Personal trainers are somewhat like magicians. They can make fat disappear, and make muscles hurt and appear out of nowhere! Of course, working with personal trainers take a little bit more than magic, it takes discipline, sweat, and sometimes tears, but when you’ve found the right trainer, the whole process isn’t all that bad.
Not too long ago, you had to join a big gym to even find a personal trainer. And on top of your membership fees, you had to pay your trainer a weekly or monthly premium for that one on one attention. But times have changed. Now you can’t log into Facebook without seeing an ad for another personal trainer. You can find a trainer any and everywhere. In the gym, at your apartment building, at the community center, your local parks, and recently, even online.
You Might Need an Online Trainer if . . .
Online personal trainers may not be right for everyone, and vice versa. As the client, you have to be a person who is comfortable using technology, hopping on the phone and staying on top of texts and emails. Otherwise, it will be nearly impossible for your trainer to stay in contact and keep you on track with your training program.
In addition, before you go with an online trainer, make sure that you’re ok with following a plan, and pushing yourself even when your trainer isn’t watching.
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On the bright side, online trainers are the perfect solution for the person who’s rarely in the same place or who keeps an unusual schedule. If you can’t really make it to the gym at “normal” times, it can be much easier for you to just bring your trainer’s workout with you on your work trips, vacations, or your home in the middle of the night.
Online training programs can also be more flexible. So rather than workout at the same time each day, you can move your workouts around, especially if your schedule changes often.
One additional advantage of working with online trainers is usually cost savings. Since no one has to pay a fee to use a gym, or gas to show up for your workouts, online trainers can often be less expensive than the ones in your gym.
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Just make sure you shop around and go with the trainer who seems easy to talk to and whose communication is flawless. You should be able to reach them when you need and they should be checking in often to make sure you aren’t slipping!
You Might Need an In-Person Trainer if . . .
The traditional trainers who you work out with in-person also have their advantages and some disadvantages. You should probably go with an in-person trainer if you are just starting out in this fitness game. If you have no clue how to lift weights, do a squat, or stretch a hamstring, you could really benefit from that in-person attention that the online trainer may not be able to give you.
The same goes if you know that you’ll go to the gym with a plan, but you’ll barely push yourself and you’ll take breaks after every crunch you do. An in-person trainer can keep you moving through your gym session so that you’re constantly being challenged and getting your money’s worth.
On the other hand, if you cannot stick to a regular schedule and you often keep people waiting, an in-person trainer may not have the flexibility for your tardiness. Most trainers have multiple clients back to back so every minute counts. Similarly, if your life takes you away from the gym more often than not, you may not want to work with an in-person trainer since your gym sessions will be few and far between.
Ask Questions
Still, don’t know which type of trainer is right for you? Don’t be afraid to ask. Hit up an online trainer who you’ve been eyeing on Instagram and find out how their programs work. Look for regularly scheduled check-ins and see how communicative they are. And of course get those credentials! Same goes for your favorite trainer at your gym.
Find out what they’re about, and how they plan to motivate you. For any trainer, make sure you like them as a person because you’re in for a long relationship that will have some ups and downs! Getting through your workouts will be much easier if you vibe with them.
Sharita Jennings is a fitness and travel enthusiast and creator of Get Fit Like That, LLC. She is a health policy attorney and ACE certified group fitness instructor and fitness nutrition specialist. She provides online fitness plans and leads group fitness classes in Washington DC. Check out her fitness tips and workouts at GetFitLikeThat.com.
