Many approach working out as a task to do without much thought for planning. They categorize it in their minds as a punch list item, much like cleaning their toilets or shopping for groceries. However, taking a haphazard approach to fitness will often yield poor or limited results. Unlike other basic day-to-day tasks, exercise requires a honed technique to achieve the desired results. Personal trainers can develop a workout routine, meal plan, and overall strategy for achieving their clients’ goals. The following are numerous benefits of a personal trainer.

  1. See better results sooner. Left to their own devices, many individuals wind up on cardio machines at the gym or listlessly moving from one piece of exercise equipment to another. A personal trainer can ensure the individual spends their time performing the right exercises with the proper equipment. Personal trainers are also ideal for individuals who can only commit a limited amount of time to the gym per week. A personal trainer can maximize their time to see results.
  2. Avoid injuries. If an individual tries to use a piece of gym equipment he or she is unfamiliar with, they are likely to have incorrect form. Lifting weights without proper form is a recipe for lasting or serious injuries. A personal trainer can teach individuals the right form and correct them as they go through the exercises, thereby reducing the risk of injuries.
  3. Lose fat and gain muscle. Most people who embark on a fitness journey want to lose fat, build muscle, or both. However, not many know how to go about doing that. They may spend too long on cardio and not enough time strength training or vice versa. A personal trainer can help individuals strike a proper balance to burn fat while building lean muscle.
  4. Break through plateaus. Even the most experienced gym-goer will encounter the dreaded plateau. Once the individual stops seeing results, his or her incentive to keep going to the gym will dwindle and he or she may stop working out altogether. A personal trainer can identify new techniques to push beyond the plateau while keeping the individual motivated.
  5. Set realistic goals. Nothing is more disheartening than failing to achieve a fitness goal. With enough failure, an individual may give up on their health and wellness objectives. However, sometimes a failed gym goal is a self-fulfilled prophecy. If the individual set a goal to lose 10 pounds in a week, he or she is asking for disappointment. A personal trainer can establish realistic and healthy fitness goals as well as help their clients achieve them.
  6. Keep clients accountable. It is easy to fall off the wagon when an individual has no one to hold him or her accountable. For example, it is easy for a person to roll over and turn off the alarm clock if no one is waiting for him or her. With a personal trainer, the individual has someone expecting him or her to arrive, which is a much better push to get up and get to the gym than a blaring alarm alone.
  7. Challenge clients to be better. When exercising alone, it is easy for people to fall into boring routines. A personal trainer will mix up workouts and bring new challenges to the table. Personal trainers are also cheerleaders pushing their clients to reach new personal records, whether it is a faster run time or a heavier weight lifted.
  8. Establish lifelong exercise habits. Personal trainers help their clients achieve fitness goals, but they also help them reevaluate how they view health and wellness. Personal trainers help their clients realize fitness should be a priority in their life—not an item to check off their to-do list. For example, some people struggle with physical limitations that make them believe they cannot exercise. A personal trainer can create a workout routine suited to their fitness level as well as establish small goals to help set them up for success.