Why You Should Hire a Personal Trainer

Let's face it, not everyone has the means to spend their hard-earned cash on a trainer. Besides, who wants to pay to get yelled at and pushed to their limits?!

Although you may believe spending money on a trainer is out of reach, I wanted to write about this type of investment on a very honest level. I want my first blog post to explain where I am coming from as a trainer, prove to you this is not a waste of money nor a scam, and definitely a smart way to go about your fitness goals, if again, you have the means to afford it.

In my opinion, the most important question to ask yourself regarding your fitness journey is: What are my goals and can I accomplish them alone? The number one reason I am approached for personal coaching is to help someone stay motivated. People want results and they want them quickly.

"What are my goals? Can I accomplish them alone?"

When was the last time you fell off track? Have you ever created yourself a program that, for some reason, got derailed? Maybe you set a goal, such as, entering a half marathon race at the end of summer, and you had no idea how to go about training for this challenge?

Motivational reasons aside, a personal trainer should be hired to help you advance your fitness results. I remember not having a clue what to do when I started working out. Every time at the gym I would try different exercises, and never keep track of important things like weight, sets, reps, and rest. Without an organized, informed approach, I was destined to fail. There is 100% a "right" versus "wrong" way to train. A personal trainer should understand your goals, work with you to quantify them, and check-in every single workout to make sure you are staying on track and feeling good.

There are no shortcuts.

I'll give you a personal example. I've ran 3 half marathon races (21.1km) in my life. I ran the first one at 22 years old, the second one at 23, and the third at 25. Over the years that I tried to improve, I did nothing in my training regimen to progress. If anything, my joints and muscles were worn out from poor form, a disorganized approach and an imbalanced exercise program. To run this distance is no small feat, and to do it fast, well, that's an entirely different story. I use this practical life experience now to ensure that I coach my running clientele properly. For long distance runners, you should incorporate strength training in order to not suffer muscle fatigue or injuries during your races. You also need a strong nutritional plan to complement the amount energy that you are expending. You need a smart recovery protocol including lots of water, electrolytes, carbohydrates, stretching, sleep, and of course, a great pair of shoes.

But you're not a runner. Why are you reading this?

To be clear, I am not either. This is just one example of my past that sticks out to me as a huge red flag. No matter your goals, you need a plan. People think they hire a personal trainer for motivation. Absolutely. But you should REALLY be hiring a trainer for RESULTS. Your CPT should be a professional in the field you are trying to achieve, ie: do not hire a yoga instructor if you want to learn how to box. Do you know the amount of people who have reached out to me to ask if I could teach them kickboxing? LISTEN - I would love to! But I will never take on a client if I am not qualified to teach what they are asking.

Personally, I am a certified functional fitness coach, specializing in strength based training your body is meant to do.. I want you to master all functional movements: squats (sitting into your chair), hinges (picking up something off the floor), pushing (moving boxes), pulling (walking your dog). I chose to get certified this way as I truly believe it's the safest and healthiest way to train. I have real life training experience in CrossFit, Yoga, Running, Cycling, Triathlons (sprint), Marathons and of course, strength training. I played soccer & volleyball growing up, and I love incorporating athletic training as a very fun and effective alternate way to train!

Ultimately, if you are like me, you don't like to waste money. If you're able to pull funds from something that isn't paying you dividends, towards something that can drastically improve and change your life, would you do so? Of course you should EXPECT quality, you should EXPECT hard-work, and you should EXPECT dedication from the professional you hire. You have the right to finding your perfect fit so you can crush your goals, stay motivated, and be satisfied with your investment. Everything in life is worth a discussion, a second-thought, and maybe even an action.