If you are considering working with a personal trainer to help you reach your goals, you no doubt have a few big questions on your mind. You may be wondering how to find the best personal trainer in your area. You may be thinking about how many times a week you will be able to train and whether you want a male or female trainer.

You may be wondering if you and your trainer will get along well. And of course you may be wondering what the cost of a personal trainer is. These are just a few of many questions that pass through the minds of those looking to begin working with a personal trainer.
One of the biggest questions that people consider when pursuing personal training is the cost for a personal trainer. If you are going to commit to working with a personal trainer, you are going to have a certain level of financial investment. Notice that I used the word “investment”, and not “expense”. There are many activities and services that we partake in as consumers, but when we use money with the anticipation that we will get some sort of increased return on it, the money spent then becomes an investment. In this article we’ll take a look at the cost for a personal trainer versus the benefits (or returns) of working with one.
How Much Does A Personal Trainer Cost?
If you are thinking about working with a personal trainer, one of your first questions is likely to be in regards to the personal trainer cost. You likely work hard for your money and want to make sure it is well spent. The average cost of a personal trainer can vary greatly. From various sources I have seen, the national average for a personal training session tends to be around sixty-five dollars per session as of the time of this writing. Sessions typically tend to be about an hour. Remember that this is an approximate national average. Costs can vary greatly based on location, the facility or gym, and the personal trainer. For example, if you live in an upscale area of Los Angeles, it is unlikely that you are going to pay the same amount for personal training as would a person in a smaller mid-western city or community. Similarly, if you are going to train at a large gym with top of the line equipment, you may end up paying more than a smaller local gym or fitness center.
Other Options To Consider When It Comes To Cost
If the cost for personal trainer sessions is a little bit high for you, there are a few options you can consider. First, you can see if the personal trainer or gym is willing to lower the average personal trainer cost per session if you pay more money up front. A bulk purchase of many sessions up front will sometimes lead to a lower cost per individual session. Secondly, if the pricing is way out of your league, you may want to consider if the personal trainer will do sessions with you and a friend or spouse. The cost per person is usually substantially lower when doing this. The sessions are not as personalized as with just one client, but you will still be getting a great workout with a professional and spending time with your friend or spouse. This is often a very practical way for people to work with a personal trainer. Finally, you may want to inquire if the personal trainer cost would be lower if you do shorter sessions. Any of these methods may help you if the cost for personal training is a bit out of your budget.
The Benefits Or Results Of Personal Training
When you work with a personal trainer, one of the first things you will do is talk about your goals. You may have a goal to lose weight. You may desire to compete in some sort of competition. You may need to improve your leg strength and balance and prevent possible falls. Whatever your goals are, a good personal trainer will sit down with you and not only go over your goals in detail, but also map out a clear and well laid out plan of how to reach those goals. It is impossible to reach your destination unless you clearly define it and how you intend to get there. A good personal trainer will help you do both.
The Cost Of Not Working With A Personal Trainer
In addition to considering the average personal trainer cost, one should also consider the cost of not working with a personal trainer. Turning the question around forces one to look inward and assess one’s own needs and abilities. If you are contemplating working with a personal trainer and seem to be going back and forth in your decision, there are some questions to ask of yourself that may help you in your decision.
1. Can I reach my goals on my own?
Be honest with yourself here. Perhaps it would be even better to ask yourself if you will reach your goals on your own rather than if you can. Many people think to themselves they do not need a personal trainer to reach their goals. The weeks, months, and years pass by, and they are still in the same shape they were, all while telling themselves that they are going to get serious about working out and getting in shape. A huge part of personal training is accountability.
2. Do I know which exercises will help me reach my goals?
I had been working out on my own for over 15 years before I studied to become a personal trainer. I had no idea what I did not know prior to that. There are so many exercises, training methods, and concepts to working out, that to truly maximize results it usually takes someone who has made it their career to study such things.
3. Do I know how to workout safely with regard to my current fitness level, experience, and knowledge?
There are primarily two kinds of injuries when it comes to working out. The first is the kind that happens right away. The second is from doing exercises wrong for years and not knowing it. The latter injury creeps up after years of doing an exercise incorrectly and due to the nature of it building up usually results in a significant problem by the time it starts to manifest pain and discomfort.
4. Am I familiar with proper exercise technique so I stay safe?
This ties in to question number three. Even resistance machines can be used incorrectly. Don’t think because you saw someone else do it that they know how to do it. Also don’t assume that because you saw a trainer show it to someone else that you have picked up all the finer details and safety aspects of the exercise.
5. Do I have enough knowledge of nutrition as it relates to my goals?
Especially when it comes to weight loss, being educated about nutrition is of huge importance. The reputable personal training certifications have entire sections devoted to nutrition. A good trainer can help educate you about nutritional principles that will help you attain your goals.
6. Do I know the proper mix of aerobic and anaerobic activity to help me reach my goals?
First, do you even know what aerobic and anaerobic means? Second, do you know how much of each you should be doing based on your goals, background, and medical history as it relates to physical activity and what types you should be doing?
7. What am I willing to give up in terms of time in order to train?
Personal training sessions take time, and time is a valuable resource for most people. What are you willing to sacrifice in terms of time for your workouts? What have you put higher on your priority list then your own health and wellness?
8. What can I afford and what I am willing to give up in order to be able to afford personal training?
This investment in your health and wellness is going to cost money. Would you be willing to give up a few times a month of going out to eat at a nice restaurant? Would you be willing to take one less major vacation to get in healthy shape? Consider your priorities. If you don’t make fitness a priority, your body is eventually going to rebel against you for not doing so.
9. Do I know how to vary up exercises enough so that my progress does not stagnate?
One of the greatest challenges for someone who has been working out for years is to keep changing things up so that the body is forced to adapt. You may know 3 ways to work your abs. A good personal trainer knows 100. Lack of diversity in training also contributes to boredom, and boredom leads to workouts that stop occuring.
10. Do I have the discipline to stick to my workouts regularly without having a workout appointment with a personal trainer?
By having an appointment with a personal trainer you are much more likely to succeed. If you cancel, not only are you letting yourself down, but you are letting your trainer down as well. There is a good chance you will still have to pay for the session as well so you are losing more than just a workout.
Making Your Decision
I hope this article has helped provide some insights into personal training as it relates to the costs and benefits. A good personal trainer will make the sessions well worth your money. The results you will see and feel as you move forward with your training should reassure you that it is in fact well worth the cost. Investing in your health and wellness through fitness is one of the best ways you can spend your money. Consider your priorities and the various questions posed in this article. The overwhelming majority of people will experience greater results with a personal trainer than on their own. Even professional athletes, bodybuilders, and powerlifters work with personal trainers to maximize their results. Consider looking for a personal trainer who has experience and one of the best personal trainer certifications. Doing so can take your workouts and overall fitness to new levels. Good luck in your decision and make sure to check back for more fitness related articles.