Every trainer loves that kind of feedback, but it really meant a lot to me because if you had told me two years ago that I, of all people, would be a personal trainer, I would have laughed at you. Laughed heartily. Not only because I was 218 pounds (not my heaviest, I might add), but also because I apparently had no idea what a trainer did. In my head, they must've been glorified rep counters. When a friend of mine came to me and said he wanted to train me, I said no. After all, I subscribed to every fitness magazine there was, which clearly made me an expert. Uhem. 218 pounds of asthma and knee and back problems, notwithstanding. I couldn't imagine what he could possibly have to offer me. He's still my trainer and now also my mentor, and he occasionally reminds me of my attitude going into this. I'm clearly biased about the usefulness of a trainer, but I am in no way exaggerating when I say that having one changed (and saved!) my life.
But I get it. Having a personal trainer seems like a luxury when the cost of just surviving seems so high. After losing nearly 80 pounds and getting my life back, I will tell you that there is a whole lot I would give up in order to keep my trainer. I make sure I have food and shelter and that my car won't be repossessed, and then I make sure he is paid. Everything else is secondary.
Here is what I've gained from having a trainer. Maybe it's my top ten of why I think they're really important. (And not JUST because I hope you'll hire me, but you know... )
1. Nixed the intimidation factor. Truth: gyms are intimidating. I sure didn't want to walk in one and be "that girl". But having someone there walking me through things made it not so bad. And he was pretty great about helping me get to know people so it quickly became a community of friends.
2. Learned how to do the exercises properly. Not to knock books and magazines, but there is no comparison between learning from them and learning from a real live person. My shoulders used to ache every time I would make myself do pushups. A magazine couldn't tell me that I had my elbows in the wrong position, but my trainer caught it immediately. Anyone can learn to do bicep curls from a magazine, but a trainer can tell you that you are assisting with your torso and thereby limiting the effectiveness of the exercise.
3. Received planned programs: This analogy may not work for you, but before I had a trainer, a gym always felt like walking into a yarn store: completely overwhelming because of all the possibilities. Machines everywhere, so many exercises from which to choose. But when I worked with a trainer, I had a plan that was designed specifically for me and my needs and my body's capabilities.
4. Felt free to fly: One of the first times my trainer had my heart rate up to my appropriate working range, I remember thinking I might actually die. I wasn't used to it. But he was watching me like a hawk, and no detail went unnoticed. I learned that I could trust him to take care of me. Here's what I wrote in a blog post that night: One of the things I think I love about working with a trainer is the fact that I will let him push me harder than I would push myself. And not just in a "Go! Faster! Harder! Higher!" sort of way. But in a way that I will trust myself into his hands. I have full confidence in him and his knowledge, and I know he is paying more attention to what my body is saying than I know how to do yet. It kind of sets me free to go really hard without worrying that I'm going to injure myself or go harder than I can go. I guess it's like how trapeze artists feel knowing that they are working with a safety net under them-- like they are free to fly and flip and soar without having to worry.
5. Learned I had a lot more in me than I realized. One of the early concepts that my trainer taught me was the concept of intensity. He taught me what it was to dig deep inside of me and be able to put all of me into my workout. Every time I whined that I was giving it all I had, he taught me that I really had more. He showed me how I was cheating myself. And as he taught me how to pull that out of myself, a strang thing happened. I began to see myself as strong and determined, and that changed everything else I did in my life.
6. Rehabbed injuries. When I was in high school, I messed up my knees. Like to the point where I could barely walk without a lot of pain. I went to a knee specialist who was pretty much no help. But within a few months of working with a trainer, my knees were a lot better. I've gotten to the point where I can run and deadlift and leg press and do ATG (butt to ground) squats. He's worked with me to correct muscle imbalances, and now there is not much I can't do. But without him, I would've had to baby my knees for the rest of my life.
7. Learned how to eat. Eating is where a lot of us get tripped up. Even if we get the exercise part worked out, we don't know how to eat, at least not really. There is a lot of information out there and it's hard to sort out what's accurate and helpful. From my trainer, I learned how many calories my body needed and an appropriate ratio of carbohydrates, fats and proteins. I learned how to weigh foods so that I could stay within my guidelines anywhere I ate.
8. Had a motivator. As much as we'd all like to believe that we are self starters, that's sometimes a bit (um... er... quite a bit) of an exaggeration. On crappy days in the beginning when I just wasn't feeling it and didn't yet have a passion of my own, he seemed to lend me some of his energy. I'll be truthful-- without him, I would've either done a lot of "phone it in" workouts, or skipped them all together.
9. Had fun. Don't get me wrong. My trainer (as are most of them) is serious. But he took the time to make my time in the gym fun, even while I was working hard. He made a point of cutting up with me between sets and while he always placed a high priority on making sure I was doing the workout my body needed, he also designed workouts based on what he knew I liked. Before I had friends in the gym, he was the person who made the time something I would look forward to all day. Without him, it would've been total drudgery. I probably would've quit.
10. Had one person who believed in me. The world is busy telling us why we can't. Let's be honest. That voice gets stuck in our head. But when I walked into the gym, no matter what else I had heard that day, the loudest voice was the one who, in essence, said "Suck it up, buttercup. You can do this." It's kind of like having your own private cheerleader. Well, minus the spirit fingers.
Your health matters. And my guess is that hiring a trainer would do more for you than you ever imagined. But don't take my word for it... many trainers offer a free session. Get to know one. Try out several if you have to. Think you can't afford it? It's a lot more affordable than being hurt and sick and living in a body you don't love.
