Personal training worth it? / Bargain personal trainer

• 

  jas0n on 02/09/2013 - 11:14

  It very much depends on the personal trainer and you being able to pinpoint your exact goals and knowing how to objectively measure them - some personal trainers will be worth their weight in gold while others won't. As always you have to do your homework.

  In general my personal experience is that many of the commercial gyms offer personal trainers that will give you not much beyond a glorified cardio session. For some it is worth it (particularly psychologically), for others it is a waste of money.

  If you want to talk specifics feel free to shoot me a PM.

  • 

    accessdenied on 02/09/2013 - 11:45

    Cardio is something I can do it on my own. I dont need a PT to teach me how to run on a treadmill. I am looking to gain muscles and that is what I need help with. I currently train on my own but i am not getting the results I expected.

    You are right its about finding the right personal trainer but the gyms do not leave us with much of a choice in terms of choosing a PT.

• 

  XCelR8 on 02/09/2013 - 11:30

  Unless that trainer has a Phd. No.
  Find out what qualifications they have - if they dont have cert III or IV (from TAFE at least) I would stay away from them. You can pay an Exercise Physiologist or even Physiotherapist $80 an hour!! Thats a LOT of money. So unless they had a degree i wouldnt be interested. (Thats not to say all PT's who dont have Uni quals are rubbish - please dont take it that way)

  I agree with Jason find someone who is at least passionate and takes an interest in you. Otherwise i think your better off paying less money and doing group fitness like your boot camps etc just choose a small group number. Out door is generally cheaper than in a gym.

  Oh and generally 30 minutes will be enough, if you can run on a treadmill for 5 minutes, before your work out, and 5 minutes after your workout you have just completed the warmup/warmdown.

  EDIT: I see your in Sydney - TBH i dont know the prices over there, Perth is roughly $1 a minute.

  • 

    accessdenied on 02/09/2013 - 11:41

    I think they usually have cert IV in PT. but the way they market their training, it feels as if they aren't there to take interest in you they have just kept an eye on your pocket. I mean i dont mind trying a few sessions but then again I've lost $250-$300 if I dont think he is the right trainer. Prob with gyms is that they do not allow you to bring a personal trainer along with you so you have no choice but to choose one of those available there. That what is annoying.

    BTW I did think if a Bootcamp. I have been researching for it since this morning. BTW if you have been to a bootcamp, do you mind telling me how is it like?

    • 

      XCelR8 on 07/09/2013 - 11:32

      Well, its tough. You complete approx an hour to and hour and a half (not all of it is completing an activity) generally in different locations each week, beach, sand, grass, hills etc, with different activities could be focused on 'legs' doing uphill or sand, where as the grass maybe focused on 'arms' and 'abdominal'…Sometimes you can find them on scoopon or something to try them out for a month for $20..May be of interest for you.

      Alternatively, if you want to pay your $80/hour go to a private gym that are specialists for PT, they will take a very big interest as if they dont get people coming back, they close down :)

• 

  one man clan on 02/09/2013 - 11:30

  +1

  I paid $100/hour for my personal trainer when I was doing it. She was a professional fighter though, and it involved boxing/kickboxing drills and sparring as well as generally training.

  It's the best money i ever spent for fitness/psychological health. If you get someone good, you won't regret it at all. The challenge is finding the right person.

  • 

    accessdenied on 02/09/2013 - 11:43

    You are right but for that I'll probably have to join fitness first or such big gyms as they usually hire such personal trainers. I currently train at anytime fitness and I dont think the PT's are worth $80/ph (source: I've seen them train other people at the gym and I wasn't really impressed)

    • 

      one man clan on 02/09/2013 - 11:50

      +1

      There all the same crap at any of the gym chains. If you want a good PT you need to go somewhere small (or find someone passionate) - at least IMO.

      Strength training isn't that hard and should accellerate your weight loss if you stagnating.

      For different stuff, look into strongman/functional lifting. Or for motivation, something like kickboxing (it's the best cardio you can do).

• 

  carlenet on 02/09/2013 - 12:41

  +6

  I'd bypass the PT for now and give Stronglifts 5x5 a go.

  http://stronglifts.com/

  Very simple and easy to follow -

  StrongLifts 5×5 Workout A
  Squat 5×5
  Bench Press 5×5
  Barbell Rows 5×5

  StrongLifts 5×5 Workout B
  Squat 5×5
  Overhead Press 5×5
  Deadlift 1×5

  Basic premise; lifting three times a week alternating A & B. It doesn't matter whether you are male or female for this program and it is so simple. The website has detailed intructions/videos of each exercise if you are not familiar with them. If you are still unsure or not confident to make a start on your own it might be worth a PT session with a trainer that is qualified in this area/does these lifts themselves, to be shown the correct form etc.

  Btw, I follow this program and have had great success in lowering my BF% and gaining greater definition and yes, am female and don't look like the Hulk. ;)

  • 

    evol on 02/09/2013 - 13:53

    +1 for Stronglifts, great program. Stick with it and you will get great results. I can easily deadlift 2X my body weight now thanks to the program and with consistent training.

    Also: PT's are not worth the money - research everything you need to know yourself online and you will feel more comfortable & knowledgeable whilst working out. For motivation I think it's best to find a training buddy, that way you both push each other to go.

  • 

    KBZ on 02/09/2013 - 15:24

    +1

    It's a great beginner program I'd also add to that do assistance work outs i.e Pull ups, chin ups and especially dips.

    The program has it's faults since you'll end up with people having huge squats and deadlifts but in comparison relatively lower bench.

    In the beginning its great to follow a program blindly you'll get lots of 'gains' since your new. But after a while listen to your body, sometimes you'll need to do more volume (reps) or more intensity (heavier) and not just blindly follow it.

