THE ARTICLE
These days, the benefits of personal training are well known. The individualised instruction you receive from a certified personal trainer is the very best way to get started with exercise, because proper technique is key to avoiding injury, and because personal motivation is critical to being able to stick with the programme. Personal trainers are an excellent way to advance and make changes to your exercise programme, because they know how to take you to the next level of fitness. Having a personal trainer is also an excellent way to deal with an injury or other special needs. However, it can be hard to find the funds to invest in both the gym and the trainer, and alternative ways of getting personal training are becoming popular: online and at home.
Some people find that hiring an at-home personal trainer is the best way to be sure they stick to their fitness plan. When the economy soured, at home personal training became more affordable because more trainers were willing to negotiate their prices. Working with a trainer at home means foregoing the usual gym luxuries (and expenses) such as whirlpools and the latest fitness gear, but in exchange you get convenience, privacy, and someone showing up at your door that you can’t send away. The commitment of working out with someone at home has proven invaluable to many exercisers in terms of actually meeting their fitness goals. Many people prefer not to work out at a gym because they feel self-conscious, and they have been able to negotiate lower rates with at-home personal trainers by paying for more sessions up front or by sharing the cost with another client. Teaming up with a friend is both motivating and money saving: you can each pay $50 instead of one of you paying $80 for an hour of training. Trainers have advantages in home-based training too, in that they don’t have to share their earnings with a gym.
To ensure safety, those considering at-home personal training should interview at least three individuals and check all references. You will be working closely with your trainer so you want someone you feel comfortable with, not intimidated by. It is also important to find someone who communicates well with you and who explains things in a way you understand. It is recommended that you ask referrals if they ever felt uncomfortable with the trainer. After all, these are people you will be letting into your home. Trainers should have certification from a well-known fitness organisation and should carry liability insurance.
Online personal training is another ever-growing option. Online personal training is even more affordable than at-home or in-the-gym personal training. Like at home training, you can work out in the privacy of your own home, or your online trainer can give you a programme to do at the gym, or that you can use to work out outside – so it’s very flexible. A service such as the online training that we offer is highly intensive where you are in constant communication with a professional fitness trainer who takes care of exercise, nutrition and general lifestyle.
Online training is also an effective way to get fit. A study in the Journal of the American Medical Association showed that weight loss programmes delivered via the Internet are effective in producing weight loss, and are far more effective than simply having access to weight loss information websites.
Some online trainers offer video libraries of exercise demonstrations, so you can be sure you are using the correct technique in your workouts. Others offer dietary counselling and advice, so that if you want to lose weight you can get both fitness and diet support to meet your goals. Most also offer the ability to track your progress online, which can be a great motivator over time and is an important component to success in any fitness programme. These are all services offered by our professionals.
Finally, all offer personal contact with your trainer, so it’s not like you’re just surfing the web for fitness information. Online personal trainers will respond to your individual questions and will be there for you, just as they should be. So now with these at-home and online options, there’s no reason you can’t have a personal trainer work with you and help you achieve your fitness goals, starting now.
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