Entering into my first semester at high school, I had not so much as seen the inside of a real gym, let alone used one.
Sure, I worked out. I implemented body weight exercises, ran suicides, and played sports as often as I could. However, as I grew older my dad knew if I wanted to take my softball and soccer to the next level, I needed to get serious about fitness.
He suggested signing up for personal training at a gym near my house. At first, I was skeptical. Blinded by naivety, my over-confident 13-year-old-self saw working with a trainer as a waste of both time and money, something I was certain to eventually loathe. Reluctantly, I gave in to my dad's persuasion and agreed to try it out. When I showed up at to the fitness center on a bright and early Saturday morning for my evaluation, I had no idea what I was getting into.
My trainer, Mark, gave me a much-needed wake-up call right from the get-go. Needless to say, I was frightened to go back. But I did and would continue to do so for the next four years. As much as I hate to admit it now, before Mark, I struggled to push myself beyond my normal boundaries because of how I feared failure and weakness. Learning to get 'comfortable being uncomfortable' (as the cliche goes) is just one of the many ways my trainer helped me become a better version of myself.
While some trainers may be expensive, lazy, or all-talk, if you find the right ones- they can change your life. I was lucky enough to have personal trainers who became like second and third father figures to me. While everyone's experience may differ, here are a few reasons why I think giving a trainer a chance will be well worth it.
I'll start with the obvious. A personal trainer not only transforms your fitness regimen but also your body. Whether you're trying to lose, gain, bulk, cut, or just maintain- a quality professional trainer is experienced in the exact science of achieving your goals. A gym floor can overwhelm its visitors, especially newcomers or those unversed with the equipment, but a trainer can calm the waters.
They also save you the hassle of having to sift through online blogs, Instagram fitness gurus, and spam ads for the best work-out and nutrition plans. They will give you organized methods and plans to follow which keep you from deviating, making excuses, or getting distracted. Just like mine pushed me to my absolute max, these trainers have your best physical interest in mind and will act as that all-important voice in the back of your head to keep you on the path towards the end goal.
For example, before my first experience with training, I hated running. I'd always been a more anaerobic athlete with little endurance or stamina, so when Mark had me sprint up and down stairs for ten minutes, I thought he was crazy.
However, some way, somehow, in an effort to make him proud, I pushed through the pain through what felt like the longest six-hundred seconds of my life and made it through without stopping (something I never would've been able to pull off without him there). Total (or even subtle) body transformations can be extremely taxing and complicated, especially if you have to try to weather them alone.
A physical trainer can be that crucial missing piece to achieving success against all odds.
Trainers can help boost your self-confidence and esteem as a whole. I'm in no way suggesting that self-esteem has to directly correlate with physical appearance. Exercising has been proven to produce positive stimulants within the body, and living a healthy lifestyle has often been linked to improvements in mental health.
A trainer doesn't take their job to encourage and motivate their clients lightly. They are there to ensure your overall work-out experience is as effective and enjoyable as possible, and if you feel good after your daily burn, you'll feel good about yourself all day.
Additionally, if you complete a particularly challenging exercise that your trainer designed, you'll inevitably feel a sense of satisfaction and pride with yourself for conquering the seemingly impossible. If you get matched with the right coach, their genuine belief in your potential and ability will be the fuel you need to start believing in yourself.
In my experience, my trainer's have always supported and encouraged me through everything in my life, not just my physical endeavors, and this has made a world of difference in my own self-perception.
Having a partner by your side as you struggle towards whatever aspiration you may have in the realm of fitness not only gives you a coach, but also a friend.
To me, this is the most impactful benefit of working with a personal trainer. You really get to know a lot about a person when you literally stay together through blood, sweat, and tears. Engaging in conversation alleviates the pain and soreness of lifting and conditioning...trust me.
My trainers and I have talked about everything from sports, current events, petty high school drama, to love, life, and the great beyond. Because he or she is separate from your school, work, and love life, your trainer can serve as an unparalleled confidant.
I can't even count the number of times my two trainers have let me vent to them, no questions asked, in the middle of or before a work-out. They can offer unbiased and wise advice to any situation and they'll give it to you candidly and straight because that's the kind of rapport a trainer has with his or her client. In my experience, I've developed two special friendships with people that I will cherish always.
I love my trainers, and I'm so lucky and blessed to have met them and worked with them. I would not be where I am today, physically or mentally, without them.
Although by now, I've learned my way around a gym and don't necessarily need them in a professional coaching role, I still stay in touch and keep them close to me as mentors and as friends.
I began as an awkward, over-confident, lazy thirteen-year-old too insecure to jump out of my own safety net, but after years of training with these incredible individuals, I am more confident, built, and happier than I could have ever imagined. If you have the financial means to do so, I would strongly recommend trying out a personal trainer at your local gym.
