When starting out on a fitness journey, you might not feel certain that you can do it alone. Convincing yourself to get out of bed and into the gym seems like an insurmountable feat most days. And on the days that you do go, you struggle to plan workouts that you enjoy.

As you trudge along on the treadmill, you wonder if you’ll ever reach your fitness goals. If you’re struggling to achieve what you want from working out, you might want to consider hiring a personal trainer.

Personal trainers are people who you can hire in order to craft you a fitness plan that helps you target the areas of your body that you want to tone and help you to improve your health overall.

If you’ve never worked with a personal trainer before, you might be wondering whether it’s actually worth it. That’s where we come into help, with a list of the pros and cons of hiring a personal trainer. 

Pro: You Get to Work Out With a Professional

If you’re a gym novice, a personal trainer is someone who can help you train like a professional. When looking for a personal trainer, it’s best to hire one with a NASM certification.

These are trainers who have undergone training in nutritional and physical science and have passed the accreditation exam provided by the National Academy of Sports Medicine with flying colors.

If you take a look at a NASM practice test, you’ll see that personal trainers have to know far more than just how many squats or push ups you’ll need to do to gain muscle. In fact, NASM certified personal trainers are well versed in information about the various systems of the body utilized during exercise (cardiovascular, respiratory, etc.) as well as the different risk-assessments to perform before creating an exercise plan for an individual. 

By hiring a personal trainer, you ensure that you have someone on your side that’s there to guide you through the creation of a workout regime that will work for you. In addition to their expert guidance, your personal trainer will also be there to help provide motivation for you on the days when getting out of bed and working out seems like the last thing that you want to do.

Part exercise guru, part cheerleader, a NASM certified personal trainer can work with you to develop your fitness goals and help you achieve them. 

Con: You’ll Have to Pay Out of Pocket

In most cases, you’ll have to pay for the services of a personal trainer out of pocket, which can be a con for those who are currently on a tight budget.

If you’re looking to hire a personal trainer and working with limited funds, it’s a great idea to watch out for sales, as personal trainers occasionally do discounted packages on training sessions throughout the year.

Additionally, If there’s a trainer that you’re hoping to hire but aren’t able to afford at the current moment, there’s no harm in reaching out to them personally and explaining the situation to see if you can work out a lower rate. 

Alternatively, you could also try to find a gym that includes sessions with a personal trainer as a part of its membership package, so the trainer is already factored into your budget. 

Pro: A Customized Workout Plan Tailored to Your Needs

When you hire a personal trainer, they’ll work with you to create a fitness program that’s tailored specifically to your needs. This can be especially helpful if you’re trying to target muscle gain in a certain area, or if you’ve suffered an injury and need to avoid certain exercises that might utilize the injured body part.

In addition to this, as you continue to work with your personal trainer, they can monitor your progress and adjust your plan as needed.

Some personal trainers may also include nutritional advice as a part of their training, which can be helpful for those who struggle with finding the right balance of healthy foods coupled with working out.

Working with a personal trainer means getting a fitness plan that’s built personally for you, rather than one that’s more generic and might not mesh with your physical abilities or needs.  

Con: You May Have to Travel to Work Out

Depending on where your personal trainer is located, you may have to travel to work out, whether that be at a public gym or at your trainer’s personal studio. However if working out from home is a priority for you, there are definitely trainers out there who may be willing to travel to you or conduct training sessions over Zoom. 

In Conclusion

If you’re looking for a workout plan that’s perfectly tailored to your fitness needs and for someone to help motivate you to achieve your fitness goals, you might want to consider hiring a personal trainer. What do you think the biggest benefit of hiring a personal trainer is? 

You also want to consider, do you even need to lose weight?