Should I hire a personal trainer?
Some people need to be pushed while others need to be pulled back
Q One of the things that I was hoping to improve in my life this year is my physical fitness, and I’ve decided to make exercise a priority. I have had times in my life when I was very fit and very active and even played sports, but my career has taken off over the last several years and I’ve let myself slip to the point where it is starting to affect my life. I know it would be an investment in myself, so I’m considering hiring a personal trainer. Should I do it or continue to try to get back to where I used to be by myself? A
What a great question. This is something that many of us go through at the start of a new year, and/or a new phase in life. Congratulations on making the decision to do something about your physical well-being. That is the most important first step. In fact, the origin of the word “decide” is from Latin and means to “cut off” everything except the things that matter most. Therefore, “deciding” to get back to working out and exercising means that all of the things that would get in the way of you doing it will be moved aside to allow you to get to it.
After making the decision, you really are on your way. Whether or not you need a trainer, however, depends on a few things.
In my role as a personal trainer, I tend to work with two groups of people; the first group have trouble getting going and staying on track and need to be pushed consistently. They mostly stay “in the moment” and rarely think beyond the next set. With these clients, I tend to be a bit stricter since they likely wouldn’t be doing anything if I wasn’t “making” them do it.
The second type of person who works with me is the kind that needs me to pull them back from doing too much. I do this with more long-term planning and strategizing. This is the kind of client who will do more than is prescribed and who sometimes misses goals due to burnout and injury.
If you can recognize which kind of fitness person you are, that will help you to figure out what you might need a trainer to do for you and if you really do need one.
I often use my experience studying and playing music to make analogies which can relate to fitness. For example, I’ve played guitar for years with friends who have formed bands and performed at parties and other events many times. I love playing and do not need a push or a reminder to practise. There are times where I am stuck, confused or lost as to how to master a new concept, song or lesson. At those times, I seek out my guitar teacher to help me evaluate, plan and implement the next part of my guitar playing “journey.”
While some people need a teacher to tell them what to do every single time that they play, that just isn’t me. For some people and their fitness plan, this is how they might use a personal trainer; at specific times to get “unblocked” and to keep advancing with a well-designed, organized plan that they carry out mostly on their own.
If you are just getting back to working out after a long layoff, there is great value in consulting with an expert to take stock of where you are, to set appropriate goals and then to put a plan together that considers the changes that need to be made over time to keep on progressing. Whether you then need a trainer to be with you for every session or to set you on your way and then do occasional checkups will be up to you to decide what type of client you are; one who needs to be pushed to do more, or one who needs to be held back to prevent doing too much. This will inform on how much supervision you will need.
On the other hand, if you are at a complete loss as to what exercises and equipment you’ll need to get yourself back or if your health, injury and/or disease status has changed, then the answer is abundantly clear; you need a trainer. With your personal history that did include working out at one point, this will likely be a jump-start situation to get you set off on the path once again.
CERTIFIED PERSONAL TRAINER AND LIFE COACH-IN TRAINING, ERNIE SCHRAMAYR HELPS HIS CLIENTS PHYSICALLY AND MENTALLY IMPROVE THEIR LIVES. YOU CAN FOLLOW HIM AT ERNIESFITNESSWORLD.COM OR CONTACT HIM AT ERNIESFITNESSWORLD@GMAIL.COM OR 905-741-7532.
If you are just getting back to working out after a long layoff, there is great value in consulting with an expert to take stock of where you are