When you’re considering your fitness progression, it’s natural you’d look to a personal trainer and the advantages they can bring. But are they as simple as helping you to get fit and make lifestyle changes?
But, if you truly want to excel in fitness, the best way to do so is by qualifying a personal trainer yourself.
With OriGym’s CIMSPA-accredited personal training diploma, you’ll go from no prior experience to a becoming a fully qualified PT in as little as 4 weeks.
Download our FREE prospectus here, and explore more of what we offer.
The 11 Biggest Personal Trainer Advantages
#1 – PTs All Have Extensive Knowledge
Perhaps one of the more common misconceptions when it comes to personal training is that many assume that the knowledge PTs have only relates to exercise. That’s simply untrue.
In fact, a huge personal trainer advantage is that, by signing up with a PT, you’re able to receive the benefit of their vast knowledge, ranging from information on anatomy and physiology, to more complex components of exercise, like optimal heart rates and muscular endurance.
To give you a sense of the scope of the fitness knowledge acquired when you become a personal trainer, here’s a complete breakdown of what OriGym’s prestigious personal training diploma covers.
For reference, this diploma includes the Level 2 Gym Instructing qualification, and the Level 3 Personal Training qualification, both of which are necessary to deliver sessions and work in 1-to-1 capacity.
Level 2
- Motivating Groups and Individuals
- Tailoring Training Sessions
- Basic Human Anatomy & Physiology
- Principles of Exercise and Fitness
- Health, Safety & Welfare
- Learning the Fitness Business
Level 3
- Advanced Anatomy and Physiology for Health & Exercise
- Key Principles of Nutrition
- Personal Training Delivery
- Programming Training Sessions
- Developing & Demonstrating Leadership
- Understanding the Fitness Business
This rigorous training programme also forms another of the major personal trainer advantages. With any personal trainer you choose, you can guarantee they’ve had significant grounding in the industry.
They’ll also be fully insured, which is yet another advantage of having a personal trainer.
In short, unless you have the self-awareness to consider all of those things, and then spend the time executing that plan on a weekly basis, one of the major personal trainer advantages is that you will immediately benefit from the planning a PT puts into getting you in shape.
#2 – Personal Trainers Can Help You Avoid Injury
When you’re training solo, it can be easy to exceed your limits, and end up causing yourself unnecessary and potentially dangerous injury.
It’s so easy to lure yourself into a false sense of security when it comes to working out. Naturally, the more you go to the gym, or the more you exercise in general, you trick your mind into thinking that you’re getting stronger with every session.
However, the truth of the matter is that if you don’t leave enough time for recovery, then eventually you’re going to pick up an injury that takes you right back to square one.
Rest days are exceptionally important, and one of the main advantages of a personal trainer is that they can help to plan these into your routine, allowing you time to recuperate and recover effectively.
Here’s a few key things to remember when it comes to mitigating against injury, and how one of the main benefits of a personal trainer is that they can integrate these into your schedule for you.
- Plan out when you intend to rest, even mid-session
- Effectively control your workouts to scale up the intensity over time
- Utilise massage and therapeutic remedies to alleviate joint and muscle pain
- Identify opportunities to increase (or lower) the intensity of exercises
- Shift strain away from injured or sore areas (e.g. making use of leg workouts when the arms are sore)
- Balance workouts across the whole body
- A nutrition plan that focuses on regrowth and effective recovery
One of the main personal trainer advantages therefore, is a PT’s knowledge and ability when it comes to recovery.
Your trainer isn’t just there to help you get stronger. They’re also there to make sure that your fitness programme is sustainable, and that you continually make improvements to your performance without the risk of injury.
In fact, clients often talk about the longevity of their training as one of the main personal trainer advantages they take advantage of, and that directly links to the trainer’s awareness of how significant rest days are, and how they incorporate them into their routines.
#3 – Your PT Will Take On Accountability
This is perhaps one of the most pivotal personal trainer advantages, in that it can often influence how and when you exercise, and ultimately how quickly you see the results you’re looking for.
If your sole motivation for going to the gym is keeping yourself fit, then you are more likely to take a couple of days off in the middle of your training.
However, if you’ve pre-arranged to attend a session with your personal trainer, then you’ll be less inclined to cancel on your fitness plans at the last minute.
