What IS a personal trainer anyway?
… and why might you want to hire one?
The other day I was chatting with a few women who admitted they honestly didn’t really GET what a personal trainer really does.
So, let’s get into it!
What IS a personal trainer, and why might you want to hire one?
What a personal trainer does:
Creates a custom training plan to help you reach your specific fitness goals.
Unlike a group fitness class or an app, the key here is CUSTOM.
Training goes beyond working out just to get sweaty or feel a brief endorphin rush.
A trainer should be creating a truly personalized program to help you develop skills + strength + overall fitness improvements over a longer period of time.
Some things a personal trainer will take into account when you work together:
1. Your personal health history + prior experiences with movement
Any past injuries?
Notable restrictions or pain with particular movements?
Are you pregnant or postpartum?
Still have some abdominal separation (diastasis) even though your youngest child is now 10 years old?
Prior knee surgery has created some nerves around squats or excessive bending of the knees?
All of this should be taken into account when working with a trainer to create an effective custom fitness plan.
2. Your specific fitness goals
A client goal of “keeping up with my energetic 5 year old” will look quite different than “I want to run a marathon”.
A trainer should tailor a program to suit your specific needs.
3. What equipment you have access to for your sessions
(If you're training virtually, and not in a fully-stocked gym facility)
Do you have a full assortment of dumbbells?
Just a few resistance bands?
A single kettlebell?
A trainer will look at what you have available and help you create a plan based on those items.
They may also suggest other equipment if that’s a viable option for you.
For example, if you have 1 lightweight kettlebell at home, maybe they’d suggest you invest in a 2nd heavier bell as well. That way you would have 1 lighter bell for overhead work, and 1 heavier bell to better challenge your lower body.
Benefits of a trainer
1. Accountability
Knowing someone is expecting you to show up a few times a week for training is a major motivator in sticking to a movement routine.
Knowing a big chunk of money is coming out of your bank account each month is also a powerful motivator to show the heck up. You’re paying for it after-all!
2. An expert in the field
You may have been a gifted high school or college athlete.
You might be a front-row know-all-the-routines rockstar in your group fitness classes.
But this is still not the same as a trained fitness professional.
Honestly, this can be hard to swallow.
In the Age of Google we have All The Answers at our fingertips at all times.
You can try and diagnose your rash via Google images.
DIY your Website via free YouTube tutorials.
And add filters to your photos to create a more professional look.
But none of this is as effective or efficient as hiring a trained professional to do the work.
The trained MD, the Web designer, and the photographer make a LIVING doing this work.
They’ll get it done faster, and they’ll do it better than you could.
That’s just the truth.
Same goes for fitness.
There is a TON of free fitness content out there.
Search Pinterest + YouTube + Instagram and you can have free workouts for days.
But… are THEY even trained fitness professionals?
Beware the spandex-clad Influencer masquerading as a personal trainer.
And even if they are a respected trained expert in the field — can cobbling together “5 Booty Busters” and “10 minute core burner” a few days a week result in a full-fledged training program?
Nope.
If you just want to work up a sweat I’m sure there are videos that will help you do that.
But if you want to build skills, strength, and see progress long term, you’ll want to follow a program.
A program designed by an expert.
3. Live feedback
Having an expert providing live feedback will make a WORLD of difference in how you perform movements.
Squats feeling a little icky?
Maybe a trainer would suggest widening your stance a bit, and boom! Feels different.
A trainer will provide the on-the-spot input you need to better tap into your body and perform movements safely and effectively.
4. Avoid injury
When you have eyes on your form and a professional is helping to ensure that you’re performing movements correctly, hopefully you’ll be less likely to get hurt.
That live feedback from an expert in the field can help you learn the critical strategies to avoid common errors that lead to aches, pains and injuries.
5. Doing things you don’t like
I despise overhead pressing. Why? I’m not good at it.
I love squats. Why? They come more naturally.
If I relied only on my own programming, you can bet I would probably do a lot of squatting and not much overhead pressing.
A trainer will help you do what your body NEEDS instead of just what you WANT or what feels good in the moment.
For example - what feels good might be stretching your tight hamstrings. What your body needs might be more strength to stabilize your glutes.
