The health and fitness industry has become more popular in the 21st century. Some say this is because of people’s effort to counter the increasing cases of weight-related illnesses such as diabetes, heart diseases, and back pains.
Healthcare professionals recommend personal training for those suffering weight-related issues while athletes find personal trainers for skills development. More people are choosing personal training to improve their posture, lose weight, and tone their bodies.
A personal trainer is the ultimate investment you can ever make when it comes to personal fitness. Before getting one, however, it is essential to have goals and targets. Once you’ve decided on your goals, your personal trainer can do the following:
Benefits of Having a Personal Trainer
A Personal Trainer Motivates You
There are times when you may feel like you are not doing the exercise the way it should be done. You may end up feeling demotivated and discouraged, especially when you see others perform the exercise easily and perfectly. This is where personal trainers come in. They are there to motivate and make sure you’re doing your exercises right.
A Personal Trainer Helps You Achieve Goals and Targets
The major role of a personal trainer is to ensure that you achieve your goals at the end of the training. Many people who start exercising often lose focus along the way. With the presence of a personal trainer, you can focus on the exercises better, allowing you to achieve your goals. For instance,personal trainers on losing weight could guide you on the right exercises you should take to lose weight. In addition, they will support you and ensure that you do not give up before the end of the program.
A Personal Trainer Ensures You Have a Well-Structured Program and Schedule.
Personal trainers make sure to put their time, effort, and commitment to help you meet your goals. Sudden changes in the fitness program are usually discouraged by many trainers. They will ensure that you stick to the program.
A Personal Trainer Pushes Your Limits
Many people want to stick to their comfort zone. Personal trainers pushes you beyond your comfort zone so you can make the most of your exercise program. They will always encourage you to push harder than you already did.
A Personal Trainer Encourages You to be Accountable
Many people would only exercise at their most convenient time or when they feel like it. ith personal trainers, you’ll be more accountable in terms of how often you exercise. They’ll help you stick to your routine and will work out a schedule so that you have fewer excuses not to go.
A Personal Trainer Keeps You From Plateauing
Most of us are used to the common exercises that we do day in day out. Once you’ve done these exercises a number of times, your body will adjust to it. You will notice that you’re not losing as much weight as you were losing a few weeks ago. Personal trainers prevents you from plateauing by introducing new exercises in your routine every once in awhile.
A Personal Trainer Can Double as Your Therapist
Some personal trainers go to the extent of helping you release your stress. They are there to listen to you during the exercise. For instance, you can talk to them when bending, balancing or lifting weights.
A Personal Trainer Offers an Objective Eye
Everyone has areas that they need to work on. Personal trainers are there to tell you what is expected of each workout and what you must do to optimize the session and ensure they get maximum results.
A Personal Trainer Maintains Your Record and Helps With Reps and Sets
When it comes to exercises that involve counting, a good number of people give up and lose track of the counts. Personal trainers will help you with the counting and ensure that you perform the required number of reps and sets.
Criteria for Choosing a Personal Trainer
Self-Assessment
Although the personal trainer designs the training program, it’s imperative to engage in the design and assessment so you understand the scientific justification for the vigorous routine that you are getting yourself into. In addition, understanding the rationale of each exercise in your program lets you set achievable goals.
Prior to signing up for a program, you should decide whether to undertake independent self-assessment or assessment by the personal trainer. Independent self-assessment is effective for someone who is disciplined and conditioned to routine training. On the other hand, a person who hardly works out should opt for a professional assessment.
Personal Training Center
According to a research done by Bulls in 2016, a personal training program not only entails physical exercise but human interaction. It’s imperative to select a venue that gives emotional comfort to have effective trainer-trainee interaction. There are a variety of settings where you could undertake the training sessions such as your home, a fitness club, a park, at the beach, in a forest, in a personal training studio, or online. Fitness clubs are quite popular as they are equipped with adequate facilities. Your choice, however, could be determined by your preferences and budget.
