Do I Really Need a Personal Trainer?
Last week I touched on a few of the ways you can achieve your exercise and fitness without the use of a gym. However, this can be a very difficult thing for people to actually commit to and make part of their regular routine for the rest of their lives. This is a big reason that many people look into buying gym memberships. I’m a fitness professional. I LOVE gyms. I love all shapes and sizes of them. I love the smell of gyms. I love all of the equipment they have to offer. I love the amenities that some of the nicer gyms offer, like nice locker rooms, hot tubs, saunas, health food cafes, a variety of classes, etc. Gyms are enticing. They have everything you need to get a great workout in at any time of the day or night. Why wouldn’t you go and get a gym membership? Many of us do just that. We sign up for a gym membership, usually around January 1st, with full intentions of changing our ways forever! We may even go 3-4 times a week for the 1st month or even 2! But the vast majority of people end up falling off and not using their gym membership after the initial excitement wears off. Most gyms actually count on this because if all of their members actually used their facilities, they would not have enough space or staff to accommodate everyone! The fact is 80% of people who join gyms in January will quit within 5 months. Also, only approximately 18% of people who continue their gym memberships actually use them regularly. Now, I do have to add (proudly) that Coloradans actually claim the highest adherence rate in the US at 21%! That’s still only 1 in 5. I do not want to deter you from going to the gym. I want to help you find a way to actually continue with your plan, achieve your goals, and make fitness and wellness a lifetime commitment.
One sure-fire way to utilize your gym membership and stick to your fitness routine is to hire a fitness professional. You need to be careful though, as there are MANY trainers out there without proper training. You need to check for credentials and education. A degree in language arts is fantastic, but wouldn’t you rather have someone who studied for, took exams on, possibly wrote a thesis on, and graduated with an exercise science degree? Many personal trainers are people who became interested in fitness, took a short course and obtained their certification. Typically you want to look for someone with a higher level certification from a reputable certifying agency, AND an exercise science degree. This is especially important if you have ANY sort of health condition such as prior surgeries, metabolic disease, heart disease, arthritis, auto-immune disorders, limiting muscle pain, injuries, etc. If any of these are the case, you definitely want to do your research before you put your fitness goals and health in someone else’s hands. Also, check references! If you are considering hiring someone, such as an exercise physiologist, they should be able to provide you with a list of satisfied customers whom you can contact to see if they will be a good fit for you.
Yes, hiring a professional exercise physiologist, or personal trainer can seem expensive at 1st glance. However, when you consider the cost of medications, doctor's office visits, and hospitalizations that could be averted through the use of proper exercise, the cost is negligible. Remember: there is no drug as available, as safe or as effective as exercise. It works for everyone, young and old alike!
