Your Personal Trainer – Why Do You Need One and What to Look For

As soon as you join a gym you get offers of personal training. It’s part of their overall sales plan or perhaps one of the benefits that are included, but do you really need a trainer and if you do, what should you look for? People look for different things in their trainers depending what their goals and plans are. Are you looking to make great gains in fitness? Are you a novice who needs instruction to gain basic understanding? Or do you just like someone to walk around the gym with and make small talk? Any of those are legitimate uses for a trainer, but depending on your trainer, they may have other ideas.

You are the one in charge. You are the one who is paying for the services, so you get to choose what you want them to do. If they have other ideas, you should either listen to them, or get another trainer who is better matched to your needs and wants. Any trainer you use should be certified through some sort of recognized organization. ISSA, NSCA and NASM are the “big three” and most well known, but others can be just as valid.

Know what your goals are when you talk to a trainer. Do you want to be stronger or do you want to lose body fat? Are you looking for some different exercises to challenge your body or do you want to learn about something more specific? Trainers specialize in certain areas so you definitely want to know that they are a good fit for you. What is their style? Are they laid back and more of a guide or are they drill sergeant material? Some people really want someone to drive them hard, other people like a gentle “I’m your friend” approach. Where do you fit on that scale?

Some trainers will do home training sessions, while others work within fitness facilities. Some also have more dietary knowledge, while others do not. Diet is a huge part of a fitness regiment, so make sure somehow you have this covered, perhaps with online research, magazines or books. And that brings us to the last point.

Do you need a trainer at all? Maybe you do and maybe you don’t. Trainers can help you to gain knowledge about fitness. They can help you with accountability. They can help you make progress when you’ve hit a plateau. They can be a babysitter as well, if that’s what you need. But you can learn lots of things on your own. You can have a virtual trainer by buying dvd’s or subscribing to websites. You can gain a huge amount of knowledge just by buying and reading Arnold Schwartzenegger’s Encyclopedia of Modern Body Building, or you just might need the support offered through a boutique specialized fitness center like Curves.

Fitness is very personal, so make sure you do your homework and know what your goals are and how you want to achieve them. Most importantly be persistent and you will eventually arrive.

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