Personalized movement is where it’s at and you can’t deny the irreplaceable health and weight loss benefits either. There is also a place for personalized exercise in everybody’s lives, especially if you are needing to get your health on track this 2020. In fact, if we could all afford it, seeking personal assistance is what we feel would benefit us all. However, many people are skeptical about the real effectiveness of personal trainers and if they’re worth the investment. And for good reason.
You see the real problem stems from the fact that the industry is relatively saturated with young people who claim that they know about health and fitness. The issue is that they don’t really have any real credentials nor the knowledge to advise people on the correct pathway to success. Honestly, you could be paying massive amounts to somebody who has no idea what they’re talking about, simply because there aren’t enough rules to regulate this from happening. It’s true that a lot is learned from experience and research, however, it’s tricky to set these ones apart from the chancers. So, is it worth the risk?
The thing is, most fitness programs are quite pricey. Reaching your fitness goals doesn’t come cheap and we are all seeking personalized movement attention. This is because we’re all unique. However, we don’t blame you if you’re feeling hesitant to pour your hard-earned money into your fitness program. It might seem somewhat self-indulgent even in the brightest of times.
But reaching your fitness goals might get harder and harder for you to achieve. No matter what you try, group classes or not, you just can’t seem to get there. This frustration is enough to push you to seek a personalized movement approach. Beginner or pro, you’re at that point in your journey where you’re considering whether it is worth investing in some professional guidance.
Personalized Movement Is Golden, but Not Always Worth It
The choice is yours at the end of the day. We highly recommend doing your homework before pouncing into an agreement with the first PT you stumble upon. Try doing a little background check to see who they are, their values, and experience before choosing. You don’t want to be stuck with somebody who doesn’t know anything and is happy to make some quick cash-dollar out of you.
Having said that, there are some very important potential benefits you may experience from working with a personal trainer. You can learn a lot about your nutritional habits and fitness goals. As well as the short and long-term results you might be able to see. Experienced personal trainers will also be able to help get you on the most effective program that suits your body and goals, as opposed to you doing any old workout.
A Holistic Personalized Movement Approach
Lewis Paris is a London-based personal trainer whose philosophy incorporates a well-rounded approach to fitness. Paris says that a healthy lifestyle must include all elements involving cardio, weight, nutrition, rest, and building good habits. He says that the general objective of a personal trainer is to be able to motivate and curate a tailored plan to suit the needs and goals of their client. Personalized movement differs from person to person so whoever you choose needs to take the ‘personal’ aspect seriously. Therefore personalized movement is key. You as a client also have a responsibility to commit to your new goals, basic touchpoints, and standards.
A legitimate personal trainer will take the time to consult with you to establish these goals individually. No matter the fitness level, the personal trainer will be able to find a person’s weaknesses and create an effective plan to strengthen them. This means that if you are a beginner, you will gain the basic knowledge to understand the importance of technique and master the fundamentals of every exercise.
Personalized Movement For The Seasoned Gym-Goer
Is paying a personal trainer a waste of money if they’re just going to point out what you already know?
You might be used to working out a lot. However, personalized movement will give you the extra motivation to continue with the repetition of the same workout routine. It will also help you improve your technique. as well as the effectiveness of the exercise and avoid the common trap of plateauing.
Also, remember that even an experienced athlete does not know everything. Sometimes when you are training yourself, you tend to miss important cues, techniques and even when to take time to rest. We push ourselves too hard at times and a professional personal trainer will know when it’s best for you to do this. You’re more likely to remain disciplined when somebody else is watching over you than when you’re left to your own devices.
Many sportsmen explain that PTs help them optimize their personalized movement goals and fine-tune their training. If you need to lose weight or gain and boost your cardiovascular endurance…then you need to be on a specific plan to achieve this. A personalized movement plan might also help you break up your training into bite-sized goals and keep it interesting. There’s also less room to make excuses because you won’t want to disappoint your personal trainer. Naturally, you’ll work a lot harder.
Identify What’s Wrong With Personalized Movement First
Know when a person or piece of information is not legitimate.
The main issue is that many of us share the same problem with our approach to fitness. We are all looking in the wrong places for inspiration. Most of which comes from our Instagram feeds. Often, this leads to frustration and then we give up when we don’t get the results we want.
Fitness professionals state that the biggest mistake that most clients make is that they push through painful or dysfunctional movements. Mostly because Instagram said so. This is not what personalized movement is at all. You’re just doing more damage than good. Just because your favorite influencer shares a workout doesn’t necessarily mean that it is right for you. Another issue is that people constantly jump into programs that they assume to be miracle quick-fixes or silver bullets. The truth is, these just don’t exist.
You also need to ensure that your personalized movement program is also adapting to your progress. Professional PT will ensure that you continuously re-evaluate what is or isn’t working in your program. Paying attention to detail like this is the best way to get long-term results as your trainer can start to understand what works for your body. This can be adapted to your approach both in the gym and when it comes to mealtimes.
