Do You Think You Need A Personal Trainer?

Are you interested in working out with a personal trainer but want to learn more before you try? You may not know what to expect, what the advantages are, or how to find a fitness trainer that is best suited for you.

I asked Connor Youngman, Equinox Lincoln Common Personal Trainer a lot of questions on the topic! His answers are extremely helpful and take the mystery out of personal fitness training. Especially for women over 40, and as we continue to age, it’s important to built muscle mass, increase our bone density and our metabolism. We also know (as we get older and wiser) that often times we need to hire an expert to get things done correctly! A personal trainer may just be the answer to get you on track and to help you reach your personal fitness goals. You don’t have to do it alone.

Q&A With A Personal Trainer

Who needs a personal trainer?

No one needs a personal trainer to accomplish their fitness goals. Similarly, you don’t need a cell phone to make plans with a friend, but it’s much less of a headache than sending a letter in the mail or showing up at their doorstep unannounced (it’s 2020, don’t show up at someone’s house unannounced). Even though you don’t “need” a personal trainer, hiring one will allow you to reach your goals safely and effectively while avoiding the otherwise inevitable headaches (and body aches). Whether you’ve been working out for ten days or ten years, you can benefit from a personal trainer.

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What are the advantages of having a personal trainer?

Everyone learns through mistakes, but they don’t have to be yours. This is where a personal trainer can be so beneficial. You benefit not only from your trainer’s formal education but also from the years of experience and mistakes they’ve made. Investing in a trainer means you get to skip past the mistakes and plateaus that come from trying to do it on your own. A good trainer will also create a workout program that’s individualized to you, catering to your body and your goals. It’s much less stressful to have a specific plan each time you go to the gym.

When you invest in a personal trainer, you’ll be more consistent because you’re also investing in yourself—in your health, your body, your confidence, and your quality of life. When you put something on the line (time, money, energy, etc.), you show up, are present and dedicate to a higher level. And when you add a personal trainer, someone you deeply don’t want to let down, you add more fuel to the fire of accountability, dedication, and motivation.

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Especially as we age and/or have injuries, how is it helpful to work with a personal fitness trainer?

As you age, you’ll experience decreases in muscle mass, bone density and metabolism. This makes everything more difficult: getting stronger, preventing injury, and improving (or maintaining) body composition. A personal trainer will create a program that focuses on building/maintaining muscle, gaining strength, increasing bone density, and minimizing the reduction in metabolism. All these things are important so you can improve your quality of life, feel more confident in your body, and keep your sense of independence.

Do you give exercises or training routines to do outside the scheduled personal training sessions?

Yes. The workouts I give my clients are a part of their training program. These workouts include warm-ups, exercises, video demonstrations, and goal weights, sets, and reps. However, my clients who are newer and don’t require as much may receive step goals, cardio sessions, or mobility work. It’s all dependent on the client.

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How often do you recommend meeting with you?

For clients who are newer to the gym—or coming back from a hiatus—I generally recommend 2-3 sessions per week. For my clients who frequently work out and have excellent form, I’ll see them 1-2 times per week. Some of my experienced clients don’t need to see me multiple times per week, but enjoy the extra push they get from having me by their side.

Do you help with nutrition or any other health, body and mind related issues?

I help my clients with their nutrition, mindset and body image. When it comes to nutrition, I focus on habits. Making small changes to your nutritional habits is a great way to make progress that lasts and enjoy the process. Your diet shouldn’t feel like a diet. If it does, it’s not sustainable; and if it’s not sustainable, what’s the point?

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How does someone get started? What can they expect?

The best way to get started is to set up a handful of consultations with different trainers in your area. Just think of your initial consultation as a first date; there’s no pressure, you just want to see if it’s a good fit. If you find a good trainer, they’ll tailor the workouts to your current fitness level. As your body adapts, the workouts progress.

How can someone find a personal trainer that is right for them?

There are three main things to consider when hiring a personal trainer: being on time, doing great work, and being a pleasure to work with. You can find out if a trainer does great work if they have a collection of progress pictures and success stories. If they don’t have either of those handy, ask if they can put you in touch with a few former and current clients. Odds are, you’re going to see your trainer more frequently than you see your friends, so you want to make sure you enjoy your sessions. I use the drink test: if this person wasn’t your trainer, would you grab a drink with them? If not, you may want to keep looking.

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What is unique about personal training at Equinox?

Personal training at Equinox is unique because of the focus on client experience. It’s not about the trainers, it’s about you. We offer two complementary sessions: one is an assessment, the other is a training session. The assessment allows the trainer to get the information they need to help you get to your goals safely and effectively; it also allows them to provide a customized training session, rather than bringing you through a random workout without any rhyme or reason.

–Connor Youngmann is a person trainer at Equinox Lincoln Common.

Find An Equinox Near You

I had the opportunity to meet with an Equinox personal trainer for an evaluation and several training sessions and it was amazing! She was able to address my own concerns about looking better, avoiding injuries and staying fit and strong (well) over 40! I can tell you first-hand it was worth it.

Equinox has 106 clubs in the US, Canada and London. Find an Equinox near you and you can work with one of their personal trainers. I highly recommend it!

 

Carol Calacci

Feature photo: Equinox | All other photos iStock

You may also like to read Are You A True Athlete? Equinox Trains You Like A Pro and How To Reduce Your Risk Of Osteoporosis With Exercise.

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