Personal trainer

[hmk715 217]

I have been working out with a trainer for 1 year now. I started for the same reasons as you- I was clueless and intimidated by weights. Weight training with a trainer has helped me bud muscle and progress from 5 and 8 lbs dumbbells to now using 15-20 lbs dumbbells. It is an expense and I put $ aside each month so that I can prepay for a large block of sessions. Doing that allows my trainer to give me a break on the overall cost and keeps me committed dice it is all prepaid. Just make sure that before you commit you are working with someone you are comfortable with. Here's a little "muscle" shot for inspiration and remember "sore today, strong tomorrow".

Check out those guns!!! Awesome!! That's what I want !!!!

[hmk715 217]

I am working out with a personal trainer every two weeks (and doing the excercises on my own in between). You have to find one that is willing to work with your goals and limitations and then it is great! Mine knows I have a herniated disc and modifies for that. He is helping me to strengthen the muscles around my knees so they don't hurt so much. My % body fat is dropping, % muscle is increasing, and I look and feel better. My trainer helps keep me motivated. Only downside is the cost - but on e every two weeks helps.

The cost is a lot but I figure I'll start once a week and then eventually once every two weeks.

[Euroyen99 37]

I have been working out with a trainer three times a week for the last eight months. It has really helped me to tone up and get in shape. I am doing everything I can to not have to have plastic surgery. I have lost a total of 170 pounds since March of 2013. Here is a shot my wife took this morning after the shower. I think the trainer is worth every penny.

[aroundhky 1,174]

Great job Euroyen!

[hmk715 217]

I have been working out with a trainer three times a week for the last eight months. It has really helped me to tone up and get in shape. I am doing everything I can to not have to have plastic surgery. I have lost a total of 170 pounds since March of 2013. Here is a shot my wife took this morning after the shower. I think the trainer is worth every penny.

:

Congrats!! That's awesome and I've only had the one session so far but I'm hoping to avoid plastics as well. Fingers crossed!!

Thanks everyone for your input!

[WhoKnows 288]

I'd love to avoid plastics, but despite my intense workouts and heavy weight training, I still see loose skin coming on my upper arms and inner thighs. I'm cautiously optimistic about my stomach though. We'll see...

[4me4them 381]

Love training with a personal trainer. It is the one hour of the week that I don't have to think...I only have to do. It is almost like therapy for me and helps me manage stress. Key thing is to find the right one. My first one about 10 years ago was from a body building background and I think, looking back she was not really in tune with helping someone as overweight as me...she did become a personal friend though The one I had most recently comes from an athletic background and was very good at rehabbing/strengthening my knees and hips at a challenging but manageable pace. The only con is that it can be expensive..

[jtickle 295]

I'm not trying to be a shill for Planet Fitness, but for anyone on a very limited budget their membership only runs around 10 dollars a month, and they have free trainers on staff. They do training in small groups... but most of the trainers seem to be quite willing to help out with questions between classes. I imagine having a personal trainer can't be beat, but there are alternatives if you are just starting out and need some guidance.

They will also do private personal training sessions at Planet Fitness. You just have to make an appointment. It may be a black card thing though. It's only 20 a month and you can use the whole gym. I love planet fitness. I also belong to anytime fitness and I hate going there. Their trainers are constantly bugging you to buy training sessions and the place is full of lunks. I had a free training session there once and I had to explain to the trainer that I have screws and rods in my lower back. He tried to convince that he was a spine specialist. He nearly killed me. That was the last time I went. I did some research and for the most part anyone can become a personal trainer. You just have to take a test. A certified athletic trainer has a bachelor's degree in kinesiology. An exercise physiologist has a master's degree in kinesiology.

[SD Kelly 17]

I think a trainer is a great idea . I just went for my 1 week Post Op yesterday and was told all I can do is cardio no core/ab exercises for at least a month. I am so ready to get back to the gym with my trainer. So when I return to work next week I will just do cardio until then.

[Ginger Snaps 1,323]

There's also some psychological advantages to having a trainer. For one, I know I'm gonna see Amy on Thursday so that helped me win that psychological battle to roll out of bed at 5:30 this morning and head to the gym. I feel like it's a waste of money and time to pay her to work out with me once a week and then not take the accountability to go in between and practice what we worked on.

Also, she makes me feel like an athlete. When I'm working out with her, I'm sweating and grunting and I look over at people pushing light weights on a machine half-heartedly and I think "Man, I'm tough!" It pumps me up to work even harder.

It also helps me that she teaches me to balance off the body parts in a workout and teaches me the right form. I KNOW I'm doing exercises the right way and that will help me avoid injuries. That gives me a lot of confidence. W

Let's face it -- with all the money I'm saving on fast food and junk food, I can easily pay her fees!

Ginger

[Kathy Rick Draper 0]

This probably differs from franchise to franchise for the private training at Planet Fitness. I am the trainer out our PF and we don't have outside training for a fee. I do the Design your own workout classes. I do have classes all day long but the DYOW classes are primarily the ones that get the most participants. I can work with individuals if someone is not signed up for say the Abs or Chest class. I love that I can help people without having to go drum up clients. I love paying it forward. I have a nutrition cert, PT cert through NASM and also cerified as a R.I.P.P.E.D. instructor. I am currently studying to be a Corrective Exercise Specialist. Reason I became a trainer. I have worked with 3 trainers and 2 of those trainers caused injuries. Clients deserve better and to have someone actually listen to them and help them get stronger no matter the issue!!!

[jtickle 295]

I am going to school to become an exercise physiologist. I was going to school for nursing but I decided I love exercise so much why not do that and help people. So I changed my major.

[hmk715 217]

My personal trainer came this morning to take measurements and percentages - In the last year, on top of losing 96 pounds (so far), I've lost over 25 inches around my whole body and I've dropped over 8% in body fat just since May. What a great way to start the day!! Happy Thursday everyone!

[jtickle 295]

My personal trainer came this morning to take measurements and percentages - In the last year, on top of losing 96 pounds (so far), I've lost over 25 inches around my whole body and I've dropped over 8% in body fat just since May. What a great way to start the day!! Happy Thursday everyone!

That's awesome!!! I bet that made your day.

[poohbear1019 31]

I day I start with a personal trainer. I'm a little over 3 months post-op - was sleeved on April 21, 2014. I've only been doing cardio, for the most part - walking, treadmill, elliptic

al and now doing the couch-to-5K app outside since the weather is gorgeous.

The problem is that I know nothing about strength and weight training and I'm not the kind of person who can watch a YouTube video to work on it - I need a teacher, I need actual guidance - someone to tailor something for my needs, watch my form and most importantly - keep me accountable!! I'd prefer not to have any more surgery and I think the best way to avoid cosmetics/plastics is to really kick the weight training in/up.

I found a number of people online and she seemed the most reasonable and she actually got me in touch with another bariatric client of hers, which made me feel great!!

I'm nervous! Maybe that's weird but I'm nervous. The idea of failure is always sitting in the back of my mind - can I do this? Will I bail? I don't meet with her until 7 and I've been awake since 4!!

Has anyone else gone the personal training route? Pros? Cons?

Hey hmk715,

If you can afford a trainer, I would definitely do it. There are awsome trainers and some sucky ones too! If for whatever reason you don't like the one you have now, find another one. Trainers are like any other profession, think doctors that you have had. Some are better than others and some have better personalities than others.