When you’re spending money on a PT, you’re obviously not going to waste your allotted hours by cancelling your sessions at the last moment, and even risk voiding your contract.
You’ll be wasting money, your personal trainer will likely be annoyed, and you lose out on all the benefits of regular exercise with a trained professional.
But it goes deeper than that.
Your personal trainer should be more than just a coach. They should be a friend, willing to keep you motivated even when it’s raining outside, and even when you feel like giving in.
In fact, one of the major personal trainer advantages is the support you’ll receive on a personal level.
Your personal trainer is going to be the person who, if you can’t make a gym session, will get you to an outdoor class, or a group training session, so you don’t struggle when it comes to your training.
And the best news is, a good personal trainer will have all the tools to help you along the way. Here’s just a few examples of what a personal trainer can do to spur you on, and keep you going when schedules get disrupted.
- Online Training Options – Many modern personal trainers will have an option to train via video, or discuss plans and schedules over Zoom or Skype. This ensures that, even if you’re unable to get to your session, you’ve got options available to you.
- Bootcamps – These are usually intensive, concentrated sessions that utilise high intensity exercises and movements. These are often an ideal alternative for those who are undertaking rigorous training ahead of a big goal or event.
- Small Group Personal Training – Some personal trainers may offer smaller group sessions in order to accommodate multiple clients at one time, or make up for missed sessions due to injury, illness or holiday. Learn more in our complete guide to small group PT sessions
#4 – You’ll Receive Customised SMART Goals
While we’ve already touched upon the importance of setting goals, and how the right targets can seriously shape and influence your overall progress, a good personal trainer will take that a step further.
There’s a variety of reasons why a client chooses a personal trainer. These range from the trainer’s price tag, to their level of experience and the specialisms they can offer.
But more generally, the number one reason people turn to fitness trainers is because of a PT’s ability to structure workouts, and ultimately help them reach their fitness goals.
The best way to consider this is in terms of personal trainer advantages vs. the disadvantages of getting in shape on your own.
In terms of the latter, you may see some early progress as your body adjusts to your new routine, but without knowledge of the scalability of workouts and proper training, you’ll soon hit a frustrating plateau when it comes to long-term programme design.
That’s where SMART targets come into play. These revolve around 5 central concepts, in the sense that they should be:
- Specific – You should be able to fully define what your goal is
- Measurable – Your goal should have data attached to it, to prove that you’ve reached the point you want to get to
- Achievable – This is often a sticking point for creating your own goals, in the sense that we often set ourselves unattainable targets. A SMART goal should always be within reach.
- Relevant – Your goal should always relate to what you’re trying to achieve
- Time-bound – Setting yourself a time frame in which to achieve your goals is an ideal motivator, and can be a great way to plan for the future.
For a more in-depth exploration of these targets, check out our total overview of SMART goals, and their massive influence on fitness and exercise.
Generally, though, a personal trainer will have you working towards a target that abides by all of the categories above.
But what is key here, is that your target is never firm, and is never just about one thing. A good personal trainer will always have you aiming for something more on the horizon, something extra that will keep you going.
In this sense, one of the major personal trainer advantages is their ability to contextualise your workout sessions. They’ll be able to tell you why you are doing this, and how it’s going to help you in the future.
#5 – Training Isn’t Just A Fitness Change, It’s A Lifestyle Change
One of the first things a PT should tell you when it comes to personal trainer advantages is how it’s not just a get-fit-quick scheme, but about making tangible lifestyle changes.
There’s no point altering your fitness schedule if everything else is going to remain the same, and this is often a mistake that many make when training alone, or without any prior knowledge of the fundamentals of exercise.
You’ll only see the full benefit of your training if you buy into one of the biggest personal trainer advantages – creating and implementing meaningful lifestyle changes.
These changes will usually involve one or more of the following:
- Nutrition – changing or altering what you eat, how much you eat, and when you eat it
- Routine – this can range from your current sleeping patterns, to how you structure your day to make time for exercise
- Mindset – how you view yourself, exercise, nutrition, and ultimately the way you feel about yourself
When you hear personal trainers and fitness instructors refer to “the big three,” they’ll be talking about the axis on which clients can start making changes to their everyday lifestyle. And the best bit is that these don’t have to be huge changes.
