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There are thousands of free fitness resources scattered across the internet. From body weight DVD workouts to free trial subscriptions, yoga videos on YouTube and fitness instruction on Instagram - and most of them are fantastic.
However, it can get overwhelming to keep up with all of them. Especially when trying to find the ones that fit your needs.
Plus, your local gym probably has a few free or low-cost fitness classes that you can jump into at your convenience. Do you take advantage of these?
One of the first questions I ask all of my clients is: "With the availability of so many options, why choose a personal trainer?"
The answer comes down to your personality type and what styles of accountability you need.
Fitness Class
Fitness classes can offer a host of unique benefits like the opportunity to be a part of a large group, moral support from peers, and group camaraderie - great for extroverts. Having the motivation of your friends and a large social support structure is one of the best parts of a fitness class. There's also safety in numbers. Large group classes allow you to blend in and go through the motions - which is great for introverts. Everybody wins!
But the benefits of a fitness class are also its weakness. If you're feeling unmotivated, there can be little accountability to show up to a free group class. The free classes are especially notorious for inconsistent attendance - as there's no penalty for missing. Plus large classes mean less focused attention. If you're not doing the movements correctly, you're unlikely to get called out in large groups.
For the instructors, personalizing a workout to the needs of an individual is less likely with large groups. As a fitness instructor who's taught my share of bootcamps and cardio classes, I've seen the frustration of new members who are struggling to keep up with the class. There's also frustration when an advanced exerciser wants to go faster, further, and work harder but is being held back by large groups of newbies. It's difficult to customize a class to fit the needs of everyone in attendance.
Having said that, group fitness classes are ideal for people who need to break a sweat, burn some calories, and are easily bored with simple cardio. Group classes are also useful for people who don't want to research and develop their own fitness routines. They are designed to jump in and sweat.
Upholders and Obligers tend to do well with group fitness classes - whereas Questioners and Rebels struggle.
Personal Trainer
So why do people hire personal trainers?
With the internet housing the sum of human knowledge, you shouldn't need anyone telling you "what to do." All the information is out there.
When I ask my potential clients why they're looking for a personal coach, it always comes down to the same word: Accountability.
One problem is that there exists TOO MUCH information available. There is so much information on how to build muscle, burn fat, sculpt your body, improve your health, what to eat, what to drink, what not to eat, what not to drink, it gets very overwhelming. And much of that information can be flat out WRONG.
It's like working your way through a hedge maze. You don't know if you're going the right way until you hit a dead end.
Some people just want to cut through the clutter and be told exactly what to do. It's like having their coach standing over the maze able to give direction.
In addition, the strategies from a personal coach are crafted to fit the individual. Where in a group fitness class or exercise DVD, the techniques are targeted to the average person in the class.
The accountability that comes from having a coach is unmatched. You have someone to report to, someone who knows when you're working out and can make improvements to your program as you progress.
Upholders and Obligers also do well with personal trainers, but the added accountability works well for Questioners and even Rebels. A good coach can fit the training requirements to fit the individual's tendencies.
Fit Your Needs
Whichever choice you go with (or both), make sure it suits your tendency and fits your goals. Taking a step aerobics class won't be sufficient to build muscle, and extreme self-starters may not need a daily accountability coach.
If you've ever been curious about personal training, you can learn more about how it works - and get a free fitness consult with me - by going here.
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