Why Get a Personal Trainer?

Maybe you've hit a plateau in your fitness routine. Maybe you're working toward a specific goal, whether that's losing weight, building muscle, preparing for a competition, or reaching a new personal record. Or perhaps you're trying a new type of exercise, starting a gym habit for the first time, or simply trying to deepen your fitness routine.

If any of the above apply to you, it might be time to look into personal training.

There are a lot of myths out there about what it's like to work with a personal trainer. For example, many people believe that if they're not already a six-pack-having, marathon-running gym rat, they're not fit enough to work with a personal trainer. In actuality, people of all levels of fitness and experience work with personal trainers, from first-time gym users to professional athletes. 

What's more, thanks to pop culture and movies, it's not uncommon for people to think that all personal training sessions consist of grueling workouts driven by drill-sergeant-like trainers. In reality, a trainer's job is to push their client, but also to encourage them and meet them where they're at. 

The Benefits of Personal Training

You might be surprised by how many benefits there are to working with a personal trainer, aside from the obvious one of getting in better shape. For example:

Built-in Accountability

Ever had one of those days where it feels impossible to force yourself off the couch and work out? Yeah, us too. When you schedule time with a personal trainer, you're doing two things that habit and productivity experts have found to be essential in working toward your goals. First, you're making yourself accountable to someone other than you. Second, you're effectively creating an actionable plan for yourself by committing to be at the gym at a certain time. Having those safeguards in place makes it much less likely that you'll skip a workout. 

Motivation

It can be hard to maintain momentum and energy throughout the duration of your workout. Maybe you drop a rep off your last set, or your run becomes a jog…then a walk. 

Your personal trainer isn't just there to tell you what to do. It's also their job to help you stay energized, even when you start to feel the burn. 

Individualized Attention and Instruction

Everyone's body is unique, and everyone comes to the gym with a different set of goals and needs. When you're making your own workout plan, it can sometimes be hard to know how to accommodate all of the different factors at play. This can be particularly tricky for individuals with underlying injuries, health conditions, pregnancies, or mobility issues. 

One of the biggest benefits of a personal trainer is their ability to create a workout plan that is tailored to your individual body type and fitness goals. In fact, many personal trainers specialize in certain populations or types of exercise, such as senior fitness, bodybuilding, powerlifting, and more. 

Safety

From failing to warm up properly to using poor form or alignment, it's all too easy to make careless mistakes when working out that can result in injury, thereby compromising both your fitness goals and your overall health. During your personal training sessions, your trainer will work with you to improve your technique and make sure you're working out safely. 

Help Adjusting Your Lifestyle To Meet Your Goals

Exercise isn't the only thing that contributes to physical fitness. Factors such as diet, sleep, health, stress, and more can either contribute to or detract from your performance at the gym. In addition to guiding you through your workout and giving you the tools to exercise on your own, personal trainers will also take into consideration your overall lifestyle, and help you come up with strategies and tips to ensure that you're setting yourself up for success in other areas of your life, too. 

Address Your Blind Spots

Humans are creatures of habit, and that applies to our workouts too. What's more, without specialized knowledge of physiology and training protocols, it's likely that most of us have some gaps in our exercise routines. Take, for example, the die-hard runner who neglects cross-training that might actually improve her stamina and flexibility, or the powerlifter who focuses way too much on his upper body strength to the detriment of his lower body. Whether your goal is to become more well-rounded or excel in a certain sport, working with a trained professional can help you identify the blind spots that are holding you back. 

Whether you're a beginner just starting your fitness journey or a veteran who's ready for a new challenge, the personal trainers at Siegel JCC can help! The J is a vibrant, inclusive community center with offerings for members of all ages, backgrounds, and faiths. Members enjoy access to our well-equipped fitness center, indoor and outdoor pools, and group exercise classes, while children and teens benefit from a variety of programs from preschool and early childhood care to after-school care and summer camp. Whatever you're looking for, we've got something for you. Contact us today to discuss joining with a membership, or consider donating to support our programs!