Why are some people realizing the benefits of personal training while others choose to train on their own? For many people, working out on their own is something they do on a daily or semi-daily basis and they just hope it produces the desired results. Now those that work out with a structure and a plan are more likely to achieve their goals, but just because you work out in a gym or a health club doesn’t mean you are working out the right or best way to realize actual results. Working out depends on how you train. Beyond any doubt, personal training is the most beneficial way to train in a gym setting.
7 Benefits of Personal Training
1. Personal training helps you see results faster
Left to their own devices, most people would wander around a weight room for thirty minutes, change their music 40 times, send off a few texts, and call it a day. And that’s okay – it’s normal to get distracted and find motivation difficult unless you have a system in place to guide things.
When you work with a personal trainer, however, that trainer is obligated to make sure you get as much out of your gym time as humanly possible. They’ll structure workout time so clients perform the right exercises on the right equipment, and change up workouts so clients see as much impact as possible, in the shortest possible time frame. Personal trainers also have the knowledge of the right exercises to do at the right time to improve body composition by reducing body fat and gain muscle mass. For example, see Should Women Lift Heavy Weights to learn more about improving body composition.
It’s the ultimate “work smarter, not harder” situation.
2. Personal training can help you avoid injuries
Nothing ruins fitness goals like an injury. Unfortunately, gym-related injuries are common. In fact, one study found that, between 1990 to 2007, nearly one million Americans found themselves in the emergency room after a weight-training injury, and that the overall number of annual injuries jumped 48% in that 17-year period.
Don’t worry, though: working with a personal trainer is one of the best ways to avoid injury and stay healthy in the gym. By encouraging proper form (and fixing it when it’s off), a personal trainer helps protect your joints, muscles, and spine from a temporary or long-term injury.
3. Personal training helps build the kind of muscle you want
Did you know that the human body contains more than 600 muscles? So how are you supposed to know where they all are and understand how to target them?
Thanks to years of training, personal trainers can help you lose fat, build muscle, and improve your overall fitness. They’ll be able to suggest slight modifications that target muscles more effectively and help you see results – whether your goal is to bulk up or lean out. There is also a science to working with heavy weights and fewer reps vs light weights with more reps. Also, the timing of mixing up exercises, recovery days and working with different body parts can bring more personal training benefits.
4. Personal training helps you set (and crush) goals
Fitness goals have to be SMART: Specific, measurable, attainable, relevant, and timely. Fortunately, working with a personal trainer will help you establish exactly that kind of goal.
Depending on your unique body composition and objectives, a personal trainer will help you identify realistic goals and make a plan to achieve them.
5. Personal training helps you break through ruts
Everyone faces a fitness rut at one point or another – whether it’s that last five pounds that just won’t come off or a sudden lack of motivation to get out there. Working with a personal trainer, however, provides accountability.
Because you’ve committed to being somewhere at a specific time with your trainer, you’re more likely to get to the gym instead of skipping that day’s workout. Plus, trainers have the experience and background to come up with creative ways to break you out of your rut and keep the momentum going.
6. Personal training helps you develop healthy, lifelong habits
Exercise isn’t something you just pick up when you want to lose a few pounds. Instead, it’s a lifestyle that has a trickle-down effect on virtually every other aspect of your life – from your wellness to your relationships.
When you work with a personal trainer, you’ll get the tools, structure, and accountability needed to truly develop an exercise habit that will sustain you for years to come.
7. Personal training offers a sense of community
While some people like to work out alone, others strive for a sense of community and purpose while they sweat. For these people, working with a personal trainer will feel like coming home. In addition to pushing you to be your best and helping you set personalized goals, working with a personal trainer allows you to feel you’re a part of something bigger than yourself – a critical motivation for many people.
If you like the group fitness model but don’t want to be in a class with thirty people, small group training may be worth a try.
Unlike large group classes, which take all comers, small group training works with a group of about five students with similar goals, histories, and abilities. The personal trainer leads the group through each movement, stopping as needed to offer personalized feedback, assistance, and recommendations. It’s a great way to access the benefits of personal training while also weaving in the social aspect of group fitness.
Ready to Get Started With Personal Training? Meet Alloy
As one-size-fits-all fitness has fallen out of vogue, personal training has emerged as the obvious replacement. Designed to cater to the individual, their concerns, and their unique body composition and history, the benefits of personal training allow clients to see results, get fit, and have fun.
If you’re interested in learning more about personal training that fits your lifestyle, we’d like to introduce you to Alloy. A proprietary personal training franchise that puts the 55 and older “Active Aging” population first, we offer effective fitness programs and life-changing results. Whether you’re an experienced athlete or just hitting the gym for the first time, our world-class trainers, employees, and gym owners are here to help you get where you want to go.
As far as we’re concerned, if you can dream it, you can do it.
Article by: Suzanne Robb, COO of Alloy Personal Training