Why Should You Choose Personal Training?

So, it’s time to get serious about your fitness!  Where do you start? There are three popular choices right now for getting into shape: gym membership, group fitness class and personal training.

Gym Membership

By far the least expensive choice, but as they say, you get what you pay for. A gym membership simply provides you with a facility to exercise in – no more, no less. There are nice gyms out there with top of the line equipment and facilities, but ultimately, most people end up feeling lost and frustrated, and quit before they reach their goal. It would be like having access to a professional kitchen with a full pantry of ingredients… and no recipe book. At best, you’ll end up making the same things you already know how to make, over and over, and eventually just get bored. At worst, you will feel overwhelmed and simply never start! You need guidance to reach your fitness goals, especially in the beginning, and paying for a gym membership alone will set you up for failure.

Group Fitness Classes

When most people think of group fitness classes they think of something like step aerobics at the local YMCA. But group fitness also includes more recent entries into the field like CrossFit, Orange Theory, Camp Gladiator, and even more. These group fitness classes are sometimes referred to by their practitioners as “group personal training” but truth be told, there is nothing personal about it; everyone in the group is doing the same workout. Sure, an instructor can make small modifications to that day’s workout on the fly, but that is a far cry from having every aspect of your fitness planned specifically for your needs. Another area where group fitness classes fall short is accountability, much in the same way that a gym membership does. Your attendance falls squarely on your shoulders; there will be little to no feedback if you don’t attend.

Group classes also don’t offer any guidance on what you should be doing outside of the class. Most clients will see a trainer or attend a class about twice a week. That still leaves about 160 hours left to your own devices. What should you be doing during that time? Should you be doing cardio? If so, how much? What should you be eating? Should you do that pushup challenge you saw on the internet?  These are all questions that don’t fall under the umbrella of a group fitness instructor’s scope of practice.

Personal Training

Personal training is the most expensive of the three options, but the value you get from that investment is more than worth it. You are paying for a professional personal trainer’s time, and during that time, your trainer is solely focused on you. When you are in a personal training session, your trainer is watching every rep to make sure you are completing it safely and effectively. They are there for the sole purpose of helping you reach your potential. Your trainer will design a program based 100% on your needs and goals, and that will include strength training, cardio, and nutrition.

With both a gym membership and group fitness classes, you are left on your own when you are away from the gym. Not so when you embark on a personal training program. Your trainer will not only tell you exactly what you need to do on your own time but also be there to support you when you need them.

Personal training can even be used short-term to establish a program and build habits that you can then execute on your own, and that you can reap the benefits of for years. Truly, there is no better way to start your fitness journey than with a personal training program designed by an experienced professional that can guide you step-by-step to success.