Do You Really Need a Personal Trainer?

Many of the people on my triathlon team work out twice a week with personal trainers. As they’re all much faster than me, I decided to treat myself to three months with my own personal trainer. This was a good thing, because alone, I would not drag myself to the weight room, and I had every excuse NOT to join a strength-training class at my gym.

I LOVED my new trainer. He understood my weaknesses, he never looked at himself in the mirror, he cared about me and what I’d eaten before I came and if I’d properly warmed up, and he always asked how was my body feeling. For three months, it was working perfectly. I felt stronger and fitter than ever before. But then he seemed to be stressed in his own personal life – and started telling me his problems (studying for a degree AND training), and letting me know how tired he was. And then he seemed to become a little sloppy. He’d wait for me to do 6 or 7 reps of something before correcting me. And then, one morning I came in and he handed me a VERY HEAVY (45 lb) weight for dead lifts. I told him the weight was too heavy. Nonsense he said. We’d been working out about 7 minutes since the session started. I hurt my back because of the heavy weight. His response? Stop the session right now – no make-up class, no refund, no apology. What he said to me was, “If you’re going to train, you’re going to get injured.”

THIS IS SO UNTRUE! Both a famous HSS surgeon to sports people said it was nonsense and so did the fitness director of my gym. Now, I am taking classes. They are every bit as hard, the results are excellent, and I’m feeling good again.

I asked the fitness manager of Equinox 54^th Street, Rolando Garcia, if one really needs a private trainer. “If you have specific needs,” he said, “a personal trainer is better. A trainer can adapt the workout to your injury or imbalance. A trainer progresses you. A class is one-size-fits all. Go to Sears and buy what’s on the rack. A personal trainer gives you a bespoke piece of clothing, cut just to you.”

A personal trainer, he said, will also correct you (instructors teaching class cannot correct everyone at once) and stretch you.

So what have I decided to do? I am sticking with the classes – for now. I know my weaknesses, the personal training has taught me proper form, and I know how much weight I should use with both dumb bells and body bars. So for me, the group thing works – not to mention all the money I’m saving per week.