Professionalism and Accreditation
The increasing popularity of fitness and personal training has been accompanied by a surge in professional courses by colleges as well as private tutors on health. Certification implies that your prospective trainer has undertaken an extensive training on health, fitness, anatomy, nutrition, and fitness management. It is important to note that not all accredited fitness professionals are successful fitness professionals. It’s crucial to look into your prospect trainer’s credentials before starting a program.
Professionalism also entails the employment status of the personal trainer. It is critical to understand whether the trainer is an independent trainer or works as an employee of a club. While independent contractors could be flexible, they lack mentorship and supervised service delivery demand a vigorous screening by the client. Since the trainers working under a club are under the supervision of a manager, they receive feedback that promotes their growth. Moreover, the manager could do proper matching with an appropriate trainer for a particular client, allowing you to receive the best service possible.
In a research done by Gillie, it was noted that personal training has become a lifestyle that people have to set goals for and strive to achieve. Some trainees may have unclear goals set mainly based on emotions approval of others. rainers ought to keep them on track to realize results. According to Brooks, personal trainers help in designing effective time efficient training programs for the trainee.
Time and Budget
Time and budget constraints are key factors to find a personal trainer. Although the experience by well-skilled trainers is dismissible, it could be costly, making junior trainers (beginner trainers) a preferred option for someone working on a budget.
Junior trainers have enormous enthusiasm and energy to practice their skills. More often, they will be more active in the training sessions, which could motivate you to put in extra effort. Fitness training is a weekly event for beginners, so you need to determine the ideal time and days for your training sessions. The ideal frequency for beginners is three days a week.
Tailored Program for Targeted Results
A fitness professional has the knowledge and skills to design effective training programs. They understand safety protocols and effective physical exercises as well as key fundamentals of fitness training. They can design a program that adheres to creating quality, long-term effects.
The training program is often based on your current fitness level and health status. Beginners would easily get overwhelmed and demotivated if they are put in an intensive fitness program at the start and have a higher probability of quitting. Ultimately this may result in negative consequences, such as weight gain or muscle injuries. Gillie (2011), proposes that for beginners, a progressive program that supports a progressive load would be more effective.
We ought to note that fitness is not all about physical exercise. It also incorporates your eating and drinking habits. Soft drinks have increasingly replaced our water intake while junk foods have replaced healthy foods on our plates. Nutrition will determine whether the personal training session will support your goals. When you want to find a personal trainer, consider their knowledge and experience in nutrition. While not all the fitness trainers will have the nutrition skills, hiring one with both skills would cut the cost of working with a nutritionist.
Things to Avoid When Choosing a Personal Trainer
Some people make mistakes when hiring a personal trainer. Here a few things that you should avoid when choosing a personal trainer.
Never Choose a Personal Trainer Based on their appearance
Many people choose trainers based on how buff they are. In some cases, the trainer may not even know the specifics and it could be that they have great genetics or are using supplements to achieve their looks. Therefore, you should go beyond looks.
Not Having Clear Goals and Targets
When it comes to knowing how to find a personal trainer, you should make sure that you can easily communicate your goals and targets with them.Assuming that the trainer knows what you want is very wrong and could lead to poor results. Always discuss your goals and targets consistently and often with them.
Never Choose Trainers Based Solely on The Number of Certifications They Have
Personality type, flexibility, and ability to relate to the client are some of the essential skills that every trainer must have. Despite their certifications, ensure that they are readily available and is flexible to make changes when the need arises.
A personal trainer is essential for everyone who wants to have quality results. The criteria for choosing a personal trainer should not be based on one factor but several factors to ensure you’re choosing the best one. As a trainee, you should have preset goals before settling for a trainer. This will help the trainer guide you and ensure that you maximize every opportunity in meeting your targets. Your trainer should be there to motivate you and push you past your limits instead of discouraging you.
References:
- – Brooks, D. (1999). Your Personal Trainer. Ontario: Human Kinetics.
- – Bull, S. (2016). Journey Into Health: Inspiring Lessons in Fitness and Business. Manitoba: FriesenPress.
- – Crossley, J. (2014 ). Personal Training: Theory and Practice: Routledge Studies in the Modern History Asia. London: Routledge.
- – Gillie, J. E. (2011). The Correct Approach to Fitness: My Story. Indiana: Xlibris Corporation.