Gym Rats-Thoughts on Personal Trainers

[Bonny]

I recently joined our local 24 hour Fitness and am taking 2x classes per week. The main purpose is improve cardio and do some strength training.

Today I met with a personal trainer and got the freebie 30 minute assessment. I've been offered a series of one on one personal training sessions. The best value is a package of 5 for $299 or about $60 per 50 minute session.

I've never done one on one personal training. The big pro I see is someone establishing a base-line, holding me accountable and measuring my progress. I know I should be able to do this myself but I've been out of practice for over 11 years. At 53 and 40 lbs overweight I could use both a cheerleader and a task master to help me get on the right track.

For those of you who have gym memberships have you gone the personal training route? Why or why not? If you have would you do it again? Any unexpected benefits or disappointments?

I'm leaving for a couple of hours but will be checking back in. Thanks for your comments.

[swasat]

I hold a gym membership, have been a member since last 8 years or so.

I tried a personal trainer once, for a month. Hated it. HATED it.  But then I am very focused on fitness on my own and don't need a cheerleader. I do best by myself and have come to understand that the best way to push myself is to attend group fitness classes. Having a bunch of people with me, every one cheering everyone else is the best motivation "I" can get. I also found that personal trainbing is highly overpriced. $100/hour was too much IMO. So I jog in the morning and mostly attend yoga, Zumba, Step sculpting and various such classes.

You have to find what works for you. Some people like having their customized routineand  1:1 with a personal trainer.

[cktc]

If you can afford it, and enjoyed your trainer, go for it.

I don't have much experience with personal trainers beyond the 24 hr Fitness freebie myself, but from group class experience, it really comes down to how you mesh with the trainer. 

[tractor]

I've been a gym rat for about 35 years. I think trainers are a good way to learn what to do, and how to do it correctly. They can also get you started and help you stay motivated until you can motivate yourself.

Working out is a lifestyle change, and it's hard keep doing it because there's always something else to do. However, sooner or later you will get to the point where you have to go or you feel like something's missing. If I don't go at least three days a week I get real grumpy.

[swasat]

If I don't go at least three days a week I get real grumpy.

Me too!! I aim at 4 days a week of workouts. I usually achieve at least 3. Anything less and I feel like I have no energy left in me.

[kjto1]

I belong to 24 Hour Fitness.  I've used their personal trainers before.  I don't mind the eliptical or the treadmill so I can watch t.v. at the some time - but I would not work out with machines and weights on my own.  The trainers were beneficial - making sure I do the excercise with the correct posture so I don't injure myself.  They also switch up my routine.  I am a social person - if I did that on my own - I wouldn't last long.  After I worked with the trainer for some time, I would work out with my DH with the weights.  That worked well. 

[ArchietheDragon]

A friend of mine is a yoga instructor and personal trainer and she goes into people's homes and trains them with yoga, bands, body weight exercises, etc.   Maybe something to look into?

[hoops902]

If your purpose is to have a cheerleader and someone to keep you accountable...make a friend and work out with them.  A personal trainer might be a good fit if you need some specific exercise advice...but if all you need is somone to hold you accountable, a friend can do that for free, and you'll probably feel a lot better about it too.

[souldoubt]

I've had a gym membership for the last 16 years.  I've never used a trainer but have friends that were trainers and other friends who are major gym rats that gave me tips.  I know that a lot of women are afraid to use machines or weights on their own and a trainer is the perfect fix for that.  I'd say go for it so you can get some ideas of weight related exercises to do and also for motivation.  I'm guilty of not mixing up my workouts as much as I should and it's something I started doing more in the last month or so.  If you fall into a workout rut your body will adapt and you won't get the most out of your exercise time.  

[Deleted]

I got a Y membership last month and haven't even stepped in there since except to take the kids to their things.  Really, it's more that I have no clue what is offered and I feel kind of dumb just showing up for a class when I have no idea what they are doing.  I see they have personal trainers so I'm kind of wondering the same thing.  Are they worth it? 

[Deleted]

I'm extremely motivated but if I weren't so cheap I'd get a personal trainer. I tend to do the same things all the time, bicycling, elliptical trainer, the treadmill if all the machines I want are taken. I know a good personal trainer would get me doing weight and resistance training and probably building core strength. I don't do much of those because I love to burn calories!

I haven't bothered because I just did a 40-mile bicycle ride last weekend and I'm happier than ever with the shape I'm in.

[Ryan]

I look at personal trainers at places like 24 hour fitness, lifetime fitness, planetfitness as basically just workout partners/salespeople disguised as personal trainers. Most of those trainers seem to just stand there and talk with you while telling you what machines to go on. They throw in the "You should really consume more protein. We have a sale on this protein powder here that will help you out. I personally love the stuff"

If you are interested in doing Olympic-type lifts like squats, deadlifts, etc, then it probably pays to get a trainer to show you how to do that stuff. But most of these guys stick you on machines, keep a log, and give you some very basic nutritional advice. Not worth the price you’d pay.

If you’re looking for a better value, then go the route of a group training class. My wife does that and it’s like $150 for 8 sessions or something.