For instance:
- Changing your nutrition could be as simple as cutting full-sugar drinks from your diet, or reducing how much you snack in between meals.
- Changing your routine could be using your lunch hour to get out on a walk, or to wake up an hour earlier to give yourself some more flexibility.
- Changing your mindset could be giving yourself time for mindfulness, or experiencing the mental health benefits of meditation.
The idea is to supplement your new gym routine with changes to your everyday schedule, and to capitalise on some of that adrenaline and optimism at the start of your personal training journey to make some sustainable, meaningful changes to your lifestyle.
#6 – Having A PT Can Help You Find A New Career
Here at OriGym, we have a direct view on the kind of people entering the industry as new personal trainers.
Many of our students often cite their own personal trainers as a key inspiration for pursuing a career change, and opting for fitness as the ideal way to do that. This is one of the key personal trainer advantages, and one that often goes unnoticed.
Sometimes, when you’re training by yourself in a gym, you can still feel isolated from the culture of health and fitness, especially if you’re not attending classes or clubs.
This is particularly true if you’re not seeing the results you’d hoped for with your training, or you’re starting to become jaded or frustrated with a lack of progress.
A massive personal trainer advantage then, is the fact that a PT allows you to fully engage with your new hobby, and even take that further than it would have otherwise gone.
Once you start training with a trainer, you’ll start to use more equipment, gain more knowledge, and attend more classes than you ever would have if you were just training alone.
And for many, this translates as a newfound desire to change career paths and start a fitness business of their own.
The industry as a whole has been expanding for over a decade and shows no sign of slowing. There are an increasingly diverse range of personal training services available, from chain gyms to freelance trainers, meaning that more qualified trainers are needed all the time.
Job satisfaction is also considerably higher in the fitness industry than it is in office-based work and other sectors, partly due to the varied workload, and the flexibility to work in a freelance context.
Ultimately, seeing your personal trainer as happy and fulfilled in their role can help you make the decision to change your career for one that’s more suited to you, and your newfound hobby.
#7 – A Personal Trainer Fulfils Multiple Roles
Again, we’ve mentioned this before but it’s worth reiterating – your personal trainer isn’t just there to help you get fit, although this is a huge part of what they can offer you.
They’re also there to coach you through difficult times, bring up your spirits and mood when you’re feeling unmotivated, and provide you with inspiration when you need it most.
Think of all the times you nearly gave in, or that you didn’t go to the gym because you weren’t feeling up to it that day.
The first goal of your new personal trainer will be to stop that happening. They will be there to make sure your time spent in the gym is as efficient as possible.
Now, a personal trainer will employ a range of tools to help you through rough patches, as well as ensure that the sessions you undertake are as engaging and interesting as possible.
In fact, one of the key personal trainer advantages is the experience they’ll have with difficult clients will help them guide through your difficulties.
They may have even experienced some of those difficulties themselves, and be able to provide first-hand experience and advice on how to overcome the challenges you’re facing.
You might expect a personal trainer to use any of the following methods to keep you motivated.
- A combination of short-term and long-term goals
- Constant measurement of performance and revaluation of targets
- Progress photographs: sometimes, you won’t believe it until you see it!
- Always changing routine: your fitness programme should never feel stagnant with a personal trainer.
These methods actually form part of our next personal trainer advantages, and are key components of the role of a personal trainer.
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Why not provide these benefits for others by becoming a personal trainer yourself? Check out these guides to help you get started:
- How To Become a Personal Trainer in 6 Steps
- The Different Types Of Personal Trainer
- How To Find A Personal Trainer
#8 – Personal Trainers Make Excellent Use Of Data
While exercise may not necessarily be the first thing you associate with facts, figures and data, these all play a pivotal role in fitness, and are one of the most important factors when it comes to the advantages of a personal trainer.
A PT will tie all of this important information together, and use it to not only create meaningful and impactful training experiences, but also to put into perspective how far you’ve come.
This is crucial. It’s something we all lose sight of at some point in our fitness journey, but a personal trainer can help you keep that in mind as you exercise, and both grow and change as an individual.
