Having a professional write your training programme and providing the right nutrition advice means you don’t have to do all the thinking and the research yourself. That is part of their job after all – they’re the experts!
We like doing what we like doing, and avoid discomfort – it’s human nature. It’s the elite athletes and highly motivated amongst us that enjoy pushing beyond our limits in order to develop, but even if you’re aiming to do that extra rep or shave a few seconds off a run, you’d be surprised just how much more you achieve with a PT at your side.
Not only will they ensure you put in your true maximum effort, having someone you’re accountable to makes you work harder, even when you’re not with them.
We’re the worst people to objectively assess our own progress; we’re likely to think we’re not doing as well as we’d like and get demotivated, or maybe the opposite – you might be chuffed to bits with that new ‘personal best’ dead-lift and conveniently ignore the shocking technique needed to achieve it.
A good PT will perform regular fitness tests and ensure you’re using correct exercise form, so you know exactly where you’re at and are neither cheating nor being unnecessarily harsh on yourself
Whether you’re already a fitness addict, or hate the thought of getting off the sofa, variety is key to motivation. Indeed, even the most committed exercisers often get stuck in a rut of doing the same thing and progress stutters as result.
Personal trainers have a vast toolbox of ideas to keep your programme engaging and fun, which is probably the single most important factor that will lead to success, as the best plan in the world is useless if you don’t want to follow it.
Personal training is no longer about being shouted at to run faster or do an extra press up, it’s about coaching you through all the lifestyle changes you need to achieve your goal, from exercise to nutrition and even stress management and sleep.
The knock-on effect is that other areas of your life improve, from relationships to your career.
So don’t just expect motivational quotes to get you through your workouts, top trainers will work with you to change your behaviour outside the gym too.