The 3 Best Reasons for Hiring a Personal Trainer

Personal trainers have been getting a lot of attention in the media lately with shows like “The Biggest Loser” and Oprah’s latest fall from the fitness wagon, so perhaps you’ve been thinking about hiring one to help you get back in shape. One question you should be asking yourself is, “If I hire a personal trainer, what should I be getting in return for my hard-earned money?”

Before we answer that question, let’s define what a personal trainer is. This is important, because anyone can print a few business cards and call themselves a trainer. There is no state licensing requirement and personal trainer certifications range from one-day online courses to rigorous theoretical and practical exams from accredited institutions. Before you even consider spending your hard-earned money, ask a potential trainer about their level of fitness-related education, which certification they have, how much practical experience they have, if they are insured, and if they have references. A top-notch fitness education and certification is no guarantee you are hiring a quality trainer, but it greatly improves your chances.

There is a never-ending debate about which certifications are the most reputable, but practically every list I see includes the following:

American College of Sports Medicine (ACSM)
National Strength and Conditioning Association (NSCA)
National Academy Of Sports Medicine (NASM)
International Sports Science Association (ISSA)

Now that we’ve defined a personal trainer, let’s talk about your investment. Here are the three most important things you should be getting when you hire a trainer.

#1 - Expert Knowledge

I want to tell you a story to illustrate an investment I made recently in expert knowledge. Recently, three faucets in my house began leaking simultaneously! It was horrific. My wife and I are permanently scarred from the sound of dripping water. Taking great pride in trying to fix these things myself, I talked to some friends, spent some time and money, tried a few things on my own; but the leaks kept coming back. I even talked to the “experts” at the local home improvement store, spent more time and money, and the drips kept dripping.

Exasperated, I called in a professional plumber to assess the situation. I nearly fainted when he handed me his $300 invoice to repair one faucet; but he also took the time to show me how to repair the other two faucets, saving me hundreds of dollars. More importantly, he diagnosed the root cause of the problem, our old water heater, something I would have never figured out on my own. Without his expert knowledge, the problem would have persisted no matter how many repairs I did on my own.

A qualified personal trainer can save you from similar experiences when trying to reach your fitness goals. Whether you are new to exercise or have been training for years, a personal trainer can help determine the root causes for why you are not in the kind of shape you would like to be. Trial-and-error can be frustrating, time-consuming and even dangerous when it comes to fitness. Look at an investment in a personal trainer’s expert knowledge as an “upfront” cost that will pay dividends for a lifetime.

#2 - A Kick-Start

Unless you are self-motivated to exercise 4-6 times per week and eat right, you may need a personal trainer to push you a little. When you’ve laid down your hard-earned money, scheduled a time for your workout and your personal trainer is waiting, it’s tougher to come up with reasons to back out. Your personal trainer should be pushing you to do a little more than what you would do on your own.

Setting and tracking goals, designing and recording workouts and documenting nutrition plans are administrative details most people prefer not to deal with. A personal trainer should be doing these things for you and giving you the tools to do them yourself if you choose.

A qualified trainer should also introduce you to exercise variety. There are practically an unlimited combination of exercises and techniques that provide effective workouts while staving off boredom. Your trainer should have the knowledge and experience to introduce you to them.

Finally, a good trainer should give you a positive attitude about exercise. They should be an enthusiastic role model encouraging you to exercise, eat sensibly and constantly pursue a healthy lifestyle.

#3 - Customization

This is where the “personal” in personal training comes in. A qualified personal trainer should do a thorough assessment of your unique situation and provide creative ideas on how to implement a fitness program based on your abilities, goals, needs and preferences. If you have special concerns, like a chronic illness or an old sports injury, a qualified trainer should be able to design a custom program that is safe and effective. The fitness program that scored big results for your neighbor Linda may not work for you at all. A qualified trainer should design a program that fits your needs, not a cookie-cutter routine you can copy off the internet.