A personal trainer or fitness coach is an individual with a background in health sciences, physiology, and/or nutrition that helps other individuals achieve their fitness goals.
Personal trainers are hired due to their experience and their ability to help individuals achieve a healthier lifestyle and a fit body. In a survey of almost 2000 American adults, about 50% are thinking of hiring nutrition experts and fitness coaches, making fitness coaching one of the most sought after services.
What Do Personal Trainers Exactly Do?
If you’ve been to gyms like David Lloyd or the New York Sports Club, you may have seen fitness coaches assisting new members.
They’re not in the gym as your spotters for your bench presses, or to get behind you so you don’t buckle your knees under a 100-lb set of weights on a squat machine. They teach you the proper form of doing an exercise, and once you perfect it, they’ll let you do it on your own.
Helping you with the proper exercise form is not the only thing they’re being paid to do. They’re also going to teach you the proper weight progression. Depending on your goals, fitness coaches make customized exercises.
If you’re trying to lose weight, your fitness coach might include more cardio in your workout, and may recommend HIIT instead of resistance training. For individuals who are after weight gain and muscle building, fitness coaches will focus on strength building and weight lifting.
Personal trainers who specialize in nutrition help you consume the right food for weight gain or weight loss. Nutritionists who work alongside physical therapists and psychologists differ from nutritionists who specialize in institutional settings.
Personal trainers who have an understanding of nutrition make custom meal plans for weight gain or weight loss. They help overweight people lose weight by putting emphasis on caloric deficit and also help underweight people be on a constant caloric surplus.
Other responsibilities of personal trainers include regular assessments on progress, weight, nutrition, and other factors. They may also recommend the use of supplements to help achieve fitness goals faster.
Where Do You Hire A Personal Trainer?
Hiring a personal trainer these days is very easy. It usually involves a quick google search. Some personal trainers provide online coaching since the pandemic doesn’t allow for close, face-to-face interactions.
Online personal training and coaching sessions are becoming extremely popular, although there are advantages and disadvantages in conducting training sessions over the internet.
Personal trainers and fitness coaches may also have their own websites and social media pages. Social media platforms like Facebook, Instagram, and even Youtube have a lot of information about where to hire fitness coaches.
Most fitness instructors and personal trainers also spend their time in gyms, hence, you can always consult with the local personnel at a gym to hire the right individual to help you achieve your fitness goals.
The type of personal trainer you’re looking for depends largely on the fact that you have goals to accomplish – you’re not going to want to hire a bodybuilding coach if your objective is to finish a 10k marathon. Make sure the professional you hire has expertise in the fields that align with your objectives.
Advantages and Disadvantages of Hiring A Personal Trainer
There are good things about having someone assess your abilities during a training session. A 3rd person perspective helps remove confirmation bias, that’s why personal trainers are helpful. Here are some of the pros and cons of hiring a personal trainer.
Advantages
- Workouts are maximized – less time spent achieving your fitness goals
- You will see results faster
- The fitness coach will give you a detailed plan of your nutrition
- Your workouts are tailored to your body type
- Regular assessments to check your progress
On the other hand, hiring a personal trainer has its cons
Disadvantages
- May be costly
- Not all trainers customize their planning with their clients
- There may be trainers who are overzealous and who set the bar for fitness too high, sometimes unrealistically
As you can see, the pros of hiring a personal trainer or a fitness coach far outweigh the cons. They wouldn’t be trainers in the first place if they’re not sure what they’re doing.
To ensure you get your money’s worth, always get a personal trainer that already works in a fitness center or a gym. It’s not uncommon for people to pose as personal trainers over the internet when in reality, they’re just people who are into fitness and do not know the needs of each individual client.
How much do personal trainers charge per session?
The average rate per hour that personal trainers charge averages around $60.00. The lowest cost is close to $40.00 while other trainers charge for $100.00 an hour. Personal trainers charge as high as $100.00 if it’s a one-on-one session.
The reason why they charge so much is because you’re paying for their schedule. Personal trainers have lots of clients and they make meal plans, weight progression plans, workout plans, and a lot more. They earn more with several clients, and in actuality, they’re earning less during one-on-one sessions.
That’s why it’s important to maximize your time with a personal trainer. Ask them questions regarding specific exercises, and inquire about how meal plans affect your performance. Fitness coaches will answer questions related to fitness, and that’s part of what they get paid to do.