Do You Really Need a Personal Trainer? 11 Times It May Be Worth It To Pay For One

By: Suzanne Kvilhaug

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Exercise can get complicated. Deciding what workout to do or what workout plan to start can be a workout in itself. If you really want to exercise more, or improve the quality of your workouts, consider hiring a personal trainer.

If you’ve always believed that personal trainers are only for the wealthy, celebrities, or fitness fanatics. It’s time to re-think that.

Now, it’s the new norm for regular people to hire a personal trainer for help getting healthier and more fit. So if you’ve ever thought about working with a personal trainer, but get stuck on whether or not it’s worth the expense, here are a few times we believe it is.

You’re Brand New to Fitness

Walking into a gym for the first time can be intimidating. It’s a little like falling down a rabbit hole - there’s strange-looking scenery and a lot of people who look very comfortable in a world that seems completely foreign to you. Where do you even start? When you’re brand new to the world of fitness, it can be useful to have a guide.

Even if you’re opting for a home-based workout, when you start out alone you may feel a little adrift. There’s so many programs, videos and equipment types available - if you don’t know what you’re doing it’s easy to get in over your head and become disheartened. A personal trainer can help ease you into a new program at the right pace for your experience level and in the right way to help you reach your goals.

Left to Your Own Devices, You Lack Discipline.

Some people have the discipline to work out consistently on their own. But others struggle to build and maintain a regular routine. If you’ve started workouts in the past only to end up quitting soon after, it’s likely you’ll quit again. When you’re working out with a personal trainer, you have someone to hold you accountable. It’s like having a highly-skilled gym buddy who will never bail on you because of their own conflicts.

With a trainer, you’ve got a workout scheduled which means someone else is relying on you to fulfill a commitment. And if you miss it, for any reason, there’s someone in your corner who will make sure you get it rescheduled and done.

You Want to Get in Shape, But You’re Just Not Motivated 

The people who begin and abandon a workout regimen have at least one thing going for them - they started. It’s always tricky when you want to build muscle, lose weight or simply become healthier, but you have no motivation to do what needs to be done to accomplish your goal.

If exercising is is an essential part of reaching your personal goals, a trainer may be just the motivator you need. Just hiring a personal trainer can serve as that incredibly difficult first step. From there just show up to your session and, as if it were magic, the motivation will find you.

You’ve hit a plateau and you’re out of ideas

Even if you work out consistently, plateaus, happen. While it could be related to what you eat, your hydration or your quality of sleep, it may also happen simply because your body has adjusted to the demands of your current exercise routine. When that happens, you need to force your body to work in different ways. Getting the help of a personal trainer can be exactly what you need to change things up and push past your plateau.

Trainers have the experience to bring new ideas to the table and the expertise to help you master them in the right way. If you feel like you’ve tried every workout under the sun but haven’t found “the one” a personal trainer can be like a workout matchmaker. They can introduce you to things you haven’t done before and help you reinvigorate your sessions when your usual routines have gotten stale.

Working out virtually is the right fit for you

Wait, what? If you’re confused because you’ve always assumed you had to meet a personal trainer, well, in person - prepare to have your mind blown. Now more than ever there are tons of virtual workouts you can do from home, including personal training sessions. You don’t have to join a gym, you don’t have to worry about anything watching you learn, but you can get all the benefits of a personal trainer’s expertise through a streaming device.

As an added bonus, virtual trainers can be a lot more cost effective than trainers who offer sessions at a gym. Working out with a personal trainer from the comfort of your own home can prove to be an affordable alternative that’s logistically as easy as it gets.

Obesity is a concern

Losing weight can make you healthier, improve your quality of life, and could eventually be a matter of life or death. By 2030 an estimated 38% of the world’s adult population will be overweight and another 20% will be obese. Obesity greatly increases the risk of chronic disease morbidity—namely disability, depression, type 2 diabetes, cardiovascular disease, certain cancers—and mortality.

When you’re starting a fitness regimen to overcome obesity, safety is key. A personal trainer can help you find the right starting point to protect your body and help you safely increase the intensity of your workouts as you progress. If you’re overweight and want to take control of your health, hiring a personal trainer could be one of the most life-changing decisions that you could make.

You Want to Avoid Injury (Or You’re coming Back from One)

Even if you work out consistently, plateaus, happen. While it could be related to what you eat, your hydration or your quality of sleep, it may also happen simply because your body has adjusted to the demands of your current exercise routine. When that happens, you need to force your body to work in different ways. Getting the help of a personal trainer can be exactly what you need to change things up and push past your plateau.

Trainers have the experience to bring new ideas to the table and the expertise to help you master them in the right way. If you feel like you’ve tried every workout under the sun but haven’t found “the one” a personal trainer can be like a workout matchmaker. They can introduce you to things you haven’t done before and help you reinvigorate your sessions when your usual routines have gotten stale.

Working out virtually is the right fit for you

Wait, what? If you’re confused because you’ve always assumed you had to meet a personal trainer, well, in person - prepare to have your mind blown. Now more than ever there are tons of virtual workouts you can do from home, including personal training sessions. You don’t have to join a gym, you don’t have to worry about anything watching you learn, but you can get all the benefits of a personal trainer’s expertise through a streaming device.

As an added bonus, virtual trainers can be a lot more cost effective than trainers who offer sessions at a gym. Working out with a personal trainer from the comfort of your own home can prove to be an affordable alternative that’s logistically as easy as it gets.

You Want to Avoid Injury (Or You’re coming Back from One)

Trying to figure out how to use weights, weight machines or do certain kinds of moves can be challenging and there are always potential dangers involved. A personal trainer is there to help you avoid hurting yourself. Workout injuries can happen to anyone. In a study exploring the frequency of sport/exercise-related injuries in non-elite sports, over half of the participants reported sustaining an exercise-related injury. Part of a personal trainer’s job is to ensure you are using best practices to protect yourself with everything from stretching to form and technique.

If you’re thinking of getting back to a workout routine after experiencing an injury, a personal trainer may be your best option for doing it safely. They can provide the input and adjustments you need to help strengthen your body without putting further strain on an injury.

Whether you’ve never been hurt, or you’re recovering from a previous injury, a personal trainer can help improve your workouts while reducing your risk of new or further damage.

Your schedule isn’t that flexible 

“I’m too busy to work out” is one of the biggest reasons people use to explain leaving exercise out of their lives. But why not let your busy schedule work to your advantage instead?

Workouts can be both quick and effective if you’re using the right series of exercises. If you have limited time to work out you need to make sure you’re making the most of every minute. A personal trainer can help you pack the the most advantageous exercises for you, into whatever amount of time you have available. Plus, with virtual trainers, you can schedule a session or take an on-demand class whenever you can squeeze it in.

You have A special event or big occasion in the near future

There’s nothing like a big event in the near future to inspire you to get into better shape. Whether it’s your wedding day or your first 5K, a personal trainer can help you look or perform your best. Working with a personal trainer when you’re on a timeline can be one of the smartest ways to achieve your goals safely. They can help you develop a routine to sculpt your arms for a sleeveless gown or increase your endurance to make it all the way to the finish line. Working out on your own can involve trial and error that you may not have time for. Think of a personal trainer as a short cut, to get you through the experimental phase to focus your energy on exactly what you need.

Personalized fitness coaching may seem like an luxury. But it can also be the best way to have safe, effective workouts that make the most of your time and skills. Sometimes all you need is a little guidance to find the best path to your goals and, when it comes to working out, a personal trainer may be just the trailblazer you need.

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