So You’re Thinking About Working With A Personal Trainer?
I’ll be the first to admit that I had no idea of the average person’s perception of the term “personal trainer” when I got into this field. When I started with my certification process I’d tell people that I was studying to be a trainer. I got some interesting replies:
“You’re too old to be a trainer”
“That’s not a real job”
“Now you can post shirtless selfies on Instagram”
“You’ll probably get a lot of women in that line of work”
Apparently, a lot of people view personal trainers as self absorbed young men with fit bodies that want to chase women around all day (And I’m sure “we” collectively earned that reputation). I got into this field because I want to help people be their best and get paid to do so. But it was easy to see that personal trainers aren’t exactly amongst the highly respected. Despite that people do want the knowledge that a trainer has, but won’t pay for it because they feel like it’s too expensive. And it’s just my opinion that when someone says something is “too expensive”, they’re actually saying that the service is not worth the cost. That’s where us trainers have to collectively do better, in all aspects.
My road into the trainer game started off like most, getting certified, of which we have various options. I chose the National Academy of Sports Medicine (NASM, and their curriculum has absolutely nothing to do with sports medicine). BUT after that I went to school at SHOW UP Fitness.
There, I gained a background in:
-Anatomy/ human movement
-Physiology
-Nutrition/ Macronutrient breakdowns
-Exercise Programming Fundamentals based on movement patterns
-Bioenergetics/ energy systems
And yes I know that the average client could care less if that were my educational road to being a personal trainer (just help me get fit). However, if they did know that maybe the reputation might just inch a little closer to the licensed dietitians , physical therapists, and physicians of the world.
Now lets get back to the premise that hiring a trainer is too expensive. First off , let me empathize, my wallet isn’t exactly fat (us trainers aren’t rich either). But regular exercise has proven to eliminate risks cancer and heart disease. So why not prioritize exercising regularly with a professional that has the knowledge we all need? Saying a personal trainer’s service is too expensive is like saying your long term health isn’t worth the cost (which would be silly to say).
Working with a trainer not only offers an accountability partner. We offer knowledge that specifically pertains to our client’s goals. I tend not to over-coach early on, unless there’s risk of injury. I like to get my clients comfortable in the gym setting . Once they’re comfortable, and confident then we start perfecting form. My biggest trainer success to day is giving one of my past clients the knowledge of how and why I design programs, that he was motivated to become a trainer himself.
In my opinion, EVERYONE NEEDS A TRAINER. EVEN US TRAINERS!!
