Even though I’m a Group Ex instructor and a MYBootcamp coach, I have my own personal trainer who I workout with twice a week.
Originally I started with Brendan Smith to train for the figure competition I was in June 2012. However, it quickly became apparent that having a personal trainer was also beneficial even if I wasn’t training for a show.
Right away Brendan noticed that I had poor posture and limited strength in my lats (among other things). (I like to say that I didn’t “have” lats…in the sense that the muscles were not developed). Now, after about 6 months, my posture is improved and you can see my lats!
Despite this, you may be wondering why I would have a personal trainer when I have a good understanding of fitness principles and exercises.
Here are 5 reasons why:
My trainer pushes me. I am very driven and motivated, but Brendan pushes me to do more than what I would do on my own. If I’m having a tired morning, on my own I’d probably slow down or do less reps. Having Brendan beside me telling me I can do it, to keep going and not to quit makes that extra difference.
My trainer plans my workouts. Like you, I have a lot of the go. I have a full-time job as a Marketer, I have to learn and remember choreography for BODYPUMP and CXWORX, prepare for bootcamp workouts, as well as life stuff like cooking, dishes, cleaning, etc. It’s really nice to be able to show up at the gym and not have to think about what I’m doing.
My trainer challenges me. Brendan is great about making me try new exercises and really pushing the limits of what I (think I) can do. Without him challenging me to work harder and lift more, I wouldn’t have been able to leg press over 600lbs!
My trainer spots me. This goes along with challenging me. When we’re doing moves with a heavy load or where I need to be stable, Brendan is there behind/beside me ready to step in if I need. This allows me to push more than what I could without someone there.
My trainer teaches me. As a fitness professional I’m always reading and learning more about health and fitness. I love to learn! Brendan is great about teaching me proper form, new exercises and moves, and nutrition. This makes me better personally as well as in my craft.
Now, I’m not gunna lie, personal training isn’t cheap. (And yes, I do have to pay). But, it’s definitely worth the investment! I’ve gotten stronger and in better shape and picked up many tips and tricks along the way!
Question: Have you trained with a Personal Trainer? What benefits did you get out of it?
I am a personal trainer and I have had many personal trainers myself! You touched on all the benefits of personal training but the best part about having a trainer is it is FUN and I have the best workouts with someone watching over me :) Great blog post!
Thanks for sharing Les! Fun is certainly a part of it … most of the time ;)