Investing in Personal Training

The world was a very different place back when I first started my career in personal training. The year was 1998. Clinton was still in office. The economy was soaring. A fitness wave had taken over the country. People were throwing money at personal trainers. I was so lucky to be entering the business at that time. These days however, things are somewhat different. The economy is still struggling and many people can barely afford to eat out, let alone invest in personal training. However, this still does not diminish the value of what I or any other trainer does for our daily living. We are still striving to help people live healthy lives. Given the limitations many people have, I have found myself becoming more and more creative in the ways in which I can reach people. In this article, I will point out some ways in which people can still invest in personal training without letting it empty their wallet.

Monthly Check- Ins: Most of my clients meet with me on a weekly basis. However, there are some who choose to meet with me monthly. In this scenario, I will meet with my client for two or three sessions to put them on a new program. This is enough time for me to give them detailed instruction as well as thoroughly answer any questions they may have. It also gives me a chance to see if there are any physical limitations that the client may have in regards to some of the exercises. If changes need to be made, I have time to accommodate. The client then takes the program and performs it on his own for the next three weeks. This is just about the time that one starts to become accustomed to the program, which means that they need to be put on a new program to stir up new results. They then return to me for yet another new program. By meeting with me only a few times a month, the client is able to keep the cost of personal training down while still having on going guidance and instruction.

Partner Training: Partner training is something that I have offered for quite some time and it has proven to be an effective method for people looking to invest in personal training while keeping the cost of it down. In this scenario, the client is splitting the cost of the training with another person. They receive guidance and instruction in the same sessions. Obviously, the amount of personal attention is reduced in this scenario because the trainer has to divide his time and attention amongst two people. However, this method has also proven to be very effective in terms of motivation. The training partners push and motivate each other while the trainer does the same. It tends to increase the fun factor as well as prevent burnout.

Half Sessions: Recent years have seen a significant increase of 30 minute training sessions. Traditional sessions last a full hour. This new addition in the industry is most likely due to the struggling economy. Instead of meeting for a full hour, the client meets for 30 minutes at a reduced rate. Not only does this keep the cost down, but also tends to have a significant impact on motivation. Since these people are only meeting for a half session, they want to make damn sure that they are getting value out of every single minute. It has also proven to be very effective for those people who tend to be less motivated when it comes to exercising. For these people, full hour sessions may seem like an eternity of unpleasantness. However, 30 minute sessions seem much less daunting. I have just recently implemented 30 minutes sessions as an option for my clients and some have found this new alternative to be very appropriate for their needs.

Online Personal Training: This method also proves to be a much more cost effective way to receive guidance in exercise and fitness. In this scenario, clients receive on- line guidance from fitness professionals who design workout programs and quite often will also provide nutritional guidance. The biggest obstacle to this method is motivation. The client will not actually be working out with the trainer, but rather on their own with the workouts that their specific trainer provided. In other words, clients who invest in this method need to be people who are already strongly motivated on their own and do not need to rely on someone else to provide that for them. I do not personally provide on- line personal training, but there are many trainers and/ or organizations that do.

Group Classes and Boot Camps: Of course group classes and boot camps have always been a fantastic way to get regular instruction and motivation with exercise at a much lower cost. Obviously the biggest drawback in this scenario is the lack of personalized attention. However, the group energy tends to increase the fun factor and therefore also increases motivation. Care should always be taken to carefully follow the instructor's guidance as they are dealing with many people at once.

Reading and DVD Instruction: I always encourage people to read about health and fitness as much as they can. It is a great low cost way to stay informed. Knowledge truly is power. Watching instructional DVDs can also be very educational. However, care must be taken to find reliable and respected sources to learn from. Even more care must be taken when you attempt to perform exercises on your own that you have not actually received personalized instruction for. By personalized, I do mean "in person".

These are all great ways to invest in your bodies and in your health without bleeding out your pocketbook. I realize that times are tough, but there has also never been a more important time to take care of ourselves physically. Take the time, do the research, and if possible, make the investment. It is always worth it.

Thanks for reading. Be healthy!

Michael Elder has been working as a fitness professional in Chicago for the last thirteen years. He comes from a background in gymnastics and is certified as a personal trainer through the American Council on Exercise (ACE). He can be contacted directly through his website, www.MichaelElder.com.