The Benefits of a Personal Trainer
Need some extra motivation?! If you feel like you are just running on a treadmill in terms of your workout success and need to actually make some forward progress, maybe it’s time you got off that hamster wheel and consider hiring a personal trainer. A personal trainer is taught to be more than just an instructor. They can customize the right workout plan for you so that you can meet your goals. Whether it's trimming some unwanted weight, defining those arms, or sculpting those abs for swimsuit season, a personal trainer can help you get there.
- Start now. A personal trainer can walk along side if you on your trip to a better looking body that is healthier and shapelier. Their expertise in the field allows them to identify and prescribe the right exercises and follow up routines to keep your weekly progress climbing.
- Improve your form, balance, and technique. If you're exercising incorrectly, you can injury yourself and lose all of your progress that took you a while to make. By exercising with great form, you are avoiding the risks of potentially injuring yourself as well as giving yourself the best opportunity to see improvements in the shortest amount of time.
- Stick it out through the finish line. In other words, accomplish what you set out to do. If you've always wanted to drop 10, 15 or even 20 plus pounds, tighten up, or just get healthier, but you haven't quite been able to get there on your own, a personal trainer can help keep you focused on the end results. Sometimes it’s hard to motivate yourself. You just don’t want to think about all the exercises you need to do when you get to the gym. Let your trainer think for you, you just come in to execute.
Just a couple of sessions with a personal trainer can be worth your time. "Everyone can benefit from education and different points of view,” says Jody Swimmer, an exercise specialist and owner of Fitness on Frankfort in Louisville, Ky.
The Personal Trainer: Finding the Best Trainer for You
If you think a personal trainer might be helpful in assisting you to reach your goals, remember these things when searching for someone who fits your needs:
- Try out a trainer. "If you're a member of a gym, ask for a list of trainers, and ask what their education and experiences are, and then watch them. Or just buy one session and get a feel for their personality and skills," says Swimmer.
- Look for certifications and their overall approach to fitness. You want a personal trainer who is educated and certified by a reputable organization, such as the American College of Sports Medicine and the National Academy of Sports Medicine. It’s also important that you get along with your trainer. Your personalities have to mesh to a certain extent and you have to be able to feel that the trainer really has a passion for helping people achieve their goals.
- Do some online research. Many organizations that certify personal trainers have Web sites that allow you to search for such a trainer in your area. If you are looking for a private studio or a personal trainer that makes house calls, this may be a good place to start especially if you don’t belong to a gym.
- Ask yourself how well they teach and can you see yourself learning from them? A personal trainer should do more than just yell out exercises for you to do. "From a one-on-one personal training experience, it should be all about you, your needs, and special issues you're dealing with," Swimmer says. "Your trainer shouldn't be someone to just lead you through exercises; they should be teaching you these exercises."