    Since you're planning on doing a lot of cardio you will 'stall' a lot but don't be put off and keep it up!

  • 

    accessdenied on 04/09/2013 - 14:30

    +1

    Thanks Carlenet, I found the website very helpful. I'll definitely try that. I also found some useful stuff on bodybuilding.com they have lots of diet and exercise plans.

    Hope I get ripped (not off) soon. :)

• 

  kobrien456 on 03/09/2013 - 08:53

  My son's a PT part time while at Uni. He's 18, but very experienced with weights and has trained under Olympians. Many people recommend cardio for weight loss, but Cardio will eat away at your muscle gain, and some say that a weights program done with minimum rest can be aerobic as well. But then, you won't get huge muscle gains if you are not resting properly. My son added 10kg of muscle to his own body in what seemed like 6 months (?) and is very good at helping and motivating people. Shame we are in Brisbane. A trainer will help you achieve your goals, but you will benefit from having a gym partner to spot you to make sure your form is correct and you don't hurt yourself if you are lifting very heavy. $80 seems way too high unless they are the best of the best. PT isn't the be all and end all if you are pushing yourself to failure every time. If you have a certain date that you want to reach a goal by I'd get a PT, or if you are after sports specific training, or if you need some extra support.

  • 

    XCelR8 on 07/09/2013 - 11:27

    +3

    I would tend to stay away from anyone who said their son is very experienced at age 18, and says that cardio eats away at muscle….They obviously dont know fundamental energy systems.

• 

  2ndeffort on 03/09/2013 - 11:56

  Trainer might help you but you will get the best return on investment from educating yourself. There are literally thousands of workout books/tips/routines for building muscle. If bulking up is what you want it would be worth getting an experienced bodybuilder to instruct you in correct form and to help you work on finding the right routine to meet your goals. Personally I cant stand the typical trainer 'motivating' me! Standing over me feigning interest/passion trying to get me to push out another set etc. I would get a good trainer (you'll know how well they understand lifting weights by their body shape!), have them set you up with the right exercises and then maybe have them review part way through to make sure you are on the right path. It used to annoy the life out of me in the gym watching wannabe kids bragging about how much they lift when most of the time they were lifting incorrectly or cheating. Only hurting themselves I guess but a good trainer would have corrected their form and made sure their efforts were optimised for maximum gain and safety.

  If you want to build muscle you need to be lifting weights, not running around the park with boxing gloves on etc. Spend the 'motivation' money on protein shakes!

• 

  FiDad on 04/09/2013 - 17:49

  Have a look at 12-week transformation programme by Kris Gethin. I believe its quite a good starting point for someone like you. Have a look at his training videos, he provided lots of good information in them.
  http://www.bodybuilding.com/fun/kris-gethin-12-week-daily-tr…

  Being a Oz bargainer and a avid gym goer for last 16 years i would not recommend spending $80 p.h on a PT. I find learning to lift weights is more of a process then something you learn from some one in couple of sessions. Much better to have a look at strength training videos on you tube.

• 

  [Deactivated] on 05/09/2013 - 09:57

  Agree with above, join a gym, do the basics for 12 months. Network in the gym and learn from others. More of a lifestyle change than a quick fix

• 

  Circly on 08/09/2013 - 02:29

  no its not worth it.

• 

  Rode on 10/09/2013 - 12:57

  From my several years of gym experience, I would say don’t bother with personal training sessions, especially with that price. The only time I did a personal training session was if it was complimentary for signing up to the gym. That money saved not doing personal training can go towards buying supplements like post-workout whey protein (or spending on awesome bargains as seen on this site).

  With personal training, you get pushed hard. But you can achieve it without paying all that money. You should just find a gym partner at your gym and train with them. The benefits here would be:

  1. Cheaper than personal training
  2. Your partner should be able to push you to your limits (find a training partner with similar goals)
  3. You make new friends
  4. You learn different exercises personal training may not offer
  5. You will have a spotter whenever you need
  6. They can assist you with proper technique (unless they aren’t experienced)

  If you don’t like making friends, look around and see what other people are doing. I’ve been to many different gyms and picked up a lot of good exercises from different people and use them often in my workouts.

  The key to losing weight and gaining muscle is to always be dynamic with your training. Do exercises in a different order, or do different exercises for certain muscle groups. Keep your body guessing, and keep things interesting at the gym. This will make your gym experience fun and challenging, making you more determined to lose weight/gain muscle.

  I think for weight loss and strength:
  - Try something similar to ‘Insanity Training’
  - Do a bit of cardio every workout
  - 8 – 10 reps each set with minimal breaks between

  Strength to muscle building
  - Stronglifts program (or incorporate these key exercises into your workout)
  - 6-8 reps each set with heavier weights, and longer rest time.
  - Resistance training

  +1 for StrongLifts 5x5. Just finished the 14 weeks with good strength and muscle gains.

  This is all from personal experience. Everyone's body is completely different, but give it a go!

  Happy training.

  • 

    KBZ on 10/09/2013 - 16:38

    +1

    The key to losing weight and gaining muscle is to always be dynamic with your training. Do exercises in a different order, or do different exercises for certain muscle groups. Keep your body guessing

    This bit here is a myth and people please disregard. Heres One
    Just a do a bit of googling and you'll find out.
    The only change you really need to do is either increase the intensity or weight that's the change.
    People keep thinking they need to trick your body like it's a fugitive.

    Obviously the statement works if your gonna just do the same exercise for the same amount of reps for the same amount of weight. And expecting to get stronger, But adding more weight/reps is change and hence that is what people should be doing.
    Then adding assistance exercises. To enhance the major lifts.

    I think OP here just means to do different exercises for new people so you don't get bored which is true.