you can consider signing up for online coaching, which is the next best thing to personal training if you live further away and you already have exercise equipment at home or a gym membership.
