8 Benefits of Personal Training (and How to Get Started)
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If you feel like you’ve fallen into a rut with your fitness routine lately, you’re not alone. Life can get hectic, and it’s common to have weeks, months, or even years when your workouts get pushed to the back burner.
Yes, fitness struggles are common — but that doesn’t make them any easier. So, can a personal trainer (PT) help you get back on track? What are the benefits of personal training, and how can you decide if hiring a trainer is right for you?
Below, discover how personal trainers can level up your fitness routine and how to know if a personal trainer is a good fit for you.
8 Benefits of Personal Training
Here are eight powerful ways that personal trainers can level up your health and fitness routine:
1. Support and Accountability
During your fitness journey, you’ll probably have days when you’d rather stay in bed than get up and go to the gym. It happens to the best of us — we’re wired to want to rest and save our energy!
Personal trainers can serve as your biggest supporters in times like these. They’ll be there to cheer you on, hold you accountable, and nudge you in the right direction when life gets crazy. For instance, your trainer might encourage you to do something as simple as go for a walk on those busy days when you can’t get a full workout in.
Beyond providing external support, a certified personal trainer can teach you strategies to motivate yourself. For example, they can help you reshape your perspective of fitness to understand how it can change your life for the better. They can also give you practical tips, such as using a planner or finding ways to reward yourself after each workout.
This means you can build your motivation and determination from within so you actually enjoy getting in shape.
2. Personalized Workout Programs
If you’re like most people, you probably have certain preferences regarding your workout routine.
Maybe you want to avoid any workout program on the planet that uses sprinting as a form of cardio. Or, perhaps you want to build lean muscle without lifting super heavy weights.
No matter your preferences, a personal trainer can design a fitness plan that you love. After all, PTs know that if you don’t like a workout plan, you probably won’t stick to it. That’s why they’ll spend time learning your preferences, fitness level, and experience to personalize your each and every workout.
3. Conquer Fitness Plateaus
After hitting the gym and eating well for a few months, you might find that your weight loss slows down and your strength gains level off. This is known as a fitness plateau, and it’s common to experience one at some point along your journey.
An experienced personal trainer can help you make progress again by finding new exercises and workouts to jumpstart your gains. When you stick to your old routine for too long, your body adapts to old exercises. Switching it up means new challenges for your muscles — which also means new progress. Aside from that, your trainer can push you to work out harder than you thought possible.
These changes in your routine can help you crush your fitness goals, move past plateaus, and get excited about training again.
4. Reduce Risk of Injury
Personal trainers can help you master proper form for even the most daunting exercises.
For instance, doing deadlifts on your own can be downright terrifying when you’re just starting in the gym. But with a personal trainer by your side, you can feel confident loading up the barbell and getting to work. That’s because they’ll equip you with step-by-step instructions for every lift, so you can rest assured that you’re doing each movement properly. Beyond that, they can offer feedback on your form so you can make changes when needed.
Whether you work with your PT online or in person, they can ensure you have all the resources and knowledge needed to train correctly and safely.
5. Learn the Science Behind Fitness and Wellness
Personal trainers equip you with health and fitness wisdom that goes beyond your workouts themselves. This means helping you:
Learn the importance of sleep, rest, and active recovery for muscle growth and repair
Understand the relationship between your physical and mental health
Learn to change your attitude about fitness and troubleshoot your workout issues
Your PT can also help you learn about other lifestyle changes, such as how to incorporate more movement into your life or how to start (and stick to) healthy habits.
6. Set Goals Like a Pro
Many fitness beginners go through a phase of setting goals that are too vague, like “getting shredded” or “losing weight.”
Sure, they sound good — but they aren’t as conducive to success as they might seem. In fact, this type of goal-setting can slow down your progress and leave you feeling overwhelmed or discouraged.
Personal trainers can help you set SMART goals. These goals are:
Specific. No more vague fitness goals — your trainer will help you get into the nitty-gritty details of the vision you have for your health. For example, instead of “getting stronger,” you might aim to eventually do five pull-ups in a row.
Measurable. You’ll have a measurable goal and a way to track your progress. This might mean increasing your weight for certain lifts, running a mile in a specific amount of time, or decreasing your body fat percentage.
Achievable. Your goal will take effort, but not so much that it leaves you feeling defeated. An achievable goal might look like adding ten minutes of stretching to each workout, as opposed to doing an hour of yoga per day.
Realistic. You won’t aim to build 20 pounds of muscle in the first month, or run five miles a day right off the bat. Instead, your PT will help you set realistic goals, such as working out three times per week for 30 minutes.
Time-bound. You’ll aim to reach your goals in a certain timeframe. For instance, you might aim to lose five pounds in two months.
7. Overcome Personal Obstacles
Have you ever abandoned a workout routine without ever really knowing what went wrong?
Working with a fitness coach can help you identify exactly what causes you to lose motivation or burn out. That way, you can manage those obstacles in a more healthy way. For example, if stress from work, school, or family interrupted your fitness program in the past, your PT can remind you to use your stress management tools next time those triggers come up.
Regardless of your past fitness roadblocks, a personal trainer can help you identify them, plan for them, and overcome them in the future.
8. Offer Nutrition Tips
A little-known benefit of personal trainers is that they can help you understand how nutrition impacts your overall health, fitness, and wellness.
“But aren’t personal trainers only focused on the gym?” you might ask.
Not all of the time.
Because food and fitness go hand-in-hand, many trainers have nutrition education and certification. When you find a trainer certified in nutrition, they can help you understand how nutrition and fitness can help one another. They may even help you plan healthy meals to maximize your workout results.
Signs You Can Benefit From a Personal Trainer
With all the benefits in mind, you might be wondering: Am I a good fit for a personal trainer? If you aren’t sure, don’t sweat it. Here are some signs hiring a PT is the right choice for you:
You’re a beginner who could use some help building your own exercise program.
You think you might benefit from one-on-one accountability and motivation.
You want to take your fitness journey to the next level.
You’re training for a competition or event and want to get in tip-top shape.
You want to gain lifelong expertise that can improve your fitness regimen for years to come.
Finding a Personal Trainer Who Suits Your Needs
The benefits of personal training are almost limitless. Personal trainers can offer you custom training programs, help you break through fitness plateaus, and use nutrition to level up your results. Beyond that, they can help you set practical goals while supporting you every step of the way.
In-person training can get too expensive, plus it’s less flexible than online training. You can work with personal trainers who fit your needs and your schedule at a fraction of the price through platforms like Kickoff.
Kickoff is an online personal training platform that pairs you with a fitness professional based on your goals and preferences. Your Kickoff coach can provide a custom workout routine, offer nutrition guidance, and help you stay on track — all from your smartphone.
Get started by answering a few questions about your goals today.