[The Walk of the Penguin Mich]

It really depends upon what you are looking for, Bonny.  My experience with a personal trainer was when I hired a physical therapist to come to my gym to help me continue my rehab after my physical therapy benefits ran out.  I had to jump through a lot of hoops to do this because the gym wanted me to hire their trainers on staff and I wasn't about to do that because I had issues that I knew that personal trainers would likely be clueless about.

I would have loved to keep him on regularly, but I think that I paid him $50/hour and he showed me things that I could do - and they were things that I had never seen any of the personal trainers do with their clients.  I had about 4 sessions with him, that was about all I could afford, and by then I was pretty much able to be self directed at the gym, but I did appreciate his help and I have used things he taught me every single time I have had to rehab.

I will tell you that if there are 99 ways to do an exercise, 98 of them are going to be wrong.  Just moving your leg 2" can make a hell of a difference in which muscle you are working and a good personal trainer can make sure you are doing things correctly.

[Bonny]

Just to clarify, I'm taking a cardio class on Monday and their Body Pump class on Saturday.

I'm hiking 3-5 miles 3 to 4x per week on my own or with DH. My thinking is that I would do an extra day at the gym focusing on the strength training/cardio and back the hiking down to 3x per week.

[Deleted]

Mich, in your case a physical therapist was the best choice. DH is working with one now for his back problems and she's been a great help- knows just where to push him and where to stop because pushing him would cause damage. I'd never trust a personal trainer if I had body parts that needed specialized help.

[The Walk of the Penguin Mich]

Sept 30, 2014 17:20:49 GMT -5 @athena53 said:

Mich, in your case a physical therapist was the best choice. DH is working with one now for his back problems and she's been a great help- knows just where to push him and where to stop because pushing him would cause damage. I'd never trust a personal trainer if I had body parts that needed specialized help.

The guy I hired was a physical therapist who did personal training on the side.  The advantage was that I had use of his knowledge as to the weaknesses I had following surgery.  I really wish I could find someone like that here because I need to be extraordinarily careful as to how I move these days.

[Bonny]

Sept 30, 2014 17:25:30 GMT -5 The Walk of the Penguin Mich said:

Sept 30, 2014 17:20:49 GMT -5 @athena53 said:

Mich, in your case a physical therapist was the best choice. DH is working with one now for his back problems and she's been a great help- knows just where to push him and where to stop because pushing him would cause damage. I'd never trust a personal trainer if I had body parts that needed specialized help.

The guy I hired was a physical therapist who did personal training on the side.  The advantage was that I had use of his knowledge as to the weaknesses I had following surgery.  I really wish I could find someone like that here because I need to be extraordinarily careful as to how I move these days.

I mentioned to DH that it would actually be cheaper for me to go to a PT at Kaiser than using the personal trainer.

Not the same thing though.

[Jake 48]

DW is using a trainer right now and has also done it in the past. She likes it, trainer pushes her to just go that little extra. she splits the trainer w/ a girlfriend to save money. she gets the benefit of the trainer and a workout buddy

[toomuchreality]

I think a lot has to do with how well you and your trainer communicate with one another.
My SILis a personal trainer. He also is a trained therapist, so has good communication skills.He has a fun personality, but takes body building and nutrition very seriously. There aren't many people that he has worked with, that it didn't work out well.

I hope you find what you are looking for!

[Deleted]

Sept 30, 2014 14:22:13 GMT -5 @athena53 said:

I'm extremely motivated but if I weren't so cheap I'd get a personal trainer. I tend to do the same things all the time, bicycling, elliptical trainer, the treadmill if all the machines I want are taken. I know a good personal trainer would get me doing weight and resistance training and probably building core strength. I don't do much of those because I love to burn calories!

I haven't bothered because I just did a 40-mile bicycle ride last weekend and I'm happier than ever with the shape I'm in.

resistance training and building core strength burn calories.....not to mention, increasing muscle mass burns more calories every hour you're breathing so there's a long term effect that goes beyond what you burned on a 40 mile bike ride.  also, as your body gets more used to the riding, the less calories you will burn for the time expended - your muscles get used to doing the same thing and become more efficient.

[Cookies Galore]

Oct 1, 2014 6:57:06 GMT -5 @singlemominmd said:

Sept 30, 2014 14:22:13 GMT -5 @athena53 said:

I'm extremely motivated but if I weren't so cheap I'd get a personal trainer. I tend to do the same things all the time, bicycling, elliptical trainer, the treadmill if all the machines I want are taken. I know a good personal trainer would get me doing weight and resistance training and probably building core strength. I don't do much of those because I love to burn calories!

I haven't bothered because I just did a 40-mile bicycle ride last weekend and I'm happier than ever with the shape I'm in.

resistance training and building core strength burn calories.....not to mention, increasing muscle mass burns more calories every hour you're breathing so there's a long term effect that goes beyond what you burned on a 40 mile bike ride.  also, as your body gets more used to the riding, the less calories you will burn for the time expended - your muscles get used to doing the same thing and become more efficient.

I was going to say pretty much the same thing! Weight training and core strengthening has tremendous benefits and really elevates your normal cardio.

I would love to get a trainer or join a boot camp class. It's just a money/time issue for me. I do read a lot on fitness, do a lot of workouts I find online, and I talk with people in my running club. Most of the runners I know do other activities like cycling, swimming, strength training, yoga, pilates, etc.