Personalized Movement Means Tracking Real-Time Data
You need quantitative data to track your real results that measure your body fat and muscle mass. This is particularly helpful, especially when you feel like you’re not making any progress by measuring just your weight.
Experts state that when you first start a new training plan, you can go through a process called body recomposition. Here, you might find that your weight stays stable or only minimally changes. However, your body fat may be declining with your muscle mass going up. This knowledge will help keep you motivated to persevere when you may otherwise have felt hopeless. But also, if the results aren’t what you are aiming for, this gives you and your PT a chance to re-evaluate what might not be working for you. Sometimes even the slightest change in your nutrition or your exercise plan can make a difference. Consistently adapting with an expert is where working with a PT makes all the difference compared to tackling it alone.
It is good to look at your progress every three weeks and even when you feel as if you’re not making progress you most likely are. It’s also a great idea to ensure that your personal trainer encourages you to take regular progress photographs. You might not feel comfortable at first but seeing the progress will keep you motivated
Understanding that progress takes consistency and time will keep you from feeling disheartened. But also, if the results aren’t what you are aiming for, this gives you and your PT a chance to re-evaluate what might not be working for you. There are two factors to look at fitness and diet. Consistently adapting with an expert is where working with a PT and personalized movement makes all the difference compared with tackling it alone.
There’s No Room To Quit Or Lag
Personalized movement and having a PT will push you through those times when you feel like caving in.
A personal trainer will hold you accountable. You are so much less likely to miss a workout if it is scheduled with your trainer and you are going to push yourself so much harder when you get there. Even if you know what you’re doing, nothing beats the motivation of somebody watching your every move. You will somehow find the energy to complete those last few reps. Lastly, you won’t stop a program before you’ve reaped the rewards. You’re more likely to stick to personalized movement programs because you’re paying for them.
Take Control Of Your Diet
Working with a PT can also help provide you with valuable nutrition knowledge. Often, this is most people’s downfall. Most of your work in the gym is maximized by what you eat. It is all about their education and knowledge of nutrition which is personalized for you. A professional PT will assess your nutritional age, how much you should be eating, the nutritional value of certain foods, and what you might understand about macros and calories. This is the best way to make the most beneficial decisions going forward.
Keeping a food diary can make a massive difference because it’s a reality check for most. For example, are you limiting your calories, but not getting enough protein? Could this be why you are not seeing results? Or, as many of us find, are you being too restrictive much of the time which leads to extreme overindulgence?
The biggest mistake people make is when they use very restrictive eating and then have cheat meals. Don’t allow weekends to be your ‘all-in’ day and then ‘eat clean’ for most of the week. Most people overeat, which means they are in surplus over a seven-day period and thus are stuck in limbo or even see weight gain over time.
PT and personalized movement programs help you understand calorie amounts in foods that you regularly consume, which will empower you to maintain a level of body fat that you are happy with. You will end up self-regulating your consumption and reducing other meals to make up for the indulgence of others because you now understand the energy value of your meal choices.
It’s down to basic science, but a personalized movement program can really help guide you. Not that you need to track everything you eat, you just need to know how to be more mindful about your quantities.
Should You Opt for Personalized Movement Training?
More importantly, what are your goals? Everybody is different, but if yours is fairly specific then you will certainly benefit from getting a PT. PT will also know when to ramp up your intensity when you need an extra push.
At the end of the day, everyone will benefit from having tailored advice, motivational training, and the chance to gain specific knowledge. This includes both the gym and your eating because it can make all the difference. Note that there will be certain times in your life where you won’t be able to commit fully. That’s okay. However, this means when you are busy traveling, socializing, or with work then don’t waste your time or money trying and inevitably failing.
But if you consider a personal trainer, they will work around you and help guide you in achieving your goals even when things seem really crazy. Just remember that even with personalized movement there is no miracle or quick-fix to getting stronger or fitter. You need to have grit, be consistent, and remain determined. Whether or not you’ve got a PT, this all boils down to you.
Bottom Line
So, personalized movement training or not? The answer is yes, get one – if you can, because there are so many advantages to working with a personal trainer, even if it’s for a short period of time to reset yourself or more long term. If you’ve got your ducks in a row and you’re in a positive financial position then this could be the transformational change you need.
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References
De Klerk, A. (2019). Is it worth investing in a personal trainer? Harper’s Bazaar, https://www.harpersbazaar.com/uk/beauty/fitness-wellbeing/a29682798/personal-trainers-is-it-worth-it/
Aleisha Fetters, K. (2019). Should You Get A Personal Trainer, Everyday Health, https://www.harpersbazaar.com/uk/beauty/fitness-wellbeing/a29682798/personal-trainers-is-it-worth-it/
Morris, N. (2019). Is Paying A PT Worth The Money?. Metro, https://metro.co.uk/2019/01/23/paying-pt-worth-money-8375402/