They’ll often do that with the help of personal training software that helps to keep track of key metrics like:
- Key Measurements – including chest, waist, hip, and bust measurements (particularly for clients looking to lose weight), and measurements for the main muscle groups (like biceps, quads and shoulders).
- BMI (Body Mass Index)
- Heart Rate
- Calorie Intake
- RPE – the Rate of Perceived Exertion, which measures how intense the exercise you complete is
- Daily Step Total
Each of these data points combines to give your personal trainer a much clearer picture of your overall fitness levels, and how they can create a schedule that works for both you and your lifestyle.
For instance, they might choose to focus more on the upper body if your job is particularly cardio-intensive, like a postal worker. Or, they might prioritise the lower body if you’re exercising your upper body at work (such as a bricklayer or builder).
Essentially, data shapes and informs the trainer’s decisions when it comes to your sessions, and how they fit together to create a plan that helps you achieve your goals and aspirations.
#9 – PTs Can Answer All Your Fitness Questions
When you’re training alone, it’s natural that you’ll come across something you’re unsure of. This could be in the form of a specific exercise variation, a question about form or posture, or just a general query that relates to fitness.
Perhaps one of the less considered personal trainer advantages is that you’ve always got a point of reference for anything you’re confused or curious about.
It can be tempting to assume that you’ll never need the specialist advice a PT can give, but, as we’ve already touched on, a personal trainer learns a huge amount of information over the course of their qualification.
A good personal trainer will also be able to continue the discussion that follows any questions you might have had, and provide more information on how you can progress, and what to do to alleviate any issues you might have.
For instance, if you’re experiencing pain while performing a squat or lunge, a personal trainer may provide an alternative stance or movement that can help combat discomfort, while still ensuring that you make the progress you’re looking for.
The same goes for progression, too. A personal trainer, regardless of their experience levels, will understand that a client wants (and needs) to progress, and have suggestions on how they can do that.
This could be as simple as adding more weight to a deadlift, or an additional plate to a leg press, but they’ll also have specialist knowledge of the right balance of sets and reps to ensure progression without risking injury.
However, should you suffer a strain or twist, that leads us onto another of the most important personal trainer advantages.
#10 – Personal Trainers Can Provide Rehabilitative Exercises
Rehabilitation is a huge part of fitness. It forms a key component of effective recovery, and ensures you’ll be able to pursue your goals even after you’ve suffered an injury that might’ve otherwise stopped you.
However, this is a tricky aspect to get right when you’re training alone, or acting as your own personal trainer. In fact, you even risk aggravating or worsening an injury if it’s done incorrectly.
This is where the advantages of a personal trainer really shine through. They’ll help you to recover effectively, while still ensuring that you can continue to progress and develop.
Rehabilitation is learnt as part of any good personal training diploma, and ties together key aspects of the course, including advanced anatomy and physiology, the components of exercise, and how best to keep clients safe and healthy.
Great trainers will also be able to structure workouts and routines to better accommodate any pre-existing injuries or complaints that could potentially impact how a client exercises.
For example, they could prioritise leg exercises if their client has an issue with their shoulder or arms that means they can’t necessarily put too much weight or pressure on those muscles.
Ultimately, this requires a critical eye, and a thorough understanding of all the fundamentals of exercise in order to create a routine that both supports rehabilitation, and provides the body with a way to continue to grow stronger.
This, coupled with a personal trainer’s ability to think creatively about fitness and exercise, combines to make the last of our personal trainer advantages.
#11 – Personal Trainers Provide Variety In Your Training
Our last advantage of having a personal trainer is one that is perhaps most pivotal. This effectively shapes how you train, how you progress and how much you enjoy the training you do.
It’s natural that, when we train without the help of a trained professional, we’ll start to reach a plateau, or begin to get bored with the same, stagnant routines.
That’s where a personal trainer comes in.
One of the big personal trainer advantages is that, using their encyclopedic knowledge of exercise and fitness, they can provide new and exciting ways to progress, or push past some of the monotony you might experience with your training routines.
Personal trainers, whether they’re an online personal trainer or working at a large gym, will be able to diversify the workouts you do, and ensure that you always feel sufficiently motivated and challenged.
They’ll draw from more unorthodox training methods (like sandbag training), as well as more traditional exercises, like squats and deadlifts, to create a routine that doesn’t feel stale or monotonous.
