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Should you workout with a personal trainer?
At least use a trainer to teach you the basics
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So you have
decided to eat right, exercise regularly, lost all the
weight that you wanted to, and have now reached a point
that
dieting or exercising are just second nature to you.
You enjoy working out and feel awkward the day you don't.
Martha is one of these women who is now so much into
staying fit that she has started to workout with weights.
"So I borrowed books from the library and I felt confident
that I had gained enough knowledge on
weight training. But I wonder if I should I hire a
personal trainer. I do not have a lot of money to spend
and I hear that these folks are typically quite expensive.
What do you suggest?” she asks. |
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 A
personal trainer is definitely a good advisor to have,
especially if you are starting a
strength-training
program. It does not come cheap, but it is like taking
lessons in anything else – it is an investment in you and
your health. The trainer has experience and is
knowledgeable about different
body types and the type of exercises that can produce
desired results for each type. First, s/he will determine
your initial state better than you can. S/he will also be
able to develop a program that is safe, but effective.
A good
trainer will be able to teach you how to do the exercises
when you are alone. This is one of the most valuable
learning from a personal trainer. Most of us, like
Martha, do not have the resources to have a permanent
personal trainer; so it is always a good idea to learn the
technique from the trainer in a few sessions and then
workout on your own. You can go back to the trainer every
couple of months when you have achieved your goals or if
you just want to move to the next level.
(Related:
How stars get fat)
The
personal trainer will vary your routine so you do not
plateau or get into a rut in your
fitness level and routine. This is a very common
problem among those who do not have a trainer. If you have
any health problems, such as bad knees, a trainer will
design a program that is safe for the knees and that will
actually strengthen them.
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Alternatives to personal trainers
If
you cannot have a personal trainer, there are still
a few other alternatives:
- Do it online.
There are services like
online personal trainer services like Gym America
that offer online access to a personal trainer who
will develop a program for you and you can also
ask questions. This service is obviously much
cheaper (the communication is either by email or
chat) and you can do your workout at home or in
your gym.
- Get a buddy.
Workout with a friend. Most trainers will give
a discount for two or more people. You can team up
and both of you can later on share your knowledge
and help each other.
- Books/videos. You
can learn many techniques by studying from a book
or a DVD, but it will not be as effective as a
trainer will be. The best is to combine both so
you can learn faster.
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