Unless you’re a big fan of group fitness classes or are part of a particularly dedicated training group, most people think of fitness as a solo activity, but working out alone isn’t always practical or as beneficial as exercising with support.
As a result, many people have turned to personal trainers to support their fitness journeys, but others are skeptical of the use, as well as the expense. Do you really need a personal trainer? While hiring one is obviously a luxury in the larger scheme of things, it’s more affordable than you may think, and there are many benefits to having this kind of skilled, targeted support when exercising that nothing else can really replicate.
Just like a home gym provides convenience to those who can’t find the time to go to a fitness center, having a personal trainer poses numerous advantages. Read on to learn about them.
Benefits For Beginners
People seek out personal trainers for all kinds of reasons and since the pandemic, such support has become even more popular. That being said, while experienced fitness buffs trying to take their workouts to the next level can benefit from the help of a personal trainer, they can also be hugely beneficial for people who are new to working out.
For example, if you’ve never set foot in a gym, you may feel overwhelmed by the array of machines, but a personal trainer can walk you through the correct ways to use them. Or, maybe you want to get toned but don’t know which exercises will help you accomplish that.
A beginner may not know what workouts apply to their goals. On the one hand, a personal trainer can create a customized plan to achieve these fitness targets better. Moreover, it’ll help a newbie get started on the right foot and avoid getting discouraged or overwhelmed if they don’t see immediate results since the trainer can help explain the progress they’re expected to make at certain stages of the program.
Whatever your concerns as a fitness novice, a personal trainer can help you get on track and prepare to exercise on your own.
Get Out Of Your Head
Exercising has a lot of psychological benefits – at least if you can get out of your head and focus on what you’re doing. If you spend your entire workout feeling frustrated and struggling to stay motivated, though, you’re not going to reap those rewards. And while sometimes having a really enthusiastic workout buddy can help, often working out with friends just allows us to give in to our own fitness fatigue. That can be even worse than working out on your own. Using a workout statement t-shirt can also help you become more motivated when working out, you can check out slam fitness if you want one.
On the other hand, when you work with a personal trainer, part of their goal is to help motivate you. Not only can they offer encouraging feedback, but they can push you when you start to get fatigued or discouraged, help you learn new techniques to improve your overall fitness, and ultimately discover what you’re capable of achieving.
Trainers can give you a pep talk before starting your session, so you feel pumped and ready to give your best shot. They can reinforce great form and technique as you go and correct you if you’re not doing it right. These can be utterly helpful in achieving your goals at the right time.
If you’ve ever wondered how top athletes reach those heights, the simple answer is that they work with a personal trainer who pushes them and who doesn’t let them get trapped in cycles of self-doubt and frustration.
Focus On Your Form
Another major benefit of hiring a personal trainer to oversee your workouts is that personal trainers can help you avoid injuries by ensuring that you’re using correct form. Though it’s obviously possible to still get hurt when using proper form, many casual athletes make critical mistakes.
For example, if you allow your knee to drift over your toes, rather than keeping it directly above your ankle when in a lunge, you can put too much pressure on your knee, and cause back, knee, and ankle pain. Or, if you’re using the wrong form during strength training exercises, such as arching your back rather than keeping it straight, you can suffer muscle strains and tears that will sideline you.
In addition, a proper form lets you target the intended muscle groups to tone specific areas of the body. For example, if you want to improve your glutes, you must perform squats correctly. This means standing with your feet shoulder-width apart, bending your knees, and lowering your hips until your thighs are parallel to the floor. This form and technique must be repeated for several reps each session to see results.
Proper form is also vital to a great workout because it allows you to get the maximum benefits from each exercise. In fact, if you’re exercising a lot but not seeing much in the way of results, it could be because of your form. Many people try to push harder or take their exercises further, but in doing so, they fall out of form. A personal trainer can demonstrate the proper way to perform your preferred activities, whether you’re running long distances or strength training, and help you break any bad habits you’ve developed.
Become The Best
As much as novices can benefit from working with a personal trainer as they learn the ropes, another reason you might consider getting help from a personal trainer is if you’re planning to compete in a major fitness competition, such as a marathon, triathlon, or Iron Man.
In fact, top athletes almost always have personal trainers, even if they also train alone and with teammates. It’s how they get to be the best – personal trainers create targeted workouts for them and push them when they hit a plateau. When you’re already near the top of your game, taking that next step often demands special support.
Add Adaptive Options
Exercising should be for everyone, but the way that it’s widely presented and taught can make it hard for people with disabilities or certain health conditions to participate. That’s one of the major advantages of working with a personal trainer, though – if you’re trying to find ways to work out despite a health condition, not only can a personal trainer find ways to adapt workouts to meet your needs, but most importantly, they have time to really listen to your concerns and ensure that they’re addressing all of your needs.
One note about working with a personal trainer if you need adaptive fitness options to address a health issue is that, while personal trainers do understand many of the same aspects of body mechanics that physical therapists are trained to address, they don’t fulfill the same role. You shouldn’t work with a personal trainer if you’re dealing with an acute injury; that’s a job for a physical therapist. However, once you’ve addressed an injury, a personal trainer can teach you new approaches to exercise to prevent you from re-injuring yourself.
Get Start Today
Personal trainers are skilled coaches, cheerleaders, and are your partners in developing your fitness skills, and anyone who want to grow in these ways can benefit from working with one, so don’t avoid connecting with one because you think you aren’t serious enough or aren’t ready.
Also, don’t dread having someone supervise you while working out. Instead of seeing a personal trainer as an intimidating persona who does nothing but point out your mistakes, treat them as a compassionate mentor who wants the best for you, particularly your fitness journey.
Whether you’re a beginner approaching the gym with trepidation or a serious athlete with championship wins under your belt, there are personal trainers who can help you explore your fitness goals. So, what are you waiting for?