Note: This isn’t to say a trainer should just do whatever they please without taking their client’s feelings into account.
For example: I Hate - with a capital H - running.
I have always loathed it.
It is not something I enjoy.
Not something that feels good.
I also have no desire to run a race.
It is not something that is important to me in terms of long term goals.
So if I start working with a trainer that wants me to go for runs every other day — there’s a disconnect there.
However, when my kettlebell coaches ask me to overhead press (yuck) or do split squats (HARD), I do them. Because I don’t LOVE them. But I know they are furthering my goals.
6. Helping you see past your own limitations
Often, we underestimate our own abilities.
I think this is particularly true for women when it comes to strength.
A story:
A few months into working together - my kettlebell coach programmed Single Arm Swings with the 20kg (44lb) bell.
I looked at the program and laughed.
Surely I can’t swing 44lbs WITH ONE HAND.
But I tried it.
AND IT WAS FINE.
In short, we are often held back by our own limiting beliefs, or fears around something new.
Your trainer will probably realize you’re capable of lifting heavier/more reps/etc. far before you will.
They can encourage you to inch out past your comfort zone.
And that is how you start to see progress.
7. Understanding the big picture
A personal trainer should be looking past today’s sessions…
...past this week’s sessions…
...past this month’s sessions….
They will be looking at your fitness and movement journey in a big picture context to help you reach your goals.
A solid strength and movement practice is not just about Right Now.
But rather about the long term progress and general health and longevity.
8. Allowing you to NOT think about it
You’re busy.
I’m busy.
We’re ALL busy.
So, if fitness is NOT your job, then it doesn’t have to be your job to attempt to figure out a fitness plan for yourself.
Instead of searching for workout ideas, wondering if you’re doing it right, or if it’ll even work — you free up that mental space and entrust your fitness to a professional who is fully committed to helping you moving better and get stronger.
When would you NOT want to hire a personal trainer?
1. Cost
Let’s be realistic.
A personal trainer is a luxury service that is not available to everyone.
It can be quite expensive.
Cost can vary widely depending on your geographical location, the trainer’s experience, the length of the sessions, etc.
It’s an expense that many individuals’ simply cannot afford.
If a personal trainer isn’t a possibility for you right now, there are still lots of other great options!
If it makes sense for you, you might explore local group fitness classes in your area or virtually, DIY group programs or follow-along apps. There are a slew of options at all different commitment levels and price points.
2. Medical restrictions
If you have certain medical issues or restrictions you might need to address those prior to working with a trainer.
While personal trainers have at least a basic knowledge of anatomy, movement patterns, etc, we are not medical professionals and it’s not our scope of practice to diagnose or treat physical or medical conditions.
For example -
Engaging in a strength training routine in many cases can help to reduce chronic aches and pains that come with our overwhelmingly sedentary lifestyles.
However — if you have had chronic pains for a long period of time, I would always recommend visiting a skilled chiropractor/functional movement specialist/physical therapist/medical doctor before beginning a new exercise regimen (whether with a personal trainer, a group program, or a DIY course).
If you do have limitations or restrictions, a personal trainer may still be an excellent resource for you.
Your trainer + your medical team can collaborate to best serve you and create an effective program that prioritizes your health and wellbeing.
3. Comfort level
Personal training requires trust in another individual, and working intimately 1:1 to develop your personal fitness and movement abilities.
If you aren’t comfortable moving your body under someone else’s watchful eye, then it might not be the right fit for you right now.
(That said - there are MANY different styles of trainer. It may take some time to find the right fit to help you feel comfortable and enjoy working together.)
In summary:
A personal trainer works with you to create a custom, personalized training plan to help you reach your specific fitness goals.
Benefits of a trainer include:
Accountability
Relying on an expert in the field
Live feedback
Avoiding injury
Doing things you dont like
Helping you move beyond your own limitations
Understanding the big picture
Allowing you to NOT think about it
When would you NOT want to hire a personal trainer:
Because it's cost-prohibitive
If you have certain medical issues or limitations
If you are not comfortable working with another individual in a more intimate 1 to 1 capacity
I hope this was helpful in better conveying what exactly a personal trainer does, and why it may - or may not - be a good fit for you in your fitness journey!