Is a Personal Trainer Worth It?

Written by David Stauffer
July 17, 2024

If you’re someone who wants to take their workouts to the next level, or are just getting started out and want some guidance, hiring a personal trainer can be a huge benefit. Personal trainers can help tailor your workouts and hold you accountable if you’re someone who finds it hard to stay motivated in the gym.

However, personal trainers can also be expensive, and they aren’t all created equally. You may know someone who loves their personal trainer, decide to hire one yourself, and realize that the experience isn’t all it’s cracked up to be. 

If you’re someone who is thinking about hiring a personal trainer, then this article is for you! We’ll go over fitness trainer benefits, the negatives that may come with hiring a personal trainer, and offer some guidance on how a personal trainer may assist people at different fitness levels.

 

 

Perks to Hiring a Personal Trainer 

There are many perks to hiring a personal trainer. The internet can only help you so much on your fitness journey, and sometimes it takes that extra push of a dedicated coach to get you motivated or over whatever plateau you’ve hit. 

Here are some positives you may want to consider if you’re thinking about personal training:

  • Tailored Workouts: A personal trainer will create curated workouts for you depending on your goals, fitness level, and any previous injuries you may have suffered or are recovering from. Making your own workout plan is well and good, but if you want to get into the nitty gritty, sometimes it takes a professional’s help to really maximize the time you spend in the gym.
  • Proper Form and Technique: A personal trainer will be with you your entire gym session, and can help correct improper form or technique in real time. This can help prevent injury and guarantee that you’re getting the most out of your workouts. 
  • Accountability: Having someone hold you accountable can help you stay motivated and keep you from skipping workouts. Your personal trainer is there for you and only you, so they’ll do their best to keep you on track.
  • Variety of Exercises: Trainers will introduce new routines and techniques to keep you from getting bored. Mixing it up will keep you from hitting plateaus and prevent boredom.

Negatives to Hiring a Personal Trainer

Hiring a personal trainer can have negatives along with the positives. The following are some things you may want to think about before you pull the trigger and pay for personal training sessions:

  • Cost: One of the biggest things that keeps people from hiring personal trainers is the cost. But how much does it cost for a personal trainer? There are a bunch of factors that play into how much you’ll pay like location, trainer experience, and length of sessions. If you’re in a higher cost of living area, a trainer will be more expensive. A personal trainer will also cost more the better their reputation is or the more certifications they have. On average, you can expect to pay on average $40-$100 per hour for a personal trainer. 
  • Scheduling: When you hire a personal trainer, you’ll be dealing with two schedules when it comes to hitting the gym instead of just your own. If you have a busy life or a lot of commitments, it may be hard to fit a personal trainer into your schedule. 
  • Dependance: Some folks may become overly dependent on their personal trainer and find it hard to workout without them if the trainer moves or it becomes too expensive. 
  • Quality: Not all personal trainers are created equal, and you may find yourself spending money on someone who you don’t work well with. Be sure to do your research before you spend money on a personal trainer. You can even ask for a test session to check and make sure you work well together before you commit a larger sum of money. 

Personal Training for Different Fitness Levels 

You don’t have to be just starting out to benefit from personal training. Here are how different fitness levels can benefit from having a dedicated individual guide them on through their workouts: 

 

Novice: For beginners, having a personal trainer can be a huge benefit if they have the time and money. They can help you set realistic goals and create a structured routine which can be crucial to keep you on track when you’re just getting started.

 

Intermediate: If you’ve been going to the gym for a bit, a trainer can help you refine your technique and introduce new exercises into your regime to keep your body guessing. If you’ve found yourself plateauing, a trainer can tailor workouts to get you over the hump. They may have even experienced a similar plateau themselves at one point!

 

Advanced: Even if you’re an expert in the gym, a personal trainer can be a benefit! Trainers can provide specific sports techniques, help with injury prevention, and optimize workout strategies so you don’t have to derail your routine. 

The Bottom Line

If you’re still asking yourself if a personal trainer is worth it, here’s a summary that may help you make the decision:

Personal Training is Worth It If:

  • You’re a beginner who would benefit from guidance.
  • You struggle with going to the gym consistently and need someone to hold you accountable. 
  • You have specific fitness goals or are rehabbing from an injury. 
  • You’ve reached a plateau in your fitness and are trying to break through to the next level. 

 

Personal Training isn’t Worth It If:

  • You’re on a tight budget. Cost is a big prohibitive factor with personal training, and if you don’t have the money to spend on one right now it’s best to hold off. .
  • You’re disciplined enough to motivate yourself to get in the gym and do your own research when it comes to variance in your workouts. 
  • You have a hectic schedule and would have a hard time working around other things in your life to schedule sessions with someone else. 

Personal Training at City Fitness 

If you think a personal trainer would help you take the next step in your fitness journey, the THRIVE Coaches at City Fitness are excited to help you really dig deep and get to the next level. Whatever your goals our, there is a THRIVE Coach to help you reach them. 

If you want to supplement your personal training with a group fitness class check out our class schedule for one of our awesome experiences we have at our City Fitness locations. If you have any questions, please reach out to the closest City Fitness to you.

City Fitness is also delighted to offer all newcomers a Complimentary Experience that allows them to come and check out any of our locations for a day at no cost to them. Come take a class and hit up the sauna when you’re done!