Hire a personal trainer??

[humandave]

I'm 54, a bit fat, still strong mostly due to working construction. Stiff as a plank and have reasonable ish cardio fitness.

I've had to work like a dog the last 10 years and now I've reached my goal financially I feel OK to actually focus on other things.

I've got my eye on my next goal; get my body fat from 20% to 15% by way of weight training, cardio and diet. Increase flexibility. So bit leaner and stronger and fitter.

I had a free session with a trainer yesterday, it was good and he was a knowledgeable guy with a focus on boxing which I like.

I got the sales pitch at the end which is to be expected.

The sessions aren't cheap and I think my two biggest obstacles are not particularly something a trainer would change, they are 1. drinking a couple of beers a night before bed 2. working all the time doing a physical construction job and because of that not going to the gym much.

My diet is pretty good, I know the basics of training and could learn a bit more on my own.

I think the benefit of working with a trainer would be that you actually have a schedule, you've paid for it so it's on the radar and not something you shoulda done but never got around to it. Also would be good time to kick the 2 beers a night habit in the head.

I just think its either ,

A/ hire a trainer and in good time I'll hit my goals and be out of pocket x $

B/ don't hire one and still be thinking about it in 2017 and maybe still be same as now bit fat etc..

C/ maybe now I've reached my goals financially I'll have time and energy to go to the gym and do my own training. Save the dollars and not have to go to work to earn the dollars to pay trainer, overworking being part of my problem anyway.

Anyone any thoughts or find themselves in a similar situation?

[RK42]

I started working out about 8 months ago, and had weekly sessions with a personal trainer for the first 6 months. So I can certainly share some thoughts about this topic.

For me, by far the biggest value of a PT is to learn proper form. Yes, there are plenty of videos about proper form online, and some of them are very good. So learning the theory of how you're supposed to execute the lifts is not a problem. But particularly if you're not very coordinated (I know I'm not...), precisely copying what you see in a video, and recognizing problems in your own form, is not really going to happen. You might be able to take videos of yourself, and ask for feedback here, but nothing beats immediate feedback from somebody who sees you up closely, and that you can apply immediately. And having solid form is absolutely critical in making good progress, and most of all not inuring yourself.

The accountability aspect is certainly there as well. Only you can decide if you need that. IMHO, you have to find motivation within yourself, and be self driven, to be really successful at anything. If you need a schedule, which can definitely be very helpful, set it for yourself. Set reminders in your phone if necessary. And when the reminder goes off, get on your way to the gym, no excuses.

One challenge is that, based on my personal experience, and what I've seen/heard from others, I'm starting to think that a substantial part of trainers working at mainstream gyms are not very good. So if you get a random trainer at a chain gym, it can be hit or miss. Your best bet would be to get personal recommendations from people who have used trainers. I know that the great ones are out there, and I see experienced trainers posting here that I would hire in a heartbeat if they lived in my area, and I was looking for a trainer.

One thing I would avoid is letting a random PT give you exercise programs. You can find established and proven programs online, partly on this board. And some of what I have seen people get from trainers was between questionable and awful. So unless you find a trainer with excellent credentials, I would not rely on them for programming.

[BillPhoto]

What RK42 said!!! Especially in terms of doing some research and finding a good one.

I had a PT for 2 months when I first started. Our first session was sitting down to discuss goals and what I'd hope to achieve. My primary goal was to lose weight so he designed an exercise program and diet to achieve that. But the most valuable thing he taught me was proper form and taking car of my back. I tended to arch my back a lot when I bent over to pick up weights or squatting. He quickly put a stop to that and had me lifting properly first before increasing my weights. Other little things that I didn't know I was doing like keeping my shoulders relaxed, keeping my chest out and plenty of other things I still do to this day. It was easily the best money I have ever spent.
The added bonus also of establishing a relationship with him, even though I am no longer a client of his, is that he'll still happily answer any questions and he'll always ask how my lifting is going.

So if it were me I'd chose 'A' - hire a trainer and in good time I'll hit my goals and be out of pocket x $ .... but you'll have the confidence to be able to lift heavy without doing yourself some serious injury.