This variation also combines well with another of our previously mentioned personal trainer advantages – PTs will also be able to track which workouts you excel in, and use these again in innovative ways.
These personal trainer skills all work together to create a package that can help you progress, without feeling the boredom that we might associate with completing the same workout or routine over and over again.
Frequently Asked Questions
While knowing all the personal trainer advantages is one way to decide whether you need a PT, it’s vital to be aware of all the aspects that factor into your decision.
Let’s explore some of the questions you might still have, and how they could shape your decision when considered alongside all the advantages of a personal trainer.
How Much Is A Personal Trainer?
Unfortunately, this is a question that doesn’t have a simple answer. There’s a few factors that can significantly influence how much you’ll be paying. Let’s examine these in more detail now.
Experience Levels
Naturally, more experienced personal trainers are likely to charge more. They’ll probably have additional qualifications (like a Level 4 in sports nutrition) that can supplement the services they offer, or provide additional value for clients.
A less experienced personal trainer, or someone who’s still developing their business, may offer lower overall prices, introductory offers, or packages that allow the client to save money overall.
Ultimately, when choosing a personal trainer, the advantages we’ve touched upon should always be considered, alongside your goals and aspirations, so you can make a properly informed decision.
For instance, a PT who costs less may be ideal if you’re looking for tailored guidance and exercise advice.
But, if you’re seeking something more specific, like dietary planning, then a more expensive trainer could offer a more comprehensive service, and provide a one-stop-shop for all your fitness needs.
Location
Instead of splitting prices into career paths, for personal training, it’s often more useful to split by region, or consider the geographical impact on pricing.
According to our research, the average cost of a personal trainer in London is between £50 and £60 for a one hour session, with more premium trainers charging up to £200 per session, although these are few and far between.
For the rest of the UK, the average price of a personal trainer sits at between £25 and £45, with some PTs charging up to £80 for more premium services, like meal planning, dietary analysis, and sports massage therapy.
To learn more about how location (and other factors) can influence cost, check out our complete exploration of personal trainer prices.
Of course, it goes without saying that to experience any of the personal trainer advantages above, you need to be comfortable paying what your trainer is charging.
How Often Do I Need To See A Personal Trainer?
While this will be down to your trainer, and the programme they design for you, on average, the amount you see them is usually down to you, your budget, and how much progress you want to see in a short period of time.
For instance, if you’re preparing ahead of a marathon or event, you might opt to up your usual sessions to 3 times per week.
Alternatively, if you’re feeling more confident with your workouts, and are comfortable with limited guidance, you could choose to reduce your sessions down to once every week, or even every fortnight.
The decision of how often to see your personal trainer should always take into account all the goals and aspirations you have, and the timeframe you’ve set for yourself.
However, just because you have a limited number of sessions with your PT, doesn’t mean you’ll be left floundering when you’re not working directly with them. While you’re training with your PT, they might encourage you to attend any one of:
- Nutrition Seminars or Classes
- Gym Classes
- Small Group Sessions
Are There Any Alternatives To Hiring A Personal Trainer?
It’s natural that, in spite of the myriad advantages of a personal trainer, you’d wonder if there was another way you could receive a similar service. Fortunately, there are options you can consider.
These won’t necessarily offer the same tailored advice, bespoke workout plans, and expertise, but can be incredibly helpful in specific situations.
For instance, if you’re someone who’s looking to improve their running speed or 5k time, you might choose to seek out a running coach, who will be able to provide guidance that’s specific to both your situation, and to running in general.
Or, if you’re more focused on building muscular endurance, you could opt for a strength and conditioning coach, whose training will have given them the necessary expertise and information to create tailored training for your specific needs.
Ultimately, though, if you’re looking to vastly improve your overall fitness, as well as strive towards your goals and aspirations, a personal trainer will provide you with absolutely everything you need.
Before You Go!
Personal trainers offer the complete skillset you’ll need to be able to accomplish your fitness goals, implement meaningful lifestyle changes, and ultimately become a healthier individual.
If you’d prefer to be self-sufficient, take that step yourself and qualify as a PT with OriGym’s exceptional personal training diploma. You’ll learn everything you need to know to be a successful and prosperous personal trainer in as little as 4 weeks.