Hiring a Personal Trainer

[Elle]

I've become very down about my weight and my body. I am tall, so the weight doesn't look so bad, but it is very discouraging not to be able to find clothes that fit and look good (well, I think so).

So I've decided to search for and use a personal trainer, as I both don't know how to use equipment nor have enough motivation to get myself to the gym.

Has anyone used a personal trainer and what were your results? How did you find him or her? What was the fee?

Thanks! :)

[Rosebud]

I've been working with a personal trainer for about 6 months now and it's made a big difference in the way I look. I've only lost about 5 pounds, but I look and feel so much better than before. It's totally worth it!

I found my trainer at 24 hour fitness last year. I had a membership there and signed up for some personal training. They make you sign up for like 10 sessions at a time and it's expensive. Not long after that, my trainer quit 24 hour fitness and went to a private gym. I went with him. I pay $50 per hour long session and see him once a week. The rest of the week I exercise on my own.

A big gym like 24 Hour Fitness can hook you up with a trainer at their facility. Or, you might want to send out an email to your friends and ask if they have a trainer they like. People are always happy to refer their trainers, I've found.

[Marie]

Same here, through my gym. When I signed up for it they were running a special of 4 sessions for $99 but usually I believe it is $40-50 an hour. Made a big difference.

[APCullip22]

A couple of my good friends are personal trainers so I've been able to get some free sessions...made a world of difference in my workout routine...I'm seeing great results, well worth paying for, that's for sure!

[boilermaker]

Bumping to get any other opinions.

I'm thinking about using a personal trainer to both get me on track and help get me through the holidays :)

[Heather719]

I have had a personal trainer for over 7 years now. Obviously at this point I know what I'm doing, but I have a trainers to keep me accountable. I'm a lazy person at heart, so if someone isn't pushing me, I'm certainly not going to push myself! ;)

I found my trainers various ways. At one gym we were members at, trainers were part of the package. That made it pretty easy! Since moving to our current home, we have been members at two different gyms, neither of which provided trainers. So basically we looked around to see what trainer we saw the most of. Our theory was if a lot of people were using him/her, they must be good. We also asked around to make sure the person is efficient. I don't want a new best friend, I want someone who is going to push me.

Overall, I have had great results working out with trainers! Obviously, some are better then others. I'm a whiner, so I need a trainer that won't back down. A pushover isn't going to get great results with me- so I have had to change trainers if I find that happening. Personally, I work out better with a male trainer b/c I don't want to look like a wuss. ;) \

Best of luck!

[pewee9196]

I am a personal trainer and have used personal trainers. Make sure who you have fits you. I personally saw a decrease in my fitness level because they altered my routine too much- that should have been my sign to switch trainers. Make sure you mesh with the person. They should not be a drill sergeant unless that is what you want. It is just like looking for a couselor etc- find the person right for you.

Good Luck

[boilermaker]

Thanks Heather and Peewee. I've got this idea in my head that I can pay for a single session and see how that goes before I make a long term committment. Is that reasonable? Also, I'd like to meet with one once or twice a week depending on cost. Is it reasonable to think that they would be willing to give me workout pointers for the rest of the week?

I'm going to call around to places this week and get an idea of prices and schedules. I don't know anyone who uses one and I don't currently go to the gym (I workout at home). I've just hit a lull and thought this might help get me over it.

[pewee9196]

YOu want to look for a PT that is interested in making you independent. The field is fastly divided between those that want you to be dependent vs. Independent. One that wants you to be independent will set you up with some great individual programs. Tell the gyms/person that you are unsure and would like to try personal training but are unsure if you want to do it long term.
Also ask about certifications. ACSM, NSCA and ACE are the gold standards. They are more grounded in science and have national standardized tests. Just because someone calls themselves a Personal Trainer does not mean they have training.

Good Luck. Let us know how it goes!

[boilermaker]

Thanks for the tips. I'll definitely post back here with what I find. Maybe someone else will find it useful :)

[HeatherFL]

I used a personal trainer for awhile and I could tell I was benefitting. It was $600 for a month of training plus a one year membership to the gym. After that, I think one month of training (4 days a week) was $300. I felt I didn't need him anymore, so I discontinued.

Now I go to pilates classes. They are $165 for three private classes and $160 for three regular classes. I mix them. Sometimes I might feel like I am not getting my rib cage right (this has a lot to do with breathing properly in pilates) and that I need some guidance, so I'll do a private to get back on track. I love the pilates! I feel that they are more beneficial than weight training for me. I mix them with cardio. Believe me, if done right the day after pilates you can feel like you've worked out for hours.

I would check the smaller, private gyms rather than the chains. And I agree, make sure they are a certified personal trainer!

Good luck!

~H.

[cc8]

I've used a personal trainer before during 2 'stages' of my life.

The 1st stage was before my wedding. I have always worked out religiously - cardio and weights - but suspected that I wasn't getting optimal results from the weight machines (due to improper or suboptimal use). My coworker is a hard core weightlifter and I started going to the gym with him. I told him the areas I wanted to work out (triceps, back, etc) and he walked me through all the machines in detail - including how to get max results. It was very helpful.

The 2nd stage was a year after I was married. We moved to a new area and I joined 24 Hr Fitness. It came with 5 free sessions with a trainer. Again - it was awesome. I learned a ton.

IMO, I only needed to meet with a trainer a handful of times - after that, I could incorporate the stuff I had learned through him, on my own.

So if you're new to the gym world and or (like me) suspect you might not be using the machines optimally, then I say investing in a trainer is a great idea.

[HisSpicy]

Warning: Looong post ahead! :)
Well, I've had a very different, and fantastic experience with my personal trainer. I gained about 35 lbs on my 5'2" frame over a couple of years, and wanted to get into shape. I chose a group in my town who does nothing but personal training, it's not a gym, you can only use the equipment there if you are meeting with a trainer, and they don't have much. (They also have some classes, and outdoor ones as well, hikes.) Anyway, he and I worked together to devise a plan that just uses resistence bands, a jump rope and/or walking/jogging. I see him only about every 4 weeks. He takes measurements, and calculates my body fat, and weight. It helped so much, I would get upset when I didn't loose weight, but I'd go in to see him and find out I'd lost inches everywhere, and body fat. In three months I lost 12 lbs in 3 months, (none of this was muscle mass), and inches off every measurement, and somewhere between 4 and 5% body fat (can't remember exactly).
I also kept a log of everything I ate (which was incredibly healthy stuff) and how much water I drank. (80-100oz)
Every time I see him we devise a new workout plan, (I have two seperate ones now) and they would be some of the same excercises, some modified, some completely different. But always things I could do at home, which was very important to me. Now I'm back in college (I had started at the end of the last school year) and I haven't lost one single pound, since I'm not seeing him consistently. I haven't gained any though, so I consider it a small victory; spending all day sitting studying, and not being able to fix my own uber healthy food makes it difficult to actively loose weight. Oh, and he has a couple of degrees in physical training/excercise science/whatever it's called, and is completely certified, as are all the trainers of the group, they even have to compete in a decathalon, and several charity marathons every year just to work there. :eek: It's almost intimidating how healthy these people are, but it is inspiring too, to know what dedication can do.
Anyway, I've written too much (sorry:) ) but I just wanted to let you know another route of personal training, I don't know how much it costs though, it was a birthday present to me from my parents. It could be rather expensive, but lasting health is priceless! And you can ask me anything if I didn't cover it well enough here.