It’s common for people to think of a session with a personal trainer as a form of punishment, a large angry man shouting at you! Not any more…
Far from it, as more and more people are finding out. The personal trainer used to be just for the wealthy celeb or the top athletes, but that time has gone and normal people are calling on these professionals to get fit and healthy and in the martial arts assit in improving techniques and specific conditioning. But, we already have gym membership or train at our martial arts class!! Why would we pay a personal trainer on top of that?
- Motivation - It’s true, we pay the membership! But a personal trainer is the motivation most of us need. They thrive on it and they love nothing more than helping you achieve your goals. Even if you don’t see your personal trainer every week they still motivate you as they are waiting to hear your progress at the next session. Your personal trainer is the one person, guaranteed, that’s behind you every step waiting for you to succeed and reach your goals, now that’s motivation.
- Personalised training - Whether you are a martial artist, a weekend warrior or new mum looking to get your figure back, your personal trainer will tailor your workouts to your goals. They will take into account your physical condition, limitations and time and together you will develop a realistic plan to reach your goals. Because the plan involves realistic goals you cannot shirk responsibility, it’s made specifically for you. This leaves you completely accountable and ultimately, when you achieve your goals the feeling of achievement is totally yours.
- Technique - Good personal trainers have worked hard to achieve their qualifications. They have to have in depth knowledge of anatomy, physiology, biomechanics and training methods to qualify, we can all go and lift weights at the gym, run on a treadmill, kick a bag but we don’t all know how to avoid injury whilst doing it. Your personal trainer will demonstrate the correct posture and technique correcting you to avoid injury. If you need extra support or advice while doing an exercise they will quickly spot this and rectify it before damage occurs.
- Maximise workout time - When you have a personal trainer the time you spend with them is maximised. As you already have a plan and set out goals together your trainer knows the optimal approach to achieve these. If you are on your own there is a risk you may be doing the completely wrong workout to achieve the desired results. This could lead to avoidance of the exercise as you feel it is not effective for you.
- Holistic approach - A personal trainer takes into account many factors while planning your workouts. Sleep and nutrition are equally as important as the exercise when it comes to achieving your goals. Having a quality, qualified trainer means you get all the up to date information you need regarding diet and nutrition and the effects this can have on training. They are always willing to share their advice and because they have a vested interest in you, will be a lot more reliable than the latest magazine with a new fad diet.
- Results driven training – If you follow the advice and programming from your trainer you are guaranteed to achieve your goals quicker. So, you’ve reached your goals? Your personal trainer will help you develop the next step. It could be the next competition, grading or that half marathon you’ve always wanted to do simply to maintain the fitness levels you have achieved. Every step, they are there to support you in becoming what you would like to be, based on where you are now.
- Specialist areas – If your personal trainer has specialist specific knowledge of your sport or leisure activity they will be able to programme you with specific workout sessions improving technique and physiological improvement, as well as workout programmes to enhance your PT sessions, assisting you in achieving specific goals in this area. If you have clinical conditions or injury the right personal trainers will be able to work with you to negate any adverse issues and assist in your rehabilitation. These trainers have taken extra courses and gained extra qualifications to enable them to meet specialist needs.
- Flexibility and convenience - When time is precious it’s often hard to find the time to prioritise your fitness. At these times a personal trainer is very useful. You may not have the time to go to the gym or your class every day but your personal trainer will devise a regime where you can do something that supports your goals. This means when you do come in your exercise is optimised and you are still supporting your ambitions.
- Personal relationship - Last of all is the relationship you have with your personal trainer. Even spending as little as 3 hours per week with your trainer you will build up a strong relationship. They can tell when you need to let off steam, when you need encouragement and when you are pushing yourself too hard. They may wait until you have finished with the punch bag before asking if you are ok, but they really are with you every step.
If you’re interesting in Personal Training give Paragon Health & Fitness a call for a free consultation