[katya422]

I'm not a particularly spendy person. I will clip coupons, shop sales, buy generic, second hand/used is fine for a lot of stuff. My car is 10 years old and I'm okay with that.

But I'm spending money on a PT. Worth it IMO. Though now I'm at that point of deciding how long to continue it, or maybe to cut back to just checking in now and then.

Agree on trying to find a good one, but I knew FA about form and had no one to work with me/spot me so IMO it's an investment in my physical health and maybe a "pay now, or pay later" too if bad form leads to injury.

[ironwill2008]

I'm 54, a bit fat, still strong mostly due to working construction. Stiff as a plank and have reasonable ish cardio fitness.

I've had to work like a dog the last 10 years and now I've reached my goal financially I feel OK to actually focus on other things.

I've got my eye on my next goal; get my body fat from 20% to 15% by way of weight training, cardio and diet. Increase flexibility. So bit leaner and stronger and fitter.

I had a free session with a trainer yesterday, it was good and he was a knowledgeable guy with a focus on boxing which I like.

I got the sales pitch at the end which is to be expected.

The sessions aren't cheap and I think my two biggest obstacles are not particularly something a trainer would change, they are 1. drinking a couple of beers a night before bed 2. working all the time doing a physical construction job and because of that not going to the gym much.

My diet is pretty good, I know the basics of training and could learn a bit more on my own.

I think the benefit of working with a trainer would be that you actually have a schedule, you've paid for it so it's on the radar and not something you shoulda done but never got around to it. Also would be good time to kick the 2 beers a night habit in the head.

I just think its either ,

A/ hire a trainer and in good time I'll hit my goals and be out of pocket x $

B/ don't hire one and still be thinking about it in 2017 and maybe still be same as now bit fat etc..

C/ maybe now I've reached my goals financially I'll have time and energy to go to the gym and do my own training. Save the dollars and not have to go to work to earn the dollars to pay trainer, overworking being part of my problem anyway.

Anyone any thoughts or find themselves in a similar situation?

The topic is a double-edged sword. A good, knowledgeable personal trainer who also has a knack for teaching would be a good way for a beginner to possibly significantly shorten his/her learning curve over the alternative---reading sticky treads and posts from experienced forum members on this site, viewing recommended youtube vids to learn proper exercise form, and generally winging it on your own.

But the obvious problem with finding such a trainer is that a beginner doesn't even know enough to be able to choose a good one out of the vast sea of clueless "trainers" who know even less than he does. Generally, even the worst if them has a good sales pitch, filled with buzzwords and enough jibber-jabber to draw in most beginners.



I honestly don't know how to advise you here, other than to suggest you seek out in-person, word-of-mouth recommendations (not stuff off the internet) from current and/or previous clients of any PT you're considering.

[weiss1967]

I never met a good PT. All occasional promotional PT sessions were lacking the intensity, full of BS about "proper" form, which was taken way too far, and some ideas I heard from PT's were outright against laws of physics.

This just speaks the level of overall education among PT's, and what kind of people end up in that field.

[Garage Rat]

There are good and not so good trainers out there.
If your going to invest in one do your research on him/her first before you fork over your cash.

There should be a consultation session going over your goals and what you expect to achieve and how they plan to do that.It should an individual program tailored to you and not something that's generic and the same as other clients.
This person needs to be knowledgeable in training technique,programing,mobility/flexibility as well as nutrition.
I would go for someone with some years of experience under their belts and can show you examples of other clients successes.
Training fees are a perceived value.
Is your trainer/ coach worth the money?
Just because they went to college and earned degrees does not always make them proficient at training people.
I personally think hands on experience goes a long way as well as a reputable certification.
Learn as much as possible and be a sponge for knowledge so you can eventually do it yourself.
Good luck to you.

[grubman]

The keys to success are dedication (the most important), working hard at a logical program, proper diet, and proper rest...all things that can be done without a personal trainer.

IMHO if you don't have the motivation and disiplin to research and apply all the above on your own, your chances of any long term success are slim.

Anyone can learn good form with little research, practice, and patience (with loading the bar to fast).

Just mho, but a PT is a waste of money for anyone who is serious and self motivated.

