Whether you’re a veteran gym-goer who knows your way around some free weights, or you’re a newcomer who’s trying to reach a fitness goal for the first time, you may be wondering whether a personal trainer is worth the money.  Depending on what your goals are, your personal ideas and tendencies when it comes to fitness, and where you’re at in your fitness journey, a personal trainer may be someone who can help you reach those goals faster and in a safer way.

Personal trainers are professional fitness trainers who are certified to be able to teach personal fitness.  They usually specialize in one-on-one, or small group, training sessions, and work with you to tailor a workout plan that is centered around your goals.  With the internet, this level of customization is, of course, possible on your own; there are myriad websites that will give you a customized workout plan designed to meet your fitness goals.  However, you lack the personal touch that a human being can have and that human being brings something that the internet can’t: accountability.  A personal trainer, who you have to look in the eye every session and tell whether you stuck to your meal plan yesterday, can hold you accountable for working out and pushing yourself.

It’s worth emphasizing that personal trainers are certified fitness experts; they can educate you on how to properly perform exercises so that you don’t injure yourself.  They can also offer advice on how to work out; whether you should perform cardio daily, or perform cardio before or after weightlifting, or when you should consume your carbs for maximum effect.  While they don’t necessarily have the requisite degrees to give you specific nutrition advice, they usually have a good understanding of what you should be eating and can give you valuable guidance on that field as well.  Bottom line, personal trainers can train you on how to work out, how to eat, and how to bring it all together to meet your goals.

Personal trainers also can provide motivation, especially if that’s something you’ve struggled with in the past.  You usually have an initial session where the trainer gets to know you, knows why you’re exercising, and what your goals are.  This gives them some valuable insight into what motivates you, and they can help you keep that in mind when the lactic acid is building up or you’re reaching a plateau in your fitness.

It’s important to keep in mind that personal trainers are able to continuously adapt your fitness plan based on your progress in a way that internet workout plans can’t.  If you’re reaching your goals quickly, a good personal trainer can offer more challenging movements or find new ways to keep pushing yourself.  A plan you’d find online would likely just tell you to lift a heavier weight or add a few more reps.  This goes back to how customizable a plan with a personal trainer can be, and how they can tailor the plan to you.  If you’re training for a specific event, they can offer a detailed plan with a specific timeline on how you most effectively prepare for that event.  They offer a way for you to avoid having to come up with a plan yourself, and they can add variety to a plan to keep you engaged so that you don’t get bored.

Overall, using a personal trainer is something you should definitely consider, especially if you’re having a hard time reaching your fitness goals on your own.  They can offer a customized plan specifically tailored to you, your experience level, and your goals.  They can hold you accountable for following that plan to make you better.  They can motivate you to keep pushing yourself, even when it’s hard.  Personal trainers can be valuable assets in your fitness journey, and something you should take advantage of if you’re able.