Benefits of a Personal Trainer

If your new year's resolutions include being more on top of your fitness and health by exercising more, you're not alone. According to a survey by Statista, 47% of Americans made one of their new year's resolutions to exercise more. But with the new year in full swing, it can be intimidating to actually start with that goal and stick to it.

That's where a personal trainer can come in and help you to overcome your obstacles and stay strong on your fitness journey!

1. Motivation & Accountability

The biggest obstacle that most people encounter when trying to lose weight is a loss of motivation. Many start out full of energy and motivation to be the best version of themselves, but quickly fall off the wagon, losing the initial excitement that used to drive them to workout. This can unfortunately lead an avoidance of the gym, until they eventually just stop going altogether. With a personal trainer, you set specific appointments, so it’s a lot harder to just decide to not go. And once you actually get to the gym, you’ll be much less likely to just give up and go home halfway through the workout because you’ll have someone cheering you on every step of the way!

2. Faster & Better Results

A personal trainer will challenge you to do “just one more rep” or “stay just five more minutes,” pushing your limits, which will produce better results. Studies have shown that there are greater strength improvements when you work out with a supervised trainer than without one. Plus, your trainer will teach you new exercises that you may not have tried on your own, in order to provide variety to your workouts and ensure that your weight loss or strength progress doesn’t plateau.

3. Build Confidence

At the Y, we want you to leave everyday feeling confident and excited about the new you! A personal trainer will help you set and reach your goals, giving you a newfound confidence. Plus, a trainer is more than just fitness; exercise will help improve your mental health as well. Exercise has been proven to release endorphins that boost your mood and reduce depression.

4. Benefit from Their Education

If you’re exercising on your own, you may not be doing the correct exercises or using the best form to reach your goal. For example, if your goal is to get six-pack abs, but you only ever do cardio, you’re probably not going to be achieving your overall goal of defining muscles. Learn how and why a personal trainer assigns different exercises for you, as well as the proper form, to ensure you’re working the muscle groups that you want. Personal trainers go through rigorous training to become certified, which includes classes on form and types of exercise best suited to achieve certain results.

5. Personalized Plan

A personal trainer is just that: A trainer that focuses on YOU! Everybody is different, which means everyone’s abilities and needs are different as well. Your personal trainer will create a plan that’s specifically tailored to you, incorporating your personal health goals along with any restrictions you have, such as injuries or other conditions. Working with a personal trainer ensures that you will get personalized instruction and coaching through your individual goals.

6. Reduced Chance of Injury

Proper form is essential to reducing the chance of injury. With a personal trainer consistently monitoring you, there’s a much smaller chance of you getting injured and postponing your health journey. Plus, learning the proper form for each exercise will make you more likely to do it on your own outside of your personal training sessions

7. Establish a Lifetime of Exercise Habits

Joining the Y means you’re doing more than just working out -- you’re changing your lifestyle. A personal trainer can help you develop a recipe for success and establish exercise habits that can last a lifetime. Your trainer will show you the best way to structure workouts to ensure you’re getting the most from each and every one. Having a personal trainer is like having an angel on your shoulder, guiding you to stay on track with your goals to make them into permanent habits.

8. Reach Your Goals!

Your personal trainer will start you out with small goals that will eventually lead to your larger goals, and show you exactly how to get there. They will often create a timetable that maps out your goals and shows you what to expect along the way, which can help you be realistic about your progress.

The YMCA of Greater Indianapolis offers Personal Training programs to help you achieve your health and wellness goals when you work-out with the guidance, encouragement, and support of a Certified Personal Trainer. Your trainer will become a friendly face at the gym who will always be there to cheer you on. At the Y, you belong here! Schedule an initial appointment with one of our personal trainers today.