IS IT TIME TO HIRE A PROFESSIONAL? THE BENEFITS OF HIRING A PERSONAL TRAINER

Once upon a time working with a personal trainer was considered a luxury for the rich and famous. More and more, however, people from all walks of life are realizing the benefits of professional guidance towards lifestyle changes they would not likely make on their own.

Here are some things to consider when deciding whether hiring a fitness professional is right for you:

1. Eliminate wasted time and money. No one likes the idea of throwing away their resources but that's exactly what too many people do. They spend months or even years doing the wrong workouts and exercises so they don't get the results they want. Or, they pay for gym memberships they don't use because they get bored or don't know what to do. A qualified fitness professional knows how the body works and how to effectively manipulate the variables to get the desired results in the shortest amount of time possible. And, they can develop numerous fun and creative ways to workout so you don't get bored.
2. Increase efficiency and effectiveness. You don't have to spend forever in the gym just to get a healthy and toned body. You just need to know what to do and when to do it. A qualified fitness professional can design a program that gives you your best body possible, in the shortest amount of time required to achieve those results according to your situation.
   
   
   
   
   


3. Better results. Most people have bad form. Period. But it's not their fault! They may have learned some exercises in P.E. at school or from a magazine or from some person working out next to them but when they do it they're unaware of their own body's weaknesses, imbalances and bad postural habits. As a result when they do it they end up doing it wrong. Many times, for instance, people who say that squats or lunges hurt their knees have poor form so that their hips and knees end up in the wrong place during the exercise, leading to pain or injury. As a qualified fitness professional, I can see the rounded back and shrugged shoulders during rows, the tucked hips and forward knee during lunges and the swayed back and dropped head during pushups. I understand how to address alignment and postural issues to teach individuals how to exercise correctly so that they can remain pain and injury free, while reaping maximum benefit from their exercise time.
4. Personalized attention. Everyone is not created equal. What works for one person might not work for another person. Each person's body is a product of normal physiology, yes, but there are also environmental, genetic and daily habit influences that are unique for each person. Not only that, each person has their own likes, dislikes and motivators. A qualified fitness professional can help to create a program specific to each person's goals, circumstances and health needs, while helping to inspire them to achieve their dreams and aspirations.
5. Motivation. One of the biggest reasons for poor success with training goals and weight management is a lack of motivation, especially if the goal is far off and requires some time to accomplish. Knowing that someone outside of yourself knows your goals, knows what you should be doing, increases your accountability and helps to motivate you to perform. Plus, there's someone who is passionate for you to reach your goals cheering you on and encouraging you when you need it whether it be with a high five or a virtual kick in the pants.
   
   


6. More FUN! Let's face it. Boredom is definitely a killer of many people's enthusiasm when it comes to working out. If the fun factor is low, there's little chance that you're going to stick with your exercise program. These days there are more exercise methods and modalities than ever available to keep things interesting. As a qualified fitness professional I'm always learning and keeping up with the latest trends in fitness. I understand the importance of being creative in the way movement ideas are applied so that each workout is not only effective, it's also as fun as possible for each individual. And a healthy, well applied dose of laughter often helps the "medicine" go down as well!
7. Safety. Correct form and proper use of equipment is a must! Otherwise, the risk of injury increases and the person will either stop exercising because they hurt themselves or their ability to perform will be compromised. All movement requires coordinating our body in ways that we don't typically tend to do and using tools that may be unusual to our everyday lives. Also, every exercise isn't appropriate for every person. People present with different life experiences, old injuries and body types. This means, for instance, that while a shoulder press might be great for the weekend warrior training for dodgeball, volleyball or roller derby games, it's likely not appropriate for the client who's post-rehab from whip lash in a car accident. Jump squats and bounding may be great for a healthy runner, but they're probably not the right moves for the new exerciser who's more than 50 pounds overweight.

Looking good is important, but working out with a fitness professional is also an investment in your overall health and well-being. We want you to reach your fitness goals and maximize your investment in yourself. Creating a healthy lifestyle is an important part of helping you feel great, while maintaining the energy you need to do the things you want to do, when you want to do it.

We're happy to offer you a complimentary consultation to discuss your personal fitness needs and your fitness desires to help you make the best decision for your needs. Give us a call or contact us today!