[yepitsme]

I go to a mega gym. All the trainers suck except for one girl who's not so bad. The head trainer is actually really good but I don't see him train near as much as the others. Most of the trainers are overweight, out of shape, weak, and at least half of them look like they've never exercised in their entire lives. Apparently, that doesn't stop them from training people ALL DAY LONG!

[KyleAaron]

Speaking as a trainer, yes it's good to hire one, but your comment about the beers reminded me of what a client said the other day: "So Kyle, it was 2am on Saturday night and I was eating drivethru McDonalds, and I thought - okay, this isn't my trainer's fault."

We have you for at most 3 hours a week, you have another 165 to fck it all up. If you are drinking "a couple" (which probably means 6) of beers every night, then we know the rest of your diet is going to be crap, too. Nobody carefully counts out 123.2 grams of protein and then follows it up with a brewski. I suggest the following to my clients, in order of priority,

1. if smoking, stop
2. eat more fresh fruit and vegies
3. drink less booze
4. eat less junk food. What's "junk food"? Any food where the packet is more colourful than the contents
5. eat more meat, fish and dairy.

Put another way: if everything you put in your mouth comes from the greengrocer, the butcher and the fishmonger, you are probably doing alright. This advice is not going to get anyone sixpack abs, but the underweight or overweight will become a healthy bodyweight, and the obese merely overweight.

Now, some (not most) people can do this without a trainer. But some people will do better with moral support. Still, it comes down to you. As a trainer I can't make the person eat good food and get good sleep. I don't think the OP is fat, but speaking generally, it's better to be fat, strong and fit, than fat, weak and unfit. So I've still helped make their lives better. But they'd be better still if they followed the above advice.

[Billy_Biceps]

Trainers don't push thier clients hard enough. If they did 75% of people would quit within a month. It also increases liability due to injury risk.
However, your better off going in and half-assing it, than not going at all.
Read the stickies in the forums
Keep a log book to hold yourself accountable and male sure your getting stronger, hitting 1 more rep or adding 5 more lbs.
Weigh yourself at least once daily, lose 1 lb a week, eat accordingly.

[KyleAaron]

Trainers don't push thier clients hard enough. If they did 75% of people would quit within a month. It also increases liability due to injury risk.

So you imagine a trainer should push a person to a level where they might get injured?

You a crossfitter, by any chance?

[Juggertha]

But the obvious problem with finding such a trainer is that a beginner doesn't even know enough to be able to choose a good one out of the vast sea of clueless "trainers" who know even less than he does. Generally, even the worst if them has a good sales pitch, filled with buzzwords and enough jibber-jabber to draw in most beginners.

I honestly don't know how to advise you here, other than to suggest you seek out in-person, word-of-mouth recommendations (not stuff off the internet) from current and/or previous clients of any PT you're considering.

IW is right here. Most beginners would benefit from a pT, the right PT, but have almost no way of discerning who is who.

A cert?
Biggest in the gym?
Best talker?
Poster on the wall?
Contest win?

We all know that while some of those may help, it's definately no gurantee that someone is a solid PT.

I'll second the word-of-mouth thing though. Maybe ask around at your local gym for ppl's experiences - both good and bad.

[Billy_Biceps]

So you imagine a trainer should push a person to a level where they might get injured?

You a crossfitter, by any chance?

No, but after several months of training a grown man should be squating more than 95 lbs. I'm just saying it seems like they are not pushing themselves at all.

[Uber_Dad]

I have used a trainer and one of the things I liked about it was that they pushed me really hard for the full hour.

There was also a LOT of exercises and variations on exercises that I have not seen and found online. I get bored easily and that was really helpful.

The downside was that it is one more thing to coordinate, which can be one thing too many if I have to bounce worka dn family schedules too.

I would highly recommend it to anyone thinking of doing it however.

[KyleAaron]

No, but after several months of training a grown man should be squating more than 95 lbs.

Yes. And this can be done without risk of injury.

PTs don't fail to load people up because of their perception of risk of injury. It's because they are unaware of the stress-recovery-adaptation cycle, of how strength carries over into everything else, and because never having been through a novice linear progression they don't know their clients' potential.