Hiring a personal trainer can be a significant investment. With hourly rates ranging from $30 to over $100 per session, you may wonder - is getting a personal trainer really worth it?
There are many factors to help you decide if working one-on-one with a trainer aligns with your budget and goals. This article breaks down the key considerations.
Do You Need Accountability and Motivation?
One of the biggest benefits of personal training is having someone hold you accountable. Trainers design programs specifically for you and closely track your progress. This level of personalization and accountability can increase motivation and consistency dramatically compared to trying to self-manage your workouts.
Having regularly scheduled sessions can make you far more likely to actually show up and put in the effort needed to get results. If you have struggled with follow-through in the past, this can be well worth the investment.
Pro Tip: Pair training with a gym membership for ongoing access to equipment between sessions.
What Are Your Fitness Goals and Limitations?
The right personal trainer will get to know you, your lifestyle, fitness history and current abilities in order to set appropriate goals. Communicating goals like wanting to lose 30 pounds or training for a marathon gives your trainer guardrails for designing a program tailored just for you.
Sharing physical limitations, injuries or health conditions ensures your trainer makes adjustments to keep you safe. Having guidance personalized to your exact needs makes it easier to see results without wasted effort or risking injury.
When It Really Pays Off:
Overcoming plateaus
Rehabbing injuries
Pre/postnatal training
Sport-specific training
Advanced lifting/skills
Do Personal Trainers Help with Nutrition?
Most personal trainers offer at least basic nutrition guidance in addition to workout programming. However, there can be significant variation in a trainer's nutrition expertise.
Some trainers, like you’d get with The Legion of Lawler, offer additional detailed meal planning, nutritional guidance, and ongoing tracking as part of their complete fitness packages. Working with this type of trainer is ideal if you know you need significant accountability and personalization with your diet to reach your goals.
Other trainers may give general macros and calorie targets based on your objectives along with guiding principles for fueling your workouts properly. This level of nutrition support can work well for self-motivated clients who just need some direction.
When interviewing prospective trainers, be sure to ask directly what nutrition services they provide. Pay attention to how in depth their process is. If detailed meal planning is vital for your success, be sure to select a trainer fully qualified in both fitness and nutrition. Check out more on the custom coaching we provide in our Signature packages.
Getting your nutrition dialed in is critical whether training solo or working with an expert. Be sure to also read my protein guide for help determining your ideal protein intake goals.
Do Beginners Need Personal Training?
As a beginner, working with a trainer can absolutely give you an advantage. An expert can teach you proper form from day one on fundamental movements like squats, deadlifts and pushing/pulling. This prevents injury and bad habits down the road.
Having a trainer lay out a full program also eliminates guesswork as a beginner. Trying to navigate countless workout options and piecing routines together yourself early on can lead to wasted time and uneven progress.
The Bottom Line
The investment pays dividends for those needing accountability, working around limitations or seeking expert guidance as a beginner. For personalized fitness and nutrition coaching in the area, I encourage you to check my training services and rates. You can easily schedule a free intro session to discuss your goals and find the right training package to meet your needs.
Whether you decide to train with me or another expert, the motivation and specialized programming a quality trainer provides can be invaluable. Reach out anytime if you still have questions on whether working one-on-one with a pro aligns with your fitness objectives and budget. I'm always happy to help point you in the right direction!
Comments